Pros -
Torque, speed control and transfer of power over a distance (assuming 1:1
gear ratios).
Cons -
Gear lash increases error in positioning. If you are gearing down to
increase torque you run the risk of damaging Lego pieces if the gear train binds
up.
Summary -
Advanced systems try to use direct drive and eliminate gearing, but often
suffer from lack of torque. Servos like in the NXT package are a good compromise
as they use closed loop feedback to mitigate the error present in the internal
gearing of the servo. I show the kids how changing gear ratios can trade off
speed for torque or transfer power. So far they like to stick hubs directly on
the servo, and unless there is a compelling reason KISS applies when applying a
gear train. This past summer we did Lego sumo and they got to see first hand how
gearing could make a big difference in pushing something out of the ring.
Hope this helps!
Charles Bundy
Mechanical Monkeys – 05987
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 6:50 PM
Subject: [VADCFLL-L] GearsVsNoGears