AirFlow Truck Company StarShip Aero

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Now I'm curious about your big picture goal: To show how you can further refine an off-the-shelf vehicle to reduce your own running costs? To develop a new vehicle for sale/licence? To market add-ons/kits to other owners?

Good questions.

The answer is number 2. To develop a new vehicle for sale/license. I've always wanted my company to become a niche OEM. Building 6, or 10, or 100 hyper fuel efficient rigs per year. But a licensing arrangement may be a better way to go.

Answer number 1 is not correct because other than the rolling chassis, which we could have built, nothing on this truck is off-the-shelf. And the only reason why I used this new rolling chassis was that after selling the brand new cab, hood, bumper, skirts, etc., it was actually cheaper than building it from scratch. And it saved an estimated 6 months in our build time. Our hyper aerodynamic cab is built entirely from carbon fiber and foam. It is shipping today from California and we plan on having it at my shop next week. We'll install a chrome-moly safety cage once it gets here. But basically the cab is a safety cage surrounded by a hyper aerodynamic super lightweight cab envelope. All of the OEM's use stamping machines, or presses, and dies worth millions, and millions, and millions of dollars and stamp the cabs out of aluminum or steel. So they still build relatively square trucks because they all have ALL of that money invested in tooling. But when one starts with a truly clean sheet of paper and works with composites.......

Answer number 3 does not work either because IMHO, all other Class 8 trucks are an aerodynamic mess for the stamping/tooling reason above. They are narrower than the van trailers and then the OEM's add fairings to divert the air around the trailers and the sleepers, etc. I mean those OEM guys are STILL in the 20th. century.

I have already been approached by a large automobile OEM who wants me to build a Class 8 truck for them. I cannot say anything about that at this time, of course. And I am under contract with my wonderful current build customer until 2018, and I truly enjoy working with them. We have already been talking about a CNG or possibly all-electric next-generation rig. So stay tuned.

[user removed]

Use this for the power train.

Patent US7677208 - Radial rotary engine with energy storage - Google Patenten

regards
mech

[slowmover]

Great reading. I won't cover seeing the last truck as I rolled into Bouston one day in 2012. Ruining an oilfield spec 367 Pete with big Cummins.

Then about a year ago, seeing Phils famous trash can intake coming up on me in yet another oilfield Pete, an outrageous Cat under the hood. East of Monahans

As Old Mech sez, it's inspiring. My truck and trailer set for now (I'm OTR in a 660 KW, a great truck; yet another never to be aero pneumatic trailer), but I have those miles to think on reducing costs on my rig. Traveling and stationary.

Using the awesome engine cooling fan again? It's hard to explain to others the power draw when already down a gear on an ascent and it kicks in.

Awesome projected hybrid combo numbers. You'll want to challenge Bruce Mallinson to an uphill drag race, ha!!

[freebeard]

Good questions.

Good answers.

And the only reason why I used this new rolling chassis was that after selling the brand new cab, hood, bumper, skirts, etc., it was actually cheaper than building it from scratch. And it saved an estimated 6 months in our build time.

Our hyper aerodynamic cab is built entirely from carbon fiber and foam. It is shipping today from California and we plan on having it at my shop next week. We'll install a chrome-moly safety cage once it gets here. But basically the cab is a safety cage surrounded by a hyper aerodynamic super lightweight cab envelope.

I'm the sort to overthink the implications before I jump into anything; so I don't have a new truck to show...

But that said, I'm a big fan of formless construction. I used to do whole buildings that way. I think in terms of [probably] laser-cut sheet metal polygons that seam together into an ellipsoidal shape.

[geodesic motorhome.jpg]

Have you thought about Local Motors and microfactories, or the Maker movement in general as an avenue to low-volume production?

Is the whole thing caged, or just the driver position? I've always thought a good Beta test would be to enter the vehicle in various races it might qualify in, run it through the tech inspections of the various sanctioning bodies, and then drop out with 'engine troubles' at the starting line to protect the investment.

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Using the awesome engine cooling fan again? It's hard to explain to others the power draw when already down a gear on an ascent and it kicks in.

Awesome projected hybrid combo numbers. You'll want to challenge Bruce Mallinson to an uphill drag race, ha!!

Hey slowmover -

Long time no talkie.

No, we are not using that cool crankshaft-driven cooling fan like on the BulletTruck. But our great partner, Horton Cooling, has provided a new low HP requirement fan and one of their wonderful computer-controlled variable viscous drives. So if the engine only needs 10% cooling, that's all that the fan puts out.

Yeah, that horsepower figure will blow trucker's minds, especially with the anticipated MPG that we will get. Although I am not publicly predicting any MPG numbers. But remember, it will be like 98% highway miles.

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Good answers.

Have you thought about Local Motors and microfactories, or the Maker movement in general as an avenue to low-volume production?

Is the whole thing caged, or just the driver position?

We did speak with what I call "Loco" Motors briefly, as they previously did a real lame 3D printed car.

We also had Oak Ridge National Laboratory actually begin to 3D print the entire cab out of carbon fiber strands and ABS, believe it or not. ORNL has the world's biggest 3D printer built by Cincinnati, Inc. called BAAM. ORNL used the BAAM to 3D print a Cobra replica for the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Here it is:



Here's the giant BAAM printer. I was inside of it when I was at ORNL. I think its like $1.5M



Here is the BAMM 3D printing the Cobra frame.



ORNL used the BAMM to try and print the StarShip cab, starting with the roof cap. But the exterior finish they promised us and did not deliver, the weight of the assembly, and the poor quality of the printing proved unacceptable. The final product is only 20% CF and 80% ABS. Too heavy, too weak, too lame. We still have the 3D printed roof cap at my shop as a monument to government stupidity. Can't show any pics, sorry.

The driver, passenger, and sleeper area will be safety caged. We have 4 rear seats when the bunk is not deployed, and at any given time, those seats may be occupied while we're rolling. And safety is our number one priority.

[freebeard]

'Loco' Motors. Heh.

It sounds like you're on top of it. Printers are moving fast. The Strati wears it's 'first-mover' low resolution finish proudly. Nozzles have limitations and have to compete with laser sintering. But being able to print bronze bushings into the hinges would be neat, and eventually spongy stress absorbing cells.





Can long-haul truckers be Uber drivers?

[Shepherd777]

One of the coolest aero features of the new StarShip rig is the windshield.

We are real close to the windshield of the Koenigsegg's.



We're not as cool as the K car, but way cool for a big truck.

[freebeard]

All one piece? I've seen some immense bus windshields, they're often split up into two or 4 panes.

[elhigh]

^^
I would hope so. Can you imagine the replacement cost for a huge, changing-radius windshield? Ouch.

Even better if it's all constant-radius and/or constant-chord shapes, like pie slices out of a dome. Then all the pieces could be more or less the same. Only one mold, no worries about driver's left or technician's left or some such foolishness.