What is the engineering problem of the SMOT?

[xumed]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. The seesaw configuration uses, as far as I know from my own experiments, no energy to flip the magnets from "\ /" shape to a "/ \" shape. It is an interesting idea, but when you put the iron ball in between them the \./ -shape will remain in this shape and the seesaw will stop. There is no way this configuration will work.

Well picture this, when it reaches the top the ramp tips. As it tips a guide forces the magnets apart. As the magnets are pivoted the other end would naturely move closer together reversing the magnets orientation. If the ball remains in the magnetic field it surely would shoot back up the ramp.

Again talking off the top of my head... haven't had anytime to play around or research and it has been almost 10 years since i last looked at magnetism.

Have a look at the attached image to try help understand what i'm proposing. Someone surely must of tried this. ? But like i say I expect the magnetic forces prevent you from altering their position with just the mass of the ball.

Still a skeptic

[Low-Q]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. The seesaw configuration uses, as far as I know from my own experiments, no energy to flip the magnets from "\ /" shape to a "/ \" shape. It is an interesting idea, but when you put the iron ball in between them the \./ -shape will remain in this shape and the seesaw will stop. There is no way this configuration will work.

Well picture this, when it reaches the top the ramp tips. As it tips a guide forces the magnets apart. As the magnets are pivoted the other end would naturely move closer together reversing the magnets orientation. If the ball remains in the magnetic field it surely would shoot back up the ramp.

Again talking off the top of my head... haven't had anytime to play around or research and it has been almost 10 years since i last looked at magnetism.

Have a look at the attached image to try help understand what i'm proposing. Someone surely must of tried this. ? But like i say I expect the magnetic forces prevent you from altering their position with just the mass of the ball.

Still a skeptic

This device will work as a pendulum. The seesaw will "flip-flop" several times before it stops. As the ball is the reason why the magnets are separating in one end, the same force will pull the ball back again. It will oscillate for a while like a penduum untill all energy losses has stoped it. So it wont work out. it will find its rest when the magnets are horizontally and in parallell - with the ball right in the middle.

Br.

Vidar

[xumed]

Kind of what I'd expected, just wondered if anyone had tried to see how long it oscillates.

I think with some clever latching, i.e. only allowing the tipping when the ball reaches the top of the ramp. You should have something that sustains for a reasonable length of time ( OR just doesn't work at all )

anyway

[Low-Q]

Kind of what I'd expected, just wondered if anyone had tried to see how long it oscillates.

I think with some clever latching, i.e. only allowing the tipping when the ball reaches the top of the ramp. You should have something that sustains for a reasonable length of time ( OR just doesn't work at all )

anyway

Mechanical setups allways suffers from delays due to mass that have to accelerate, and stop. It would required tremendous amount of momentary power to flop the seesaw within an infinitely short time. Don't try it at home

Vidar

[xumed]

Hmmm....