Engineering

I'm trying to build a mousetrap catapult. It would be launching acorns. I was wondering how I can get the acorn to fly as far as possible? Is a shorter arm or longer arm going to throw the acorn further, and what other features, such as rubber bands, can I add onto the catapult to make it more powerful? Thanks.

Kay, this was SUPPOSED to be simple... I am looking for a simple program (you know what? i didn't find anything, so even a non-simple would do at this point) that allows me to draw plans for a cut-out for a 3-D design. You know how you buy boxes *flat* and you assemble them? Well I used to do this by hand, but I want a program to help me out -- I want to create my OWN custom 3-dimentional designs for a 3-D "box"... For that matter, I'd love to create my own "Document Tray" for my desk at my office, with my *own* 3D design, which I will make myself from cardboard. Yah, I can do it by hand, but in our technological era, I should have something to help me ou…

Now i know there have been other posts about the same subject, i have done a search and looked at most of them. If this is not the right spot to be putting this thread it can be moved if needed. Onto the subject. I have been looking around and various coilgun designs and settled on Jeff Hoves design (http://www.jeffhove.com/robots/coilgun.html). I thought it best to start off small, running off just a AA battery and a single Capcitor as shown in the design schmatics. Over time i will slowly get more knowledge into the design and theory behind the project, in which i will increase the voltage and the number of capacitors etc. What tips can all of you give me f…

Can anyone give me a link(s) to get info on robotics? If you're wondering it's for a school project. Any help is appreciated.

Is it possible to control servo system without integral action? Here is the method to control it with modified proportional action only; http://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/digital3/ftsc3.htm

I just thought of a design for gauss gun-like contraption that never stops moving. Here's a picture of it. the + - at the bottom is a horse shoe magnet, n means non magnetized material, l is an insulator, and + and - signs are positive and negative polarities. (Sorry the picture is so ugly) + + - - - - + + ll ll n n + -

Hi, Does anyone live in the USA and is familar with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)? In order to get in and have these types of majors I am going to list below, what is the difference between these majors and what kind of jobs is offered normally? Please reply back ASAP. Environmental Studies Environmental Engineer Environmental Science Chemical Engineering

Can visible light be used to detect F-22 and stealth fighters at long range? Can visible light be used like a radar? Or what about other wavelengths like microwaves or Xrays? Can they be used in radar-like devices?

If a material reflects neutrons perfectly without absorbing them, we could make the reactor much smaller with using such material as reflector. But we haven't had such ideal material so far. Here is an idea for reflecting neutrons more effectively than using usual reflectors. http://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/rotative/reactor2.htm

I was wondering if a Miniture ballista without the support made in a bow style structure would work as a bow that can actually launch arrows.

They say it's hard to send manned spacecraft to the planets further than Mars with present chemical rocket. Future rocket will have low energy consumption rate for propulsion enough to carry out such mission successfully. Here I offer the idea of a kind of fusion rocket as a future rocket. http://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/accel/fusionrocket.htm

A new, highly sensitive gyroscope which uses Rb atoms as a matter-wave may be able to measure frame-dragging more accurately:

Once the pulse jet engine has been used for some aircrafts. But they were noisy and moreover consumed huge fuel. Here I propose an revised pulse jet engine, which could consume fuel much less than original one (it's still noisy, though.) ttp://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/pulsejet/plje.htm

The simplest accelerator is here! http://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/accel/accel.htm

sorry for making a thread like this 2 other times but no one would help me. I need help with keeping tubes in place after being moved to a certain position without having to do anything to it manually my idea is to put wires in it so I don't need to do anything to it after its moved into place pneumaticly PLEEEAASE HELP!!!!

Hi, I am currently a freshman at college pursuing EE major. I am interested in researching, and I want to research in an area that would benefit humanity at large. By benefiting humanity, I mean the research has some practical applications to medicine, or the research would technologically advance day-to-day life. I am interested in specific research areas. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi all. The basics are simple, the currents produced by dissimilar metals in seawater, the erosion and deposition of material depending on the electronegativity... I see it as a simple galvanic cell, a 'battery', but I have a void somewhere in all this. If an iron barge floats on seawater, and no other metals are part of its hull, will still need (Zn, Al) sacrificial anodes attached ? If an aluminium boat hull has a bronze propeller I can understand the migration of charges and erosion of metals; but what if the hull is only aluminium and no other metals, will it still deteriorate and need protection ? Now, an aluminium hull has good electrical connection wi…

Molecular transistors "(Nanowerk Spotlight) Transistors are the fundamental building blocks of our everyday modern electronics; they are the tiny switches that process the ones and zeroes that make up our digital world. Transistors control the flow of electricity by switching current on or off and by amplifying electrical signals in the circuitry that governs the operation of our computers, cellular phones, iPods and any other electronic device you can think of. The first transistor used in commercial applications was in the Regency TR-1 transistor radio, which went on sale in 1954 for $49.95, that's over $375 in today's dollars ...While the first transistors were over 1…

Ultrasound-mediated TDD(transdermal drug delivery) is what i'm gonna ask you guys about: they said that applying ultrasound and insulin (quite like a patch i guess) at the same time might lower your glucose level real quick but... Does insulin molecule remain biologically active after this ultrasound exposure? any comments?

I know the older flourescent lights needed to be supplied by more current than you'd think by examining the power load. Beyond the power consumed in the bulb, there was a larger current being utilized but at an inductive phase angle so it is not power-consuming. Thus the volt-amp rating was maybe 2-1/2 times the power put out. This means you have to size the supply wire to yield this much current. Is the same thing true with the electronic balast screw-ins we have now?

what are one's thought on perpetual motion? would it be possible using a machine that operated of strong magnets? edit: i spelled perpetual wrong in the topic. whoops

Blocking oscillator is a typical non-linear oscillator. I found there is a pull-in effect between two blocking oscillators interacting each other. It might be applicable for alternative telecommunication method as described in the following site; http://hecoaustralia.fortunecity.com/c0508/block.htm

Hi, I am working with CFD to analyze a swirling burner with a square section combustor. When I calculate the angular and the axial momentum inside the combustor, it decreases the more I check downstream to the burner exit. Do you know what would create a decrease in the angular and axial momentum inside a square section combustor? Should the swirl number variate inside the combustor? Thank you very much for your help.

I’m trying to design a larger Quadrotor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrotor) craft that runs off of a single gas engine. Does anyone know anything about how quadrotors stabilize and how I would be able to achieve the same effects using a single gas engine for all 4 rotors? I assume it would have to be done through collective pitch adjustments? Is this even possible? Any help would be appreciated, thanks. Brad

Well, I looked around and this seemed like the most active place around, so I'll post this here. Gotta write a nice, long research paper - with a survey. Post your age and gender, make it up if you want - I don't really care. Here it is - very basic. Multiple choice so the common American gets a 1/6, 1/5, 1/4, 1/2 chance of getting it right. (This is for everyone, just so long as it is written in French or English.) 1.If hydrogen fuel was made possible, would you use it? A. Yes B. No 2.Do you know what hydrogen is? What? A. Yes, it is a gas and compound. B. Yes, it is an element. C. NO! 3.How much money would you be willing to pay for hydrogen fuel,…