Ed Moss, a trained civil engineer, has a team of about 25 computer analysts who are working on the C6 using computer modeling (finite element analysis). According to him, the pressure is on to make the C6 lighter, stiffer and quicker. "We always joke because Dave (Hill) wants us to engineer right to the edge and say, "Dave, it'll work." We are constantly pushing the envelope."

Confirmation of what has been widely rumored. There's a lot of work going into the C6 to make it lighter, stiffer and quick from the structural guys as well as the engine guys. :yesnod:

 

Where did you get this info from?

 

Fall 2002 Corvette Quarterly interview with Moss :cool:

 

You can bet that the structural design an analysis work is essentially complete, and the alphas and betas are providing test results to confirm the design. If you've read the SAE papers on the stuctural design and analysis work that went into the C5, you can't help but be impressed, and the state-of-the-art has advanced, so I expect the C6 structure will be very impressive both in terms of rigidity and (light) weight.

Duke

 

In spite of the Moss paper, which I haven't read, I was of the opinion that the frame is already fixed. There is of course hope that it will make it to aluminum before the C6 appears; but, the Caddy supposedly has the same frame and is ready to go. I don't know how one improves on the C5 frame is terms of stiffness. Supposedly the tranny tunnel is the big basis for it's (C5) newly found stiffness. With that magnesium front crossmember and the aluminum one piece casting for the dash support how do you get it any lighter except for the actual frame itself. Maybe we go to titanium for some of the suspension pieces! :chevy

 

According to the article, even the C5 work is ongoing. Things are still being discovered, sometimes in the field and sometimes in the factory, that require additional structural work.

As for the C6 structural work being complete, you can bet there's a fast feedback loop between the ongoing testing and the structural design group, with field discoveries being fed to the design group and solutions being fed from the design group to the field testing. Moss warns against assuming that a design can go from computations to production without the field testing. He gives an example of the C5 chassis developing cracks in field testing that had to be eliminated by reinforcing. He points out that what looks like a car on the computer screen is actually the result of a large number of formula which all contain assumptions which may or may not be correct. Field testing is the ultimate proof.

An advantage of having two vehicles, the XLR and the Vette, sharing common architecture is that on some things, the testing cost can be split between two budgets or twice the testing can be done. My guess is that the XLR and the Vette automatic convertable share an awful lot of common operating characteristics in the hands of the owners.

The game for the C6 is a game of materials and pounds not radical weight reduction in any one place. Dave McL suggests that aluminum and incremental applications of magnesium will serve well. Another thread listed several things such as high strength steels that could be considered. The use of preformed honeycomb composites is interesting but not in the cost/benefit game for the C6. Maybe later. Sweat the details is what's going to work for the C6.

As for SAE papers, I find them absolutely facinating. Well worth the read and the price if you want to start a real collection. One caution, the difference between the description in a scientific paper and the actual experience of doing the work is radical. Most papers eliminate the human element and clean up the process so it looks like eveyone knew exactly what needed to be done and the process went beautifully. Not the way it works. Still, the papers are a lot better than marketing hype and the data can usually be trusted and may even be useful. :yesnod:


[Modified by I Bin Therbefor, 11:58 AM 10/29/2002]

 

:cool: