Looking now at Memory Alpha, my guess may have been wrong -- seems it might have more to do with warp plasma and/or radiation.  See https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Baffle_plate for canon instances where removal of a baffle plate caused catastrophic issues to ships. Russ Perry Jr On Monday, May 20, 2019, 10:15:43 AM CDT, Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu> wrote: Klingon Word of the Day for Monday, May 20, 2019 Klingon word: vID'IrPart of speech: nounDefinition: baffleSource: BOP_______________________________________________ tel vID'Irmey wing baffles  (KBoP) (ghunchu'wI' [date?]):  They're specifically the multiple interleaved "plates" at the hinged area which slide past one another as the wing changes orientation between attack, cruise, and landing configuration. (My theory is that they help keep the warp field "smooth" so it can't be detected from a distance when the cloaking device is active.) (Russ Perry [date?]):  According to http://www.m-w.com a baffle is "a device (as a plate, wall, or screen) to deflect, check, or regulate flow (as of a fluid, light, or sound)".  I think typically a sound baffle is to carry the sound away from occupied areas.  On a starship it might vent heat out of the ship, or at least away from the engines to cool them down." SEE ALSO:nech         be lateral, move laterally [use for "slide"?]QanwI'      guard (n) [i.e. protective armor plating on a BOP]vol          pane,  panel,  sheet (not for bed) (n) [use for metal plate?] Another option for metal plate might be *{baS beQ}, modelled on {nagh beQ} "stone panel".-- VoraghCa'Non Master of the Klingons