Gear generator tool allows you to design full gear trains and see them in action!

This new online Gear Generator tool can be used to simulate sets of spur gears. You can plug in all kinds of a parameters, and then animate the gears at various speed to demonstrate working mechanism. You can also download the final results in SVG format. The tool allows you compose full gear layouts with connected gears to design multiple gears system with control of the input/output ratio and rotation speed. The gears are of the involute type which is what most of the world wants -- except perhaps for the clockmakers. This tool is fantastically useful and very well designed too!

Here is where you can check out and use the free online Gear Generator tool.

To learn more about gear design, check out these great reference books such as Dudley's Handbook of Practical Gear Design and Manufacture, which provides comprehensive information on the design and manufacture of gears for the expert and novice alike. Topics include: Gear Types and Nomenclature, Gear Tooth Design, Gear Reactions and Mountings, Gear Vibration, and The Evolution of the Gear Art.

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Bird wing motion study created with nothing more than tongue depressors and paper

Check out this awesome kinetic model of bird wings. The model was created by design student Joyce Lin and is made of nothing more than tongue depressors, paper, and tape. Amazing!

Via Laughing Squid.

[ Thanks Cameron! ]

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Incredible mechanical bird wing with individual feathers folds and flaps

Check out this amazing bird wing design by that talented Bliss Kolb. Kolb has a real knack for creating beautiful and lifelike bird automata as you can see here and here and here. His aptitude is demonstrated once again in this masterful recreation of a bird wing which can both fold and unfold as wall as flap.

The wing is a work in progress, the final result to be a crank-operated automaton duck.

From the artist's web site:

The feathers are made from Kozo rice paper. I had to add an additional primary feather to the first section to fill out the spacing.

It was a challenge to get the feathers to open & close smoothly without binding or hitting each other. Each one had to be cut to avoid obstacles yet remain large enough to operate smoothly and look right.

Turns out the wider the feathers are, the easier they work.

See more automata by Bliss Kolb at blisskolbautomata.com

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Insect's legs turn out to be the first mechanical gears found in a living creature AND similar to those on Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Popular Mechanics featured a story online yesterday that announced that U.K. scientists discovered the first biological gears on a living creature. The creature is a tiny insect is known as the issus, which lives on European climbing ivy and has an incredible ability to jump. As it turns out, the gear-like structures located at a joint on the insect's hind legs aid in that ability to jump. To jump quickly and powerfully, the issus relies on mechanics. The gears are thought to simplify the neuro-muscular feedback system that can slow down an attempt to move quickly. Because the gears are so well suited to transfer power properly, the insect's nervous system simply fires the signal to jump and doesn't need to bother with feedback. It shaves crucial milliseconds off what is often a life-or-death maneuver.

Now for MY discovery. I read the article with fascination. At the end, I realized the gears found on the insect's legs seemed familiar to me. I searched my brain and remembered where I had seen this arrangement before: the classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot Game! First, let's take a closer look at the insect's joint. As you can see in the animation, the two segmented gears meet at the junction of two body parts where one must rotate around the other. The gears engage to transfer a what I am guessing is a short linear force into a longer, faster rotational force.

Now take a look at the arm joint of this Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. The elbow joint employs a series of gears to convert a short downward motion on the back of the robot into a quick jabbing motion. The assembly is a bit more complicated than the insect for it uses three gears rather than two. On the robot, there is a gear fused to the body at the shoulder. This gear meshes with a second one located on the inside of the robot's upper arm. This idler gear transfers motion to the final gear located at the end of the robot's lower arm. When the lever behind the robot is depressed, the upper arm is raised, causing it to rotate around the shoulder. This causes the intermediate gear to spin a bit. The advancing teeth engage with the ones on the lower arm, causing it to straighten.

My discovery may not be as ground-breaking as that of the U.K. researchers, but I will still gladly accept an honorary doctorate in engineering from any accredited college or university. Please use my contact form if you can bestow these laurels upon me. I would love to be referred to as 'Dr. North'.

If you want to learn more about biomechanics, check out these books on biomechanics.

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Spring-powered stainless steel and bronze toy car with walnut box

Located in Eindhoven, designer Wouter Scheublin created this gorgeous stainless steel and bronze toy car.

We don't know much more about it other than it comes in an equally beautiful walnut box, is powered by a spring, and was made in a limited edition of 20. I don't know if any are available, or how much they cost, but his contact information is located on his web site.

If you like this, you might also be interested in the Kikkerland zeCar, which is readily available.

Unlike Scheublin's car, the zeCar is powered by a stainless steel flywheel which is connected to the wheels via a series of gears. A gentle push spins the flywheel and supplies the zeCar with the energy it needs to move. You can choose to have the traction be the front, or the rear wheels. You can also slide it upside-down on the flywheel and two free spinning wheels. Zecar is not a race car. It has lots of torque, and so can move up gentle inclines, but it moves rather slowly. It sells for a very reasonable $13 USD.

[ Thanks Adam! ]

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The automatic creation of automata: the computational design of mechanical characters

This could be a game-changer in the world of automaton-making. I don't think I've ever had the chance to say something like that.

I caught wind of this project some months ago, but the recent news of this incredible video comes to us by way of Falk Keuten at the excellent blog Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik. This computer program created by a team at Disney Research, Zurich accepts a desired input motion and then generates the necessary gears and linkages to realize that motion.

From the research paper abstract:

Given an articulated character as input, the user iteratively creates an animation by sketching motion curves indicating how different parts of the character should move. For each motion curve, our framework creates an optimized mechanism that reproduces it as closely as possible. The resulting mechanisms are attached to the character and then connected to each other using gear trains, which are created in a semi-automated fashion. The mechanical assemblies generated with our system can be driven with a single input driver, such as hand-operated crank or an electric motor, and they can be fabricated using rapid prototyping devices.

And it's not all theory or computer simulations, either! The team demonstrated the versatility of the system by creating a bunch of mechanical characters, several of which were manufactured using 3D printing technology. The results are amazing, some showing subtleties of motion that are very difficult to design, but incredibly valuable to the final effect.

Here is the Disney project web site. Here is a link to the research paper (PDF) titled Computational Design of Mechanical Characters.

[ Thanks to John, Falk, and Fred ]

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Automata Workshop by Steve Guy for Cabaret Mechanical Theatre

This video shows a bit of the "Introduction to Automata-making Workshop" offered by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. During the workshop, participants use pre-made components to construct basic cam and crank mechanisms. They are then free to experiment with different movements in order to create designs of their own.

For more information visit www.cabaret.co.uk.

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The clatter and whir from the wooden marble machines made by Paul Grundbacher

Woodworker Extraordinaire, Matthias Wandel, has a web page on his informative site featuring seven incredible marble machines made by Paul Grundbacher.

According to Grundbacher, a native of Switzerland, he usually skips the other design steps and jumps right into working with wood -- mostly ash, maple, and linden (aka basswood) scraps a from a local factory. Why not? It may not be the most efficient design process, but it's not all about efficiency. Sure, many of his failed experiments may end up going into the fireplace, but he spends his time working in the medium he prefers. I admire that.

Grundbacher makes his own dowels using a technique he learned from his father. That's smart, given how warped and out-of-round some store-bought dowels are.

Here is the page on Matthias Wandel's site about Paul Grundbacher's wooden marble machines.

[ Thanks Walter! ]

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The Roentgens' Berlin Secretary Cabinet - Even the secret compartments have secret compartments!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is featuring the works of Abraham Roentgen (1711–1793) and his son David (1743–1807) in an exhibit titled Extravagant Inventions. The Roentgens were know for their innovative designs, which often incorporated sophisticated and surprising mechanical devices into the lavish furniture styles of the period.

From the exhibit web page:

Some sixty to sixty-five pieces of furniture and clocks—several of which have never before been lent for exhibition—are complemented by paintings and prints that depict these unrivaled masterpieces in contemporary interiors. The most complicated mechanical devices are illustrated through virtual animations. Working drawings, portraits of the cabinetmakers, their family, and important patrons, as well as a series of documents owned by the Metropolitan Museum and originating from the Roentgen estate, underline the long-overlooked significance and legacy of the Roentgens as Europe's principal cabinetmakers of the ancien régime.

If there is any chance you can see this exhibit, you have until January 27, 2013 to make it happen.

What:
Extravagant Inventions - The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens

Where:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10028-0198
Phone: 212-535-7710
Web: http://www.metmuseum.org/en/exhibitions/listings/2012/roentgen

When:
October 30, 2012 to January 27, 2013

[ Thanks Kevin and Falk! ]

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Knitting clocks redefine the way we measure time: 1 scarf = 1 year

What you are looking at in the photo above are pieces by designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen. As you might guess by the title of this post, these unconventional timepieces knit with actual yarn. Over the course of days and months, time is measured in row upon row of knitting. In 365 days, the clock will produce a scarf approximately 2 meters long.

According to her web site, "Her aim is to make functional and sustainable design with personality and humour; products that challenge the meeting between man and his surroundings and that offer a new kind of interaction with them." I would have say that she was entirely successful with this design, redefining how we measure time, what a meaningful length of time might be, and creating something useful in the process -- an tangible reminder of a year gone by to wrap around one's neck on a cold day.

See more designs by Siren Elise Wilhelmsen on her web site.

[ Thanks Glenn! ]

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SIGGRAPH Asia 2012 -Technical paper describes a program that solves for automaton mechanisms

The video above features some of the many papers to be presented at SIGGRAPH Asia, a conference for computer graphics professionals. There are a lot of amazing things in there! Most notable is the one you will find at 2:05.

Given a specified rigid motion in one model (such as the one on the left) the program solves for simulated mechanisms that produce the desired motion (right). I assume the intent is to then use this information to produce plans for creating the actual automaton in the physical world.

You can learn more at SIGGRAPH Asia 2012 on the event web site.

[ Thanks John, Kendrick, and Ashok! ]

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Upgrade light switches with these clever mechanical add-ons

The father and son team of Lance and L. J. Nybye have come up with a wonderful line of mechanical add-ons for common light-switch covers. The mechanisms are typically cut with a laser from high-quality plywood and finished off with brass hardware. Additional decorations are engraved/burned into the parts with the laser.

From the online shop:

These mechanical light switches transform an ordinary appliance into the perfect flourish for your secret library, steampunk chalet—or wherever your imagination lives!

The mechanical switch covers install easily over a standard switch plate using the existing screws. In addition to the excellent lever-based switch shown in the video, they have a couple of other lovely designs.

Here is their one based on planetary gears...

And another design based on the rack and pinion mechanism...

Here is where you can get these mechanical switch-plate covers.

[ Thanks Jan and Julia! ]

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Man builds working bicycle almost entirely out of cardboard

We've seen time and again here on The Automata Blog that amazing mechanical things can be made out of unexpected materials such as paper and cardboard. Building a small mechanism that doesn't have to support much weight is one thing, but you can't build anything out of cardboard that takes a lot of weight or shock. Can you? This excellent film by Giora Kariv shows that you can. Follow along as Isreali inventor Izhar Gafni pursues his solitary quest to build a working bicycle from cardboard. He was inspired by a story he had heard about a working canoe made of the same material.

The literature on how to work with cardboard in this way was, shall we say... lacking, forcing Gafni to experiment with different fabrication techniques to see what the material could do. The secret to the strength of the material lies in folding the cardboard. With enough folds, the material becomes quite strong. We also see him dip parts in some type of liquid during his experiments. Whatever the liquid is, I'm sure it helps.

In the end, he sums up the creation well:

It's strong, it's durable, it's cheap. What I like about it the best? It's made out of cardboard!

He accomplished this feat after being told by three engineers that it was impossible. Let this be a lesson to all of us: if you have an idea, a passion for it, and a willingness to experiment and work in the face of doubt, you can accomplish things that have never been done before. Now...go invent something.

[ Thanks Bob! ]

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Bird Song with a Found Feather by Martin Smith with Laikingland

How would you like to wake up in the morning at just the right time to the sound of a beautiful birdsong? That was the idea behind Bird Song with a Found Feather by artist Martin Smith -- to create a mechanically-operated slide whistle that can be set and activated to go off at a specific time.

The piece as described by Martin Smith:

I wanted a piece that could be set, as with an alarm clock, and would allow you start the day gently. I am interested in producing mechanical bird sounds and seeing the cause and effect through a mechanism. For me the making is very important and I wanted to craft every part of the machine, to understand how the bellows are constructed and operate and to get the bird whistle sounding just right.

The piece is made of steel, brass, fabric, custom electrics a feather, and is powered by a 12v motor. It is a beautifully crafted machine with big brass cams. The feather (shown at right) is attached to a long wire coming from the top of the bellows.

Laikingland will be exhibiting this and other new pieces by Maarten Baas and Martin Smith at Mint as part of the London Design Festival 2012.

What:
Mint presents A Spatial Surprise

When:
September 14th to September 30th, 2012

Where:
Mint
2 North Terrace
Alexander Square
London SW3 2BA

For information on price and availability you may contact the Laikingland team at enquiries@laikingland.co.uk

[ Thanks Mike! ]

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Weird gears in a beautiful boxed set

Not long ago, I posted about some of the odd shaped gears created by clock-designer Clayton Boyer.

The folks at LEAFpdx.com have partnered with Clayton Boyer to offer the beautiful weird gears set shown in the video above and photographs below.

The boxed set includes 2 of the large pentagonal gears, 6 triangle gears, 6 square gears, axle pegs, and the specially marked base. The gears are laser-cut from cherry and come in a tidy basswood box. The gears can be arranged in a wide variety of configurations, most of which are delightfully mind-bending.

As with everything from LEAFpdx, the set is beautifully designed down to the smallest detail. If you are interested in mechanical things or are looking for a gift for someone who is, this is something you just won't find anywhere else.

Here is where you can order your own set of weird gears.

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Book: Making Things Move - DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists

I just ordered this book from Amazon and I cannot wait for it to arrive. If it lives up to the description, this could become a maker's bible!

The book explains mechanical design principles and their applications in non-technical terms, using examples and a dozen topic-focused projects.

Some of the topics covered include:

• Introduction to mechanisms and machines
• Basic physics
• How to fasten and attach things
• Converting between rotary and linear motion
• Using off-the-shelf components
• Using and finding materials such as metals, plastics, & wood
• A variety of fabrication techniques

This book sounds truly outstanding for makers of all sorts! I'll let you know what I think when the book arrives. It's due to ship in mid-December of 2010.

Here is where you can order the book Making Things Move DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists.

[ Thanks Gary! ]

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