I would like to hear some of the difficult problems some have dealt with ...

[enginesrus]

In engine design and engineering jobs in the past, or present, OEM, racing, small outfits etc.
And not looking for bad manager stories, more the tech side.

 

[RodRico]

Across all design efforts: Designing, fabricating, and testing a system with 4,000 analog to/from digital converters, each producing 20 gigabits of data per second, then coherently processing 80,000 gigabits per second through DSP algorithms. Impedance matching, synchronization, calibration, packaging, cooling, data distribution, and distributed polyphase digital signal processing were cutting edge challenges.

Relative to engines past: Starting the Wankel of an RX-7 after it's been flooded and rebuilding a Fiat 124 Spyder engine.

Relative to engines future: TBD. I'm sure there will be a long list!

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I think my nipples just got hard with that DSP problem statement, Rod I'd love to take that one on...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[RodRico]

I think my nipples just got hard with that DSP problem statement

LOL! I loved the challenge. I was given a blank piece of paper with nothing but an end-state capability requirement. I spent about a year and a half researching and formulating the solution then brought a team of around 50 engineers on board to design, fab, and test the concept. The sampling and signal processing were enormous challenges, and they were complicated by the fact that each set of two ADCs and two DACs combined with polyphase filters had to fit in only 0.7" x 0.7" x 0.5" cube. There were 1,000 of these squares in a roughly square envelope, and cooling was a bitch! We prototyped in 45 nm SOI with a 10nm FinFET target process for production. The team and I received several awards for that one!

 

[enginesrus]

Signal processing of engine related conditions?

 

[MacGyverS2000]

...each set of two ADCs and two DACs combined with polyphase filters had to fit in only 0.7" x 0.7" x 0.5" cube. There were 1,000 of these squares in a roughly square envelope, and cooling was a bitch! We prototyped in 45 nm SOI with a 10nm FinFET target process for production.

Please stop... I won't have any energy left for the wife!

My previous position was all about making things as powerful as feasible in the tiniest footprint possible. It gave me an opportunity to work at the cutting edge every day, and sometimes at the bleeding edge. I miss that part of it. My current position has me designing systems in ways never tried before, so a completely new set of challenges. I definitely like challenges.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[RodRico]

enginesrus,

It was a digital multi-beam ultra-wideband multi-function antenna. I didn't have many engine related experiences to share, and you post was looking kinda lonely, so I went with it.

Rod

 

[enginesrus]

I wish we could move that discussion to one of the electrical areas. I'd like to ask some questions and don't want to go off topic in the "Engine" area.

 

[Mongrel]

Engine difficulties...
BMW alloy blocks. Never seen so many threads pull out of anything alloy!
And Lucas electrics, but I think we've all had to deal with those. Prince of Darkness indeed...
I specialise in OEM conversions into older/different models. So, there's always plenty of challenges there, trying to keep special fabrication to a minimum. Keeps me interested!

 

[RodRico]

MacGyver,

What are you working on now? I'm working a new patent pending engine design (opposed piston radial rotating-cylinder employing HCCI).

Enginesrus,

I can't discuss it any further than I already have... the whole thing from samplers through DSP, packaging, and cooling is held as a trade secret by my former employer who paid me generously to sign a very tight non-disclosure agreement with severe penalties.

Rod

 

[RodRico]

Mongrel,

Your problems with those blocks sounds a lot like my experience with the Fiat 124 engine. My experience before tackling that engine was all in big block US engines made of iron, and I simply wasn't prepared to deal with the aluminum block/heads and tight tolerances of the Fiat engine!

Rod

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Rod,

It will take a one-way rocket flight before my current work sees any real-world action, if that tells you anything...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[RodRico]

MacGyver2000

Tells me tons... I worked on of those some time back. Cooling and shielding were a pain in the ass!

Rod

 

[malbeare]

I am currently working on the design of a single cylinder air cooled head for a 125 cc.
It all looks good on the screen and then you ask how do we dismantle it OH-oo how do we get a spanner or socket into there ?. we will have to shift that out 3 mm . but that inter-fears with that Ok shift that and so on. That vertical line is likely to leak oil as you cannot get a gasket into there It has to be part of the main structure. Dam we will have to shift that out more . you get the picture. no patents as yet

A tidy mind not intelligent as it ignors the random opportunities of total chaos. Thats my excuse anyway
Malbeare

http://www.sixstroke.com

 

[enginesrus]

Mongrel, yes gotta love those fine metric threads and porous Al castings. My wrenching on BMW is pretty limited, how do they compare to Mercedes engines? And Rod just a few simple antenna questions nothing about your secrets.

 

[Mongrel]

The Fiat engines aren't common in Australia at all, so I haven't any experience with them. Have heard a few stories though!
There's certain a world of difference between the older all-iron engines and modern close-tolerance ones. Certainly the older ones were more forgiving! And still have a lot of potential, with modern parts and design knowledge.
Mercedes engines I generally find pretty reliable, though parts are bloody expensive due to being regarded as more of a "luxury import" here. Same for most of the German and Swedish brands. Also some of the design work - certain belt tensioner systems involving a spring and a small shock absorber spring to mind...
Overall, the BMW is reliable until it sees any heat at all, IME. Once it gets hot, it just loses threads. Seems to be the material used, as even stainless thread inserts will pull out after heat.