There was a time when Technic bricks alone could support
and hold together almost any motorized mechanism. But
eventually LEGO introduced stronger motors with enough
torque to push even Technic brick connections apart. Having
more torque at our disposal is an advantage in all aspects
except one—it requires structural reinforcing, adding extra
pieces whose primary purpose is to hold other pieces together
(see Figure 11-1). A properly reinforced mechanism stays
together regardless of its motor’s strength and how much
load is applied to its output, even if the load stalls the motor.
This chapter explores how to find places in a structure
where reinforcing is crucial; how to identify strong and weak
LEGO pieces; and how to create casings, chassis, frames, and
trusses to support your models.