Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - ULTRATECH guass weapon system design rules?

AlexanderHowl · 03-08-2018, 10:46 PM

Bronze possesses the lowest friction coefficient of any metallic alloy so, when combined with its relatively high (for a metal) specific heat, it ends up winning the prize. It also radiates heat much faster than the majority of metal alloys, so you do not have as much heat retention as with other materials (so the physical armature should be made of bronze as well, though the magnetics have to be behind the armature). Now, with larger weapons, you can avoid contact with the rails, so you can use more effecient processes and get to higher velocities, but I think that you are going to be using a lot of bronze for man-portable systems.

03-08-2018, 10:46 PM	#9
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	Re: ULTRATECH guass weapon system design rules? Bronze possesses the lowest friction coefficient of any metallic alloy so, when combined with its relatively high (for a metal) specific heat, it ends up winning the prize. It also radiates heat much faster than the majority of metal alloys, so you do not have as much heat retention as with other materials (so the physical armature should be made of bronze as well, though the magnetics have to be behind the armature). Now, with larger weapons, you can avoid contact with the rails, so you can use more effecient processes and get to higher velocities, but I think that you are going to be using a lot of bronze for man-portable systems.