A SQUARE MAGNETIC RAIL -- ROTOR 360 ROTATION

[magnetman12003]

Hi TinselKoala,

Never heard of the term "Fire 2.0??"

Up to this point I really never made any SMOT devices but I knew a little about them.

Tom

[nightlife]

 Tom, make sure you sand the edge of the transition ramp in to the curve so there is as less resistance as possible when the ball is entering the curve. If it has the slightest bit of a bump, it will be a resistance which will take away from the speed of the balls forward motion.
It would also be good to see what the field looks like in the corners by using a magnetic field viewer and then create a curve based on what is seen.

[nightlife]

Tom, did you notice TinselKoala's profile picture? It sure is a good concept that would only need the magnets special made to be like your concept but round instead of square.

[nightlife]

Won't roll all the way around, either!

(Don't get mad, just prove me wrong!!)

Well it will not with Toms set up the way it is but it will and does when the magnets are arranged differently. I started at the beginning of one straight a away and I have made it go completely around the curve to the next straight a way and then all the way down to the end where the next curve will start but I need more of the same magnets to go any further. I am not sure what is going to happen when I close the loop but I do know that the corners are not a problem to get around. I will post a video as soon as I add more magnets.

[magnetman12003]

Hi Guys,

The way I see this is the long straightaway is the key in the design.  Its a must that the steel ball reach a certain velocity so it could have the needed energy to go around the curve. Or for that matter shoot off a tracks end if you are working with a single track segment as a startIng point.

The weight and size of the steel ball has to be taken into consideration also. An iron ball would be the best material to use.  I was using chromium steel bearings. The track walls and floor could be made of teflon which presents lowest friction characteristics.  My floor is rough plywood right now and the ball rolls.

I found that in the corner areas there is great attraction ( NO STICKY SPOT) to keep the ball from rolling onto the next track segment. If a very small magnetic track segment was made and placed in the long track corner areas at a 45 degree angle maybe the ball could pass over it and enter the other long track straightaway for another go around.

Tom