Need ideas for design thesis...

[mrdirty]

Ok, anyone w/ an idea for a mechanical design thesis let's here it...

preferably:
-non turbo application (too expensive)
-no body work, the fluid mechanics behind aerodynamics are much too complex...
-something mechanical w/ some electrical components

I know this is broad but I'll be spending about a year in the design stage and it would be great if I could tackle a real need as opposed to something usless (like a better cupholder or something.)


All ideas are welcome!

[Tyler Durdan]

Are you talking about the ka24de, or any type of engine? If it's the ka, best to go turbo...best bang for the buck. You'll spend a lot more cash trying to stay n/a, but with far less gains than a nice turbo setup.

[mrdirty]

like I said, turbo is out; I don't mind designing a specific part but don't have a flowbench to test anything at my current location. Plus designing turbo or aero parts requires a tremendous amount of research and development due to the complexity of fluid dynamics.

What I'm really looking for is:
"hey you know what we need? a device that rev-matches"

or something like that. Not specifically an engine part.


BTW: Whatever I decide to do I'll document the final results after the prototype has been tested and post all the results and designs...

[misnomer]

y'know, we really could use a better cupholder. . .

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by misnomer
y'know, we really could use a better cupholder. . .

:p

yeah I know, but it wouldn't make a very impressive presentation...

[Tyler Durdan]

Okay, I get what your trying to do. I misinterpreted earlier. I got nothing right now though...we really could use a better cup holder though...;)

[kandyflip445]

How about a continusously variable transmission that can withstand high amounts of torque? The problem with Audi's CVT is that it still doesn't have the capability to hold up to amounts of torque tuners produce.

Too complicated?

CUP HOLDER!

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by kandyflip445
How about a continusously variable transmission that can withstand high amounts of torque? The problem with Audi's CVT is that it still doesn't have the capability to hold up to amounts of torque tuners produce.


now we're getting there...
keep 'em coming...

[Jim96SC2]

A wing, with hydrolics attached. Now this wing would change downforce based on cornering, speed, acceleration, etc. That way you could have almost no downforce while coming off the line or accelerating out of a turn but lots of force when cornering.

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by Jim96SC2
A wing, with hydrolics attached. Now this wing would change downforce based on cornering, speed, acceleration, etc. That way you could have almost no downforce while coming off the line or accelerating out of a turn but lots of force when cornering.

great idea,

c'mon now, I need a whole list to choose from!

[RacerBoi]

How much torque can the Audi CVT hold? In the book Maximum Boost they speek of a CVT and a turbo engine having the possibility of being really efficent.

[mrdirty]

any other ideas?

There has to be something u guys want....

[Apparition]

Something to control the motor in the flip up headlights, so I can go from closed, to sleepy, to wide open. And choose between all three.

[tnord]

i had a great idea the other day...........but it's not car related. you could even model and present it with somewhat ease i would think. my idea, if it doesn't already exist, could be patentable, which would make you (and me to) rich. let me know if you want to hear it.

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by tnord
i had a great idea the other day...........but it's not car related. you could even model and present it with somewhat ease i would think. my idea, if it doesn't already exist, could be patentable, which would make you (and me to) rich. let me know if you want to hear it.

If it's a great idea then u may not want to share it.....

But if u do, then shoot!

The scam is that MOST things that u could think of are already patented; it's a bit of a problem. For the love of jesus, someone patented this:

http://totallyabsurd.com/arm_mitten.GIF

[tnord]

well, i have no idea if it has been or not, but i doubt it.

ok.....first off, it has to do with electicity generating windmills. now, the basic concept of it is to reduce the amount of energy (wind) needed to turn the blades. you know those stupid things you have on your desk, that once you tap em they just don't stop; well, that's the idea, here is how it's accomplished. keep in mind i'm no ME, Industrial Design guy, or anything like that, i just have a lot of time to think on my drive from KS back to MN. if you could place sliding counterweights inside the blades themselves, it could potentially create enough momentum to almost turn the blades and produce electricity by themselves. if you don't quite get what i'm saying, it would work like this. when the blades are on their "down-stroke" the counterweight would slide out away from the (name for a center of a circle i can't for the life of me remember), and with the assistance of gravity, accelerate the entire unit around the axis. now, when the the blade is on its "up-stroke" the weight would slide back towards the center, since it's easier to move something that's closer to it's rotational center.

here's where i see the problem: the energy that may be required to move the added weight, may offset the extra energy produced by this system.

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by tnord

here's where i see the problem: the energy that may be required to move the added weight, may offset the extra energy produced by this system.

exactly, it's called perpetual motion; thousands of patents are based on similar ideas each year (some are granted). The problem (since u took the time to answer) is that energy has to come from somewhere, in the case of a mass transfer system like you propose you must also account for conservation of momentum (really the same thing as energy but more specific) which basically means that the work required to move the weights either into the center of rotation or along the arc of rotation (if not retracted before ascent) would be more than (depending on various non-conservative forces of friction) the energy generated by the downward moving masses.

I had a friend of mine who spent 2 yrs and thousands of dollars building something similar that was supposed to produce thrust; never could get it to do anything but vibrate and conservation of momentum is why.

If u have a real interest in applied physics (it's more interesting then it sounds!) then I suggest a great set of books:

"Engineering Mechanics" by:
William F. Riley; Leroy D. Sturges

The set includes a full study of statics and dynamics which covers roughly a half of the mat'l needed for the pure physics side of a Mech BEng, and as far as I'm concerned, the best dynamics book on the market.

the set is not very expensive and is a great investment for anyone involved in any type of mechanical applications (including cars.) I know u weren't looking for a lesson in kinetics, but I've spent a lot of time teaching non mechanicals this subject and it seems to be the most usefull for pretty much everyone. It will answer so many questions about how machines work and is one of the most important tools in understanding the consequences and benefits modifications to machines will have (ie cars...)

thanks for the response, it's another great idea...

keep 'em coming, and thanks.

Don't listen too much to ME's though, we're filled w/ theories and reasons why certain things don't work and are often proven wrong, that's why they're theories and not laws...

[240racer]

prove that wider tires are better. We know they are, but there isn't anything that says coeff. of friction change with surface area, load or orientation of the contact patch that I have found. That one is cheap (sort of) and complex, plus I want to know what you find.

The other stuff to look at is suspension stuff. Since you said you wanted to stay away from fluids that kinda takes all engine stuff out of the picture. You could figure the camber change with lowering the car and determine how that affects the contact patch while cornering. You could also figure out the rotation inertia of the pulleys and calculate the hp gains. This one is complicated.

have fun, I'll try to think of some more engineering problems on 240s that don't relate to fluids

[tnord]

design a clutch/flywheel/driveshaft/diff/shafts/etc that would improve on current design, i know you ME guys know a crapload of crap about gears.

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by tnord
design a clutch/flywheel/driveshaft/diff/shafts/etc that would improve on current design, i know you ME guys know a crapload of crap about gears.

I already did a differential for my C.E.T a while back, I've been seriously thinking about a new flywheel design that will speed up shifts; works on a mass transfer system much like you we're talking about actually....

Hopefully I'll have some time over the next few days to run some modelling equations and see if anything will come of it. The CVT is something of a dream goal, there are a lot of us who have our own theories (I've junked all of mine, won't withstand torque) and is an ongoing pet project.

If I find that the mass transfer flywheel seems to work (mathmatically) I'll go thru w/ a design and keep posting.

[mrdirty]

Originally posted by 240racer
prove that wider tires are better. We know they are, but there isn't anything that says coeff. of friction change with surface area, load or orientation of the contact patch that I have found.


Great idea, actually this would turn into more of a monster then it would seem; see friction is a complex animal, in that it is a combination of several factors. Your absolutely right though, you'll probably never see any Mech Eng textbook dealing w/ variations in co-efficient of friction due to contact patch (although we all know it does vary). Most practical engineers see it as being too imposing and walk away.

Originally posted by 240racer

You could figure the camber change with lowering the car and determine how that affects the contact patch while cornering.


If I go w/ a suspension system/component then definately a worth while study.

Originally posted by 240racer

You could also figure out the rotation inertia of the pulleys and calculate the hp gains. This one is complicated.

have fun, I'll try to think of some more engineering problems on 240s that don't relate to fluids

Actually the pulley thing is something that anyone could do pretty easily w/ the kinetic energy equation as long as you know the geometric details.

I realy appreciate all the effort guys, i'm definatelly getting some ideas now...

I'd love to design something directly for the 240 since so few are.

[kandyflip445]

I know you said not a cupholder...but...how about a cup holder that could keep stuff cold warm OR cool. I think you could do this with something using the peltier(sp?) effect. The way you'd be able to change from warm to cold would be to just reverse the polarity of the circut.:p You could also use varying lengths of metal and see which yeild the best temperatures, How long it takes to reach the desired temperature, effenciency of the unit, etc. I think this would be a cool thing for the 240. Even if it is a cupholder.:D

[240racer]

Actually the pulley thing is something that anyone could do pretty easily w/ the kinetic energy equation as long as you know the geometric details.

I forgot about that equation. I never did enjoy dynamics much. I guess it would be pretty easy, especially if you didn't bother with the underdrive aspect of the whole thing.