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Insect Gears
Question/problem: To determine the effectiveness of the gears on the insect Issus Coleoptratus by constructing a model, and running tests to compare these gears to standard mechanical gears. We plan to determine any advantages that the natural gears provide the insect over a standard man made gear.
Engineering goal: to construct accurate models of the gears on the insect Issus Coleoptratus
Hypothesis: The model gears of Issus Coleoptratus will be better at the things they are adapted to (ie. synchronization) than standard mechanical gears. They will likely show an alternative gear design that has different trade offs.
What we plan to test:
Procedure:
First we plan to observe the distribution of stress and strain throughout the gear using polarized lenses (since the gears will be made of plastic). Second we plan to measure the difference in catch time between when the first gear moves, and when the second gear moves. Then we will test their ability to transfer rotational force to pushing force (torque). Then we will test various factors that contribute to the gear's resilience to breaking. Finally, we will test the effects of having one or more damaged teeth on all of the above measurements.
Materials:
Question/problem: To determine the effectiveness of the gears on the insect Issus Coleoptratus by constructing a model, and running tests to compare these gears to standard mechanical gears. We plan to determine any advantages that the natural gears provide the insect over a standard man made gear.
Engineering goal: to construct accurate models of the gears on the insect Issus Coleoptratus
Hypothesis: The model gears of Issus Coleoptratus will be better at the things they are adapted to (ie. synchronization) than standard mechanical gears. They will likely show an alternative gear design that has different trade offs.
What we plan to test:
- observe the distribution of stress throughout the gears using polarized lenses
- measure the difference in catch time
- tendency for gear teeth to break
- efficiency at transferring spinning motion to pushing force (otherwise known as torque)
- and the effect of one or more damaged teeth on all of the above measurements
Procedure:
First we plan to observe the distribution of stress and strain throughout the gear using polarized lenses (since the gears will be made of plastic). Second we plan to measure the difference in catch time between when the first gear moves, and when the second gear moves. Then we will test their ability to transfer rotational force to pushing force (torque). Then we will test various factors that contribute to the gear's resilience to breaking. Finally, we will test the effects of having one or more damaged teeth on all of the above measurements.
Materials:
- polarized lenses
- robotic parts including servos, motor, axles, and encoders
- stopwatch
- pulley and scale to measure torque
- 3D printer
