Hi, I am looking for constructive feedback on the feasibility of a design for a degree project. I am a product design student in need of help from engineering minded people Concept My concept consists of protective shields made of Perspex sheeting mounted on metal brackets, these shields an only be activated when the engine is turned off. The shields are moved by an electric motor along rails from underneath the vehicle. These shields will be able to prevent substantial damage to the parked vehicle. Rough Sketch The shields will run along the bottom of the vehicle on rails, a similar idea to mechanical garage doors. Feedback and technical problems I may encounter would be of great benefit. Thank you in advance. Scott
Looks like a fun project. Some factors that spring to mind you might want to look at: - How much drag will these create? - How difficult will it be to avoid moving parts on the bottom of the vehicle? - How will these affect ground clearance? - How stiff will these need to be to achieve their purpose? Can you achieve that while keeping the rails completely under the car? - Will the vehicle fit in a standard parking spot with these deployed? - Can the vehicle be close to the curb and deploy? - Is fouling from being exposed to road conditions an issue? What happens if snow,dirt and debris gets all over these things?
Also consider the impact on serviceability from the underside of the vehicle, and interference with jacking the car. Will it be generic or designed for one particular car? Every vehicle will require its own specialized mounting. Most aftermarket kits (trailer hitches are a good example) are designed for one particular vehicle or range of vehicles, or you get a generic hitch with adapter brackets for the particular vehicle. It's kind of a neat idea, but I suspect a system robust enough for its intended purpose will be too complex/expensive/bulky for the benefits gained. But then I'm a guy who thinks those fake leather "bras" people put on the front of their cars are stupid, too. As a school design project I like it, some interesting design challenges. In the real world it would probably be a solution in search of a problem.
