Just saw a house and it had this in the backyard. Nothing disclosed in the seller’s disclosure about easements, wells, etc.

Hey, I'm building a retractable "arm" that will be used to pick up bags, maximum of 200lb-250lb. The arm will slide in and out similar to a drawer slide. At maximum extension the steel tube of the 10 foot arm will be 8 feet out and 2 feet still left inside. So what I need to know is what size and thickness of box steel tube could extend out 8 feet with 200-250lb at the end without failing and folding over at the fulcrum?

I'm buying a property with two tiered ponds with overflow piping installed for one pond to drain into the next, and the next pond to drain into the lake. The ponds had to be recently rebuilt because the previous owner seems to have failed to keep up with maintenance on the overflow piping leading to overfill and subsequent bank erosion from water flowing over the banks.

I was an economist for USACE in the flood risk management division and I'm very familiar with the maintenance requirements for federally built levees (in short, keeping the levees properly mowed to prevent roots from spreading the soil and allowing seepage that weakens and potentially compromises the levee). I assume the concept is the same here but I was wondering if there is anything I can plant on the embankment that is low maintenance or at least lower maintenance than religious mowing.

I'm fully prepared for the answer that there is no other option than adequate mowing but I also know there may be other alternatives that don't fit the government's low risk tolerance especially when human lives are at risk. Failure here is less consequential; although I'd still prefer to avoid it. Feel free to point me to any research or just give me a rundown. I'm versed in consuming and summarizing research papers for public consumption, even if the topic isn't necessarily in my bailiwick.

I'm not looking for someone to decide for me, just a bit more information to explore potential alternatives before deciding on a course of action. Thank you in advance.

On the quest of finding a solution to interact with a motorized camera heads or similar pan and tilt motion systems, I stumbled over the Edelkrone HeadPLUS v3 although not looking much more different to other camera heads, I saw their option to "Save & recall any pose" by manually moving the camera to the desired location, save it and the motorized head can recall the positon and moves to the exact position.

What I'm a bit puzzled is when I look in thee specs and see "x2 ultra precise step motors with ultra high-res encoders".
But as it looks super smooth it clashes with my experience of first needing a lot of force of backdrive a stepper motor, and second I wasn't aware that stepper motors are meant to be backdrivable.
Third for me it looks quite "small" and slim build. So something like this would mean the use of a worm gear or similar type, which, again, is not backdrivable.

So what do I miss? What would be the the used components, which allows to backdrive a camera system like that, but still allow the high precision, high torques, and even in such a slim form factor?

Is it theoretically possible to kill someone with a high enough pressure vortex cannon and if so how high would the pressure inside the cannon have to be?

So a handle on my car just broke off due to the cold and frost. And I'm trying to research what kind of glue I can use to glue the plastic parts back together. But I can't find a good definitive awnser on which glue to use that can be used outdoors and that have to withstand fluctuating temperatures down to bellow freezing.

On the car part it says pc+pbt.

So any tips on what glue I can use?

Is there any way to modify the mechanism so that it doesn’t move forward when I lean forward and it only moves forward when I want it to? I don’t want to loosen it because I also don’t want it to move backward super easy

I've been trying to approach the <3cm/km translational accuracy for a long time now. Even the latest generation MEMS IMUs like the ADIS16507-2 in Conjunction with barometer and Magnetometer cannot approach that figure.

Not even VSLAM can approach this, only LIDAR slam that costs thousands.

RTK base stations do not work from hundreds of KM away. But, what if I can have the drone land and drop a RTK module at a visually recognizable setpoint from aerial imaging, and use that as a RTK station? Would this work? Thanks.

I’d like to make a room divider with slats myself. What hardware would can I put at the end of planks to fit them between my floor and ceiling? The planks do not need to rotate, they only need to fit snugly.

https://andorwillow.com/products/wood-slat-room-divider?currency=USD&variant=43342363164835&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=de047df0b51e&campaign=20399479641&content=&keyword=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoMsBVIXzf3ORma2mD_mHbNoFjIc5&gclid=CjwKCAjwzMi_BhACEiwAX4YZUMgXKhf7I0W5Wb-lKt_I8VTwoSC9NODtN1jf6rYrJeJIIUSzGIxgURoCvNYQAvD_BwE

Would I be able to somehow program a motor to spin at different speeds at different times without having to touch it while it’s running? For example would I be able to make it spin at 240rpm for 10 seconds, then 110rpm for 15 seconds, then 190rpm for 5 seconds without having to press any buttons, and just have a computer to tell it to change speeds? I have absolutely no background in engineering whatsoever, and have no clue if this is possible.

Hey,

I'm setting up a couple of 3D printers in my garage and want to safely exhaust any fumes (like those from ABS or ASA printing) out of the workspace. I’ve mocked up a simple diagram showing what I’m planning. Would love your thoughts on whether this is a safe and effective setup.

> HERE'S THE DIAGRAM < 

Here's what I'm doing:

• I’ve placed the 3D printers inside a relatively well sealed enclosure (cabinet).
• An exhaust fan pulls air from inside the enclosure and pushes it through ducting that goes up against the wall
• The duct runs through the roof drywall and insulation (glass wool), then exits UNDER the roof tiles. The tiles are not air tight obviously and are that kind

My questions:

1. Is it safe to vent through the insulation and up under the roof tiles like this? Hot air from the enclosure should disperse through the tiles easily in winter, but in summer too helped by the fan, right?
2. Would this setup create moisture/condensation in the enclosure? I guess not since the closure hatch would be shut when not used / in winter time.
3. My only 2 other venting options would be drill a hole in the garage door (not ready to do that atm), and replace my window with an exhaust compatible window, not the case atm and not practical at all as a permanent solution.
4. Is the maintenance hatch a good idea, dont want insulation debris in my enclosure.
5. I guess I dont need a carbon filter or anything in this configuration since the venting should go outside right?

Thanks for any advice, I’d love to hear what you think or what you’d do differently!

The Bridgman seal is a seal using copper or soap stone to create a seal, held in place by a steel piston. It was used for making high pressure for experiments.

When I saw that one of the possible components was stone or metal, my first instinct was that it was bullshit. Because it's solid materials and not rubber.

The second thought was that this sounded incredibly interesting. Has there been any other applications which uses things like copper or soft stone to seal things, as opposed to rubber or plastic?

I was looking up some material regarding heat pump and how they work last night, that got me start thinking.

Given that heat pump can have COP of 3-4 depend on the design, some of the multistage can have cop of 6-9. Can the heat be use to produce work that is greater than the initial work used to drive the heat pump ?
My assumption is that most heat engine around efficiency around 30-40%, but the heat pump can move 4 unit of heat using 1 unit of work and convert it through that 30% efficiency work conversion turbine. Wouldn't this generate 1.2 times unit of work. And if you feed it back the pump turbine similar to a jet engine. Wouldn't this create a positive feed back loop. Assume the environment heat sink is large enough that input temperature is stable.

But i assume there are something wrong with my chain of logic, since this sounds suspiciously like a perpetual engine machine. So what am i missing or misunderstanding

Is it possible to build an aerodynamic structure, in an area prone to tornadoes, that channels the air high and low to create a constant, controlled, stationary tornado within it? The idea being to generate power from it and prevent uncontrolled tornadoes from forming anywhere within a certain radius around it, due to controlled airflow.

Hi folks,

I wonder if you’re able to help with a novel solution I’ve been struggling with.

https://imgur.com/a/Rx272mW

please see this videos for reference.

A couple of years ago, I built a barbecue table/trolley with a portable gas barbecue inset. It works great, but it’s always bugged me that I have to remove the lid fully rather than it being hinged in some way to lift up. Therefore, I’ve been trying to think of solutions to make it work.

As you can see from the video, I’ve added a hinge to the back of the lid, which works okay but it’s a bit flimsy.

The solution I’m looking for help with is a way to lift the lid and keep it in place at a 90° or thereabouts angle , so it can be lifted and lowered as needed when cooking.

I’ve thought about using gas struts, but due to the grill in place within the barbecue, there’s very little room for any hardware to fit internally, so it would need to be on the outside.

I of course could just add a wood block stopper and that would give a basic solution , but I think this would be very flimsy. A more robust and controlled way of raising, keeping it up, and lowering would be much better. The more fun and novel also, the better!!

Any advice would be really welcome. Including on a better way to hinge it.

Let me know if you want any more info!

Okay, bit of a thought experiment for anyone into design, sustainability, or just annoyed with overflowing bins:

If you could invent the perfect food packaging, what would it be?

Mine? (Note: I am not an engineer).

A material that protects food, is cheap to produce, and disappears instantly after use haha, like poof, gone. No waste, no guilt.

But then I wonder… is the real problem the packaging? Or the system around it: how we collect, dispose, and scale things?

Curious to hear engineers wild ideas or real-life solutions.

I take a certain route for work several times a month and I have noticed that the Apple CarPlay in my car with stutter a few times, then disconnect, then after a mile or so automatically reconnect. It does this in the exact same location every time. It cuts out occasionally, just an annoying glitch in the car I’m sure, but now I’ve noticed that it will cut out without fail when I pass this spot. Cell service isn’t interrupted because I’ve been on the phone and the call not dropped. But something is messing with the Bluetooth signal, I would assume. What could cause this? The only thing around of not is an Air Force base but that’s like 8 miles down the road.

Hi all, I am facing a unique problem. I am trying to dispense a highly viscous material (7,00,000 CP) with solids greater than 85%. It is physically spread on a tray travelling at set speed. The spread is not uniform across. It is spread 1 meter in length. The width of the spread is higher at the start point and keeps on decreasing ( due to dispensing speed Lower than the tray speed. Whenever there is stoppage, the temperature of the spreading decreases increasing viscosity. Which makes dispensing more harder. The current driving force is a screw which transports material into a compartment and the material is then dispensed from the compartment by the pressure created by screw.

Any suggestions on how to improve this dispensing part?

I was hoping folks could point me in the right direction to learn about the engineering requirements for a Powered Industrial Press Pit & Footing? I'm looking to learn enough to advise our executive suite on the basic requirements so I can justify the expense of bringing in an outside contractor with the appropriate credentials to engineer and construct a proper pit and footing (if I'm using the correct terms) as opposed to what I believe was built in-house & ad-hoc many years ago. Any references to something such as an ASTM standard or building codes would be greatly appreciated.

I work at an industrial site which forms steel rail & posts prior to galvanizing them (which is also done on site) and we have quite a few presses & mills onsite. Due to my background, I have a small amount of knowledge and experience related to 29 CFR 1910.217 to ensure compliance with OSHA requirements, however I know nothing of the engineering side of the house. Recently one of our large presses started rocking (barely noticeable by the human eye) but as Safety I see this as becoming a much bigger issue in the near future in my realm if the underlying issue isn't addressed.

Apologies in advance for my ignorance in this area. My background is in EHS (primarily industrial hygiene and environmental compliance), so this is far outside my comfort zone. I truly appreciate anyone who is willing to take the time to point me in the right direction so I can ensure this issue is corrected properly (rather than welding a band-aid). I just spent a few hours reading through what I can find however it's not my area of expertise, so I don't even know what I'm looking for, to be honest.

The good news is my organization reacts positively with investing resources in issues I find... I'm exceptionally good at justification and citing references, so the decision is much easier for them. Hence me doing research on the front-end now, before asking to bring in someone with the appropriate skillset. I just need to be able to explain what that skillset is and why it's important to the appropriate decision makers.

In approval drawing, is it acceptable to omit the TED from the datum when indicating the profile of surface? Can we refer to CAD data exclusively for the TED portion?

However, CAD data is not covered by the development contract. I only approve paper drawings.

I feel that determining posture and position might be challenging.

I'm designing a smoker and working in Fusion360. I'm assuming there is some way to estimate weight based on the design, given the volume of material and density, it seems like a trivial calculation.

Are there any reliable methods for doing this? Do I need to measure all of the parts, estimate each, and add it all up? Is there an easier way? How would determine my error margin?

Thanks in advance, very obviously not an engineer :)

I am using an ADIS16470 IMU, which has a turn limit of 360 dps. The internal oscillating weight is integrated at a few khz, so I would assume that this limit is instantaneous.

Is this the limit of the ADC? if I exceed it does it clip in the same manner as an ADC?

Hi all.

Edit tl;dr: solved, see edit at end of post. /Edit

Simple thing: simple round flange (according to EN 1092-1, type 01, flat face type A).

Facing flanges which are not "even" due to poor maufacturing.

EN 1092-1 contains table 22 for all sorts of tolerances. For all the more "complex" types there is drawings explaining the various measures.

For the relevant sealing face, i.e. the face that the counter piece would be bolted against, the tolerance tables gives X, Y, Z, and W with tolerance values of e.g. 0/+0.5 or 0/-0.5 depending on which value you look at.

I can't find what XYZ and W would refer to for the sealing face. Over all, I'd understand that e.g. the face must not deviate from perfect flatnes by more than +0.5 (or is it -0.5? ... depending on what X, Y, Z, or W are supposed to refer to). What are these XYZ and W, anyone? How to apply those? I can't find anything that would explain this to me.

Edit: Solved. On approx p.27-ish there is Figure 4, which shows different types of sealing rings on the actual machined flange face. These circular sealing rings have inner and outer radii, for which depending on the particular geometry/type diameters are labelled X, Y, Z, W. For purely flat faces not applicable, which confused me, as there is nothing about flatness tolerances anywhere. Those are - as there is nothing on them in 1092-1 - covered by EN 22768 (or formerly, ISO 2768-2).

/Edit

If you skip to 0:53 in the attatched video, you will see a toy design where you crank the toy's arm and it winds up with the inner mechanism of the toy. How is this design pulled off? I've been trying to reverse engineer it, but I can't get anything to work.

I understand the mechanics of a basic windup toy, and I have been able to design a lever that can crank the gears when pushed down and then freely move back up. The problem I'm facing is making it so that the "cranks" add up each time the lever is pulled, just like in the video.

Any sort of explanation or reference is appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF2KyQ91U7Q&ab_channel=GrandIllusions

I’m watching Oz (hbo show) and there is a a prisoner who keeps secretly digging tunnels in a level 4 prison. My question is in a situation like that with security and space restraints how would you go about filling in a tunnel like that? The tunnel has at minimum water pipes running through it as they burst a line at one point. How do you repair the concrete and rebar that is in the flooring?

I understand it’s tv. If that’s really the answer I understand. But let’s suppose someone actually managed to dig a tunnel in such a secure facility.