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With increased demand for improvements in the efficiency and operation of all automotive engine components, including those in the engine cooling system, there is a need to develop a set of virtual tools that can aid in both the evaluation and design of automotive components. In the case of automotive radiators, improvements are needed in the overall pressure drop as well as the coolant flow homogeneity across all radiator tubes. The latter criterion is particularly important in the reduction of premature fouling and failure of heat exchangers. Rather than relying on ad hoc geometry changes with the goal of improving the performance of radiators, the coupling of CFD flow simulations with numerical shape optimization methods could assist in the design and testing of automotive heating and cooling components.

This paper discusses manufacturing related educational and research programs in the School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) at Oakland University, a Michigan institution located some thirty miles north of Detroit. The SECS vision statement positions the School to help meet the requirements and challenges of automotive and automotive related industries. As part of this vision SECS offers a manufacturing program as an option under the undergraduate Mechanical Engineering degree. Also, in collaboration with such companies as Chrysler and Deloitte and Touche, SECS has developed several unique, manufacturing related research programs that will be discussed in this paper.