THE FOLLOWING ARE A LIST OF DIFFERENT PNEUMATIC PROJECTS!
FIRST THINGS FIRST! WHAT EXACTLY DO LEGO® PNEUMATICS LOOK LIKE?
Both retail LEGO® and DACTA® package pneumatics into kits. Here are some pictures:
You are limited only by your imagination! As an educator, I am constantly challenging my
students to incorporate LEGO® pneumatics into different projects! It serves the purpose of
demonstrating how to accomplish a particular task by a different means, usually with greater
efficiency. Besides, it is kind of cool making air pumps do interesting things! I had one younger fellow
build an entire mining complex driven by a host of pumps and pneumatic tubing. In fact, I had
to hide the LEGO® pneumatics from the preschoolers because the elements make for the best gasoline pumps! These
are some of the ways I have used pneumatics as a teacher!
- Robotic applications ( end effectors, arm lifts, turntables )
- Linear to rotary applications ( build a model of a steam-powered train engine )
- Properties of air experiments ( fill balloons, figure rate of flow )
- Factory applications ( make a potato chip crusher, car lifts )
- Musical applications ( this one is too much fun! )
LEGO® has a variety of plans using its pneumatic elements which may prove handy in a pinch!
Here's a few ( in no particular order ) for ideas:
Adjustable chair ( for a doctor's office for example );
Adjustable fan;
Adjustable carnival ride;
A press;
A tow truck;
A fork lift;
A backhoe;
Harvesting machinery;
A crane;
A dumptruck;
A model submarine;
A robodinosaur;
The Airclaw Truck.
HEY, TAKE A LOOK AT THESE!
Go Back to Weird Richard
Copyright© 1996 by Richard Wright for PCS Education Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved
