Awesome Machines

Researchers from the Hasso Plattner Institute show off a unique material – one which can have mechanisms built into it through the use of cellular grids. These allow for motion as they collapse and expand, eliminating the need for traditional mechanisms like hinges or gears.

Until now, waterjet cutting has been reserved for large industrial shops, but the Wazer aims to bring the tech to every workshop. It uses a high pressure stream of water and abrasive particles to slice cleanly through even the hardest materials, with precision and smoothness.

Engineers from the Human-Computer Interaction Lab at Germany’s Hasso Plattner Institute demonstrate an innovative use for a laser cutter – to not just cut materials, but to use their heat to weld layers together, forming fully-assembled 3D objects in the process.

While laser engraving is typically done on wood or acrylic, this video shows a laser system which is used to add patterns or a pre-washed look to blue jeans. The completed fashions aren’t our style, but the tech is really cool. Plus, the music just makes it so much more dramatic.

(LOUD) Imagine a merry-go-round that spins its passengers around at breakneck speeds, propelled by jet engines, and you’ve got this insane thrill ride. Madagascar Institute created this crazy thing a few years back, and so far, it hasn’t killed anyone.

Also known as the Barrier Transfer Machine, this amazing heavy duty machine is used to move a length of over 13,000 feet of concrete and steel median barriers – each weighing 1500lb – to gradually change the flow of traffic on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Mike Rouleau shows off a neat bit of tech – a device which stands on a needle-like tip, but keeps itself balanced by constantly adjusting the direction and speed of motors. As one commenter put it: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

The latest creation of LEGO vending machine maker AstonishingStudios is a Pizza Hut-themed pan pizza dispenser. It accepts five $1 bills and can have up to two pies in reserve. It also dispenses correct change.

File Mattias Wandel’s LEGO Technics contraption under “oddly satisfying,” as it moves along neatly and evenly spacing wooden dominoes. Now we need Mattias to build a companion machine that knocks them all over.

While much welding is done by adding molten hot metals with a torch or electrical current, friction welding creates strong joints by rubbing metal together at a high speed. Here, two blocks of titanium are merged into one. If you thought that was cool, check this out.

Well, here’s one of the stranger contraptions we’ve ever laid eyes on. This special machine can pick up an entire cow, and gently lay it on its side so farmhands can safely trim its hooves. And yes, it’s totally normal to use a disc grinder, so don’t freak out.

Wooden Tool Man shows off a janky, but useful woodworking tool he put together – a router arm which can be moved smoothly along a tracing path to quickly produce turned wood shapes on his lathe. It ain’t pretty, but it does get the job done.

Peter Browne and his buddy Mervyn Huggett spent around 1,000 hours making a Rube Goldberg machine that delivers food and fun. The Sunday Morning Breakfast Machine can make a slice of toast, a soft-boiled egg and a cup of tea or coffee all at once.

Meccano enthusiast Peter Ashby built this fascinating machine using the classic metal building toys, with motors, chains, and gears. It’s capable of taking individual strands of string and braiding them into a single, sturdy rope.

Get your virtual sugar fix with this short, but still oddly satisfying video of a machine that serves just a single purpose: to fill plastic jars with handfuls of lollipops. Best if watched in a continuous loop.

This video shows how two-color drinking straws start out by molding hot plastic into a large tube shape, which is then gradually reduced down in size through a series of cooling trays. We’d like to hack this machine to make the world’s longest Krazy Straw.

Artists Prokop Bartoníček & Benjamin Maus created Jller, a fascinating machine that is capable of automatically identifying the geologic age of individual stones, then sorting and organizing them according to their era. Its slow and methodical approach is hypnotic.

Another amazing LEGO creation from builder Talapz. This incredible mechanical construction starts out looking like a big book, but unfolds to reveal an intricate model of Japan’s iconic Himeji Castle. It looked a little precarious there when he went to fold it back up though.

Another fantastic and hypnotic LEGO great ball contraption module by builder Akiyuki, his latest machine is designed to pickup tiny LEGO soccer balls and basketballs and put them into planetary orbits. The planetary hemispheres came from various Star Wars sets.

Instrument maker and musician Leonard Solomon shows off another one of his unusual contraptions. The Oomphalapompatronium uses a crank, belts, bladders, bottles, and PVC pipe to create something that sounds like a pipe organ with frog in its throat.

Check out this footage of the DMG MORI Lasertec 65 3D, an amazing marvel of modern engineering which is capable of first building up rough metal forms using laser deposition welding, then switching heads to precisely mill and drill them into finished parts.

In 2014, Austin Granger set the world record for largest K’nex great ball contraption with a 40ft-long machine. The 23-year old outdid himself this year, creating a mesmerizing contraption that’s a whopping 912ft. long.

At some point, we’ve all turned to playing with office supplies to pass the time at work. The guy who built this contraption used a pen, pencils, binder clips, rubber bands, and a box to create what looks like a perpetual motion machine (though pesky physics say otherwise).