02-12-2010, 10:07 AM | #41 |
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I don't think there's much, if any, excess weight on the Segway PT. It's designed mainly around safety and reliability. The chassis casting seems to be the most "generous" of all the components, but shouldn't be a candidate for weight trimming, as it needs to be quite robust to endure severe poundings.
So where else could weight be trimmed? Perhaps the batteries, but only IF and when newer and better technology becomes available which may very well be lighter. I don't see, then, that there's anywhere else to trim weight significantly, which brings us back to Karl's and my respective assertions that we simply "deal with it" via enhanced physical body strength and/or via "tools."
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02-12-2010, 11:49 AM | #42 | |
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02-12-2010, 11:56 AM | #43 |
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Well, I don't think anyone is going to give you company proprietary information to help you prove your point. But I can tell you that every component on the Segway PT is there for a reason, usually safety-oriented. The base is engineered the way it is for safety reasons.
There are four primary "heavy" components on the PT -- the wheels, transmissions, base, and batteries. All have been engineered to the Nth degree for safety and reliability and to be as lightweight as possible. No further reductions are possible without serious compromises in these areas, or without substantial cost increases.
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02-12-2010, 04:18 PM | #44 | |
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02-12-2010, 05:12 PM | #45 | |
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However, I CAN say with some assurance that Segway does not seem to be putting much effort into optimization, either in costs or mass. The "Gen II" design has gone FIVE YEARS without any real changes, and if anyone claims that Segway's first release of Gen II resulted in a perfect implementation, then it would only demonstrate their lack of understanding of how engineering works. |
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02-12-2010, 05:41 PM | #46 | |
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Notice that the x2 has an extra piece of metal on the LSF compared to the i2. When asked if this extra metal was required for the x2, Doug Field replied "it sure looks cool, doesn't it?" When asked if it provides any extra strength or rigidity, he again replied "it sure looks cool, doesn't it?" So respectfully, John, I have to disagree with you because I've heard it straight from the horse's mouth. Also, while not significant in weight, the Segway emblem at the base of the LSF probably doesn't do much for safety nor the integrity of the machine.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "...if you insist on being imprecise in use and unique in definition, you should hardly be surprised that your attempts at communication are poorly understood." -a wise man Last edited by Gihgehls; 02-12-2010 at 05:51 PM.. |
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02-12-2010, 11:03 PM | #47 |
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Wow,
A casual conversation with Doug Field, and he did not answer your inquires with "yes, that piece is absolutely necessary, or the rider will die"... I guess that proves your point... There is all kinds of wasted weight... I bet he is ruing the day that he answered that way... Over and over in his head, 'if only I had told that guy it was something we thought was important'... I will not speak for Doug Field or anyone else, but I am a engineer, and I have had a time or twelve, or more, where a customer may ask me a question about a machine of theirs, and if something has just been repaired, or needs to be repaired, I have been known to minimize the impact of their problem... Some clients, whom I will not lie to, also do not need to know every detail, as it serves no purpose to scare them or play up the catastrophic 'what if' scenario... Many times they were close to loosing the production of million dollar or more machines, due to any number of problems, from small bearings to multi thousand dollar control boards, yet most of my good clients get something like, " yeah, it needed a part, we put it in, and you are 100% again."... I tell them that, because most of the time, that is really what they want to hear. I am happy to discuss the details if asked, but the conversation in the hall kind of set of circumstances rarely gets that much detail... Segway as a company, and as an engineering design house has always played all their cards very close to their vest... I believe that the unwillingness to disclose specific engineering strength or failure data in a conversation with a client means very little... Of course, each person can assign their own value to both Doug Field's comments as reported by gg, and my assessment to what it means... And just for the record, I would not glide any extended length with no emblem in front of the base of the lean steer, because without it, there is little to stop foreign debris from entering the chamber where the steering mechanism is... That would be similar in my mind to removing the rubber boot that protects many CV joints on cars, or steering or linkage knuckles... When those debris protective devices fail or rip, I remove them as well...
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Karl Ian Sagal To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Well done is better than well said." (Ben Franklin) Bene factum melior bene dictum Proud past President of SEG America and member of the First Premier Segway Enthusiasts Group and subsequent ones as well. |
02-12-2010, 11:11 PM | #48 |
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Well.... so much for the Yike Bike.
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02-13-2010, 04:27 PM | #49 |
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I can't tell if you're being genuine or dis-genuine, but I like to assume the best in people, so thanks!
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02-13-2010, 11:37 PM | #50 |
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But you just did.
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