[GBC] The Akiyuki Project (2010 - 2020)

[Ankoku]

This is the new change to the Akiyuki machine:

It seems he has reworked the pivot mechanism and beam length. This new approach removes any potential bend in what would have been an 8L axle.

The new approach requires a shorter piston beam, a longer beam under the shifter.

The brace is 2x Technic Beam 1 x 6 Thin.

Here, you can see the positioning of the pivot point, the indentation in the conveyor tower, which is 2 bricks deep to allow the pivot arm to travel that far.

You can also see the black axle instead of the grey one, as it requires that extra 1L for the back and forth arm to pivot one.

At the top, you can see where the slider platform connects and how it is moved 0.5L across.

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by Ankoku

[Ankoku]

Here you can see how the shifter beam is connected.

Again, I had basically worked this out, but it didn't work due to the height of the machine being wrong.

As you can see, it is centred using a Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Semi-Reduced. The connector is a Technic Axle Connector with Axle Hole.

The yellow beam is now a 13L rather than 11L.

Edited March 3, 2018 by Ankoku

[Ankoku]

Because of how the back and forth piston is connected, there is no way it can work with the current instructions as the beam  gets in the way of the mechanism powering part which moves the buckets off the wheel and on to the conveyor belt.

In the original Akiyuki video, you can see at the bottom, how it is connected to the conveyor is different to the instructions. With this in mind, I set about trying to get it back to the original, in the hope that it would sort out the clearance issue.

As you can see, it just uses a couple of Technic Brick 1 x 4 [3 Holes] at the bottom to hold it in place.

I did incorporate an addition which I am guessing The ReBricker designed. It isn't in the Akiyuki original, but I like the stability the Technic Brick 1 x 2 [2 Holes] offers, so I kept it.

The mechanism now sits higher than in the instructions, thus giving the clearance needed. It also allows for the same motion which is seen in the Akiyuki video, which was not possible before.

I will also be incorporating the Technic Brick 1 x 2 [2 Holes] at the other end of the visible axle, which is a ReBricker addition (I am guessing), which is housed in the structure which takes the dumped balls. Again, I like the stability it offers.

[Frequenzberater]

Great work! Thank you very much for your effort! 

I will consider this changes in my build. May I ask you to post a list with required additional parts? 

[Ankoku]

In all honesty, with some bits, I am just winging it. Recycling parts I have. As you can see, the black bits are where I don't currently have the right colour. The whole ball unload will just be a winging it job too. So even if I created a list, it would be very sub optimal.

At some point, I am just going to buy a bunch more grey stuff and redo it properly.

[tismabrick]

@Ankoku

Thank you very much for sharing everything you changed.

I'm gonna wait until your factory is complete and you report that it's reliable. Then I will eventually change mine.

Cheers,

Thomas

[Ankoku]

Every change is a notable improvement. My desire is for it to run as smoothly as it does for Akiyuki when he hand cranks it.

His seems to have GBC dust in recent picks of it, which suggests he has been using it at GBC events, that hints at it being reliable enough.

Will post a video of the final thing running once it is done.

[lcvisser]

On 28-2-2018 at 5:28 PM, Ankoku said:

Whilst I was working on that, I noticed that the first conveyor belt wasn't at all smooth. This was due to the sharp angle and use of two universal joints. It would speed up and slowdown in a cyclic manner.

Is that usually due to misaligned universal joints?

@aeh5040 demonstrated this nicely here: 

Or was your issue a different one?

[Ankoku]

Great post, I did not know that. My little bit of OCD means I try and line everything up the same.

Will try a few variations and report back.

[Ankoku]

@Ludo Visser Your sig URL needs changing to: https://rebrickable.com/users/ludovisser/mocs/

Seems they changed it from profile to users.

[lcvisser]

13 hours ago, Ankoku said:

@Ludo Visser Your sig URL needs changing to: https://rebrickable.com/users/ludovisser/mocs/

Seems they changed it from profile to users.

Ah, thanks, changed it! Not that there's much to see there 

[Frequenzberater]

Akiyuky has uploaded a new video presenting his reworked railway system:

 

 

[FernandoQ]

Akiyuki in addition to the video of the new railway system has placed on its website the instructions for the four modules of the basic layout.
Only the instructions for the crossing of trains that we already had in Courbet's version are missing.

I think it's the first time that Akiyuki gives us some GBC instructions.

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by FernandoQ
mod

[Ankoku]

It is really cool that he has created PDF instructions for these things. They are near the bottom:

http://akiyuki.jp/en/works/845

[tismabrick]

This is very cool! The only other module missing is the Through Module. Hope Akiyuki will eventually add instruction for this as well.

[Ankoku]

Shifter Changes in action:

 

[Ankoku]

Here are videos of the incorrect and correct universal join arrangements for powering the first conveyor belt.

I have also included the alternative, which doesn't use any universal joints, but a LEGO links instead.

Incorrect Alignment:

Correct Alignment:

Alternative:

 

[tismabrick]

I looked very hard but couldn't spot the build difference between the incorrect and the correct alignment.

Please help, thanks :)

Of course I spotted the difference in continuous speed.

[Ankoku]

The slits at the side of the universal joints need to line up. If they are, then it is correct. You should see the difference in smoothness if they are.

You may well find that you have it correct already.

Like this:

From this thread:

https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/49999-universal-joints-question-for-technic-experts/

[tismabrick]

Thanks, now it's clear!

[Ankoku]

Okay, on to the ball dump changes.

I have changed the bottom of one side of the grabber to be the same as the original. With the change in position of the sliding area, I am guessing this is needed. Not tested it yet.

I have also changed it back to 2 bricks wide for the tilting beams, rather than 3. Not sure why it was 3 or why it had pins sticking out.

I haven't made it the same as the Akiyuki original, as I am guessing people want to keep the ability to offload them in one direction or the other.

With this in mind, I am not using rams down 2 brick depth. Instead, I have keep it single depth, but 3 wide slope.

Not tested it yet, but will let you know how it does.

[Ankoku]

This has always bugged me, but I have only just worked out why.

I liked the addition of having a housing for the axle on the other side, but when I was building it and now, rebuilding it, it has always bugged me that it never seemed to align correctly. It was always felt either too high or too low. It never seem right.

The answer is really obvious, as it can never been correct via just bricks. The axle isn't entering a standard brick initially, it is sat in a vertically aligned beam. So the only way to fix it to the other side correctly, is to use another vertical beam!

So yeah, gonna change that.

[plingboot]

Here's a pic of my take on the invisible lift. 

The basic build of the lift modules was pretty straightforward - working from Blackbird's pdf, but I spent hours and hours reworking the drive module as I felt it was over bricked (no offence meant). I had about 10 different versions before I settled on this one.

I didn't like the way the XL motor sounded when it was powering everything, so I added a small motor to power the steps and the tooth in the hopper. I'll eventually swap the battery box out for a train controller.

The other thing I wanted to change was the chute from the loader to the lift. Again this took hours to get right. Every version seemed either over bricked or too flimsy. I think this one fits into the aesthetic I was striving for - and it's very robust.

I also reworked the exit ramp as I wasn't keen on akiyuki's and need the balls to feed in a particular way for the next module.

Function wise the lift is pretty good, it's not perfect, but I'm only getting about 1 drop in 20 balls.

Edited March 5, 2018 by plingboot

[plingboot]

Typical, the Invisible lift was working ok, but as soon as I point a camera at it to make a movie clip… I decides to drop every ball. 

It's a mix of the antennas not gripping the ball securely, one set of antennas knocking the balls out of the previous set or the grabber at the top fumbling them. 

Driving me mad… 

[Frequenzberater]

I feel with you bro