Think like an engineer: Design a DC motor

Speed, torque, and power are basic principles that are fundamental to the design, development, and performance of the DC motors used in robotics. The design of a robot is directly impacted by interrelated variables that encompass the conditions of the environment in which it works, the tasks that must be accomplished, the timeframe for task completion, the levels of repetition, and the accuracy required to achieve success. If you combine the forces of speed, power, and torque in just the right way, you can create the monster of robotics competitions.

Get creative with design in class

In this project, pre-engineering instructor Brian Stevenson shows you how to design and build a robotic arm that attaches to a VEX object manipulator and lifts the objects specified for your next robotics competition. You learn how to calculate the exact amount of speed, torque, and power necessary to lift the arm to perform its specified function with precision. You test your calculations using the Autodesk® ForceEffect™ mobile app before building the actual arm.