Show notes
Big sweeping changes are hard to come by when it comes to environmental preservation. They also take a long time to settle into place. So, perhaps the real sustainability changes we’re seeking are those that come in smaller packages. It’s the less disruptive and more easily implemented solutions that are filling in the gaps, and those small efforts can add up quickly. Today, I’m talking to Spencer Maynes, a Kansas City based inventor and data scientist working to reduce energy consumption in the transportation industry. He’s the CEO of Deflect, LLC, a company that’s introduced a system called RoofRider, a unique product that significantly improves the aerodynamics for transportation and passenger trains. We’ll also hear from the company CTO, Adrian Villar. In this episode, you’ll learn how this deflector technology helps reduce drag in the inter-car gap, and how Deflect, LLC came up with such a unique solution to a long-known fuel efficiency problem in the rail industry. We’ll discuss the importance of testing and simulation, and how Siemens NX is helping throughout the design process. Finally, you’ll hear about the challenges they experienced and the support they benefited from as they launched the company, and the process of bringing their technology closer to market. Some Questions I Ask:How does the product concept work? (3:38)Are there other companies creating similar products? (6:12)What's happening between the train cars as they're moving down the track? (12:06)What challenges do you anticipate from both a technical and a business perspective? (16:08)What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How the RoofRyder reduces fuel consumption on freight trains (2:36)A unique mission statement (4:46)Differences and similarities between the aerodynamics of race cars and trains (10:13)Risk management in the rail industry (18:08)Resources:RoofRiderConnect with Spencer Maynes:LinkedInConnect with Adrian Villar:LinkedInConnect with Paul Musto:LinkedInHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.