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Originally Posted by Andrew Blair
Actual engineering is something our team needs to start doing. I know, I know, "The point of FIRST it to promote engineering, not just building big rc cars", but with a limited engineering mentor base, our team is often between a rock and a hard place where doing the calc. might get you there better...
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dont be shy about asking for help - even putting up your basic design and asking someone to calculate how much force, torque, shear... it will see or handle
if you dont have engineers or engineering students on your team ask another team to lend you one, either a team nearby that can stop over to your site, or someone else who can help you through emails, phone calls and posts on this forum.
Some basic calculations can go a long way to pointing out the weak link in your design. Setscrews are a good example. A quick analysis of a set screw on a drive wheel shaft shows the little screw can be stressed with thousand of pounds of pressure or torque, and there is no material on earth that can withstand that and not deform (and come loose).
Many things are not intuitive. For example, how much force do you think is exherted on the
connecting rod bearings in your car, when it is accelerating at a normal rate? I did the math once, it comes out to ten TONS!
BTW, when crimping wires you need those big orange and black crimpers they use to put in the kit of parts, and you MUST make the pirate noise when you squeeze the crimp! Its required! ARRRrrrrrrrrggggggggh! otherwise the wire will fall out of the crimp when you need it the most. :^)
edit: connecting rod bearings, not tie rod bearings!