[TECHNIC] What you learned from Lego

[DrJB]

No, this is not a 'social' thread ... The idea here is to compile all the interesting mechanisms that you learned from Lego (and this forum). Most likely, if it weren't for Lego technic, you'd have never come across such mechanisms in your life. For me, these are the following:

1. How helicopters work: Cyclic vs. Collective Pitch

2. Unimog: Portal axles for large ground clearance

3. Tatra suspension

4. Shock/Springs orientation in F1 cars: not the same as the car you drive to work.

What other 'interesting' mechanism/contraption can you think of?

Edited January 28, 2014 by DrJB

[grum64]

Lego taught me the same thing I'd wager it teaches most people. Patience!

Oh, and not to leave bricks laying about on the floor!!!

[D3K]

Differential!

Just try to explain how it works, and you'll see it's difficult:-)

By using very few Lego pieces you can easily make a child understand perfectly what it does and how it works!

[Anathaema]

It's taught me patience and attention to details. It has also made me think more in depth, underneath the model/construction. It has also made me appreciate colors and how colors function together (I was never a Rainbow Warrior)

[Paul Boratko]

Lego taught me how to look at the world with a different perspective... Especially when it comes to problem solving...

Having Lego Technic in my life at the very young age of 3 sculpted my decision making skills and my creativeness all throughout school in the 80's. I was in gifted classes throughout elementary school and middle school and was always very good at math... I like to think that Lego was responsible for teaching me at a young age how simple things worked so when I started school, I already had a huge headstart on the kids in my class...

I now view things from multiple angles rather than the obvious that is presented before me... Which is what you have to do with every Technic piece...

In my opinion, Lego Technic is the best thing that you can possibly buy for a young child to develope common sense into something much much more advanced...

[EyesOnly]

The importance of proper storage and all the different way small parts can be stored. The main differences being how many parts each container can contain and how easy or difficult retrieving something gets.

And of course way to many technical funtions to mention that i would probably never have heard about some other way.

[Paul Boratko]

As far as mechanisms go, I would say learning how the rear differential worked in the 8860 auto chassis was a big step for me...

[jadedomg]

I knew next to nothing about how vehicles worked, even in my 20's. I now know a bit more thanks to how the technic sets/flagships work.

Gear ratios, transmissions, differentials , suspensions (the one on the unimog is really neat) and even some pneumatic stuff.

I also learned patience and learning how to pace myself and not get frustrated after being disabled which saved my sanity and probably my life.

[DrJB]

It seems we have two 'groups' of answers, those 'technical' (as I intended) and those with a broader scope ... Keep them coming, it's always interesting.

[Junpei]

Differential, and mostly everything there is to know about suspension- caster, camber, unequal length wishbones, spline shafts, triangulated links, multilink suspension.... the list goes on and on.

Some pneumatic things too- although the projects of Mark Bellis just baffle me completely

And pretty much everything that has been said in this topic so far.

TLH

[Meatman]

In my opinion, Lego Technic is the best thing that you can possibly buy for a young child to develope common sense into something much much more advanced...

This couldn't be anymore true Paul.

I Thank God my boys never got into the whole minifigure craze.

[Hrafn]

Differential, and mostly everything there is to know about suspension- caster, camber, unequal length wishbones, spline shafts, triangulated links, multilink suspension.... the list goes on and on.

Ditto to all of the above. My undergraduate education is in mechanical engineering but I had zero interest in cars, so it's a bit embarrassing how little I knew about how they work.

[Kumbbl]

Differencials

Ackermann Steering

Synchronizes Gearbox - well the Lego ones are not really synchronized if you take this term as it is (and what it means in real world) but cause of Lego i got the basic principle how a gearbox works by the important dog-catching mechanism of a gearbox

Making workarounds

[DrJB]

Lego taught me the same thing I'd wager it teaches most people. Patience!

You want to test your patience and perseverance ... try doing a saltwater/reef fish tank :)

[Blakbird]

1. How helicopters work: Cyclic vs. Collective Pitch

I'm interested in how Technic taught you about this first one since there aren't any Technic sets with cyclic. Are you referring to a MOC?

There are a lot of things I saw for the first time in Technic and therefore already understood them when I learned about them in school: gears (spur, bevel, crown, worm), differential, Ackerman correction, synchronized transmission,etc. It is a very educational hobby. I think what is most impressive is that it can teach all this with no words and therefore there is no language barrier.

[DrJB]

I'm interested in how Technic taught you about this first one since there aren't any Technic sets with cyclic. Are you referring to a MOC?

There are a lot of things I saw for the first time in Technic and therefore already understood them when I learned about them in school: gears (spur, bevel, crown, worm), differential, Ackerman correction, synchronized transmission,etc. It is a very educational hobby. I think what is most impressive is that it can teach all this with no words and therefore there is no language barrier.

Good point, I should have been 'clearer'. It is my readings about the challenges various MOCcers were having with replicating collective/cyclic that led me to read more about how helicopters work. This was about 10 years ago, when one of the early Lego helicopter came out (black with fiber optics).

1. http://carol.wins.uv.../~leo/lego.html

2. http://lego.roerei.n...-rotor-demo.htm

While there are no 'official' parts that replicate helicopter blade control, the closest I've seen is in Efferman's thread (corner, he has an attempt there).

... It is a very educational hobby. I think what is most impressive is that it can teach all this with no words and therefore there is no language barrier ...

Nicely put, and fullly agree.

Edited January 28, 2014 by DrJB

[Lipko]

On the broader scope: Nowadays, Lego taught me that I really suck at inventing and solving mechanical problems, and I'm much better at design (that art thing).

Af for particular mechanisms, it's really hard to tell because I devoured mechanical (especially car mechanics) books since I was 6 or 7, so for example I think I already understood the differential (or at least it was familiar for me).

Anyway, Lego had a large part in me being a mechanical engineer now.

[DrJB]

Sounds like there are several Mechanical Engineers on this board ... good to know, I'm one as well.

[Lakop]

Being creative with what little you have. For many years I had a tiny amount of city (town) lego (i'm going back thirty years now) but I managed to make steering in a six stud wide vehicle, I built a six stud wide car so I could fit two mini figs in and some other wonderful creations with not much lego. I was way ahead of my time and lego led to my other creative hobby.

H

[Dayton]

Oh i have learned so much i do not know where to begin. I am still learning a lot with technic and incorporating that into my Dioramas which is good fun.

[Seasider]

If it wasn't for technic I wouldn't have become an engineer (aeronautical by degree, automotive by career).

as to what it taught me ...

as lots of people have said .... Patience

oh and engineering is fun !

[jantjeuh]

A lot about suspension design (truly an art!), gearboxes, differentials, etc. Most of it was learned from MOCs rather than TLG's official sets, though.

[AndyCW]

In the last couple of years, it has taught me about suspension geometry.

In general, It has made me mechanically minded. I am not shy to jump it mechanical projects, such as home improvement, hot rodding, or model planes. Give me some tools and some instructions a let me at it.

v/r

Andy

[Ondra]

Differentials(also 4x4) and gearboxs.

And also pain of putting studless pieces off together.Or having problems with functions or gearbox on already build model.But this is my fault thanks fast building and night without sleep :-D .But I already handle this.

[timslegos]

I could not agree more with Paul. I got really into Lego technic around the age of 7 or 8. I remember building the technic flagships years ahead of the recommended ages. Specifically, the pneumatic backhoe was my first real large technic set. I had to build it twice, because the first time it did not work!

When I was younger, technic taught me all about building strong frames, and bracing properly. More recently I have learned about caster and camber as well as the geometry involved in complex 4 link suspension. The latest principle I have learned is how automatic transmissions work. I have been experimenting with centripetally activated automatic transmissions, and I find them absolutely fascinating!

Though I may have looked at a career in design or engineering had I not know about Lego, I believe Lego definitely has cemented my desire to continue building for the rest of my life!

tim