Scott, you dance around so much in your posts I have trouble figuring out what you are saying, especially when you tell me that what you write are "wild guesses" and "don't get distracted by the numbers".

What's the point?

alistair

On 2011-07-21, at 12:41 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:

> of course fins aid cooling, by adding surface area.
> no brainer there.
> fins or ribs also add strength ..
> the improve the strength to weight ratio.
> look at the top of a vanagon transaxle..
> huge ribs there.
> if they were to make it have the same strength but not by using ribs, the material would have to be twice as thick as it is.
> 
> so think cost/benefit ratio on the fins and ribs.
> sure ..it takes say ...wildly guessing, don't get all crazy on me now ..
> say 4 % more material to make a waterboxer block with fins on the bottom rather than smooth.
> 
> say that gets 2 % better heat removal and 6 percent increase in strength..
> don't get distracted by the numbers..
> speaking in principles here.
> And ..there is the unit cost factor..
> when you are making something in production..
> it is efficient use of the time, cost, and machinery and the process itself..
> to *optimize what you get for what you put into it.*