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Subject: 
[MindStorms FAQ 2.12 My robot works great but it pulls itself apart as it runs.]
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.faq
Date: 
Tue, 13 Jul 1999 21:49:41 GMT
Viewed: 
2363 times
  
Subject:          2.12 My robot works great but it pulls itself apart as it
runs.
Content-Language: en
Topic-Level:      0
Revision:         Robert Munafo, 1999-07-13
Location:         /robotics/rcx/
Comment:          Topic-level is inaccurate pending a reference for topic
levels

<p>Building <i>strong</i> LEGO&reg; models is yet another aspect of
the Fundamental Building Challenge, and strength issues show up in all
types of LEGO&reg; building.  Building strong models with motors
presents some unique challenges that traditional strong building
techniques alone cannot solve. The most fundamental rule is: </p>

    <blockquote>
    Don't count on the bricks to hold themselves together by friction
    alone. </blockquote>

<p>If you have gears in your model and it falls apart in such a way that
two meshed gears are coming unmeshed, then the gears are probably
pushing the model apart by pushing against each other. The simplest
solution to this is to put all the gears and their axles in the same
plane, so the axles all go through a single pair of beams (one beam on
each end of the axles). </p>

<p>The next-simplest way to keep things from pulling apart vertically is
to build your horizontal layers with beams and use connector pins (or
friction connector pins) to connect to other beams running
perpendicular (that is, vertically) to the main beams. When doing this
keep in mind that: </p>

<p>- 2 horizontal units is exactly equal to 1 2/3 vertical units </p>

<p>- 4 horizontal units is exactly equal to 3 1/3 vertical units </p>

<p>- 6 horizontal units is exactly equal to 5 vertical units </p>

<p>It is also useful to note that: <p>

<p>- A perfect right angle is formed with a triangle with 3 horizontal
units as the base at right angle to 3 1/3 vertical units (or 4
horizontal units) with 5 horizontal units on a diagonal as the
hypoteneuse. </p>

<p>- An <i>almost</i> perfect right angle is formed with a triangle with 3
horizontal units as the base at right angle to 4 1/3 vertical units
with 6 horizontal units on a diagonal as the hypoteneuse. </p>

<p>If a design is pulling apart hoizontally, it can be reinforced by
adding additional horizontal layers, one above and one below, at right
angles to the pieces that are pulling apart. Then the design will stay
together horizontally as long as it doesn't pull apart vertically --
and to prevent that, use the technique just described. </p>



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