Conceptual design for the ROBOSAURUS was accelerated by taking rough sketches and converting them into three-dimensional balsa wood components and eventually into a complete fully articulated working model of the monster.
PRELIMINARY DESIGN ENGINEERING
Conceptual design for the ROBOSAURUS was accelerated by taking rough sketches and
converting them into three-dimensional balsa wood components and eventually into a
complete fully articulated working model of the monster.
| During the first weeks after obtaining
funding for the project (June 1988), engineer Doug Malewicki, and Robert Kubinski
evolved the basic three dimensional structural configuration. Near daily coordination
with Parker Fluid Power consultant, Dale Thompson, established the bores, strokes, total
gallons per minute and packaging requirements for all hydraulic cylinders. Using available 1/25th scale model plastic truck and car kits in conjunction with three dimensional solid balsa wood robot components fabricated in the same scale (Instead of two dimensional drawing layouts) enabled the designers to quickly spot problem areas in: 1) gripping, lifting, crushing and biting full size junk cars and 2) transforming the ROBOSAURUS into its trailerable road configuration. The robot's steel structure was sized, weights estimated and stress levels calculated for the worst possible geometrical configurations (largest moment arms) in order to insure static safety margins of at least four. After several fast iterations, the design was finalized. This same 3D engineering development model was later painted and became a useful visual aid in sponsor presentations and when negotiating with major companies such as Universal Studios, Mattel, etc. |
 FIGURE 3a. Actual Size Comparison of 40 Foot Tall ROBOSAURUS to a "Monster" Truck and an Automobile |
FIGURE 3b. Model Transformed to Demonstrate Road Configuration
