Any restrictions on engines?

[DampRobot]

Originally Posted by Nate Laverdure

This definition leaves out steam engines, stirling engines, and perhaps others.

Maybe: an engine takes advantage of differences in pressure, specific volume, and/or temperature to do useful work on a system.

A steam or sterling engine would burn some material which would then heat water. On the other hand, I do like the idea of a pressure change being used to do work as part if the definition. That's probbably a more widely acceptable definition.

[Garret]

This definition leaves out steam engines, stirling engines, and perhaps others.

Maybe: an engine takes advantage of differences in pressure, specific volume, and/or temperature to do useful work on a system.

I agree that the chemical energy to mechanical energy definition is flawed. I think that in general an engine converts thermal energy into mechanical energy, but then again that may be just a heat engine.

[Michael Hill]

The best explanation I've seen basically goes as follows:

All engines are motors, but not all motors are engines.

To be an engine, it must be a machine/mechanism (i.e., moving parts) that serves as an energy source.

Examples:

Electric Motor - It has moving parts, but the energy source (the battery) is not part of it, thus it isn't an engine.

Combustion Engine - It has moving parts and gasoline is burned inside, therefore it IS an engine.

Solid Rocket Motor - It serves as an energy source (burning fuel inside of itself), but it has no moving parts, thus it isn't an engine.

Liquid Rocket Engine - It serves as an energy source (burning fuel inside of itself), and there are tons of moving parts (turbomachinery), therefore it IS an engine.

[StevenB]

I love how the trolling thread has been derailed into something useful.

Let's make a list:
Motors
Electric motor
Rocket motor
Molecular motor
Motorcycle
Motor neuron

Engines
Gasoline engine
Jet engine
Steam engine
Stirling engine
Search engine

I remember reading a model rocketry book which was adamant that the propulsion was a "rocket motor", and not a "rocket engine". But I see now that Estes calls them "engines".
Wikipedia treats "motor" and "engine" as effectively synonymous, at least until someone here goes and edits the article.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by StevenB

I love how the trolling thread has been derailed into something useful.

I remember reading a model rocketry book which was adamant that the propulsion was a "rocket motor", and not a "rocket engine". But I see now that Estes calls them "engines".
Wikipedia treats "motor" and "engine" as effectively synonymous, at least until someone here goes and edits the article.

A rough rule of thumb I have heard for rockets is that solid and hybrid rocket engines can be called motors without anyone looking at you funny. However a liquid rocket engine cannot be called a motor without someone raising their eyebrows.

All I know is I have an outboard engine on my motorboat...

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by StevenB

I love how the trolling thread has been derailed into something useful.

Let's make a list:
Motors
Electric motor
Rocket motor
Molecular motor
Motorcycle
Motor neuron

Engines
Gasoline engine
Jet engine
Steam engine
Stirling engine
Search engine

I remember reading a model rocketry book which was adamant that the propulsion was a "rocket motor", and not a "rocket engine". But I see now that Estes calls them "engines".
Wikipedia treats "motor" and "engine" as effectively synonymous, at least until someone here goes and edits the article.

Yeah, Estes is wrong. My rocket propulsion professor was equally adamant about solids being a "motor" (I'll take his word for it. He basically wrote "the book" on solid rocket motors)

[ebarker]

I'm betting FIRST will allow you to choose between a search engine or a siege engine. I'm digging siege engines. We can create FRC trebuchets to play Aim High all over again.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by ebarker

I'm betting FIRST will allow you to choose between a search engine or a siege engine. I'm digging siege engines. We can create FRC trebuchets to play Aim High all over again.

Can we use the batteries as counterweight? Or maybe the pneumatic storage tanks (as long as they're not painted)?

[rsisk]

Originally Posted by ebarker

I'm betting FIRST will allow you to choose between a search engine or a siege engine. I'm digging siege engines. We can create FRC trebuchets to play Aim High all over again.

Well, the search engine does throw a kink into the definition. I think I will call google a search motor from now on.

[BigJ]

Originally Posted by rsisk

Well, the search engine does throw a kink into the definition. I think I will call google a search motor from now on.

So does a siege engine! I don't steam a old train with a steam engine, but I siege a city with a siege engine.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

Electric Motor - It has moving parts, but the energy source (the battery) is not part of it, thus it isn't an engine.

Combustion Engine - It has moving parts and gasoline is burned inside, therefore it IS an engine.

Combustion Motor - It has moving parts, but the energy source (the gas tank) is not part of it, thus it isn't an engine.

Electric Engine - It has moving parts and electrons are used inside, therefore it IS an engine.

[Mark McLeod]

We use the engines of our imagination on the robot all the time.
FIRST being an engine of change after all.

[Suitster]

Originally Posted by BigJ

So does a siege engine! I don't steam a old train with a steam engine, but I siege a city with a siege engine.

It would be possible to argue that a siege engine takes energy from gravity, or "deformation of parts" in order to do work on a projectile

But would that make any gun or bow an engine?

[Nick Lawrence]

Obvious troll is obvious.

Had me going for a second though. Well done.

-Nick

[MrForbes]

Originally Posted by GBK

Go with a Big Block. The torque is awesome and you cant beat the sound of a built Big Block with a high lift cam and some open headers. A blower would be a nice addition as well.

Good luck getting past the inspector.

That's what I did.

But not on the robot.