Someone has way too much money and time on their hands. I wonder who financed this project and how often they need to replace parts to keep it operational.
Elizabeth M, I agree. It's quite ironic that a video on LEGO engineering was aired on Design News when in my Control Systems class I showed a couple of videos illustrating mechatronics applications using the LEGO NXT-Mindstorms kit. Such a cool video and I will definitely be showing this magnificent machine to my class next week. Awesome engineering!!!
TJ McDermott, I watched approximately 3mins of the video and I was blown away by the shear complexity of the machine. There's a lot of cool manufacturing processes and automation techniques that can be learned by watching this magnificent machine in operation. What a cool video!!!
Any idea as to basic Lego part count in this video? Not the motors, sensors, and controllers necessary from the MindStorm kits. I'm talking about the basic static Lego parts. They average about $.10 a piece (so a 500 part kit in the store should run about $50 in the USA). I'm curious about what we just watched cost the builder.
I was fortunate to visit BrickCon in Seattle last month. I saw a large-scale Hogwarts model in such intricate detail. I think I was looking at close to a quarter-million dollars in bricks alone.
I agree, Jenn. The Mousetrap game was my first thought, too. It also reminds me of the contraption that used to be in the concourse at Logan Airport in Boston, except this is much more complex.
Wow. This is a magnificent machine. Who on earth has the time to build something like this? I hope it's on display somewhere. I've seen a machine like this -- but not as elaborate -- in a science museum.
,,,and not ONE loose ball, rolling on the wood floor! Then, at the point where the robot arm was taking shots at the hoop (and hitting about 90%) I burst out laughing!! ,,, So much fun, just to watch! Maybe the designer needs some suggestions on how to turn a profit on this ,,,,
1. Break up the modules individually and document as lessons in Automation.
2. Sell it to Disney. (heard they're in a "buying" mood; just paid LucasFilms $4B for STARWARS,,,)
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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