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Tesla adds Titanium Underbody Shield to Model S
- Thread starter Jgdixon
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
Mobster
Member
Exactly. When we were going to build a supersonic transport I spent years in R&D as we were convinced titanium was the material to use (later Graphite Epoxy Composite materials were considered the best). Big problem was that aluminum and titanium don't get along and corrosion rapidly forms on the aluminum connected (any contact) parts.
The undercarriage impact videos online are fantastic. The "recall" or "pseudo recall" (whenever the argument is settled!) shows the company's incredible dedication to this car. We (owners, "enthusiasts" as Tesla refers to us) need to see how the new parts are insulated to prevent the rapid corrosion. If it is indeed voluntary, right now, I am on the fence about getting this added. Not sure I will add it. However, someone mentioning "tank mode" makes it very attractive to me to compliment the laser guided and heat seeking missiles I have installed in the frunk:biggrin:
santana338
Member
I think the official name for the new part should be "Deflector Shield"... The definition below fits perfectly. :smile:
Deflector shield - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki
Deflector shields, also known as deflector screens, deflectors or simply shields, were translucent or transparent energy fields produced by deflector shield generators. These generators could be placed on planets, droids, starships, space stations and individual buildings. The primary purpose of the shield was to block or deflect projectiles and lasers from hitting the object under protection. They can also provide a significant atmospheric speed boost, in some cases 44 times the normal speed.
Deflector shield - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki
Deflector shields, also known as deflector screens, deflectors or simply shields, were translucent or transparent energy fields produced by deflector shield generators. These generators could be placed on planets, droids, starships, space stations and individual buildings. The primary purpose of the shield was to block or deflect projectiles and lasers from hitting the object under protection. They can also provide a significant atmospheric speed boost, in some cases 44 times the normal speed.
Heh.
Well, you-all may be talking about driving around in your new Tesla Tank....I'm going to enter into negotiations with AK DOT to discuss driving up and down the Denali Highway in my new Tesla Road Grader!!!!!
Well, you-all may be talking about driving around in your new Tesla Tank....I'm going to enter into negotiations with AK DOT to discuss driving up and down the Denali Highway in my new Tesla Road Grader!!!!!
> corrosion rapidly forms on the aluminum [Mobster]
So once this corrosion has set up shop, providing a significant electrical resistance, we can then apply opposing voltage (from a small power supply) to counter this current flow. A comparator IC could maintain a ~zero voltage differential at all times between the Ti plate and the aluminum frame of the MS. QED, no?
Or, using marine practice, a sacrificial metal could be attached. Al might be too far down the scale to find a sac metal, tho.
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So once this corrosion has set up shop, providing a significant electrical resistance, we can then apply opposing voltage (from a small power supply) to counter this current flow. A comparator IC could maintain a ~zero voltage differential at all times between the Ti plate and the aluminum frame of the MS. QED, no?
Or, using marine practice, a sacrificial metal could be attached. Al might be too far down the scale to find a sac metal, tho.
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DFibRL8R
Active Member
Here's one distortion: CNN has a story with headline "Tesla installs fire shields under Model S". Seems like a "fire shield" would be more like what is already there with ceramic and steel to shield the occupants from a battery fire. I guess they just had to get the word fire in the headline to reinforce the public misconception that Tesla's are fire prone.
Musk: Tesla installs fire shields under Model S - Mar. 28, 2014
27.8 grams.
Let's go with this random estimate until we have something official for people to obsess about.
mknox
Well-Known Member
This reminds me of a funny story from my electric utility planning days years ago: When a site had a larger padmount transformer installed within a set distance of doors or windows, we required a "blast wall" be installed adjacent to the transformer. My boss said "blast wall" was causing concern with customers and didn't find it funny when I proposed "explosion barrier" as an alternate description :biggrin:
Odenator
Member
Yeah, I hope they figured in preventing possible galvanic corrosion into the design with dissimilar metals.
I picked up my car 2 days ago. According to the article I should have the shields already. I can try to take some photos, but I have no idea how a 'non-shielded' Model S looks like, so I wouldn't be able to tell the difference looking at it.
DFibRL8R
Active Member
Simply quoting what is in the original Twitter feed in the first post.
"...they would still have been safely protected by the steel and ceramic firewall between the battery pack and the passenger compartment."
Bardlebee
Member
Well, you take some photos in a lit garage or sunlight. Try to use a garage light/flash light. Then someone else do the same thing.
Any current Tesla owners willing to help us out for comparison shots?
This is my car I just picked up 2 days ago. I don't know, but I don't see anything. Maybe the black panel under the front part of the car is new?
stephenpace
VIN S00219
Houston Service Center already has the parts for the undercarriage retrofit (lots of them). I have an appointment next week for installation. Initial installs during the learning period will be 1.5 hours but they hope to be able to do them in an hour once they are experienced.
Canuck
Well-Known Member
Sounds like it's best to wait a bit then, rather than be one of the Guinea pig cars.
Titanium underbodu shield!
Just posted on Twitter, etc:
Starting with vehicle bodies manufactured as of March 6, all cars have been outfitted with a triple underbody shield. Tesla service will also retrofit the shields, free of charge, to existing cars upon request or as part of a normally scheduled service.
During the course of 152 vehicle level tests, the shields prevented any damage that could cause a fire or penetrate the existing quarter inch of ballistic grade aluminum armor plate that already protects the battery pack. We have tried every worst case debris impact we can think of, including hardened steel structures set in the ideal position for a piking event, essentially equivalent to driving a car at highway speed into a steel spear braced on the tarmac.
The first of the three shields is a rounded, hollow aluminum bar that is designed to either deflect objects entirely or, in the case of a self-stabilizing, ultra high strength object, like a three ball steel tow hitch, absorb the impact and force it to pike upwards well forward of the battery pack. This pierces the plastic aeroshield and front trunk liner, but causes no damage affecting safety and the car remains in control and driveable before, during and after the impact.
This is followed by a titanium plate, which has exceptional strength-to-weight properties and is more commonly seen in aerospace or military applications. The titanium plate prevents sensitive front underbody components from being damaged and aids in neutralizing the road debris.
By this point, the vast majority of objects will have been deflected or crushed. For the rare piece of debris that remains intact, we added a third shield, which is a shallow angle, solid aluminum extrusion that further absorbs impact energy, provides another layer of deflection and finally causes the Model S to ramp up and over the object if it is essentially incompressible and immovable.
medium.com/p/544f35965a0d
Just posted on Twitter, etc:
Starting with vehicle bodies manufactured as of March 6, all cars have been outfitted with a triple underbody shield. Tesla service will also retrofit the shields, free of charge, to existing cars upon request or as part of a normally scheduled service.
During the course of 152 vehicle level tests, the shields prevented any damage that could cause a fire or penetrate the existing quarter inch of ballistic grade aluminum armor plate that already protects the battery pack. We have tried every worst case debris impact we can think of, including hardened steel structures set in the ideal position for a piking event, essentially equivalent to driving a car at highway speed into a steel spear braced on the tarmac.
The first of the three shields is a rounded, hollow aluminum bar that is designed to either deflect objects entirely or, in the case of a self-stabilizing, ultra high strength object, like a three ball steel tow hitch, absorb the impact and force it to pike upwards well forward of the battery pack. This pierces the plastic aeroshield and front trunk liner, but causes no damage affecting safety and the car remains in control and driveable before, during and after the impact.
This is followed by a titanium plate, which has exceptional strength-to-weight properties and is more commonly seen in aerospace or military applications. The titanium plate prevents sensitive front underbody components from being damaged and aids in neutralizing the road debris.
By this point, the vast majority of objects will have been deflected or crushed. For the rare piece of debris that remains intact, we added a third shield, which is a shallow angle, solid aluminum extrusion that further absorbs impact energy, provides another layer of deflection and finally causes the Model S to ramp up and over the object if it is essentially incompressible and immovable.
medium.com/p/544f35965a0d
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