Quote:
Originally Posted by sregord
So, you are suggesting this?
https://patentimages.storage.googlea...ngs-page-5.png
by "gluing, shaping, epoxing 2 or 3" thick pink foam to the perimeter of the rear edge, adding 13+" to the overall length of Moby ...like building a foam tail on an Insight"(ala 3-Wheeler), I meant modelling the adds to the very last iteration of the Betterflow semi ...with a bottom...since I don't need to back up to a loading dock. That would be better ..yes? |
Understanding Bilanin's tail 'conceptually' is something worth knowing.
I'd throw a caution flag out with respect to his upper step as depicted. It may just be a conceptual drawing, and not meant to be taken literally as one would with a 'blueprint.'
The Continuum Dynamics tail was funded under an initial $50,000 SBA/ DARPA research grant, and subsequent $ 325,000 commercialization award. It's the 'real deal,' tested at NASA Ames', 'world's largest' wind tunnel ,at Palo Alto ,California.
Qualitatively, you'd project a tail like Mair's or NASA's onto the back of Moby, measure out 4-feet, then measure 'down', 'over', and 'up', vertically, sideways, and then vertically again, to define where the ends of the four top, sides, and bottom panels would terminate; creating the footprint of the 'steps' on Moby's rear.
If you were to be more aggressive, you'd run the risk that you'd fail to achieve flow reattachment. A disaster!
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If you place an epoxy compatible release barrier between Moby's surface and the blue Styro or pink Formular, you could fabricate the panels, knowing they wouldn't 'stick'.
Hard points could be glassed in for conventional fastener attachment.
I built Spindletop's boat-tail, fascia, and rear skirts directly on the HONDA using polyethylene 3M painter's film as a release. I used polyester resin.
EAA workshops at Oshkosh, Wisconsin showed us how to fabricate enormous sanding boards using belt-sander material 3M spray adhesive- adhered to straight or curved backer boards with handles.
We used blue foam exclusively, and all initial shaping was with a hot-wire.
West Systems makes a great line of resins for wet layups and bagging. Post-cure is just 'parking' the part in the summer sun. UV block under primer and top coat.
Definitely do the 'bottom.'