Eaton engineers honored by SAE for anti-rollover research

WARRENDALE, Pa. – Three engineers from Eaton Corporation are recipients of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International's Colwell Merit Award for co-authoring “Minimizing Dynamic Rollover Propensity with Electronic Limited Slip Differentials” (SAE paper #2006-01-1279), a paper that introduces a control scheme with an electronically controlled limited slip differential to prevent vehicle rollover.

The Eaton recipients being recognized are Jae Lew, senior principal scientist at the Eaton Innovation Center in Eden Prairie, Minn., Damrongrit Piyabongkarn, control system scientist also of the Eden Prairie facility, and John Grogg, technical specialist in the Torque Control Products Division at Eaton in Marshall, Mich.

Lew’s research focuses on applying modern control theory to vehicle dynamics and electro-mechanical-hydraulics systems. Prior to joining Eaton, Lew spent five years as a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and six years as an associate professor at Ohio University.

Piyabongkarn works on vehicle stability control projects using driveline torque management technologies for the commercial and military industries. His research interests include advanced controls, vehicle dynamics and MEMS sensor design.

Grogg works on active torque control driveline products for the enhancement of vehicle traction and handling dynamics. He has co-authored six papers related to vehicle dynamics and driveline torque control products. He also holds six patents in the fields of planetary gear transmissions and clutches. He is a past recipient of the O. Hugo Schuck Award for Best Paper at the 2007 American Automatic Control conference.

The engineers will be presented the award during the SAE 2008 World Congress Award Ceremony held April 15, in Detroit. The Colwell Merit Award, established in 1965, annually recognizes the authors of outstanding papers presented at an SAE conference or SAE section meeting. The late Arch T. Colwell, who first funded this award, served SAE International in many capacities for nearly 50 years, including a term as President in 1941.

For more information about SAE International’s Arch T. Colwell Award, please contact [email protected].