Lego Technic

Lego Technic

Other names	Expert Builder Technical Lego
Sub‑themes	Pneumatics Mindstorms
Availability	1977–Present
Total sets	100+
Official website

Early example of LEGO Technic.

Lego Technic is a line of Lego interconnecting plastic rods and parts. The purpose of this series is to create more advanced models with more complex movable arms, such as machines with wheels, in addition to the simpler brick-building properties of normal LEGO.

The concept was introduced as the Expert Builder series and originally Technical Sets in 1977,^[1] and was renamed Technic in 1984.

Technic sets are often characterised by the presence of special pieces, such as gears, axles, and pins. Other special pieces include beams and plates with holes in them, through which the axles could be installed.^[2] Some sets also come with pneumatic pieces or electric motors. In recent years, Technic pieces have begun filtering down into other Lego sets as well, the power miners, and others, but mostly notably the BIONICLE sets (which were once sold as part of the Technic line), as well as a great many others.

The style of Lego Technic sets has been changing over time. Technic sets produced since the year 2000 use a different construction method, described as "studless construction". (Studs are the small circular knobs which appear on traditional Lego bricks.) This method utilises beams and pins rather than Technic bricks.

Mindstorms, a Lego line of robotic products, also uses a large number of Technic pieces, although it is sold as a separate line of products. The latest generation of the Mindstorms range, the Mindstorms EV3 range (released September 2013), as well as the Mindstorms NXT sets (released August 2006), are based on the studless construction method.

Lego Technic Components

Lego Technic system expands on the normal LEGO bricks with a whole range of new bricks that offer new function and building styles. The most significant change from normal LEGO is that single-stud wide bricks ('beams') have circular holes through their vertical face, positioned in-between the studs. These holes can accommodate pins, which enable two beams to be held securely together side-by-side, or hinged at an angle. The holes also act as bearings for axles, on which gears and wheels can be attached to create complex mechanisms. Stud-less beams (studs are the bumps traditionally associated with Lego parts), referred to as 'liftarms' were first introduced in 1989 and through the 1990s and 2000s and increasing number of liftarm designs have been introduced over time.

"Studded" (Beams) versus "Studless" (Liftarms)

A construction using the old pieces with studs.

Although liftarms (studless beams) have been present in Technic sets since 1989, the change from primarily studded to primarily studless construction around the year 2000 represented a major paradigm shift and has been quite controversial. Initially liftarms were use primary as styling parts, or to create smaller sub-assemblies which attached to a studded chassis. With an increasing number of liftarm designs introduced, a tipping point was reached around the year 2000 with models introduced primarily constructed from liftarms instead of traditional beams.

A vehicle using the new pieces without studs.

The primary advantage of studless construction is the addition of new construction methods that were previously unavailable. Liftarms are exactly 1 unit width high, in contrast to studded beams, which are a non-integer multiple of one unit. It can be awkward to use studded beams in vertical structures because it is necessary to insert plates between the studded beams in order to get the holes to line up. Studless beams allow greater flexibility when building in multiple dimensions, while remaining compatible with "classic" studded beams. Some builders also believe that models constructed with studless beams look nicer than their studded counterparts.^[3]

However, studless construction also introduces disadvantages. Studless construction is not immediately intuitive, requiring the builder to think five or six steps ahead.^[4] While studded construction follows the classic bottom-to-top building pattern, studless construction requires building inside-to-outside.^[5] Studdless constructions are noted to often be more flexible than an equivalent studded construction. This is due to the amount of flex in the clip-based pins which are used to attach studdless parts together, whereas studs provide a more rigid friction fit.

As of 2005, Lego has begun to re-incorporate studded bricks back into the Technic line, which can be seen in sets such as 8421 (found on Peeron), Mobile Crane. However, studded bricks are used primarily as to mount front grills in vehicles while transparent plates are used for lights.

Motors

The RC Tracked Racer and the RC Off-Road Truck, two models built from one same box.

LEGO Technic system has always included a variety of different electric motors. Broadly, these divide into those powered by batteries, held in a connected battery box, or by mains electricity, via a transformer. Battery-power is the most common.

The very earliest motors (p/n x469b) were 4.5 volt, and consisted of a modified "Electric Train Motor" (p/n x469) and along with the 4 driven bushes for wheels added an axle hole enabling axles of different lengths to be used. While these were released in kits with Technic parts they were not sold as Technic motors.

The first dedicated Technic motor was a 4.5 volt rounded brick (p/n 6216m) released in 1977 as part of the Expert Builder Power Pack (960-1) and Supplementary Set (870-1), this output via a small protruding axle that would rotate when the motor was powered. The motor was not geared, resulting in high-RPM, low-torque output. Gearboxes and a square casing were available. A 12 volt motor of the same physical dimensions as the 4.5 volt motor was also available in set 880-1. The 12 volt version is visually distinguishable by being black, rather than grey.

The 4.5 volt motor was replaced by a similar but square 9 volt motor in 1990.

Recent motors contain an axle hole enabling axles of different lengths to be used.

LEGO Technic Crane Truck (Power Functions)

Power Functions

In late 2007, a new motor system was released called Power Functions; it was included within Lego set 8275 Motorized Bulldozer. It comprised a set of motors, two IR receivers, remote control and a battery box, thus resulting in a remote-control model.

With these sets it is possible to build or convert manually-operated mechanical movement to motorized using electric motors which are controlled via switches or IR remote control. Future plans for this set include more parts which will add even more function/control possibilities.. Lego has already started to design and sell Lego Technic models (sets) which can be easily retrofitted with the Power Functions system. For example, models like the 8294 Excavator, 8295 Telescopic Handler or 7645 MT-61 Crystal Reaper are sold like classic Lego Technic models with manual motorization but are designed with free space for the Power Functions components with factory instructions on how to perform the conversion to an electrically operated model.

The Power Functions line-up also includes a Linear Actuator currently not sold separately, but already used in many models like the 8294 Excavator and the 8043 Motorised Excavator.

Pneumatics

Gears

Various Lego Technic gears.

Gears have been included within Lego Technic sets since 1977 as a way of transferring rotary power, and of gearing-up or down the speed. Gears come in several sizes: 8 tooth, 16 tooth, 24 tooth and 40 tooth spur gears; 12 tooth, 20 tooth and 36 tooth double bevel gears; and 12 tooth and 20 tooth single bevel gears. The double bevel gears are cut so they can also be meshed as spur gears. There is also a 16 tooth clutch gear, and a 24 tooth friction gear that slips when a certain amount of torque is put on it to prevent motors from damaging any parts or burning themselves out.

In addition to standard gears, some kits include a rack, a clutch and even worm gears and differential gears. The original differential had a 28 tooth bevel gear, designed to be meshed with the 14 tooth bevel gears (replaced by the 12 tooth gears) to give 2:1 reduction. They can also be meshed with the newer double bevel gears. It was replaced by a newer design incorporating 16 tooth and 24 tooth gears on opposite sides of the casing. The casing holds three 12 tooth bevel gears inside.

As of 2008, an updated version of the original differential has been released, optimised for studless construction.

Chain links were also introduced as an additional way of connecting gears. Tension (resulting from the correct number of chain-link parts used), along with the combination of gearwheel-sizes used, is critical to reliable operation. 8-tooth gears are not recommended for this purpose.

Technic Action Figures

TECHNIC Figures are figures that appeared in TECHNIC sets, especially from the CyberSlam/Competition line. They were first introduced in 1986 in the Arctic Action line, and were produced until 2001. They are much larger and have several more joints than the standard minifigure, including bendable elbow and knee-joints. Each figure comes already assembled and is not meant to come apart, but parts can be popped off by pulling too hard. They can connect to both standard LEGO System bricks and on TECHNIC parts, and TECHNIC pegs can fit in their hands. 27 different kinds of Technic figures were created,^[6] some sets included the same figures but with different accessories and stickers

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lego Technic.

• Bionicle
• Fischertechnik
• Lego Mindstorms
• Philiform

References