Originally Posted by
DaveW
Its funny you say that (as a general statement), because a professor would raise is eyebrow to that and then ignore you. lol
One of the things that frustrated me so much was reliance on equations. Everything had to have an equation to verify the result. I understand their purpose... but it doesnt mean i have to like them.
Im an on hands kind of person, definitely think outside the box, and often took what was in a textbook as a guideline... and not the answer.
IMO... theory is just that... THEORY. If we never look past current theory and press for a deeper understanding... will we ever further develop?
Questions formed theory, so theory should forever be questioned.
Well, then,
maybe theory isn't the best choice of words in this instance. Statement of opinion maybe?
I am a hands on person myself. Many of my close friends are practicing mechanical engineers... I am a professional car builder. Performance and race cars mostly. I have a welding and materials background as well as mechanical. Through MUCH trial and error and a lot of common sense I have come to my I guess opinions. I will admit and will likely get flamed for admitting, I couldn't work out in a mathematical equation why something works or doesn't... I can however build and test something to prove it fairly quickly with the desired results for proof of concept
.
As for the existing topic... It may be over simplified... but I was once told MANY years ago a coil spring can be likened to in its most simplified terms to a straight rod spring. In that the longer it is the easier it is to bend in a given O.D. That being the case in a given free length the more coils the longer that material had to be to make said coils bend... Softer. In a coil spring that has progressively more coils somewhere in it's winding it will act progressively. Simple enough concept to me... but, again I can't supply an equation and for that I apologize in advance
