Warning: Motor Failure

[JVN]

For the benefit of all teams, 229 has done extensive testing on the 2005 FP motor. We figured everyone would want to know how well it performs.

Our results are as follows:
Please refer to attached picture.

Motor failed encounter with 20lb dead blow hammer "the answer".

Hopefully teams will use this knowledge to successfully use the FP motor this season. Remember, don't use the FP motor to "block" a deadblow hammer.

Good Luck,
John

PS - This is just a joke. Lots of people have been speculating about how the FP motor will fail under load. I personally have had bad luck with them in the past. Hopefully all teams will be successful using them in 05.

Yes, we really did hit the motor (an old FP) with a 20lb Deadblow Sledge. Yes, it did explode in a cool way. Yes, we're still finding bits of magnet. No, you should NOT try this at home.

[russell]

Rofl. I couldnt figure out what you were talking about for a second there. We are using the FP motor so I was getting worried that you meant twenty foot pounds of torque, because when I considered the posibility that you actually meant hitting it with a hammer it was just so absurd I dismissed it without even properly registering. The I saw the pic .

[Swampdude]

Well of coarse it'll smoosh if you take the cover off! Duh...

[Andy Brockway]

Well I guess I am starting over on my robot design. The whole design was based around the case strength of the FP!

[petek]

I think this is a great example of the kind of impact UFHs can have on our community. Any chance of your posting the relative compression strengths of this year's motors? You never can have too much data!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by JVN

For the benefit of all teams, 229 has done extensive testing on the 2005 FP motor. We figured everyone would want to know how well it performs.

Our results are as follows:
Please refer to attached picture.

Motor failed encounter with 20lb dead blow hammer "the answer".

John,
You have not indicated the other variables that would be useful in this example. i.e. what was the length of the arm that was holding said hammer? Was it a full swing or just half a swing? What was the weight of the hammer wielder? What was the mcMaster part number for the hammer so others can verify your results? Enquiring minds want to know.
For my own archives did you test the magnetic field before and after the blow and did you measure the wiring resistance following the event? If you only measure the field of all the pieces swept into a pile that is better than nothing.

[Rich Wong]

Originally Posted by JVN

20lb dead blow hammer.[/size]

Oh Boy, where can I get one of those!
They are also perfect for fine adjustments to the frame, weld-joints, attitudes.

[Andy A.]

Can we expect a White paper on your findings sometime soon?

-Andy A.

[RogerR]

if the 20 lb dead blow hammer is "the answer", then does that make the FP motor "the question"?

[coreyjon]

Hey john, I remember "the answer", I'm working on making something similar..just in case I need to do some percussive maintenance. Had me a little worried with the thread title, but I laughed when I read what you had done to that poor defenseless FP motor. I'll make sure that we don't introduce any of our motors to that kind of torture during the competition.

[JVN]

Originally Posted by coreyjon

...I laughed when I read what you had done to that poor defenseless FP motor.

We debated over and over and over whether we wanted to use the FP motors on the competition robot. As previously discussed... those motors have a tendency to "give up and let out the white smoke" when they are overloaded or used in the wrong application.

As a way of settling the debate, one of our design guys threatened to just flatten 'em. After that, they probably wouldn't have gone on the robot.



We mashed the old one because it was burnt up, and we were boys with a 20 lb sledge.
Basically... it mashed itself. Wrong place, wrong time.



Some background on "the answer":
It was made from scratch by the Clarkson Mini-Baja team. No matter what the question, those Baja guys have got "the answer". It has a reputation all of it's own among the Clarkson SPEED teams. Whenever something "needs some smashing" out comes the answer. Many computers have been "office spaced". All in all it is pretty cool.

It is dangerous though. Ever seen someone get hit by a 20 lb deadblow in the face? (It bounced back up). Not pretty.

So kids... play safe.
John

[steven114]

If you really want the answer, then you certainly need a 42 lb hammer instead...

[Peter Matteson]

So does this mean we can use the FP as bumpers?

[Dick Linn]

FP = Fatally Pounded? Flat as a Pancake? Forever Phlattened?

You should play gently with your toys. And pick them up when you are done playing with them.