GM's Larry Burns gets ASM International research award
GM's Larry Burns is a pretty well known name around these parts, but for those unfamiliar with the name, he is the Vice President of Research and Development and Strategic Planning for the company. Larry leads all the efforts involving cool new technologies at the Detroit car-maker. While we have focused on powertrain innovations like fuel cells, batteries and HCCI there is a lot of other work going on at GM in other areas such as materials as well. ASM International has decided to give Larry their 2007 Medal for the Advancement of Research particularly for work on shape memory materials. These materials can change their properties when exposed to various stimuli like electrical charges or heat and then return to their original form. The GM press release is after the jump.[Source: General Motors]
Burns Receives ASM International 2007 Medal Award for the Advancement of Research
PONTIAC, Mich. – Larry Burns, vice president of research and development and strategic planning at General Motors, has received the ASM International 2007 Medal for the Advancement of Research.
The ASM award was established in 1943 to honor an executive who is active in the production, fabrication or use of metals and other materials; who has over a period of years consistently sponsored research or development, and with foresight and actions has helped substantially to advance the arts and sciences relating to materials science and engineering.
"This marks the fourth time that a GM executive has received the Medal for the Advancement of Research – the most for any company," said ASM Past President Lawrence C. Wagner, Texas Instruments (retired). "ASM is proud to recognize Dr. Burns for his extraordinary vision, leadership and perseverance in championing GM's advanced propulsion, electronics, telematics and materials technologies."
Burns' research and development and strategic planning team is driving innovation in GM's future cars and trucks with many initiatives around advanced propulsion, electronics, telematics and "smart" materials. Shape memory alloys and polymers are examples of smart materials that GM is developing for use in its cars and trucks. Smart materials are so named because they can change their shape, strength, and/or stiffness when they are introduced to heat, stress, a magnetic field or electrical voltage. Shape memory alloys – and polymers in particular – "remember" their original shape and can return to it, creating new possibilities for the many moveable features in a vehicle GM plans to integrate smart materials technology into its vehicles by 2010.
Burns began his GM career in 1969 on the Research and Development staff, where his work focused on transportation, logistics and production systems. He subsequently held executive positions in several GM divisions in the areas of product program management, quality, production control, industrial engineering and product and business planning. In May 1998, he was named a vice president of General Motors, with responsibility for research and development and planning.
Burns holds a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He also has a master's degree in engineering/public policy from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University).
ASM serves the materials science and engineering profession by providing scientific, engineering and technical knowledge, education, networking and professional development. Previous GM executives to receive the Medal for the Advancement of Research were Martin J. Caserio, Vice President and Group Executive, in 1982; Edward N. Cole, GM President (retired), in 1975; and Charles E. Wilson, GM President, in 1950.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Angele Shaw 3:15PM (9/19/2007)
We talked about this work early this year, in March. I'm attaching that announcement here, as it sounds like you missed it.
GM Achieves Technology Breakthrough with Smart Materials. Smart Materials will Enable Vehicle Features to Move without Motors
Warren,Mich. – General Motors scientists demonstrated breakthrough developments in smart materials technology at a media briefing at GM’s Research and Development Center.
Shape memory alloys and polymers are examples of types of smart materials that GM is developing
for use in its products. Smart materials can change their shape, strength, and/or stiffness when heat,stress, a magnetic field or electrical voltage are introduced. Shape memory alloys, and polymers in particular, “remember” their original shape and can return to it, opening new possibilities for many movable vehicle features.
GM is targeting to integrate smart materials technology into its vehicles by 2010.
“Smart materials will change the look and feel of our cars and trucks,” said Larry Burns, GM vice
president of Research & Development and Strategic Planning. “With these new materials, functionality
can be ‘programmed in’ to enable innovative designs, improved efficiency, and new and improved features that will make our vehicles more exciting to own and operate than the automobiles of the past.”
Actuators and sensors made from these materials have the potential to improve vehicle performance
and fuel economy, and enable new comfort and convenience features. These actuators and sensors can provide significant benefits when they are used to replace conventional motorized or hydraulic devices by reducing vehicle mass, component size and complexity and improving design flexibility, functionality and reliability.
A few example applications include:
• An adaptive interior grab handle that automatically presents itself from a folded position to make for an easier,more intuitive entry into the vehicle,
• Active vehicle surfaces, such as air dams and louvers that adjust to govern airflow,
improving aerodynamics and performance, and
• Hood, door latch, and glove box releases for more convenient access.
According to Alan Taub, GM executive director of Research & Development, smart materials are
building on previous materials advances GM has introduced over the last several years.
“These new smart materials follow a long list of material applications we are already using,” said
Alan Taub. “A few examples include novel aluminum forming processes that provide enhanced body panels
and lightweighting, polymer nanocomposites that provide superior mechanical properties at lower cost, and magnetorheological fluids for improved chassis systems.
“The properties inherent in shapememory alloys and polymers have the potential to be game-changers
in the automotive advanced materials field, eventually leading to vehicle subsystems that can self-heal in the event of damage, or that can be designed to change color or appearance.”
Smart materials are being used in other industries in various applications including medical devices,
cell phone antennas, toys and sporting goods.
GM is collaborating with HRL Laboratories and the University of Michigan in developing potential
applications. To date, GM has more than 175 U.S. patents issued or pending based on research work and application development in the field of smart materials.
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