The current paper investigates the effects of geometric design parameters on the fatigue failure of the drive axle housing using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The study examines the effects of various factors on the fatigue life of the drive axle housing, such as axle housing wall thickness, housing cross-sectional rounding radius, and rounding radius of the central part of the housing. Based on the known material properties and dynamic loads, a CAD/FEM model of the drive axle housing was developed, and a structural analysis was carried out. Based on the results of the structural analysis, critical places on the housing were determined, and fatigue analysis and lifetime prediction were performed. Through a series of simulations, the study reveals that increasing housing wall thickness can significantly improve fatigue performance. Similarly, increasing the rounding radius at the housing cross-section, as well as the rounding radius at the central part of the housing can also lead to improved fatigue performance. However, the effect of increasing the value of these two radii is not as significant as the effect of the wall thickness. These findings give useful information regarding the design and manufacture of drive axle housings for vehicles, intending to reduce the likelihood of fatigue failure.

We study the local dynamics and global character of third-order polynomial difference in the first octant of initial conditions with infinite number of prime period-three solutions (three cycles). It is also presented the case when the observed difference equation may be extended to the whole ℝ𝟑.

The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of geometry on the mechanical stability of characteristic structural solutions of plates for internal bone fixation using the finite element method (FEM). Based on the realistic construction of plates for internal bone fixation, 3D geometric and FEM models were formed, and then structural analysis was carried out in the CAD/CAE system CATIA V5. Five different types of plates for internal bone fixa - tion were tested under two types of loads: axial pressure and torque in the case of application to the femur. During the structural analysis, stresses and displacements were monitored at characteristic points of the structure. The most attention was paid to the relative displacements of the bone model fragments, because the stiffness of the plates for the internal fixation of the bone was determined based on them. At the end of the paper, the results of all analyzed plates are presented, their mutual comparison as well as the conclusion in which, based on everything done, it was stated which plate would be the most favorable solution for a given case of bone fracture.

In this paper analyses of the current state of the thermal insulation of walls without styrofoam and existing windows of Alipasino polje buildings in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is powered boiler K-5 through its substations, and current fuel consumption is performed. Research results lead to the conclusion that it is worth to consider insulation of buildings, i.e., simulation of adding styrofoam and new windows on the existing structure in order to reduce heat losses and thus reduce fuel consumption and gas emissions. Savings obtained by this simulation are over 30%. Surface area of buildings subject to the installation of the insulation is obtained on the basis of projects from the district heating system Toplane Sarajevo. Styrofoam thickness is determined by optimizing reduction of the payback period. Prediction of fuel consumption was evaluated for the existing and projected future depending on outside temperature. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of DAAAM International Vienna.

Although the population of the Western Balkans has been connected to the power grid at a high level, there are still regions in which there is no electricity network or the network capacity is insufficient. Often those areas include regions of special care of the state (underdeveloped, impaired in war, depopulated), islands, and mountainous area. But, in the same time, those regions are areas with good renewable energy potential. The decentralised energy generation based on RES (primarily solar, wind, biomass and hydro) could be used to provide electricity for users located in remote, often isolated, rural areas (off-grid applications). Those applications will be primarily tourist related, covering mountainous, rural and coastal tourism. Also, wood, agriculture and food processing industries will be users of DEG based on biomass (most probably with cogeneration plants, connected on- grid).

Around a year ago, the test station for flat-plate water cooled solar collectors has been put in operation and equipped with all measuring equipment and instrumentation including data acquisition and processing system at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty in Sarajevo. A short technical description of operational flow diagram including data acquisition system and its “interconnection” with the relevant software interfacing for results evaluation, for the Solar Testing Station, is presented. Using this station the main thermal characteristics of tested solar collectors have been obtained in accordance with appropriate testing methods given in ASHRAE Standard 93-86 and European standard EN 12975-2. The value of time constant of solar collector and graphics review of functions of thermal efficiency and incident angle modifier, as a final report of this kind of test, is shown and discussed. This new methodology of testing and data processing will be compared with 1978 ASHRAE methodology. Measurement techniques and the results of the latest tests will be analyzed, and compared with data obtained by 1978 ASHRAE procedure.