If you haven't seen it yet, this is an interesting story on several aspects of aluminum in an automotive application:
http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/why_aluminum.cfm
http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/why_aluminum.cfm
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Interesting Story on Working With Aluminum/Autos
- Thread starter Spencer
- Start date
Which explains Ferrari's reluctance (or lack of engineering skills required?) to design and shape (in-house) the aluminum chassis for the 360 Modena and instead contracted Alcoa to do the dirty work. Kudos for Soichiro and his team of top engineers (namely Shigeru Uehara) to have the cojones to use this exotic material in building their first (and only?) exotic car! Come to think of it, it's incredible that an automotive manufacturer that only has prior experiences in building "people's cars" and motorbikes (read: no experiences in aluminum chassis), SUCCEED in their first attempt to design in-house and put into production an exotic sports car with its chassis made entirely out of aluminum! Simply amazing!
Spencer,
thanks for sharing this informative tidbit with all of us. I immensely enjoyed it.
[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 19 February 2003).]
Spencer,
thanks for sharing this informative tidbit with all of us. I immensely enjoyed it.
[This message has been edited by Zanardi 50 (edited 19 February 2003).]
interesting post spencer.
In aluminum, unfortunately, the S/N curve gently rises to a peak then abruptly falls off like a rock. What that means is that the aluminum moves only to a point then BLAM it breaks without warning.
this explains why some of u guyz have said an NSX should be written off after some accidents; while the structure may seem ok, it's been drastically weakened.
fiberglass shards from an accident
another good point i hadn't thought. Though fortunately there aren't too many Murceilago accidents.
In aluminum, unfortunately, the S/N curve gently rises to a peak then abruptly falls off like a rock. What that means is that the aluminum moves only to a point then BLAM it breaks without warning.
this explains why some of u guyz have said an NSX should be written off after some accidents; while the structure may seem ok, it's been drastically weakened.
fiberglass shards from an accident
another good point i hadn't thought. Though fortunately there aren't too many Murceilago accidents.
NoeNSX that is carbonFIBER not FIBERglass!
Originally posted by gheba_nsx:
NoeNSX that is carbonFIBER not FIBERglass!
I think as a general rule of thumb, most composites (Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, Carbon Kevlar) either have their ultimate stress very close to their yield stress or simply have no permanent deformation properties whatsoever. (ie they will fail/shatter before they deform and weaken)
Hmm...fiberglass...Corvette ring a bell to anyone?
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