😑Stress Forces

In robotics the concept of forces is essential to understand to limit the damage to your robot in competition. In VEX robotics there are 3 common stress forces: Bending, Torsion, Compression/Tension.

Bending is the most common of the stress forces and it comes when a force is applied perpendicular to the length of the object. This is most common in lifts

Torsion can be common in underdeveloped robots. Torsion happens when a piece of metal (usually a long piece) is twisted. This is most common when sparsely supported metals are involved in high torque situations

Compression/Tension are opposing pushing(compression) or pulling(tension) forces that are often seen at connections between pieces through screws, standoffs, or spacers that become inconsistent over time.

When a metal is subject to stress, it it can deform either elastically (temporarily) or plastically (permanently). If the metal breaks it is known as yielding or failure.

Stress can also affect the properties of the metal like the ductility, malleability, and toughness. This means that if the metal undergoes stress it will be less able to withstand further stress.

Ways to combat this stress include applying appropriate protective coatings and designing structures to distribute stress evenly.