Machines | US Military Engineering To Reduce Fuel Costs

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory has embarked upon a research project that no one is believed to be looking into that's considering surface engineering treatment remedies to reduce fuel costs. ARL's Vehicle Technology Directorate's Propulsion Division is leading an Army-wide effort to determine how simple surface improvements to automotive components can effectively improve automotive efficiency. They've teamed with a group of experts at Ohio State University as well as within a number of military organizations to investigate whether surface engineering techniques can yield tangible gains in power transfer efficiency within military vehicle drive trains. That could mean the Army would not only save money, it could help save the environment. The project is called Surface Engineering for Propulsion and Transmission Energy-loss Reduction (SEPTER), and it consists of a wide range of basic and applied research topics to determine how well different surface treatments increase efficiency. The project is funded by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Engineering techniques that will be investigated include super finishing and the application of nickel-based coatings.