Jake Anderson wrote:
> The field of stopping a rotating metal disk is a fairly thoroughly
> explored field, they are called car brakes.

Not really.

Car brakes have to dissipate a lot of energy and must be able to be "soft".
In other words, the control input is proportional, and the wheel must NOT be
frozen for less than full input.  That's rather different from stopping
something as fast as possible.

The energy dissipation issues are totally different too.  Car brakes have to
be able to take repeated application such that the heat must be transferred
away.  With the table saw blade, the whole event is over so fast that the
heat has no time to move anywhere before it stops being produced.  Then you
have lots of time to eventually dissipate it.

So no, people haven't been stupid (as your statement tries to imply in a
backhanded sort of way) for failing to suggest a car brake should be copied.


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