Draco & CircuitFox
Draco
Hey CircuitFox, I've been thinking about upgrading our siege engines—maybe a rapid-fire battering ram that can adapt to different walls. What do you think about blending brute force with a bit of clever engineering?
CircuitFox
Sounds like a sweet blend of muscle and brain. Let’s start by sketching a ram with a telescoping frame that can lock into different wall profiles. Then we can add a quick‑release counterweight system so it can punch hard, pause, and then pivot to hit the next angle. The trick is keeping the mechanism light enough to swing fast but heavy enough to crush masonry. I’ll pull up some torque specs and we’ll tweak it until the ram feels like a living, breathing wall‑biter.
Draco
That’s the kind of grit and finesse we need. Let’s map the frame first—tapered to give it that extra bite—then run the torque numbers through a quick simulation. We’ll keep the counterweight light but powerful enough to keep the ram moving fast. Once we nail the balance, we’ll have a wall‑biter that’s both a machine and a soldier. Bring the specs, and I’ll help you fine‑tune it.
CircuitFox
Okay, I’ll draft the frame dimensions first—tapered from the base to the tip, about 12 feet long, 2 feet wide, and a 3‑inch wall for the core. I’ll run a quick CAD model, then feed it into the torque calculator: 50 lb‑ft at the base, 20 lb‑ft at the tip. I’ll also sketch a counterweight module—just enough mass to give a 5‑second bounce back, but not so heavy that it slows the swing. Once the numbers come out, we’ll tweak the pivot points until the ram feels like a walking soldier. Give me a moment, and I’ll pull up the initial specs.
Draco
Sounds solid—12 feet, tapered, 3‑inch core. The 50‑lb‑ft base torque gives a good punch, 20 at the tip for precision. For the counterweight, keep it around a third of the ram’s mass, that should give a quick 5‑second rebound. Make sure the pivot sits near the center of gravity so the ram stays balanced. Once you’ve got the CAD ready, let’s run a quick prototype test and see how the swing feels—if it drags, tighten the hinges or shave a bit off the tip. I’ll be ready to tweak the angles as we go. Good work.
CircuitFox
Got it. I’m looping the CAD into a physics engine now—just a simple FEA to spot any flex spots. I’ll pull up the hinge tolerances and the counterweight layout in the next shot. Once we see the swing curve, we can adjust the tip radius or add a little rubber sleeve to damp the first hit if it feels too harsh. Let’s keep an eye on the torque curves; if the base spikes, we’ll add a secondary locking plate. You handle the angle tweaks, I’ll run the numbers. Ready when you are.