Plastic composite engines.
#41
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Originally Posted by JonBoy,Dec 1 2009, 07:55 AM
Glocks don't see 500,000,000 cycles in their lifetime, have virtually no significant moving parts (certainly nothing comparable to pistons and crankshafts), generate relatively low amounts of heat, and are not subject to nearly the same level of environmental factors seen by an engine. It's not even remotely comparable.
Plus all the parts on a Glock that matter are still metal. The barrel, chamber, slide, firing pin, etc are all still metal. Just the frame is polymer, and honestly you could make the frame out of wood and it would still work (like old school pistols).
Glock handguns are an example of what you CANNOT do with plastics more than anything else.
#42
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Originally Posted by 565565,Dec 4 2009, 08:28 AM
Glock handguns are an example of what you CANNOT do with plastics more than anything else.
And we can talk about how inefficient an internal combustion engine is, but some day we may see a hybrid that that throws a Stirling engine in it too. An engine that turns excess heat into power.
Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway has been working on perfecting a Stirling for some time.
http://alfin2100.blogspot.com/2009/05/dean...ing-engine.html
Kamen is so cool. The Segway is not quite what he made it out to be, but a guy that is just obsessed with inventing things and finding new technology to solve problems is just awesome. Plus, any guy who hops in his helicopter every morning, turns on the theme to Star Wars and flies to work is cool in my book.
If this little stirling engine can run off a cup off warm water, you could certainly generate some additional power for moving a car by taking the heat out of the coolant instead of just venting it to atmosphere.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqmeYc8GWmA [/media]&feature=PlayList&p=4AA8E4EB073924A5&index=1
#44
[QUOTE=JonBoy,Dec 1 2009, 11:02 AM] I agree with your points as delivered but question the feasibility of complex internal latticework in a motor.
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Originally Posted by 565565,Dec 4 2009, 06:28 AM
Plus all the parts on a Glock that matter are still metal. The barrel, chamber, slide, firing pin, etc are all still metal. Just the frame is polymer, and honestly you could make the frame out of wood and it would still work (like old school pistols).
Glock handguns are an example of what you CANNOT do with plastics more than anything else.
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...a couple things to think about...
#1 Plastic (when reinforced by glass and other fibers) can be made as strong as steel.
#2 Plastic will break/shatter instead of bending.
#3 Plastic is made out of fossil fuels, which are depleting and non-renewable. Whereas aluminum is the most common metal found in the earth's crust.
#4 Plastic cannot be disposed of, creates poisonous gas if melted, and does not decompose...
#1 Plastic (when reinforced by glass and other fibers) can be made as strong as steel.
#2 Plastic will break/shatter instead of bending.
#3 Plastic is made out of fossil fuels, which are depleting and non-renewable. Whereas aluminum is the most common metal found in the earth's crust.
#4 Plastic cannot be disposed of, creates poisonous gas if melted, and does not decompose...
#47
Originally Posted by YoZUpZ,Dec 4 2009, 06:46 PM
...a couple things to think about...
#1 Plastic (when reinforced by glass and other fibers) can be made as strong as steel.
#1 Plastic (when reinforced by glass and other fibers) can be made as strong as steel.
#2 Plastic will break/shatter instead of bending.
#3 Plastic is made out of fossil fuels, which are depleting and non-renewable. Whereas aluminum is the most common metal found in the earth's crust.
#4 Plastic cannot be disposed of, creates poisonous gas if melted, and does not decompose...
#48
Sounds like a polyimide with chopped glass fiber might be what he's using, no? Or a traditional epoxy. But those are all $5-10+/lb. Polyimides are great because they have good structural properties and they melt above 400F, so temp isn't a huge issue. But PPS goes for $7/lb, PEI $10/lb, and PEEK is way up there. Aluminum is ~$1.50, and steel is lower. The engineering and tooling costs for composites, esp. thermoplastics, are high as well.
If he can make it out of PP or PET, then we're talking. That costs ~$1/lb. But it melts around the 200s F, and it experiences creep below that.
But besides getting around temperature, another fundamental issue for some parts is that composites experience fatigue damage even under fully compressive load cycles. So as stated before, metals will have their place in motors for a long time, although it's no stretch to think composites could displace some of the weight-sensitive parts.
If he can make it out of PP or PET, then we're talking. That costs ~$1/lb. But it melts around the 200s F, and it experiences creep below that.
But besides getting around temperature, another fundamental issue for some parts is that composites experience fatigue damage even under fully compressive load cycles. So as stated before, metals will have their place in motors for a long time, although it's no stretch to think composites could displace some of the weight-sensitive parts.
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