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Unread 04-05-2011, 12:48
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Re: Lignin fiber matrix (wood) as a chassis material

I wasn't criticizing wood, just clarifying a point. Too often I see students on here catching onto phrases/ideas they've seen and repeating them without ever questioning their validity (the drop on 6wd is awful, etc...).

Personally, when I look at a team the thing I admire most is that team using their unique resources as best they can to create the best machine they can. If a team can build a better robot out of wood, cool! Just because aluminum is the best choice for my team (and I'd wager a good deal of teams), does not mean I'd claim it's the best choice for all teams.

I'd stress that young designers focus more on GOOD design than material choice. There is no magic material out there; every material has a useful application, and what will determine success of a design far more than material, is the quality of the design itself.

330 and 1726 have both made machines and mechanisms I thought were awesome out of wood; and it was what their resources dictated. Good move!


Quote:
Originally Posted by EricH View Post
Adam, have you ever seen an R/C aircraft built mostly out of aluminum? (I have, but it was a custom build for SAE Aero Design--and that particular airplane was still about 1/2 balsa.)

My contention is that it's not about what material you use, it's how you use it. Build the robot out of steel, but mess up something, and it will break. You could also build out of mainly plastic, and have it never break (1714, for example), because you did it right.

That's comparing apples to oranges. It's just as inaccurate as me asking if you have ever seen modern fighterjets or spacecraft made of balsa.