[GBC] The Akiyuki Project (2010 - 2020)

[Ankoku]

I always liked the idea of there being one of each colour in the buckets.

[doug72]

On 10/04/2018 at 2:39 PM, Jonas said:

Akiyuki is a genius and when he uses a specific element he knows why he does it. Almost always, when I had tried some replacements, I found it problematic in later stages.

Some hints:

When building the cart, you need to use the new type of transparent panels (those with the reinforcement). The older panels do not fit the jaws of the unloader.  

Routing the cart PF cables is really tricky as the space is limited and you must avoid conflicts with the side liftarm levers. I spent tens of minutes to find the best way. Just try and test. And whenever you change batteries, you have do it again.

It is good to build 2 carts, definitely. The passing module is a must!

I recommend to start with the basic modules and if you like the system, you can add the more advanced ones. Or, even more, you can start to build your own modules that are compatible with the system. I just made a prototype of a train turntable.

 

Now recieved more parts I needed to progress this build, 1x2 brick with 2 holes & 1x2 brick with axle hole plus correct 1 x4 x 3 panels.
Just waiting on black shocks to arrive which seem scarce in UK / EU.

As you say you have to pay close attention to following the instructions - hard to with the limited studded spare parts I have .It took quite awhile to build the curved unloader section strong enough.

So far have built one motor car and the passing loop module.
I can now finish the reverser / loader / unloader / through unit plus another motor car.

re your turn table module, would it work OK if only rotates only 90 degs instead of 180 degs. want to use it as an alternative to standard lego track curves which take a lot of room.

I will probably use two units, one to reverse direction after the through module and another for a right angle turn.

What is the purpose of the two yellow shock absorbers in the unloader module ?
 

[RohanBeckett]

I've just finished the basics: 1 cart.. 1 loader, and 1 unloader (plus the reverser units for them)

All seems to work well.. the cart definitely performs better than all previous versions... and esp with fresh, non-rechargable batteries (all 1.5, rather than 1.2v)

The yellow shock absorbers take some of the pressure off the lifting of the bucket.

[doug72]

31 minutes ago, RohanBeckett said:

The yellow shock absorbers take some of the pressure off the lifting of the bucket.

Thanks , the ones I tried are from the Unimog and probably too strong.  The ones on order are black with normal springs, I will try them first to see if they are OK., if not more ordering.

Which shocks absorbers did you use ?

Edited April 19, 2018 by Doug72

[Jonas]

1 hour ago, Doug72 said:

So far have built one motor car and the passing loop module.

I can now finish the reverser / loader / unloader / through unit plus another motor car.

re your turn table module, would it work OK if only rotates only 90 degs instead of 180 degs. want to use it as an alternative to standard lego track curves which take a lot of room.

I will probably use two units, one to reverse direction after the through module and another for a right angle turn.

What is the purpose of the two yellow shock absorbers in the unloader module ?
 

Nice to hear about your progress.

The design of the turntable allows for an arbitrary turn angle. Turning is stopped when the lock (the red connector on both the ends) is forced to turn from the vertical to the horizontal position (e.g. by a peg as in my prototype). When it happens, the car leaves the 24t gear and the platform stops.

I was also wondering about the true purpose of the shock absorbers because it seemed to me that the unloader was able to work without them. As I had two spare ones, I used them. I believe that Akiyuki knows the reason.

Unfortunately, I have not completed the rotary dumper, yet. It is a really complex construction and rather difficult for tuning. I have built a lower (not that tall) version of the dumper and the elevator but it does not run properly. The rotation is not smooth as at some angles the gears get slipping, which further causes dissynchronization of the spring mechanism that is responsible for the car motor switching. Has anybody succeeded in completing this module?

 

[Berthil]

26 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Has anybody succeeded in completing this module?

Almost. I have integrated the lift and rotary module in one module leaving out the (unnecessary) elevator ramp and making it more stable according to Akiyuki 'old style' building technique (which I like more and fits my other modules better design wise).

Edited April 19, 2018 by Berthil

[doug72]

Now built the reversing module using black shock absorber and the unloader module (without shocks) and coupled them together.
Motor car runs in OK and the unloader lifts the ball carrier BUT motor car departs before empty ball carrier is placed back onto the motor car. 
Ball carrier stays in vertical postion on the unloader.the 

Any tips on how to syncronise this ?

Edited April 20, 2018 by Doug72

[Jonas]

20 minutes ago, Doug72 said:

Motor car runs in OK and the unloader lifts the ball carrier BUT motor car departs before empty ball carrier is placed back onto the motor car. 
Ball carrier stays in vertical postion on the unloader.the 
Any tips on how to syncronise this ?

Just a question. Do you use the version of the reversing module that belongs to the loader/unloader, or that for the switch point? The latter differs from the former by the spring trigger mechanism - it triggers every 90 degrees while the former every 180 degrees. To avoid potential confusion I use different color schemes for the two versions.

Edited April 20, 2018 by Jonas

[doug72]

50 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Just a question. Do you use the version of the reversing module that belongs to the loader/unloader, or that for the switch point? The latter differs from the former by the spring trigger mechanism - it triggers every 90 degrees while the former every 180 degrees. To avoid potential confusion I use different color schemes for the two versions.

I used the version which triggers every 180 degs.
I will check again to make sure I have used correct modules.

Now got it working & seems OK.

I seperated the rreverser from unloader twiddled with the drive to unloader a bit and re-connected them and it works !!!!

[Jonas]

As promised, I have made the instructions for the Turntable module

They are made in LDD and available here: https://bricksafe.com/pages/Jonas/train-turntable-module

[doug72]

Many thanks for the instructions - I will definitely build two for my  proposed layout.
One 180 deg turn as a reverser and the other 90 deg turn to save using standard lego track curves for a more compact set up.
Have enough parts this time.

Doug

[doug72]

The problem:-
After completing the build of unloader and reverser modules,  testing revealed a problem with the wheels of the motor car often dropping into the gap & jamming at the end of the Lego track section before it runs along  the red beams. I have ensured track horizontal at the entry point.
When it sometimes worked the ball carrier lines up and unloading cycle is OK.

 

The solution:-

Last section of Lego track replaced by 16L rail track beams which eliminates the gap.

Overhead view:

Close up view:

 

UPDATE:-

Now found why wheels were jamming at end of Lego track.

I had omitted to fill the gap in the track run with 1 x 2 brick with 2 holes / 1 x 2 plate / 1 x 2 tile stack !!!!

However the modification I came up with does work.
 

Edited April 21, 2018 by Doug72

[Berthil]

10 hours ago, Doug72 said:

Now found why wheels were jamming at end of Lego track.

I had omitted to fill the gap in the track run with 1 x 2 brick with 2 holes / 1 x 2 plate / 1 x 2 tile stack !!!!
 

Yes, it was my solution for the gap in August last year, just a 1x2 plate

[doug72]

10 hours ago, Berthil said:

Yes, it was my solution for the gap in August last year, just a 1x2 plate

Thanks for that answer.

I sometimes find it quite hard to see where black parts are added to existing black parts unless zoom up instruction page.
I have now  used yellow 1 x 2 plates & tiles to fill the gap.

I am now using where possible 1 x 2 bricks with 2 pins instead of 1 x 2 brick with 2 holes & 2 pins, they are very low cost and easy to get in the UK.

Slowly getting to grips on how this train system is built and functions.

Is there any information somewhere on how to syncronise the modules, ie. reverser / unloader - loader / reverser etc.other than trial & error.

Hope I have enough space to build a layout & run it.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Doug72

[doug72]

@Jonas 

Thanks for the turntable instructions.

Downloaded the lxf file and followed the generated building guide.
At times found difficult to follow as parts are shown put in place before other parts have to added below later in the build.

Finally got it built and tested:

Had a few teething problems with it working OK in one direction but not the other when the train car would derail as it left the turntable.
It was also rougher turning in one direction than the other way.

Finally found the problems:-
An 8T gear meshing with the 24T gear was rough due to a slightly bent 8L axle - now changed.
8T gear was also rubbing on the last tooth of the gear rack as unit rotated.

I was using the new 8T reinforced gear - now change to old style 8T gears and working OK in both directions smoothly without rubbing.

Video: note unloader build not yet completed.
The jolt as train enters turntable the 2nd time is due to track being 1 plate too low - now fixed.

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by Doug72

[Jonas]

Nice to see it running.

[doug72]

Now adapted the @Jonas turntable for the Akiyuki train system to give 90. deg. turn,  very useful for a more compact layout.
Train car reversed by hand for video demostration - hence the shaky camera !!

 

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by Doug72

[Great Ball Pit]

I like the 90 degree turn Doug.   We had an Akiyuki train at BrickCan this weekend, and it ran okay for day 1 and some of day 2.  By day 3 we pulled it, due to battery issues.

[Ankoku]

That is a nice addition to the train tool set!

[Berthil]

5 hours ago, Doug72 said:

Now adapted the @Jonas turntable for the Akiyuki train system to give 90. deg. turn

Nice! I'm not planning to build very much of the Akiyuki train layout unless it will fit in a GBC circuit but on it's own this all together is quite an achievement to be admired.

[doug72]

Thanks but credit should go to Jonas who developed it and made the instructions.
I mearly adapted it to suit my proposed layout which have to fit on our dining table until proven before moving up into the loft to form part  my Lego Train layout.

The 180 deg t/t will replace the ballon reversing loop and the 90 deg will replace standard Lego 1/4 circle curved track.
I hope to keep it fairly narrow.

Doug
 

Edited April 24, 2018 by Doug72

[doug72]

On 07/04/2018 at 10:22 PM, bmerrill said:

There’s a better view of it in this video, but I still can’t identify it:

 It looks useful, wherever it came from.

Sorry for late reply, must have missed this post before.

It was made by me awhile back, the white part is a 3D printed 3 x 3 x 3 worm gear box by Efferman. The lift was not reliable as hard to get the balls to load without jamming. 

On 06/04/2018 at 2:20 AM, Ankoku said:

It certainly helps. Managed to have a ball properly jam and rip part of the machine apart the other day.

There is nothing wrong with the design of the wheel. It is far more to do with how I am feeding it and the space and height restrictions I am working with.

So I am going back to the drawing board for the minute.

I am pondering trying the long arm of this:

It is amazing how differently some parts of the machine act at different speeds. Momentum being what it is, it is fairly obvious that it would occur, but it still surprises me at times. When it comes to the bucket ball dumper, I couldn't replicate what I was seeing in the video and it was only after all sorts of changes did I realise it was just a speed issue. Do it at full speed, it is identical. The only problem is, at full speed, it is hard to see it is moving so fast.

I do wonder whether the design above is going to start flinging balls, rather than dropping them at full speed :P

I must have missed this post before, it worked OK without flinging balls, by using 12t double bevel gears it help get rid of gear backlash & kept the lift arms in step.  Blue axle pins used instead of tow ball pins to stop balls sticking & Not moving onto next lift arm. Long arm used to get enough height so balls rolled back to the start again.It worked fine.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Doug72

[jetpro]

After a period of debugging, the akiyuky Rotary Dumper module & Elevator module was finally able to work normally. This set of mechanisms is very delicate, and it seems that every change can affect the entire system. The point is that each time the spring is struck out, the back two yellow 32249s need to maintain the position shown in the figure. The sound of the sweeping tooth during operation is not correct. Try to remove the yellow 3069b.

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by jetpro

[Jonas]

1 hour ago, jetpro said:

After a period of debugging, the akiyuky Rotary Dumper module & Elevator module was finally able to work normally.

Congratulations! I have not been that successful, so far. Actually, I have given it some pause, now.

My question is: How much sensitive is the mechanism with respect to the counterweight? I do not have the metal balls (as Akiyuki propose) so I had to replace them with other balast bricks of the same total weight.  I played much with the counterweight weight and position but the rotation always had a critical angle where the gears slipped. When changing the balast weight up and down  this critical angle was also changing, but it never disappeared.

[jetpro]

1 hour ago, Jonas said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Jonas said:

Congratulations! I have not been that successful, so far. Actually, I have given it some pause, now.

My question is: How much sensitive is the mechanism with respect to the counterweight? I do not have the metal balls (as Akiyuki propose) so I had to replace them with other balast bricks of the same total weight.  I played much with the counterweight weight and position but the rotation always had a critical angle where the gears slipped. When changing the balast weight up and down  this critical angle was also changing, but it never disappeared.

Yes, I was also suspended for half a month because of gear slippage. By accident, I found that the yellow 3069b was removed. The gear separation can be delayed a little and there is no sweeping gear sound. At this time, the track is just aligned and there is still a short period. Locked, the springs popped out and the train smoothly opened. The counterweight mechanism is not very sensitive. I just tried it and I can work with two 18mm steel balls.

Edited April 25, 2018 by jetpro