6 simple machines.

[ATeamDan]

Ok heres the deal, i need to do a physics project, where i take all six simple machines and use them to create an object that does something. I know i could come up with something good, but i figured this is a good place to get imput. Remeber it needs to serve a practical purpose, needs all 6 simple machines, and it needs to not suck.

If you have any ideas please let me know.


thanks guys.
ateamer

 

[ElectricSheep]

Would this be along the lines of a Rube-Goldberg type machine?

 

[God_0016]

http://www.incrediblemachine.net/

It might even help...(doubt it...)

 

[ATeamDan]

nope htat doesn't help....anything else?

 

[Snakeye]

Just for someone whos native language is not English:

What in hell are the six simple machines???

Perhaps I could be of any help if I knew that..

Snakeye

 

[ElectricSheep]

I can think of:

Pulley
Lever
Inclined Plane
Axle + Wheel
Screw
Wedge

 

[Snakeye]

Alright, that's impossible. You absolutely can't make anything, that serves a practical purpose, without at least an inline/flat 4-cylinder engine, more preferably a V6 or V8, or a flat-4 turbocharged..

Are you allowed to use a microcontroller, or a DSP?

On the other hand, perhaps a grenade catapult?

Well, if I can be of any help, you're in bigger trouble than you thought..

Snakeye

 

[ElectricSheep]

All complex machines (including the internal combustion engine) can be broken down into a sum of simple machines. The only exception to this would be any electronics. I guess you could say that complex <em>mechanical</em> machines can be broken down into a sum of the six simple machines.

Is there a limit to how many simple machines must be used?

 

[JaFO]

Originally posted by ElectricSheep
All complex machines (including the internal combustion engine) can be broken down into a sum of simple machines. The only exception to this would be any electronics. I guess you could say that complex <em>mechanical</em> machines can be broken down into a sum of the six simple machines.

Is there a limit to how many simple machines must be used?

computers (and anything 'digital') can be reduced to a few 'simple' 'machines' too. In theory all you need is an AND- , OR and a NOT-gate.
You only need 1 'machine' (a switch) ...
// --
up to 6 simple machines ?
Would a pair of scales work ? Or is that too simple ?

 

[Snakeye]

For computers all you need is either a NOR or a NAND gate, since with any of the two(of course a few of them), you can make any other gate(i.e. AND, OR, NOT, XNOR, XOR etc..).

Looks like there're some other engineers around..

Snakeye

 

[Keganator]

How about something SIMPLE like a toy car with 6 wheels?

 

[JaFO]

Originally posted by Snakeye
For computers all you need is either a NOR or a NAND gate, since with any of the two(of course a few of them), you can make any other gate(i.e. AND, OR, NOT, XNOR, XOR etc..).

Looks like there're some other engineers around..

Snakeye

You do know that
NAND = AND + NOT or to use tech-speak : NAND =>X = !(A . B)
and NOR = OR + NOT => X = !(A + B)
You can even get rid of either 'AND'-ports or 'OR'-ports completely if you want using Moore's laws ... (A + B) = !!(A + B) = !(!A . !B)

 

[Snakeye]

Of course, but a NAND gate is one gate less than a AND and a NOT gate, and it can be achieved with less transistors than a AND and a NOT gate..

Snakeye

 

[JaFO]

damn, you're probably right too ... altough worrying about a few transistors more or less seems kind of trivial when they can use millions in a single ic

 

[Hadmar]

AND NOT gate AND NOT gate AND NOT gate AND NOT gate...

There has to be a use for all these...

Ah, yes:

You've been choosen for the hit. AND do NOT miss gate(s)

 

[Snakeye]

Well, right and wrong, in a way.

If you save transistors, you can add more gates to the same chip, and therefor it might get more calculating power. Also every transistor contributes to the power the chip needs. And if you can save 1% of the transistors in a chip containing a few million, that's not too bad.
Though IIRC the biggest "reserve" in chip speed lies in reducing the "wire lengths" (well, they are not wires of course, just don't find any other English word). About 50% increase in speed would be possible just with such measures.

Snakeye