RepRec aspect ratio
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This page is part of the RepRec project. Short for Replicating Recomposer Systems. For an index of all pages of this project, see the category page RepRec. |
Aspect ratio near 1:1:1
Just as the size range of parts shall be kept in a narrow range for RepRec systems,
(See: RepRec narrow part size range convention)
so shall the aspect ratio be kept reasonably near to 1:1:1 too.
Motivation being limiting the need for robotic assembly robotics to one single size.
★ Nanoscale a second size above mechanosynthesis and later eventually bigger sized assembly stages too.
★ Macroscale a single size assuming part pre-production as cheap enough RepRec vitamins and larger scales remaining industrial.
This self imposed design constraint means:
★ Avoid very long thin struts
★ Avoid big thin plates
★ and everything in-between
One could say that with parts with extreme aspect ratios
one necessarily violates the narrow size range convention too.
Either at the lower or the upper end of the part size scale.
Of course pre-assembly of all sorts of chains
(especially ReChain struts and rigid chains)
with RepRec factorylets will eventually make the handling
of parts with a bit larger aspect ratios unavoidably necessary.
Robotic Linkage Struts
RepRec systems need robotic stages as mechanisms
and these often/typically contain long high aspect ration linkage mechanism struts.
These mechanism struts could be made quickly changeable in length by using some ReChain frame system
That is, beyond just using ReChain for the the static frame/truss/matrix (RepRec outer framework),
using it for mobile parts in RepRecs too.
The issues from these struts (being made from many low aspect ratio blocks) include:
★ significant size overhead to monolithic struts (issue for nanoscale)
★ significant mass overhead to monolithic struts (issue for macroscale)
★ reduced load carrying capacity (maybe) due to pre-tensioning if that is used (ReChain).
These issues are more critical for the moving parts than for the surrounding frame.
If the struts become too long then they will start to need scaffolding.
Like seen in cranes, bridges, and High voltage masts (just smaller).
For FFF 3D printed structures such scaffolded structures would be large in size (for DIY scales at least)
Too large for robotic linkages (DIY scale) and thus better only used just for the RepRec outer framework.
(wiki-TODO: Add relevant sketch.)
Proteins based struts
In protein engineering there is a characterization length parameter (the persistence length)
that informs about at which length self-assembled rods can no longer keep themselves straight.
That is: Deviate from being strait as crossing a certain threshold average angle in bending.
A topic more on the ReChain frame systems side.
Related
Original page created 2021-11-18 Thursday, migrated to public wiki 2026-09-05