How Do They Do This?

[cabinetman]

In car magazines they state specifications for trunk and cabin interior space. Since those spaces aren't boxes, how do they compute the cubic feet?

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[DLyon]

In car magazines they state specifications for trunk and cabin interior space. Since those spaces aren't boxes, how do they compute the cubic feet?

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Not sure how they do it, but I'd break the area down into a series of triangles and rectangles. Makes the calculation relatively simple.

[toolguy1000]

In car magazines they state specifications for trunk and cabin interior space. Since those spaces aren't boxes, how do they compute the cubic feet?

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could that be information they get from the manufacturers?

[TCOTTLE]

Packing Peanuts....

[cabinetman]

could that be information they get from the manufacturers?

And how do the manufacturers do it?

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[TCOTTLE]

I am sure they take cad models, and use an algorithm to convert the volume into cubic inches.

[BobSch]

I am sure they take cad models, and use an algorithm to convert the volume into cubic inches.

Nah. They seal the doors, stick a big hose in the sunroof and turn on the tap.

[TCOTTLE]

Nah. They seal the doors, stick a big hose in the sunroof and turn on the tap.

I bet that they actually use sawdust. That way it won't make a wet mess, like water.

[JimD]

It's pretty tough to calculate very irregular shapes. With a CAD model maybe. But I would use ping pong balls. I don't know what they really do, however. I doubt the magazines use CAD. They probably just take the manufacturers word for it but using ping pong balls - or peanuts - would be within their capability.

Jim

[LCHIEN]

consumer reports states


Trunk and cargo space

For cars with an enclosed trunk, we measure its usable volume with a set of typical-sized suitcases and duffle bags. For cargo-oriented vehicles such as hatchbacks, station wagons, and SUVs, we use an expandable rectangular pipe-frame "box." We enlarge it enough to just fit through the rear opening and extend into the cargo bay as far as possible without preventing the hatch from closing. Cargo capacity is the volume enclosed by that box. For pickup trucks, we measure the volume of the load bed up to the top of the side rails.

[Tom Slick]

It's not as high tech as you might think
http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=36811

[Mr__Bill]

Packing Peanuts....

+1 on the peanuts, that was my first thought.

[BigguyZ]

I thought they used golf balls or something. The spherical shape creates a situation where the most efficient packing of the balls occurs naturally. You can then calculate the volume based in the number of balls, and how efficient the "packing" of the balls can be.

The same ting is done in chemistry, when looking at crystal arrangements of atoms. Think alloys and how different mixtures of atoms are arranged.

[cabinetman]

It's pretty tough to calculate very irregular shapes. With a CAD model maybe. But I would use ping pong balls. I don't know what they really do, however. I doubt the magazines use CAD. They probably just take the manufacturers word for it but using ping pong balls - or peanuts - would be within their capability.

Jim

Ping pong balls seem like a good idea. there is probably a way of figuring a displacement factor, due to the balls being round. The spaces between the balls would account for a predetermined volume amount. They could likely get very close with that.

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