Clamp-O-Tron Jr. causing explosive launch of vehicle.

[Dr Wily]

Hello! I've got a problem that's preventing me from completing one of my projects. I'm building a off-shore drilling platform. When Vehicles land on the platform, I want to refuel them with a small vehicle that disconnects from the platform and connects with the landed vehicle. However, when I disconnect the Clamp-O-Tron Jr, the refueling vehicle gets launched up to 1,000 meters straight up in the air. If I move the wheels up so they aren't touching the platform, the problem goes away, but I'm unable to move the vehicle. If there is ANY wheel contact with the platform what so ever, the vehicle goes flying when I disconnect. I've tried various spring and dampener settings and it still goes flying. Any suggestions? The vehicle / docking ports are mounted on M-2x2 panel. Is there another material I can use that doesn't result in my refueling vehicle turning into a bullet? On the flip side, at least I have a way to make extremely fast projectiles without propellant... 

[bewing]

What kind of wheels are you using on the refueler? I think if you use small retractable wheels, and retract them before you undock the clampotron, things will work better?

[Dr Wily]

18 hours ago, bewing said:

What kind of wheels are you using on the refueler? I think if you use small retractable wheels, and retract them before you undock the clampotron, things will work better?

Oh, great idea! Yeah, I was using rover wheels. The only problem is I'll have to have a new way to move around... Maybe RCS or something. It's very frustrating that I can't use rover wheels to make a rover that can undock safely from this platform. This has to be a bug...

[bewing]

18 minutes ago, Dr Wily said:

Oh, great idea! Yeah, I was using rover wheels. The only problem is I'll have to have a new way to move around... Maybe RCS or something. It's very frustrating that I can't use rover wheels to make a rover that can undock safely from this platform. This has to be a bug...

Well, sort of. I think what's happening is that the Clampotron engages with so much force that it completely compresses the suspension of the rover wheels. So when it releases, all that stored spring energy is tossing your vehicle into the air. And there is definitely a known bug in the suspension springs in exactly that circumstance -- so they release with extra force.

But I think you could use a pair of rover wheels to get around, just so long as they are shorter than the height of the clampotron ....

You'd extend the retractables to get over the clampotron, then retract them to dock. Then undock, then extend the retractables, then use some other method (RCS) to get off the clampotron, then retract just the front set of retractables to lower yourself onto the rover wheels. Then drive around that way until you need to do more docking. Then repeat. -- But in such a small area as you are talking about, I don't think all that extra complexity would be worth it.

 

Heh. I think I may have figured a silly way to make your docking port work with rover wheels. Lemme give it a whirl and see.

[bewing]

LOL -- It works!

This is obviously just a little test design to demonstrate the principle. The point being to have the docking clampotron on a flexible arm that drops when it undocks. So there has to be some weight out on the end of the arm.

http://pastebin.com/raw/LFz51WG5

 

Edited January 4, 2017 by bewing

[Sharpy]

10 hours ago, bewing said:

Well, sort of. I think what's happening is that the Clampotron engages with so much force that it completely compresses the suspension of the rover wheels. So when it releases, all that stored spring energy is tossing your vehicle into the air. And there is definitely a known bug in the suspension springs in exactly that circumstance -- so they release with extra force.

Two vessels will collide with each other so you can say, drive your rover over your ship. But the moment they dock together, they become one vessel - and vessels don't have self-collisions (mostly... sometimes that glitches).

So, any parts that would normally push away will overlap "harmlessly". Say, rover wheels and the deck.

The moment you undock, collisions are activated again. If your two parts overlap, they will clash very violently, leading either to explosion or a very strong ejection.

Make sure your docking mechanism is made in such a way that upon docking no part of one vessel clips into another.