DLuders

Josh Lucas' 1932 Ford Model B Roadster (made out of 8880 Super Car parts) is a great entry in the "LDD+Real Bricks" category of the Eurobricks LDD Design Contest! The LDD .lxf file and 9 pictures are available there.

On MOCPages, Josh Lucas posted his Lego Digital Designer (LDD) model of the Piotr Pilarski 7-Speed plus Reverse Gearbox ( http://mocpages.com/moc.php/210670 ). With the LDD .lxf Building Instructions, you can build your own real gearbox and drop it into your next MOC! Three beige photographs of the real gearbox appears below; it was previously mentioned on this Eurobricks post for possible use in a future Lamborghini car set. [NOTE: Piotr recently added a "Shrink Me" Modification of this 7+R Compact Gearbox to fit SMALLER CARS. Scroll down to the bottom of his MOCPages site above. A few bluish thumbnail pics of the compact gearbox appear below; go to Piotr's MOCPages site for full-size pics and narrative.] The LDD .lxf building instructions file is available on this MOCPages site. Josh Lucas said that the only piece that could not be modeled in LDD was the 2853 Technic Engine Crankshaft part . He wrote, "...be sure to check Piotr's pictures to know where to put it (you need 2 of them)." Here's the information about how to install Lego Digital Designer: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=39841 .

On MOCPages , Jesus Achuy posted his Lego model of a Mercedes-Benz Actros 1844 truck for the Dakar Rally. Features include: * Four Wheel Drive* All independent suspension * LED lights * Winch * Has 2 PF XL motors for driving (with 1:5 gear reduction), 1 PF Medium motor for steering (1:12 gear reduction with Clutch), 1 PF M-motor for the winch (1:3 gear reduction), 2 PF IR Receivers (on the same channel for more power to the two XL motors) -- all plugged onto one battery box. He used ATRX's Suspension . This YouTube video shows the TREMENDOUS TORQUE this MOC can generate! It can pull itself up a vertical wall! See the 42 photos on the jesusachuy Brickshelf gallery .

Here's a discussion and VIDEO about Dmac's auto-centering Power Functions pneumatic valve: http://technicbricks.blogspot.com/2010/03/tbs-techtips-30-pneumatic-auto-valves.html .

I can't understand why folks are worried about a $0.02 Technic Pin, in a set that costs hundreds of dollars. Who cares if the $0.02 part gets permanently deformed? Replace it in a few years with the extras everyone has on hand, and move on. The set has been described as possibly being the BEST TECHNIC SET EVER, but it may not be perfect. The TLG designer(s) of this set must be shaking their heads in dismay at the PICKINESS folks have about one little, inconsequential part. Blakbird, Sariel, Conchas, and the other Lego Technic Designers ( http://technic.lego.com/en-us/Designers/Bios/Default.aspx ) got advance copies of the set to create some "buzz" about them. All of their observations are very helpful to make a choice about whether or not to get this set. Their verdict: Get It! Anyway, recommend that AFOLs and TFOLs buy this set WITHIN WEEKS of it becoming available in your country. Like the Crane Truck, it is likely to sell out quickly. Vendors who can afford it will be buying crates full of these, and hawking them to stragglers later at much higher prices (on eBay, Bricklink, etc.).

On this Brickshelf gallery , Megan Seguro posted 20 pictures of her Red Trial Truck that uses steering parts from the 8880 Super Car. Tethered to cables leading to the battery boxes, the truck has a clever design for driven, steered wheels that have full suspension range. It features: 1) RC Buggy Motor for propulsion 2) Old-style 9V motor for the front rack-and-pinion steering 3) Two pendular axles with coil springs 4) Tires, wheels, and coil springs are from Lego 8880. Tires from Lego 8297 [Off Roader]. As stated in the recent post about the merits of "Studless vs. Studded" TECHNIC building techniques, she "used studless parts for the axles (because of compact building) and combined it with a sturdy chassis with studs" (like Sariel did with his recent Jeep Wrangler Rubicon MOC). Here's how she used the 8880 steering parts: The top of the shock tower is "pendular" to allow for greater vertical movement (which is a great idea for Trial Trucks): See the complete series of 20 pictures to understand the entire design. If you're a "Lego Purist", it may be easy to construct your own 100%-Lego body shell that fits over the frame. It may also be possible to motorize this with tether-less Power Functions elements riding in the pickup bed....

At http://mocpages.com/moc.php/210779 , Zackhariah Macasaet has made available LDD Building Instructions for his M1A2 Abrams Tank, "improved Version 2". It uses a hybrid of Lego Power Functions and radio control (RC) components for maximum manueverability and power in a small package. He wrote, "Here is my updated motorized M1A2 Abrams Tank! This tank is controlled by one Lego IR speed controller and one RC car controller. IR controls the chassis and RC controls the turret, both can traverse 360 degrees. This tank is 1/24 scale, has independent suspension, a gun leveler, treads with rubber shoes, firing action, a rechargeable battery, a sturdy construction, and smoke screen attachment! It is capable of climbing multiple objects, including books and steep inclines. Can also cross over nails and wire without the tread snapping, and can overcome large gaps. It can also be dropped multiple times without damage. P.S. if you like tanks look at my other ones too!" "For instructions just send me an email at zack_macasaet@yahoo.com and I will send a [Lego Digital Designer] LDD file back. I will ask that you send $20 to my Paypal account too." He estimates that the tank costs ~US$200 in parts to build (not including the Technic treads). "Instructions have power functions,suspension,traversing turret,and leveling gun": I know that there are hardly any motorized Lego Tanks with full building instructions available on the web -- I know because I've been searching for about 2 years for one. Be sure to check out all of Zach's creations at http://mocpages.com/home.php/11804 . A non-motorized version of the Abrams is shown there, as well as many other tanks. What kid (or kid-at-heart) doesn't want to play with a motorized LEGO TANK?

Miha2548 has designed a Technic Offroader 4x4 that has fantastic low-gear climbing abilities and a clever winch: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=435669 . He describes it as a "LEGO Technic trial-truck 4x4 with winch and 2-speed gearbox. dependent suspension on front and rear, opening hood....Perfect trial-truck....Powered by 1 PF XL; M-motor is in steering.....Winch...is connected with a drive motor. Winch with a ratchet. This thing is very usable and reliable." There are photo-sequence front axle building instructions, and a parts list for that.

Brucewaynelego (also known as Toyshansolo) created this realistic Lego Power Functions Container Ship: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437233 . It features BOW THRUSTERS (made from Lego Atlantis parts) with drive shafts that go under the hull. The wheels you see are just for the drydock on land; they are removed when on the water. The ship can rotate within its own footprint thanks to the 8879 Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control (which is very good at turning the propellers at just the right speed for careful docking manuevers). The 4:28 YouTube video shows it in action in a bathtub, in a lake, and loaded down with a tractor-trailer. It would be right at home at Legoland! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KzosTsaLso

I think it's great that Lego sculptures are displayed outdoors (where many more people can see them). Not many folks can attend Lego conventions or even go to Legoland. I found it interesting that the article said "Garden gnomes, which were previously banned, have even been allowed to sneak into display gardens." Were there any gnomes like Bill Ward's Garden Gnome? Maybe there will be PINK FLAMINGOS perched on the lawn next time!

Lego employee Nathanael Kuipers created a fully-remote-controlled 8292 Cherrypicker. From the MOCPages website http://mocpages.com/moc.php/95328 , he described his improvements to the basic set and supplied 8 photographs and a video. He was the designer of the original 8292 set; that's him in the last photo below. He wrote: "Technic truck I designed during my work at LEGO. It has my initials NK and Birthday as a personal touch. A new challenge was to make the model RC without changing the external design. Fully functional and easy to control. See video description for more." 14 high-resolution photos on his Brickshelf gallery (User Name = "IndustrialDesigner") : http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=312573 . If you browse all of his MOCs on Brickshelf, we can hope that TLG will release some of them as Official Sets someday!

Thanks, Aanchir, for fixing Yoda's eyes and color scheme! I downloaded your .lxf file and will upload it to Brickshelf and swap-out the LDD file that's linked in my original post above. I really appreciate your help -- Yoda looks a LOT better with his expressive eyes installed!

@ Superkalle: For Yoda's eyeballs, I have no idea whether the x12 Finial Round (Scala Roof, Belville Bed) piece is larger in diameter than the x201 Technic Ball Joint . They LOOK the same. The Scala bedpost finial knob is needed so that the 1x1 round plate can be fitted into the hole to make Yoda's iris. I also don't have any idea whether placing the Scala ball into the Technic socket is considered to be a "legal connection" anymore, but (apparently) it was in 2002 when the 7194 set was released. @ADHO15: I sent you a PM to ask you to e-mail me your partially-complete LDD .lxf file for the 10018 Darth Maul UCS set. It has 1,868 pieces , so it may take me a while to complete it! I'll give you credit for what you've done already when it gets posted.

LegoDejc's Telescopiic Handler (an 8258 Crane Truck Altenate Build) is very impressive! I can appreciate the amount of work it took to make the LDD file. His innovation to move the telescoping arm with Knob Wheels (to move the correctly-distanced pins) is brilliant!

Nico71 just posted a new "Buggy-S" that he made for the Rosheim, France toy show: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437161 . He wrote that it is a "small buggy I designed for Fanabriques 2010. Features steering with steering wheel and HOG [Hand of God steering], suspensions, fake engine and light. Including Building instructions." He posted 77 photographs to in a photo sequence during disassembly: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437163 . YouTube Video:

[in "Yoda Speak"] “Want me, the Star Wars fans will. With Count Dooku my necklace popped off during my fight. Herh herh herh. Strong with me, The Force is." [in English] I modeled this 1,075-piece Yoda 7194 Ultimate Collectors Series (UCS) Set from 2002-2003. In LDD, Yoda’s necklace chain cannot be bent around his neck. The head rotates on a 4x4 turntable. Here is the LDD Yoda_7194_LDD.lxf building instructions file. [EDIT: Thanks to Aanchir for fixing Yoda's eyes and color scheme. The updated LDD .lxf file and new LDD screen print have been uploaded to Bricklink, and should be available in 1 day after it's been made public.]

From an article posted two weeks ago on http://www.controlglobal.com/industrynews/2010/126.html : "Connect to Any PLC using NI LabVIEW ControlGlobal.com 06/17/2010 By National Instruments Add advanced analysis and control functionality—available through National Instruments' LabVIEW software and programmable automation controllers—to any PLC using the new NI OPC servers. View this webcast to learn how to create tags in OPC servers and utilize OPC client connectivity to communicate between NI LabVIEW and PLCs." Lego Mindstorms NXT uses LabVIEW, PLCs can use LabVIEW, hence NXT can be programmed like PLCs.

Many Lego fans use MOCPages . It's easy to use and (unlike Brickshelf) one can easily type in long, extended descriptions of your MOC. Brickshelf only gives you three lines on each gallery page, and one has to pay close attention to punctuation. Give MOCPages a try!

No, I don't have any experience in PLCs or using National Instrument's LabVIEW software. I'm sure that SOMEBODY out there has done more -- one just has to go down further on the Google pages!

National Instruments' LabVIEW software is used in both Lego Mindstorms and industrial Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): http://www.ni.com/labview/ . In the "Search" box, I typed in "PLC" and "Mindstorms" and got a whole bunch of "hits." Here's a video of a German instructor who, with his students, made a Lego Aircraft Factory that could assemble a Lego airplane using 25 Mindstorms controllers: http://decibel.ni.com/content/community/first/blog/2008/10/28/lego-mindstorms-aircraft-factory .

Over on MOCPages, Tyler Reid posted his FORD GT-R Race Car: http://mocpages.com/moc.php/211970 . Features: * Six-speed gearbox with reverse * Working brakes and clutch * Rollcage * An option to motorize it. Here are four of the seven full-size pictures he posted: The real car (as pictured below from http://www.sportscarcup.com/cars/ford-gt.jpg ) is a real "screamer":

Read all about it and see the "baddies" at http://www.wizardworld.com/vifanewtoyli.html !

On his Brickshelf folder, "Yoraish" posted 5 pages of photo-sequence Building Instructions for his "Warthog" truck: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=437002 . It uses 2 Power Functions XL motors for propulsion and 2 PF Medium motors for 4-wheel steering. In the back, there's a Gatling Gun on a rotating turret! There is a short video of a drop-test too to see how durable it is with its sturdy construction and suspension. From http://www.fquick.com/blog/printblog.php?id=514 : "This truck known as the Warthog can be recognized from the popular game called Halo. Thanks to WETA, there is now a full size replica, straight out of the game that is actually running. The Warthog is complete with a gun and four-wheel-steering. This truck will be seen in a series of live-action-shorts which will be designed to raise the excitement of gamers'." Yoraish also built an NXT-based Warthog 3 -- see his website http://yoraish.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/halo-3-warthog/#more-150 .

If you want to review TECHNIC sets, be advised that there are only a handful of these issued per year, and many of them are already done in the TechnicBRICKS website: http://technicbricks.blogspot.com/search?q=review .

My son and I like building Lego TECHNIC MOCs, and so we're more concerned about FUNCTION rather than COLOR. We usually stock up on certain key parts by making Bricklink orders often. We try not to tear apart recent MOCs just to get a part. Instead, we'll usually make design changes and keep going. Sometimes, we use alternate parts and replace them with the correct ones after the next Bricklink order arrives. There is a very talented TECHNIC AFOL ( http://sariel.pl/ ) who is building new, complex MOCs all the time. He has said that he has "only" 75,000 pieces in his collection, and reuses the same parts over and over after photographing his new MOCs and posting them online. His fans, however, sometimes say not to take his unique MOCs apart since they're so special. Lego parts are expensive, so I guess everyone does what he/she can afford. Who wouldn't like an unlimited supply of Lego pieces?