Inspiration for new models: Massive mining truck, amphibious excavator

[grindinggears]

Whoa! I'm surprised how much has been posted here. All of this looks very promising. I am sure we will have the finished MOC in about a month :thumbup:

So let me post what I have built so far:

I think we should stick to the small-sized 62.4 wheels to not let the model get too large. To get The oscillating axle I used a wormgear combination on a rigid axle. This causes a lot of stress when steering, so steering might need some crazy leverage between the axle units driven by an LA.

I have used double bevel gears at an angle like zblj did in his Trial Truck 8. Unfortunately the gears jump over under very high torque so here is a lot of work to do.

More pictures will be available here in a few days.

(scroll down a bit--sorry, for some reason the forum isn't letting me post a picture with a jpg file extension )

You have to remove the slash/ at the end of the image-url. This is how I got those pics inside my post

[olaf9198]

Whoa! I'm surprised how much has been posted here. All of this looks very promising. I am sure we will have the finished MOC in about a month :thumbup:

So let me post what I have built so far:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grindinggears/Mining-Truck/axleunit10.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grindinggears/Mining-Truck/axleunit02.jpg

I think we should stick to the small-sized 62.4 wheels to not let the model get too large. To get The oscillating axle I used a wormgear combination on a rigid axle. This causes a lot of stress when steering, so steering might need some crazy leverage between the axle units driven by an LA.

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grindinggears/Mining-Truck/axleunit05.jpg

I have used double bevel gears at an angle like zblj did in his Trial Truck 8. Unfortunately the gears jump over under very high torque so here is a lot of work to do.

More pictures will be available here in a few days.

You have to remove the slash/ at the end of the image-url. This is how I got those pics inside my post

was this youre idea

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/marthart/crane-truck/trailer_rear_wheels.jpg

Edited June 30, 2011 by I Scream Clone
Images changed to links

[Cy-Gor]

Not really a fan of the angled gears. probably part of the binding and slipping problem.

anyone else working on the chassis yet?

[Alasdair Ryan]

nop but i could but i won't, i will encourage the rest of you to biuld one,and any way my bed room floor is all ready covered in 4 mocs and about 3 inches of technic,lego bricks,and about 6 boxes of lego

[I Scream Clone]

was this youre idea

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/marthart/crane-truck/trailer_rear_wheels.jpg

Please refrain from quoting pictures, especially when they are in the post directly above. Could you also resize your picture to 800x640 or less as per site guidelines

[Nazgarot]

I've been looking at a project to really challenge the programming skills of a friend of mine. This might be just the thing. What if it was mad to be indirectly controlled through one or several mindstorm NXT units? Then it would really be possible to control the speed of each wheel independently, correlating to the angle. And there could be several programs as well, for driving on less then 5 axles, for crabbing, and for full load driving.

It would of course take a lot of motors, and a lot of NXT units, and this is where I need help to see if it's even possible. How does the IR control for NXT work? can it control several motors, and if so how many channels? And can it vary the speed with any precision? Is there a way to take remote inputs from an IR device to NXT, and translate it to commands? I have several ideas to similarly complicated NXT projects, and these questions are relevant to all of them.

This might be a crazy idea, but I need to get it out there...

-ED-

Edited July 18, 2011 by Nazgarot

[grindinggears]

I've been looking at a project to really challenge the programming skills of a friend of mine. This might be just the thing. What if it was mad to be indirectly controlled through one or several mindstorm NXT units? Then it would really be possible to control the speed of each wheel independently, correlating to the angle. And there could be several programs as well, for driving on less then 5 axles, for crabbing, and for full load driving.

It would of course take a lot of motors, and a lot of NXT units, and this is where I need help to see if it's even possible. How does the IR control for NXT work? can it control several motors, and if so how many channels? And can it vary the speed with any precision? Is there a way to take remote inputs from an IR device to NXT, and translate it to commands? I have several ideas to similarly complicated NXT projects, and these questions are relevant to all of them.

This might be a crazy idea, but I need to get it out there...

-ED-

You can control the PF functions via this HiTechnic sensor

Controlling twenty motors for driving and ten for steering sounds mad to me. How about building multiple trucks (maybe simpler ones) and putting one NXT in each of them. Then you can implement swarm features like the roadtrain capability of the ETF mining truck

Realizing this swarm behaviour without those connection bars will be a real challenge for your programming skills!

[Brickend]

You could make it simpler if the conventional steering mode is designed around an arc which is perpendicular to the centre of the vehicle. This would mean that the turning radius's would be symmetrical for the outer and inner steering wheels on any given side, reducing the needed motors down to a maximum of 5. Another problem would then be the transition from conventional to crab (or vice versa) - you would either have to know the wheels were aligned, either through electronic or mechanical interlocks before the turning took place, or create a system that accounted for this in the final position, although the latter would require the vehicle to come to a halt to switch modes.

[Cy-Gor]

Should we start a new thread for a community build of the mine truck?

[Nazgarot]

Should we start a new thread for a community build of the mine truck?

+1

I'm for it.

[Alasdair Ryan]

me to what ever need doing!!!

[TheHammer]

Just finished my prototype suspension, thought i would share it.

Let me know what you think..

Compressed

Extented

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[Erik Leppen]

And of course, I want to join the fun of trying to think of something. I made a start, but don't really see a good place to add the spring. But my goal is to give some ideas for others. As some of the solutions are huge, I tried to keep things compact. My solution is to use knob wheels on the hinge, but that doesn't really run very well...

(the Brickshelf folder)

The gray pins between the green and lime 2 x 4 liftarms form the hinge for suspension travel. Notice that the knob gears catch each other exactly at the hinge, a trick I have seen used in a drivetrain for aircraft landing gear. Also the horizontal movement (of just the 5 x 7 frame and it contents) is limited by the 28 tooth gear of the differential touching the gray bar above. The red pin acts as a stop.

PS The color coding is just for easier communication, it's not like we should actually use all those colors

[Alasdair Ryan]

Just imagine if there was pink technic parts i wonder how many more girls we would get.

Edited July 1, 2011 by Alasdair Ryan

[Cy-Gor]

OK, i have a fairly solid chassis i think.

on top of that i think i have found a way to make it a bit more compact to make room for the container

LDDScreenShot199 by captainoftheknights, on Flickr

With the motors showing

LDDScreenShot198 by captainoftheknights, on Flickr

Still not sure on the power for this, but the way i have it now its still flexible for a solution.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I think your going to need more bracing i think if you put any load on that it will splay

[Brickend]

Just finished my prototype suspension, thought i would share it.

Let me know what you think..

Compressed

Extented

Below

I'm afraid that is way too massive to be functional or to fit the scale of any existing lego wheel. The rotational axis does not line up with the tires, so turning this assembly will be nearly impossible.

And of course, I want to join the fun of trying to think of something. I made a start, but don't really see a good place to add the spring. But my goal is to give some ideas for others. As some of the solutions are huge, I tried to keep things compact. My solution is to use knob wheels on the hinge, but that doesn't really run very well...

The gray pins between the green and lime 2 x 4 liftarms form the hinge for suspension travel. Notice that the knob gears catch each other exactly at the hinge, a trick I have seen used in a drivetrain for aircraft landing gear. Also the horizontal movement (of just the 5 x 7 frame and it contents) is limited by the 28 tooth gear of the differential touching the gray bar above. The red pin acts as a stop.

PS The color coding is just for easier communication, it's not like we should actually use all those colors

I like this one, if I revisit this, I think I'd start from this point - although I am biased and think that the smaller approach is better.

There might be potential for losing 2 studs of height from the connection under the turntable.

The only worry I have with it, is the length of the construction and if this will foul the next set of wheels when turning.

[garson]

And of course, I want to join the fun of trying to think of something. I made a start, but don't really see a good place to add the spring. But my goal is to give some ideas for others. As some of the solutions are huge, I tried to keep things compact. My solution is to use knob wheels on the hinge, but that doesn't really run very well...

(the Brickshelf folder)

The gray pins between the green and lime 2 x 4 liftarms form the hinge for suspension travel. Notice that the knob gears catch each other exactly at the hinge, a trick I have seen used in a drivetrain for aircraft landing gear. Also the horizontal movement (of just the 5 x 7 frame and it contents) is limited by the 28 tooth gear of the differential touching the gray bar above. The red pin acts as a stop.

PS The color coding is just for easier communication, it's not like we should actually use all those colors

couldnt you just substitute 20 tooth double bevel gears for a smoother running axle?

[monsieur]

neat stuff

[Krize]

My goal was to create a suspension system for each wheel being indepent from the pneumatic lifting system. So there is no need for an oscillating movement anymore. And the suspension even works if the pneumatic cylinder is fully extended. The yellow 1/2 bush indicates the position of the 3L diff (which I currently don't have). The driven axle is shifted 2 holes via two double bevels. But I'm not sure if this construction is too weak... .

I was inspired by Jennifer Clark's suspension system for her Demag-crane.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Krize

[garson]

My goal was to create a suspension system for each wheel being indepent from the pneumatic lifting system. So there is no need for an oscillating movement anymore. And the suspension even works if the pneumatic cylinder is fully extended. The yellow 1/2 bush indicates the position of the 3L diff (which I currently don't have). The driven axle is shifted 2 holes via two double bevels. But I'm not sure if this construction is too weak... .

I was inspired by Jennifer Clark's suspension system for her Demag-crane.

hmmm under such a heavy weight that unsupported t piece will probably create alot of friction

[LEGOMAN132]

That truck looks very cool and looking at pictures it looks like the bed rotates. Also what you have so far is very nice.

[Krize]

hmmm under such a heavy weight that unsupported t piece will probably create alot of friction

Yes, you're right. So here's the next try. I've added a gear with clutch to reduce friction. The T-beam is fixed and the L-beam can swing. Now the axles run very smooth even if the springs are fully compressed. How about this?

Edited July 11, 2011 by Krize

[TheHammer]

Yes, you're right. So here's the next try. I've added a gear with clutch to reduce friction. The T-beam is fixed and the L-beam can swing. Now the axles run very smooth even if the springs are fully compressed. How about this?

I like this design, it's not a tilting system but creates the same effect and it's simple.

-hammer

[garson]

I like this design, it's not a tilting system but creates the same effect and it's simple.

-hammer

much better than the first but it seems the wheel that gets attached is only supported by 1 hole on the end of the suspesnion beam and under the circumstances with such a huge model its going to be very heavy and the axle attacked to the wheel will sag/bend you should try to make the whole "bottom" part of the construction move everything that is the diffcase should move and power would be transmitted by bevel gears even when the suspension tilts