pic: Frog Force 503 Drivetrain & Chassis Size Comparison

[TheMadCADer]

Originally Posted by BJC

Even back then we used 0.063 sheet for drivetrains and it held up fine. With bumpers we've gone down to 0.050. Folded sheet metal structures get their strength from how they are jointed much more so then from their thickness.

You make a great point. So much of engineering is finding better geometries for parts so that you can use less to get more.

My favorite examples of this principle are actually from the late 1800s, at the Paris and Chicago World's Fairs, the where the Eiffel Tower and original Ferris Wheel were respectively unveiled. Both were somewhat controversial when proposed, as many refused to believe that structures made of such thin members could support themselves. Initially, many people refused to ride the Ferris Wheel, because they thought it would collapse at any moment. The Eiffel Tower, if made into a solid block the size of its base, would only stand 6 cm tall.

Another good example is a soda can. You can support the weight of most average people on top of a sheet of aluminum about as thin as paper.