Design and Engineering Students Unveil Their Bone-Exposed Concepts
September 20, 2007

After scanning this press release, I knew I had to post it. Two of those mentioned in the release -– Tyler Mars and Nicolas Ren Stone -- were in students in my Business Practices class at the College for Creative Studies last year.

Mars (right) and Stone (center) are two of the three CCS design students who were paired with three University of Michigan engineering students over the summer in the 19th annual automotive design internship sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute. The students’ models were unveiled in a special presentation Wednesday night and will be displayed at the Detroit auto show in January.

This year’s theme was “Inside Out.” In other words, students were supposed to allow the cocoon of steel to show rather than hide it under a skin. The result was three very different concepts:

The Dodge Dendro is “a powerfully venomous sports car” designed by CCS’s Nicolas Ren Stone and engineered by U-M’s Alok Pradhan.

Stone said he was inspired by the black mamba, also known as “Dendroaspis polylepis,” the fastest and most venomous snake in the world. “Nature is by far the best designer of all,” said Stone. “Many species evolved out of necessity to ensure their survival. Exoskeletons were one of these designs, protecting an animal’s body from harm.”

Stone designed an exoskeleton frame to enclose the occupants in a triangle shape. This unique shape allowed for the absence of a typical B-pillar, allowing the front grille to serve as an intrinsic part of the structure, rather than as decoration.

The bumpers are connected through a long vertical structure that travels the length of the car through the interior, anchoring the structure while providing stiffness to the rear “tailbone,” which also serves as the trunk.

“For the frame design, I combined the strength of exoskeletons with the flexibility of a creature that appears to have no skeleton, the snake,” said Stone. “Able to flex its body into almost any position was a perfect complement to steel technology currently being developed for airplane wings. The body panels actually flex with the vehicle, becoming an active part of the suspension. They appear as skin tightly stretched over the ridged exoskeleton.”

The Jeep Roanoke is an aggressively styled off-road vehicle that is also mindful of the economy and environment. It was designed by CCS’s Tyler Mars and engineered by U-M’s Zoheb Kahn.

“The Roanoke is designed and engineered for 20-to-35-year-olds who have a passion for the outdoors and need precise performance in a vehicle that is fun and environmentally friendly,” said Mars. “This Jeep is inspired by the very dark, intimidating theme of artwork by H. R. Giger, and by the very unique, raw look of Jeep itself.”

The Roanoke was created not only for performance and drivability, but also for clean air and economy. A clean V6 turbodiesel engine powers it.

The midengine layout is ideal for handling and weight distribution, said Mars. The ‘Tweel’ wheel and suspension design eliminates the risk of a blowout and adds to the overall intimidating character of the vehicle.

The exposed framework around the cabin is comprised of hydroformed high-strength steel to emphasize the theme of exoskeleton.

The Pontiac Hematon is a sports car inspired by high-end sport motorcycles with exposed frames and integrated body parts. It was designed by CCS’s Timothy O’Donnell and engineered by U-M’s Jennifer Hoskins.

“Hematon is designed to appeal to the 20-to-30-year-olds looking for a second car for fun or for a primary mode of transportation that is efficient and affordable. The Hematon is intended to be a competitor with high-end sport bikes and sports cars under $30,000,” said O’Donnell.

The nose is an aggressive design inspired by the Pontiac Grand American Rolex racecars. The rear houses a series hybrid drivetrain.

“The chassis incorporates high-strength hydroformed side and rear rails. A rollover bar that connects to a central rail protects the driver from above and allows for the removal of the A-pillars. A steel beam also runs from side to side, directly behind the occupants’ seats. This allows for the energy in a side impact to be transferred away from the occupants and for a solid structure bracing the seats.”

Posted by Michelle Krebs at 7:35 AM under Technology | Comments (0) | digg this | Seed Newsvine