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+--- Thread: A Clockwork Research (/showthread.php?tid=130453)
A Clockwork Research - Clockwork - 06-11-2015
Clockwork Evans paced back and forth on Skye Base while rubbing his temple and looking at some schematics. "Why aren't you working right?" he asked the datapad.
"I don't think it will answer you," Fatima Hawkins said, sarcasm in her voice. She sat back on the workbench they were using.
"But why not? All the numbers work! Look!" he pointed to the schematics on the pad to emphasize his point and continued, "the numbers!"
The third person in the room, Dan McKay, sighed. "What is it supposed to do again? Remember, non-technical person, but maybe I can figure something out this time?"
"Certainly couldn't hurt..." Fatima said with a chuckle.
"Ok, fine," Clockwork answered. "The prototype engine here is supposed to have the option to utilize either H-Fuel or Promethene based fuel, so it can run here or up in Gallia. The switching option works, as seen on the Windbirds Refuge. It also has these loopy parts, I think you called them in the non-technical sense. They are supposed to increase efficiency and overall ecofriendliness, as a good Gaian would want. And the numbers and the scaled model work fine, but in practical tests, it is actually losing efficiency." He frowned.
Dan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And we tried more loopy thingies?" he asked.
Fatima chuckled again. "Yes, we're at the max limit for loopy bits," Clockwork said with a grumble. "But no luck. Why in the name of Gaia not!?"
Fatima frowned. "Maybe we should consult some extra engineers? We need to do something to get this thing to work on our Claymores, to say nothing of the Panthers."
Clockwork nodded. "I'll see who I can find."
RE: A Clockwork Research - Zahir - 06-11-2015
Sergio walks in the room and steps to a workbench nodding to the research staff. Seems he had deepen in his thoughts, and mumbles something like
"Where the hell can I find a regulator of this size..."
then realizes he isn't there alone in the laboratory, so turns around with childish interest.
"What nice you people do here, wait a sec, I remember now, I've read on the schedule"
checks his old weather-beaten data-pad from the hide of his trench-coat.
"Ah, the new engine prototype tests, right? Can I give a look?"
With this he steps closer to Clockwork and his set to check those tricky numbers. For a long minute, using the surprise of the lab staff to run through the data and points out his old curvy finger on a point. Taps his chin thoughtfully.
"If I were you I would run here a second grade run-time trace, then we can debug the routine too"
Nods to confirm his words.
"I like the idea of the switching part of the solution, but I doubt it can be really continuous, at least not at level we need, see, those four picosecond missing here before the new, second ignition sequence"
Points out a column of numbers, and a second one with the precision values
"I fear this pause can backfire, cause the heating tubes turning cool below the security limits preset, see, here, at least, the next ignition will slap it up above the limit."
Try to clear the idea a bit more, when see the skeptic glances of Fatima.
"The problem is the amplitude between the two points, I guess."
After a long embarrassed second, he clears the throat and looks around.
"I've been looking for a xt-12 medium regulator...but it can wait, if you want I can give here a hand with the trace and debug."
RE: A Clockwork Research - farmerman - 06-14-2015
Clockwork rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Those are some good thoughts, Sergio," he said. "Let's give that trace and debug a shot, but swap out the regulators first to see if we can get the timing better under control and eliminate that pause. That might smooth things out, though it sure looks like the margin of acceptable error is greater than that...."
Fatima interrupted him. "Maybe because of the duel fuel source changeover, we need the timing to be tighter than expected. Could that be causing that amplitude misreading Sergio mentioned?"
RE: A Clockwork Research - Zahir - 06-16-2015
Sergio smiles humble and nods time to time while listens the other two within the conversation.
"I have here the breakpoint plan on my data-pad, I go and arm it in the code."
Steps to a workstation and uploads the data with few touches.
"Done, right here...and here, everything seems fine for now. About the trace, hmm, I will use this station, and the holo-pad"
The holo-projector hums up, and makes few large diagrams at the center of the lab, for now empty.
"I'm ready for the simulation, so let's bump in the lady...we have the green from the Skye tower, all traffic redirected for the next 5 minutes."
The test initiates after a few second. In the main engine room, under vacuum connection with the secondary air-lock of the Skye Base itself. In the same time the three huge diagram goes live and simulates the cooling tube temperature, the engine torque, the MOX, H-Fuel and the secondary fuel consumption. On secondary holo-panels some other, minor details appears, like the continuity indices and heat channeling indices in the various parts of the engine.
"Alright, time to make the first swap, here we go"
Looks down on the pad and then back again on the center holo-pad with a worried look. The tension in the room growth as in the engine room behind the fused silica and borosilicate glass begins resonate, then color of the engine blade begins change....and comes the engine failure, the security break-down happens again.
"Well, it wasn't a big surprise...if it not stoped, well, that would've been a surprise, nay ye think?"
Sergio sighs a bit.
"But still, one hopes always, but at least, now we got the trace data and the point where we stopped."
All in the laboratory begins to analyze the forthcoming data while the engine room has been depressurized and few engineer began reset the test.
"Interesting..."
Points first on the temperature diagram and after that on one of the continuity diagrams.
"I was wrong seems, the indices shows us that the transition was smooth like the way of a 'sair battleship in Omega-41"
Chuckles a bit and his gaze comes around between the present. For a second he seems disappointed, but even more enthusiast by the new challenge,
"Any idea there, signori?"
RE: A Clockwork Research - farmerman - 06-22-2015
"Hmmm, I have some ideas," Fatima said. "These numbers should help, but we'll have to do some analysis on them. I'll go take a look with Clockwork and we can do some more tests."
Following that, over the next several days, more tests were performed, much to the chagrin of the Skye traffic controllers who had to repeatedly stop patrols. After many of these tests, the group reconvened.
"It looks like things are working out okay with the Pilgrim's larger engine area," Clockwork said, looking at the datapad. [color=#50d417]"It looks like those issues are mostly resolved and this should work nicely, based on the recent tests."
"Hurray!" Dan said. "So it all works now?"
Clockwork shook his head no at Dan. "Only for the Pilgrim, we now need to see if we can downsize it to work on a Raba or Claymore. Pilgrim has a lot of room, those not so much."
"We may need to make it run either purely on H-Fuel or Promethene for this version," Fatima said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "What do you think, Sergio? Think we can make this run on a Raba without changes?"
RE: A Clockwork Research - Zahir - 06-24-2015
Sergio had arrived a bit before the results have became available. Then stopped to read them all.
"Hmm, indeed, seems on Pilgrim works flawless."
Smiled wide after Dan burst out in his joy.
"Yep, it's a nice thing, but we still have work to do."
Then listens Clockwork's comment and nods few times and answers Fatima's question as well.
"Even if Raba seems closer to the Pilgrim in nature, but it happens, that I know pretty well the cooling system of the Claymore, and it is the same architecture with upgraded parts, and few added subsystem for the heat conversation and feed-back unit."
Taps his old data-pad and the central holo-pad revives with the Pilgrim and Claymore, with few other command zooms out and blow-up the two engine architecture. He points out on his own device few details which becomes highlighted on the center of the room.
"Here we are, 68% of compatibility in overall, and 79% in the cooler, not bad for start."
Gives a sequence of new order to his controller, and the holo-pad shows new details with the cooler subsystem and with a part of the engine feed, and energy converters.
"But I'm worried about the converters, these are almost ancient, back to date I would say. We should ask for some help our farmer mates..."
Adds to the whole picture an other converter, which begins rotate at the edge of the holo picture.
"This thingy, called...erm....yep, mmm...I hope I say it correctly, Konbata-K8 unit, these can be acquired nicely at any common market of Kusari, and some Junker may have them too, as last resort."
Clears the picture, and let come up few warehouse data, and availability graphs of the Kombata-K8 energy konverter.
"Not a big deal, when we interchange with these shiney things the rusted part of our ol' ye' Claymores, then we can continue better, and if I'm right, with approx. one month work we can solve the additional compatibility issues and the cooler will fit in nicely too, as did with the Pilgrim."
Puts down on the table his treasured data-pad and asks for Fatima's, when he receives it, he runs a short routine of reports.
"Here is my evaluation on the needed resources."
As soon as the exact breakdown of the resource plan appears on a monitor near there, he hands the data-pad back with a grateful nod.
"Of course we can start with the Raba too..."
Shrugs shortly
"But we can work in pipeline too, the laboratory six is ended his work yesterday. If I get green light I will get my marauder and jump in Kagoshima Depot for the acquisition and for few other equipment upgrade too."