Week TechVideo, 2009 #44 - Continuously Variable LEGO Pneumatics Tutorial, by Mark Bellis

Mark Bellis is one of the few gurus in LEGO pneumatics whose work I've crossed with (not to mention any other areas of technical knowledge).

He has some fascinating work done on LEGO pneumatic building blocks that simulate logical and other functions.
Recently and in the sequence of some discussions about linear actuators an solenoids, Mark that is a strong defender of the pneumatics, made a prototype for what he called "Continuously Variable Pneumatic Control". One block that allows a set of pneumatic cylinders to stop anywhere within their range, allowing pressure and force in either direction to be modulated. A pneumatic linear actuator...

Since it is not a trivial idea, neither easy to put in practice or to understand, he also decided to make a video tutorial explaining how it works.

"A revolutionary development for LEGO pneumatics, opening the door to proportional control and providing a way for LEGO pneumatics to compete with the Linear Actuator found in recent sets. " as he own wrote in the respective video description at YouTube.

You may find some photos and detailed description about this block at Mark's BS folder, or even a lot of his other ideas for pneumatics in the folders one level above.

Week TechVideo, 2009 #40 - Closed loop pneumatic excavator

Still on the pneumatics mood, I've decided to bring this week, another fully automated pneumatic model.

It is a fantastic module for any GBC display. An automatic closed loop pneumatic excavator, built by Jetro (linmix), a veteran Hispalug member.

It is something I had the chance to see working live, during last December, at the 2nd Hispabrick in Barcelona, and which really amazed me!

Jetro has also some extra photos from his model, at this Brickshelf folder.

Week TechVideo, 2009 #39 - Pneumatic Fever

It looks you guys, are all quite excited about the pneumatics return... so I decided to give you a pneumatic overdose and highlight here today, both one automatic Hexapod and one automatic Octapod from robolegoenthusiast.

Amazing, isn't it?

I'm also a fan of the many Kevin Clague's [1, 2] pneumatic multi-leg bugs.
However many of their correspondent online videos, are not yet available from a content system suitable to make them embedded here. So I've just selected a few from those available, to give here a brief sneak of Kevin's creations too.

You may find a few more videos at his YouTube channel and a lot more detail about other pneumatic projects at his website (Kevin Clague's LEGO Page).
If you would like to initiate on automatic pneumatic sequencing techniques it may worth to take a reading on this other Kevin Clague's tutorial.

1H2010 - TECHNIC Team unveils 8049 (Tractor with Log Loader)

Once more, this semester we all have seen leaks from images about some new 2010 TECHNIC sets, popping in the internet during the last few days.
Effectively this is not the best way of getting information nor any surprise at all. Much better if we get it in time, officially and through proper quality images, isn't it!?

So, and because the TECHNIC team is also concerned with this phenomenon, while they also believe LEGO should be driving the novelty effect, TBs got today a double surprise to share with you, all the TECHNIC fans worldwide.

• At first and also in first hand, some preliminary images from the new 'Tractor with Log Loader' (8049), which will be launched in the beginning of 2010.
• Second the official confirmation that pneumatics are back to the mainstream TECHNIC sets.

As you may see, these are still confidential and watermarked images, but we got the permission to publish them and so they are official.
This unprecedented fact in the TECHNIC theme, is a strong sign of the commitment the respective team is putting towards its fans and how they have been listening what the same fans have to say.

Below also some words and information, from Monica Pedersen (LEGO Technic Marketing Manager) about the new product, that you should want to read.

"As a special treat we would like to share a picture of one of the LEGO Technic novelties from 2010 with you. With the launch of the 8049 Tractor with Log Loader LEGO Technic is re-introducing pneumatics into our models. We have been listening to on-line discussions and wishes from our adult fans for some time, and as a consequence we decided to look into how we could use pneumatics in a new LEGO Technic model. After having tested different models with our core target group (boys 7-13) we found out that they really liked being able to play with pneumatics in this particular model and this is why the 8049 Tractor with Log Loader is launching in 2010.

The Designer behind the model is Lars Krogh Jensen and he has been very excited about building with pneumatics again as it gives the Designers some new possibilities of adding functionality. It will also be very interesting to see how the product will be welcomed by our adult fan group, who has been asking for pneumatics for quite some time."


Personally I'm very happy with the pneumatics return and hope the assortment of these elements may increase in the future.
Also have enjoyed a lot, the color scheme used in this model.

Now you just need to collect a dozen of spare logs, to get the complete fun play!
It is also up to you now, to dissect the model images and find all the details about it, but please do not forget to leave your findings and opinion into the comments to this post. Now you know... someone inside is listening to you.


I believe there will be more related news, but they will flow as TLG determines, hopefully!
Stay tunned and enjoy!



Thanks Monica, in the name of all the TECHNIC fans.
And last but not least, thanks Lars for having designed this set attending to the fans wishes.

Week TechVideo, 2009 #35 - Excavator with custom pneumatics

Pithivier57 is a French AFOL, who also decided to build a remotely controlled LEGO TECHNIC excavator. It is an 80 ton. CASE CX800 machine.

There are some PF motors on-board to move the undercarriage and rotate the cab, while the boom, dipper and bucket are operated by pneumatic cylinders.
On the remote unit there is a PF IR remote, to control the excavator undercarriage motors, and two additional PF M-motors for a compressor that feeds the model pneumatics, via a few umbilical pneumatic tubes.

Main point of interest of this excavator, are their unique and extra long pneumatic cylinders custom made by the author.
It is a characteristic from large size excavator TECHNIC models, to require long cylinders well above those produced by LEGO. While long ago some other builders have solved the problem of not having appropriate LEGO cylinders off-the-shelf, using ropes and dummy cylinders [1, 2], many others (LEGO inclusive [3]) have used the standard ones in a back-to-back setup to double their operative length. However, achieving this way a functional but quite unrealistic solution.
This is the point where some innovative minds, decide to go for customized solutions. And so Pithivier57 did also [4].

When I first saw this excavator videos, immediately remembered to have seen similar custom pneumatic cylinders before, made by someone else, somewhere...
After some searching got to find it again, at Jan Groen Brickshelf folder together with an explanation on how he did it. [5]

These seem to have been done in a very similar way, to what Pitihvier57 might have done too!?

There might be also a similar custom cylinders solution, on Anders Gaasedal's Volvo Excavator [6, see it also at TBs updated Excavators "Hall of Fame" post], but it is still not clear for me and I'm waiting on Anders' feedback on this subject.

Edit:
Have meanwhile just realized , that Anders turned LEGO Designer in between [btw a TECHNIC designer (Goose Valley)], so it makes very unlikely to get an answer with further details about the cylinders. But on the other way it would make our chances to get a decent official TECHNIC Excavator with longer pneumatics in the future, somehow more likely...

Last Update: 2009.Sep.03 12:29 GMT


Main issue we can easily observe from Pithivier57's videos [7, 8, 9], are the cylinders sudden movements which may also look a bit unrealistic as it is the usage of pneumatic cylinders itself.
In fact this is an effect that may only get worse, as the longer the cylinders get.

In real life, such machines use hydraulic systems instead of pneumatic ones. They are a lot more powerful and work much smoother. However it is very unlikely that we ever come to see something similar by LEGO.
Thus one chance could be to play a bit with advanced pneumatic control solutions, that would allow to control the air flow into the cylinders and stopping the cylinders in the middle for digger action. Just like those developed by Mark Bellis years ago, and of course if there is any room left inside the model to accommodate it all.

As you may expect, several other photos from this CX800 excavator can be found at the author's BS folder too.

New Inline 3 and V8 motors, at LPE Power

Alex Zorko (nicjasno.com) and Ivan (idic.at) have released their new LPE motors at LPEpower. Finally they are selling a V8 configuration, after adding 1 month ago, the 2nd version of their Inline 3 LPE.

Pneumatic SYS inline 3 cylinder engine The new 3 cylinder engine (SYS I3) is more powerful, smaller and lighter than its 3 cylinder predecessor. Even it outperformed a V8 version back from 2005, which powered Alex's Ford Mustang at the time. The new SYS I3 main features are: The new crankshaft concept in combination with the Scotch Yoke principle of operation. The first and last crank pieces are constructed from 36 toothed bevel gears and are interconnected with a very rigid longitudinal shaft that prevents the crankshaft from twisting, which in terms greatly improves the torque output. The new camless valvetrain. Sliding yokes directly move the valve rockers - there are no shafts, cams or pushrods in the new camless valvetrain, therefore a huge amount of torsional friction has been eliminated - the new SYS I3 has ONLY eight moving parts! (For comparison: a standard conrod inline 3 with pushrod valvetrain would have arround 17 moving parts) For a complete description, please refer to this LPE webpage, at LPEpower. This motor motor performs 1500 rpms at 4 bars (60 psi) and is selling for 130,00€. A much more reasonable price than their predecessors, despite still a significant amount of money. However we should look at it from a partcount perspective as each of these motors include some highly priced pneumatic cylinders in the actuality and should take a significant amount of working hours to assemble, test and fine tune. Below some videos from LPEpower YouTube channel, where you may see SYS I3 in action, inclusive the respective Mustang driveby, Pushrod V8 engine Now the most witted and new LPEpower first version of a V8 engine (V8-1.0). This motor main highlights are: Compact size with only 15 studs of length, while eliminating the crank end-to-end twisting and engine vibration. No V8 ever run so smooth on such low rpms, while at the same time offering 1500 rpms on only 4 bars of pressure. Integrates a centrally positioned balance shaft that also acts as a timing distribution gear. It prevents the crank and camshaft from twisting and enables a very precise operation even under great stress. It uses only 4 valves in the engine, you might wonder why. It enables a more balanced distribution of air to the paired cylinders and drastically reduces a lot of friction. Both are the key for such a smooth operation and for high rpms in a V8. A proper valvetrain geometry must pass the central point of the valve in as few degrees of the camshaft revolution as possible in order to offer the maximum air flow. During one camshaft revolution each valve spends only ~60° in its central dead point, on the other ~300° it offers full potential air flow to the cylinder. The total engine weight is only 410 grams. In LEGO terms that would equal to an aluminum block and heads of a real V8 engine. This engine is actually capable of a much greater speed than 1500 rpms, but it was timing finetuned for the smoothest operation on low rpms and the biggest torque output throughout the entire rev band. For a complete description, please also refer to this LPE webpage, at LPEpower. On the videos below, you may see this V8 in action. In standalone and inside the Alex's Mustang, The V8 sells for 390,00€.

LPE on sale, by nicjasno.com and idic.at

Alex Zorko (nicjasno.com) and Ivan (idic.at) decided to start business and opened an online shop, to sell their LEGO Pneumatic Engines (LPE). They have been designing and building Pneumatic Engines for a long time and it seems lots of people who follow their work and frequent RPM records, have been requesting for these motors to become on sale.

LPE Power (the store), started with two small and powerful inline engines. An 'inline 3' and an 'inline 4', both capable to exceed speeds of 2.000 rpms. They were designed to be very reliable, powerful, fast and small, according to their authors words. These are a bit expensive IMHO, but they also are 20% off, till the 5th of January. So it is the right time to order, if you want one. You may find the online LPE store, here. In the future, they also expect to sell different configurations and larger engines.

LEGO Education - Mechanisms Pneumatics Add-On Set

A new set from LEGO Education, is available for pre-order.

It calls "Mechanisms Pneumatics Add-on Set" (W979641) and it is great news because it not only confirms what LEGO said before [1], that LAs are not intended to replace the pneumatic cylinders, but they even invested on further developing the pneumatics with new parts and colors.

Below the images from some models/activities proposed on the set activity pack. This however an ad-on set with 31 parts, which requires the "Mechanisms Set" (W979632) to build all the models proposed.

The set includes a lot of new and specialized pneumatic parts, like:

• One manometer which is a totally brand new part. Not very useful for regular constructions, but of great utility for educational purposes.
• One air tank, this time in a new color (white). So air tanks are back which hopefully will make their price decrease at markets like BrickLink.
• One large pneumatic pump, also into a new color (trans- medium blue as it seems to be).
• Two large pneumatic cylinders in the same new color.
• One small pneumatic cylinder also in the same new color.
  But if you look into the picture of the box, it looks we get also a transparent small size pneumatic pump.
  
• Three pneumatic valves.
• Nice colored pneumatic hoses.
  
• And several other parts...
  

The transparent colors on the pneumatics are very nice, but mainly they are very adequate for educational purposes also.

Target price is $55,00 in US and is now available for pre-order.
Most likely and as usual it will not be so easy to buy in Europe, as these sets do not use to be available to purchase online, in this region of the world.


Below, the original text that describes the product online,

"The Mechanisms Pneumatics Add-On Set is part of a complete package. Combining the set with the Motorized Mechanisms Set and Mechanisms Activity Pack enables you to carry out engaging cross-curricular activities. Your students will explore power systems and components, sequence and control, pressure, prototyping, kinetic and potential energy, and much more. The set and corresponding Mechanisms Pneumatics Activity Pack feature 14 principle model activities that introduce students to the basics of pneumatics. In addition, four main models and activities and two additional open-ended problem-solving activities thoroughly educate students about pneumatics. The set features 31 specialty elements, including pumps, cylinders, valves, an air tank, tubes, and a manometer."



Thanks for the tip, Mike (Parax)!