Mechanical

Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
Mechanical Design Weight

How To. . .
Power Transmission
Chains
Motors
Ian Mackenzie CAD

Resources

Questions

Exercise
November 17, 2007
Ian Mackenzie Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

I Involved in FIRST since 1998 General Principles

Simplicity
I Member of team 188 from 1998-2002 Disassembly
Multifunctionality
I Recruiter/organizer for FIRST Canadian Regional in Theory
Iteration

2003 Weight

How To. . .
I Lead mentor for team 1114 in 2004, created SimSwerve Power Transmission
Chains
crab drive system Motors
CAD

I Planning committee member for Waterloo Regional Resources

since 2005 Questions

Exercise
I Head referee at Waterloo Regional, Toronto Regional,
Wonderland
I Currently planning committee chair for Waterloo
Regional and mentor for 1114
I Scheduling algorithm developer, inspector, game
designer, Lego League referee, webmaster. . .
Outline Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
General Principles Simplicity
Disassembly
Simplicity Multifunctionality
Theory
Disassembly Iteration
Weight

Multifunctionality How To. . .

Power Transmission
Theory Chains
Motors
Iteration CAD

Weight Resources

Questions

Exercise
How To. . .
Power Transmission
Chains
Motors
CAD
Simplicity Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
I Simplicity is the key to Weight

durability How To. . .

Power Transmission
Chains
I To come up with a complex Motors
CAD
solution to a complex
Resources
problem is hard; to come up Questions
with a simple solution to a Exercise
complex problem is even
harder
Design for Disassembly Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
Weight

I Access holes How To. . .

Power Transmission
I Common tools Chains
Motors
CAD
I Think twice about glue, Resources
welding etc. Questions

I Think about how hard it Exercise

would be to remove a part

for repair
Multifunctionality Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Figure out where you can use Disassembly
Multifunctionality
one part or mechanism for Theory
Iteration
multiple tasks Weight

I One arm to pick up a ball How To. . .

Power Transmission
and hang from a bar Chains
Motors
I One rod as both a pivot CAD

and a structural member Resources

I One shaft for both arms Questions
and wheels (OK, maybe not) Exercise

I Can save weight and

complexity
I Careful of conflicting
requirements
Theory Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
I BREAKING NEWS: Theory Iteration
Weight
actually works How To. . .
Power Transmission
I Calculate gear ratios Chains
Motors
I Determine whether a motor CAD

Resources
has enough torque
Questions
I Calculate forces and torques Exercise
on joints
I Swerve drive kinematics
I Work-energy arguments
Qualitative Theory Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Self-locking mechanisms Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
I Directions of forces or Iteration
Weight
torques
How To. . .
I Rate of change of Power Transmission
Chains

force/stress/torque etc. Motors

CAD

Resources

Questions

Exercise
Iteration Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Design is iterative! Disassembly
Multifunctionality
I Rethink old ideas Theory
Iteration
Weight
I Eliminate leftovers
How To. . .
I In the early stages, it is often Power Transmission
Chains
a good idea to throw out Motors
CAD

designs and redo them from Resources

scratch Questions

I Every time you restart, you Exercise

know the problem a lot

better
I As my Grade 9 math
teacher used to say,
“Expand, then simplify”
Weight Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

I FIRST has a weight limit General Principles

Simplicity
Disassembly
I Very easy to exceed the Multifunctionality
Theory
weight limit without noticing Iteration
Weight
I Drilling holes can only get How To. . .
you so far Power Transmission
Chains
Motors
I Think twice before using CAD

steel parts, large bolts, or Resources

thick plate Questions

Exercise
I Lighten parts as you go
I Weight is bad; weight up
high is much worse
I Consider alternate materials:
Lexan, nylon, HDPE/LDPE,
or wood
Outline Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
General Principles Simplicity
Disassembly
Simplicity Multifunctionality
Theory
Disassembly Iteration
Weight

Multifunctionality How To. . .

Power Transmission
Theory Chains
Motors
Iteration CAD

Weight Resources

Questions

Exercise
How To. . .
Power Transmission
Chains
Motors
CAD
Power Transmission Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
I Common problem: how to transmit power between a Weight

How To. . .
shaft and something attached to it Power Transmission
I Gear Chains
Motors
I Sprocket CAD

I Wheel Resources

Questions
I High stresses, so easy to break
Exercise
I Often hard to fix
Power Transmission Mechanical
Design
Set Screws Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
I “Set screws inhale audibly”. . . Weight

How To. . .
I Weak Power Transmission
Chains
I Prone to coming loose Motors
CAD

I Sometimes the only choice for small shafts Resources

Questions
I Use a dimple on the shaft
Exercise
I Use Loctite or similar to slow down loosening
I Check/tighten every match
Power Transmission Mechanical
Design
Pins Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
Weight
I Stronger than set screws How To. . .
Power Transmission
I Fairly easy to use Chains
Motors
I Can be tricky to get hole CAD

centred Resources

Questions
I Weakens shaft
Exercise
I Hard to remove
I Tapered pins can be used,
but they’re hard to find
and tricky to use
Power Transmission Mechanical
Design
Keys Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
I Very strong Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
I Does not significantly Theory
Iteration
weaken shaft Weight

How To. . .
I Keying shaft requires special Power Transmission
cutter Chains
Motors
I Can buy standard CAD

Resources
pre-keyed shaft
Questions
I Still need some way to hold
Exercise
gear and key from sliding
along shaft
I Often a good idea to have
set screw hold key in place
I Can have some backlash if
not done properly
Power Transmission Mechanical
Design
Bolts Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
Weight
I Often underrated How To. . .
Power Transmission
I Very simple and easy to build Chains
Motors
I Very strong CAD

Resources
I Easily disassembled Questions
I Most often used to attach Exercise

sprocket/gear to wheel
I Can also be used between
sprockets/gears
Chains Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Strength Disassembly
Multifunctionality
I Switch to 3/8”? Theory
Iteration
I Power argument: P = F v Weight

(power = force × velocity) How To. . .

Power Transmission
I Power P is a constant Chains
I We want to reduce the Motors
CAD
tensile force F Resources
I So. . . ? Questions
I Tensioning Exercise
I Sprung tensioner or simple
block/roller
I Reduce backlash
I Reduce probability of
chain becoming derailed
Motors Mechanical
Design
Motor Curves Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
FP801-005 Motor
Simplicity
Power Out (watts)

Current (amps)

Disassembly
Efficiency (%)

Speed (rpm)
Multifunctionality
Theory
MOTOR PERFORMANCE
Constant Voltage: 12.0 V Iteration
400 100 100 4000 Weight

360 90 90 3600
Current (a) How To. . .
Power Transmission
320 80 80 3200 Chains
Efficiency Motors
280 70 70 2800 Power Out (watts) CAD

Speed (rpm)
Resources
240 60 60 2400

Questions
200 50 50 2000
Exercise
160 40 40 1600

120 30 30 1200

80 20 20 800

40 10 10 400

0 0 0 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Torque (oz-in)
Motors Mechanical
Design
Multiple Motors Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
I Only way to increase actual Multifunctionality
Theory
power in drivetrain Iteration
Weight
I “But won’t the motors fight How To. . .
each other?” Power Transmission
Chains
I As long as each motor is Motors
CAD
not running faster than Resources
free speed, it is Questions
contributing power Exercise
I Some motors might
contribute more power
than others
I Need to (roughly) match
motor speeds if using
different motors
Computer Aided Design Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Usually used for complex Disassembly
Multifunctionality
and/or high-precision parts Theory
Iteration
I Not just a drafting tool – use Weight

How To. . .
for design as well! Power Transmission
Chains
I See how parts go together Motors
I Check clearances between CAD

Resources
components
I Calculate mass of Questions

subassemblies Exercise

I Visualize mechanism
motion
I Edit, restructure, and
redesign parts and
assemblies
Computer Aided Design Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

I Get familiar with a CAD General Principles

Simplicity
program before the build Disassembly
Multifunctionality
season Theory
Iteration
I Inventor Weight

I SolidWorks How To. . .

Power Transmission
I Pro/ENGINEER Chains
Motors
I Think about “design intent” CAD

I Make sure you can modify Resources

the design easily (because Questions

you will) Exercise

I Use version control for CAD

files
I Peace of mind
I Allow sharing of data
I Subversion, Autodesk
Vault
Resources Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
I Mechanism Galleries, workshop presentations Disassembly
Multifunctionality
http: Theory
Iteration
//www.firstroboticscanada.org/site/resources Weight

How To. . .
I White Papers, image galleries, discussion boards Power Transmission
Chains
http://www.chiefdelphi.com Motors
CAD
I Subversion (free, high-quality version control system) Resources
http://subversion.tigris.org Questions

http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org Exercise

I SDP/SI
http://www.sdp-si.com
I McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com
 Mechanical
Resources (cont.) Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
I Boston Gear Iteration
Weight
http://www.bostongear.com
How To. . .
I Use BostSpec 2 to search for gears (need to create free Power Transmission
Chains
account) Motors
CAD
I Canadian Bearings (find local store) Resources
http://www.canadianbearings.com Questions

Exercise
I Metal Supermarkets (find local store)
http://www.metalsupermarkets.com
Questions? Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie

General Principles
Simplicity
Disassembly
Multifunctionality
Theory
Iteration
Weight

How To. . .
Power Transmission
Chains
Motors
I ian.e.mackenzie@gmail.com CAD

Resources

Questions

Exercise
Exercise Mechanical
Design

Ian Mackenzie
Some ideas of things to look for:
General Principles
I Simple solutions to complex problems Simplicity
Disassembly
I Disassembly Multifunctionality
Theory
I Multifunctionality Iteration
Weight

I Theoretical calculations required How To. . .

Power Transmission
Chains
I Physical principles Motors
CAD
I Why a certain method of power transmission was used Resources

I Chain design Questions

Exercise
I Why a certain material was used
I Why a certain type of component was used
I Why a certain type of structure was used
I Design tradeoffs (usually weight and something else)
I Why pneumatics used instead of motors, or vice versa
I BONUS: Design leftovers