Cubenovice
Forever Slow
OK
Here’s a polymer chemist’s point of view on the melting of ABS by turning:
-1-
It is perfectly possible to melt ABS plastic by spinning pieces by hand. I have personally done this up to the point where pieces were actually welded together.
This does not even require 30 TPS. See attached image where I melted the contact surface inside the cover of the product. This was not done for the purpose of this thread, the (original) image is a few years old.
-2-
On a speedcube I just cannot see this happen.
-3-
Key difference between the product in -1- and a speedcube: tightness of assembly and type of rotation.
In -1- the melting would occur when the assembly was tight (a hand crank into the cover of the product) and you would turn the handle very fast.
During the whole operation you have the same surfaces in contact with each other.
In a speedcube you rotate fast too but the cubies are not pressed tightly against each other and you will typically not have the same surfaces in constant contact.
Perhaps in a very tight cube you could generate enough heat but how’d you get up to 30 TPS on a super tight cube? And keep it up for more than a short burst?
Regarding the pieces not being in constant contact: compare R U R’ U’ at 30 TPS (cuber) vs U U U U at 30 TPS (breaking in by some sort of drill).
-4-
Regarding the smell you noticed:
I can imagine some friction heat being generated by spamming a specific alg for a long time.
Perhaps some cube dust may just get warm enough to give some smell. But I really don’t see whole cubie-surfaces getting hot enough.
Here’s a polymer chemist’s point of view on the melting of ABS by turning:
-1-
It is perfectly possible to melt ABS plastic by spinning pieces by hand. I have personally done this up to the point where pieces were actually welded together.
This does not even require 30 TPS. See attached image where I melted the contact surface inside the cover of the product. This was not done for the purpose of this thread, the (original) image is a few years old.
-2-
On a speedcube I just cannot see this happen.
-3-
Key difference between the product in -1- and a speedcube: tightness of assembly and type of rotation.
In -1- the melting would occur when the assembly was tight (a hand crank into the cover of the product) and you would turn the handle very fast.
During the whole operation you have the same surfaces in contact with each other.
In a speedcube you rotate fast too but the cubies are not pressed tightly against each other and you will typically not have the same surfaces in constant contact.
Perhaps in a very tight cube you could generate enough heat but how’d you get up to 30 TPS on a super tight cube? And keep it up for more than a short burst?
Regarding the pieces not being in constant contact: compare R U R’ U’ at 30 TPS (cuber) vs U U U U at 30 TPS (breaking in by some sort of drill).
-4-
Regarding the smell you noticed:
I can imagine some friction heat being generated by spamming a specific alg for a long time.
Perhaps some cube dust may just get warm enough to give some smell. But I really don’t see whole cubie-surfaces getting hot enough.
