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For the 2003 and 2004 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenges, the successful implementation of a clean, quiet, high-performance four-stroke motorcycle engine into an existing snowmobile chassis was achieved. For the 2005 Challenge, a new motor and chassis were selected to continue the development of a four cylinder, four stroke powered snowmobile. The snowmobile is as powerful as today's production performance models, as nimble as production touring sleds, easy to start, and environmentally friendly. This report describes the conversion process in detail with actual dynamometer, emissions, noise, and field test data, and also provides analysis of the development processes and data. The vehicle meets the proposed 2012 EPA snowmobile emissions regulations and is significantly quieter than a stock snowmobile.

This paper reviews activities relating to understanding, and improving the on-center performance of heavy truck steering systems. Initially, the on-center steering performance characteristics for commercial vehicles were quantified. Steering wheel torque and angular position were the prime measurables. Graphical analyses of the on-center handling data were performed. To better understand the data, and to insure statistical significance, an algebraic model of the analyzed data was developed, with confidence intervals determined. The calculated system stiffness, as determined from the steering wheel data, was found to be a key discriminator between steering gears. System stiffness is a function of several component values, which were measured in the laboratory. Finally, to test the above findings, a correlation study of subjective driver impressions with measured steering gear characteristics and objective vehicle measures was performed.

For over twenty years the Federal Government has regulated the safe manufacturing of laser products. All laser manufacturers and laser system interrogators must classify the hazards presented by the beam emitted from their lasers and incorporate engineering features and labels designed for the safe use of the laser. These regulations are administered by the CDRH (Centers for Devices and Radiogical Health) which has made laser systems safer to use.