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submitted 1 year ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

The stainless steel body of Tesla's Cybertruck is reportedly leading to issues with gaps in between the panels::The Cybertruck's steel is made in "coils that resemble giant rolls of toilet paper," WSJ reported.

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[-] Techmaster@lemm.ee 32 points 1 year ago

Watch what happens when people eventually discover what completely flat panels of sheet metal do in heavy wind.

There is literally a reason why no other auto manufacturer uses flat body panels on cars.

[-] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Just so I know, what does happen?

[-] aesopjah@lemm.ee 19 points 1 year ago
[-] creditCrazy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Metal does not like to compress at all. But when you make it really thin it will be floppy like a spring you might find in a pen or wind up toy. However you can make it stiff again by making it curved so the sheet has structure/mass going on all directions. Infact believe it or not cars during the 1960/70s had quite a bit of curves dispute being a brick. And that's because they didn't want the panels to dent easily. So when a car has flat faces like the Cyber truck. Those panels don't even have subtle curves to give them structure and they are soo suspectable to dents that a simple brease does the job of denting them.

[-] Aurix@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I assume the flat panels have an aerodynamic effect like the underbody of race cars. They ultimately create forces sucking the surface into a direction. And since on the sides it will be never stable it will flap around all the time. You can see that the most with the vertical fin stabilizer of Formula 1 cars. https://old.reddit.com/r/F1Technical/comments/nd2ayw/alpine_flexible_rearwing/

Here is a lot of wobbling and while the vertical changes are intended, the horizontal ones surely aren't and they tried to make it as stiff as possible. Certainly nothing a production car would achieve.

Correct me if I am wrong, as I didn't study this particular area.

this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2023
539 points (93.8% liked)

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