[Help] NXT controlled Switch track

[mrfuture]

I'm trying to make an automatic switch track for the Monorail system. I think i have the programming working but

If it moves back and forth a few times it looks like the gear and tooth 1x4 brick get miss aglined and it force the contruction apart.

Since the slide can not move but the motor has a little bit more to turn.

i have tried, shorter turns or second to try to fix but that result in that it did not completet the switch I have found that ether 1,1 second or 1,2 turn is working.

I using the NXT motor to move the slide trough a small gear and axe.

I use for the moment a light sensor to trigger the switch.

[MaxSupercars]

You should run the motor on low revolutions if it is possible to minimize the start kick... I don't know if it is possible to programm because I don't work with NXT... Of course if you need to switch fast it's not the solution...

Make a picture of gearing and how gears are attached... probably is everything made to weak...

Max...

Edited October 29, 2015 by MaxSupercars

[mrfuture]

Here is a picture of the setup. It is at the moment a prototype. But it could be that the construction is to weak to hold it together, but it is the missaligment of the thooth and gear that make it goes apart

It work fine 2-3 times without any presure from the motor until it is getting missaligned.

https://flic.kr/p/Am9jhj

Motor power is set to 40. I think it can't get any lower if it should manage to push the slide.

[A Gallifreyan Cat]

I have two recommendations:

1) Use a new type reinforced 8 tooth gear.

2) Use one of these: http://rebrickable.com/parts/15462/technic-axle-5-with-stop

This should stop the gear from getting misaligned.

[mrfuture]

Thanks for the tip with the new gear. I wil test it. Switch is now in a layout at a traid fair i attending to with the LUG.

But i think the axel pin with stop do no different i this case. The missaglinement is not that the gear moves on the axel pin but

it starts stoping wrong on the tooth brick on the sliderswitch so it make pressure on the construction.

It is not much it need to move, but just a tad longer. If i stop the motor earlier it can not switch completly.

But the first time back and forth this works fine with no pressure.

[mrfuture]

I did finaly fix this problem after take one of the switch track home to try to make it work.

I needed a complet rebuild since i took the wrong one home. But the right one to build for in the layout.

After some more fiddeling with the NXT code i manage to get it work right.

Back at the trade faire i needed to change the code again for take to the account for the train to pass before it trigger the code again and the adjustment of the sensor,

I found a few problems that i may try to figuring out for the next version.

1. Trains with constant or flashing light ether blinde the sensor so it does not switch or not alsways work when flashing. I think the sensor get blinded so it think there is no train there and do not trigger the code for the track.

2. I must make a system that handel two trains coming to the track at ones. This was a constant problem in the layout. i had two circles in each other. The inner was a bit shorter than the outer.

Sometimes the first train leaving the switch track area when the other comes into the sensor area. that makes the first one to crash with the switch, since it changes and the other train in the first.

Or bouth entering the switchtrack area at ones making a spetacular crash.