Engineering Capstone Project. What would you like engineered for Camaro?

[Forrest]

Bump for the sake of having an idea by monday >.<

[CatiaJockey]

Miniaturize your reactor to fit under the hood of the Camaro and give us a 20+ year refuel cycle.

[EMB135Driver]

How about engineering a lot of the current components out of lower-weight Materials to put the whole car on a diet to shed about 300-400 lbs. Would make for a great presentation, and I know people would be all over it.

Having done the Riddle Run-around myself, I wish you the best of luck.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by EMB135Driver

How about engineering a lot of the current components out of lower-weight Materials to put the whole car on a diet to shed about 300-400 lbs. Would make for a great presentation, and I know people would be all over it.

Having done the Riddle Run-around myself, I wish you the best of luck.

Hmm. That might be a good one.
Whats really big and heavy that could be made lighter. Other than like, the frame?

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Forrest

Hmm. That might be a good one.
Whats really big and heavy that could be made lighter. Other than like, the frame?

The motor.

Design a hydrogen engine that's only bi-product would be water...minimal emissions...6,000hp...

Seriously, using the cold fusion model you previously made, could you tweak it to run a car? ...and how stable would that be? I mean, like getting into an accident wouldn't level an entire 2 or 3 city blocks now, would it? KA-BOOM!


I'd love to see some sort of alternative fuel...turbo E85...

Or, you could always take the safe route and let your instructor try out your new red button...

[CatiaJockey]

If you're wanting that A..... ya best stick to the topic assigned topic dontcha think?
Fuel is now a direct injection to the cyl, why isn't air?? Would be an interesting engineering study I think.

[AngryAmish]

1. Fit a trunk monkey with cybernetic parts.

2. And this is really the more important one...Design an exhaust that makes the v6 sound like a v8. Whoever accomplishes this feat will be using boxes of money for furniture

[The_Stache]

Ok, going throw my 2 cents in here, and for what its worth I was accepted to ERAU back in 99 but didn't go due to financial reasons.

Thesis

A 50MPG combined Camaro is possible with todays current (and radical) technologies without any compromise in performance.

You have your goal of a 50MPG combined EPA rating.
The method of using current and radical technologies.
You have metrics in the current performance figures (0-60mph, slalom, hp, tq, etc)

Using the following technologies I think its more than doable (price being the only limiting factor in the real world). Yes diminishing returns will start to get you but I honestly believe its possible to get 50MPG and still have the performance figures the current camaro has.

Technologies-

1. DI V8.
2. 6 speed Manual transmission.
3. Regenerative braking - used to power ALL of the electrics of the vehicle and charge the battery for startups. This leaves the engine to do what it is meant to do, move the vehicle.
4. Electric water pump (powered by the brakes).
5. Electric AC compressor (powered by the brakes).
6. Electric radiator fan (powered by the brakes).
7. No alternator (job performed by brakes).
8. Laser charge ignition (Fords working on it atm).
9. Forced induction - whether turbo/supercharger/compressed (DI).
10. Refridgerated/cooled charge (why has NOBODY ever looked into this.. we already carry around a compressor?) Has nobody tried Liquid oxygen?
11. Variable cylinder displacement (afm, dod, whatever you want to call it).
12. exotic building materials (titanium, carbon, boron, graphite, etc).
13. Low rolling resistance tires (an engineering feat to get same performance with less resistance).
14. Engine idle shutdown.
15. Redesigned differential, there HAS to be a way to more efficiently split the power to the wheels.

Remember the goal would not be to make a 900HP monster, but to increase efficiency while retaining the same performance.

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by diarmadhi

Ok, going throw my 2 cents in here, and for what its worth I was accepted to ERAU back in 99 but didn't go due to financial reasons.

Thesis

A 50MPG combined Camaro is possible with todays current (and radical) technologies without any compromise in performance.

You have your goal of a 50MPG combined EPA rating.
The method of using current and radical technologies.
You have metrics in the current performance figures (0-60mph, slalom, hp, tq, etc)

Using the following technologies I think its more than doable (price being the only limiting factor in the real world). Yes diminishing returns will start to get you but I honestly believe its possible to get 50MPG and still have the performance figures the current camaro has.

Technologies-

1. DI V8.
2. 6 speed Manual transmission.
3. Regenerative braking - used to power ALL of the electrics of the vehicle and charge the battery for startups. This leaves the engine to do what it is meant to do, move the vehicle.
4. Electric water pump (powered by the brakes).
5. Electric AC compressor (powered by the brakes).
6. Electric radiator fan (powered by the brakes).
7. No alternator (job performed by brakes).
8. Laser charge ignition (Fords working on it atm).
9. Forced induction - whether turbo/supercharger/compressed (DI).
10. Refridgerated/cooled charge (why has NOBODY ever looked into this.. we already carry around a compressor?) Has nobody tried Liquid oxygen?
11. Variable cylinder displacement (afm, dod, whatever you want to call it).
12. exotic building materials (titanium, carbon, boron, graphite, etc).
13. Low rolling resistance tires (an engineering feat to get same performance with less resistance).
14. Engine idle shutdown.
15. Redesigned differential, there HAS to be a way to more efficiently split the power to the wheels.

Remember the goal would not be to make a 900HP monster, but to increase efficiency while retaining the same performance.

My stepbrother is working on the laser ignition. Its pretty interesting. Oh, and Liquid Oxygen? Now. My fusion reacor getting loose would melt a hole in the pacement no doubt, but
MY GAWD MAN!
Ever seen a crash involving liquid oxygen? Woah You need shades for THAT. That stuff will eliminate a whole intersection.

This Marshmellow plant didn't even contain enough liquid oxygen to fuel NASA's rocket. Notice the shockwave by the way.



Yup. That City Block is GONE. But awesome suggestions by the way

[UsedTaHaveA68]

1. I like the idea posted earlier of making things lighter. You asked for suggestions:
a. Suspension components (A-arms, trailing arms, control arms, etc.). Redesigned using titanium and offering camber adjustment for both front and rear (I think Pedders said stock there was none).
b. The rear suspension/differential cradle (I guess that's what you might call it).
c. Gears in the tranny and differential (titanium? Is that even feasible?)
2. A new differential unit that allows for changing of the gears without replacing the entire freaking unit for $2000.
3. DI for the V-8
4. A new, more efficient valve train. I'm surprised after all these years the modern valve train still looks like it does.
5. Something that measures torque and horsepower instantaneously. Maybe something that connects to the driveshaft. With all the fancy, small potentiometers and other instruments that measure force, surely something small and reliable can be implemented somewhere in the drivetrain to give you an instant torque and horsepower reading.


That's about the extent of my creativity, which isn't much, but I tried to keep things somewhat within reason and possibility. Good luck on whatever you choose, and keep is informed!

[walls]

Originally Posted by diarmadhi

Ok, going throw my 2 cents in here, and for what its worth I was accepted to ERAU back in 99 but didn't go due to financial reasons.

Thesis

A 50MPG combined Camaro is possible with todays current (and radical) technologies without any compromise in performance.

You have your goal of a 50MPG combined EPA rating.
The method of using current and radical technologies.
You have metrics in the current performance figures (0-60mph, slalom, hp, tq, etc)

Using the following technologies I think its more than doable (price being the only limiting factor in the real world). Yes diminishing returns will start to get you but I honestly believe its possible to get 50MPG and still have the performance figures the current camaro has.

Technologies-

1. DI V8.
2. 6 speed Manual transmission.
3. Regenerative braking - used to power ALL of the electrics of the vehicle and charge the battery for startups. This leaves the engine to do what it is meant to do, move the vehicle.
4. Electric water pump (powered by the brakes).
5. Electric AC compressor (powered by the brakes).
6. Electric radiator fan (powered by the brakes).
7. No alternator (job performed by brakes).
8. Laser charge ignition (Fords working on it atm).
9. Forced induction - whether turbo/supercharger/compressed (DI).
10. Refridgerated/cooled charge (why has NOBODY ever looked into this.. we already carry around a compressor?) Has nobody tried Liquid oxygen?
11. Variable cylinder displacement (afm, dod, whatever you want to call it).
12. exotic building materials (titanium, carbon, boron, graphite, etc).
13. Low rolling resistance tires (an engineering feat to get same performance with less resistance).
14. Engine idle shutdown.
15. Redesigned differential, there HAS to be a way to more efficiently split the power to the wheels.

Remember the goal would not be to make a 900HP monster, but to increase efficiency while retaining the same performance.

1. DI V8. Already being tested in the concept Escalade.
2. 6 speed Manual transmission. Pretty sure the Camaro has this one already!
3. Regenerative braking - used to power ALL of the electrics of the vehicle and charge the battery for startups. This leaves the engine to do what it is meant to do, move the vehicle. How's this going to operate when you're not using the brakes? Like on 200 mile road trips or even 50 mile commutes?
4. Electric water pump (powered by the brakes). See above.
5. Electric AC compressor (powered by the brakes). See above.
6. Electric radiator fan (powered by the brakes). See above.
7. No alternator (job performed by brakes). SEE ABOVE!? Unless you're making the Camaro an electric vehicle...then you can do all of this stuff from a battery.
8. Laser charge ignition (Fords working on it atm). This never seemed cost effective to me. It doesn't take a lot of spark to ignite gas and air.
9. Forced induction - whether turbo/supercharger/compressed (DI). Emissions due to heat suffer a bit when you burn more air and more fuel to produce more power out of a smaller motor.
10. Refridgerated/cooled charge (why has NOBODY ever looked into this.. we already carry around a compressor?) Has nobody tried Liquid oxygen? Heard of the Hindenburg?
11. Variable cylinder displacement (afm, dod, whatever you want to call it). Already in use with the L99.
12. exotic building materials (titanium, carbon, boron, graphite, etc). Not cost effective. Want exotic materials? Buy an exotic car.
13. Low rolling resistance tires (an engineering feat to get same performance with less resistance). Pretty sure this will never happen. The same Mu K that affects rolling resistance affects grip. And tires will always need to grip.
14. Engine idle shutdown. Why?
15. Redesigned differential, there HAS to be a way to more efficiently split the power to the wheels. Engine spins some gears...gears spin a shaft...shaft spins a differential...differential spins the rear wheels. You can shorten distances between these parts or you can make these parts lighter but you can't get rid of these parts. If you want a better solution than a Camaro, they exist in true mid and rear engine cars that cost a lot more.

All that being said, some of these things are possible if you want a 3 million dollar Camaro. Some of these things aren't possible in this realm of physics.

[walls]

And at the risk of being banned from this forum, I must be ask the OP to explain to me how he managed to get cold fusion to work...because there are no patents for working cold fusion and extensive dollars placed into programs in this country by our government have only yielded a few electron volts. In fact, cold fusion is considered a pathological science. The only place where practical fusion of any kind exists in this solar system (unless Martians have figured this out) is inside the glowing ball of plasma aptly named the Sun.

So, how did you get cold fusion to power the electrical wing of your high school?

[camaro67]

how about some power this thing is weak

[remjay]

Originally Posted by walls

And at the risk of being banned from this forum, I must be ask the OP to explain to me how he managed to get cold fusion to work...because there are no patents for working cold fusion and extensive dollars placed into programs in this country by our government have only yielded a few electron volts. In fact, cold fusion is considered a pathological science. The only place where practical fusion of any kind exists in this solar system (unless Martians have figured this out) is inside the glowing ball of plasma aptly named the Sun.

So, how did you get cold fusion to power the electrical wing of your high school?

He's full of it. 12K degF? That's about 2000 degF hotter than the surface of the sun.

Also, I clicked through the link about "his" (looks like a big team involvement for something claimed solely as his own) anti-glare tech for windshields. Looks like a typical highschool project to me, i.e. let's just put together a bunch of generally known information from the internet and a few quotes from the top of a professor's head, and call it our own product. Please...