Answers.Body: <p>I'm not sure there's any official answer for this, however I can answer with an anecdote.</p>
  
  <p>There have been a few times where I've come across old bricks that have been assembled together for a very long time (ie many years). When prised apart, I've spotted that the studs have actually made an indentation on the sides of the tubes.</p>
  
  <p>Based on this, I wonder whether there's more danger of bricks losing their clutch power from being assembled (which means they're in compression) for a long time, rather than being repeatedly assembled and dis-assembled?</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-21T13:57:22.287Z
Answers.Text: Good points but, for this one, I'm focussing on the mechanical wear instead of the ageing effects
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-21T11:35:49.543Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-12-21T11:35:49.543Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Frankie Roberto
Answers.Body: <p>The optimal clutch power is attained after 8 to 10 couplings(search for "clutch"); that is, before that, the bricks will sometimes cling a little too much on each other.</p>
  
  <p>However, I don't think anyone ever actually stated when clutch power would start to deteriorate. I'd tend to assume that once the optimal clutch is reached, there is just enough plastic at the coupling to make it work, but not enough that it would wear of.</p>
  
  <p>Of course, as you said, I suppose there is still a little that wears off, but I'd wager it isn't that much, and it's probably negligible with regards to the manufacturing tolerance of the bricks. In other words, you're more likely to find two bricks which come loose too easily because they're at the limit of the tolerance, each at a different extreme; than to take two bricks with normal clutch power and try to wear them off so that they too come loose easily.</p>
  
  <p>Then again, I don't think it's ever been extensively tested. We'd need two bricks, and a robot that assembles/disassemble them a great many times. (Unless you want to do it manually)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-21T13:54:35.360Z
Answers.Text: I have to say that, unless there was already data available, my plan was to build a robotic rig to test this.
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-23T01:31:39.887Z
Answers.Text: You must start this right away and give your results!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Lynnea Taylor
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-12-21T08:38:39.480Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-12-21T08:38:39.480Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.Body: <h1>37,112 times</h1>
  <p>Well I did it. I built a <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html" rel="noreferrer">machine</a> to test this. It took 10 days until the LEGO at the bottom couldn't stay on anymore.</p>
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rTJKK.jpg" alt="lego clutch tester 5000" /></p>
  <p><a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html" rel="noreferrer">&gt;&gt;&gt; Check my blog for more details</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-05T10:14:46.667Z
Answers.Text: Now that's dedication
Answers.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-15T18:11:09.110Z
Answers.Text: Did one side give out more than the other, or are they both equally worn?
Answers.UserDisplayName: QWasson
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-15T18:27:07.880Z
Answers.Text: Because there was rotation in the movement, it worn for one position but sticks a little when turned 180deg
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-18T14:49:13.110Z
Answers.Text: @pcantin lol. I saw your test posted on my local LUG site. I rushed over here to post it, but somehow, you already knew about it...
Answers.UserDisplayName: Major Stackings
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-18T15:11:00.160Z
Answers.Text: I'm riding this wave of visitors for 3 days now.  This story is going around the whole net (ArsTecnica, Make blog, Arduino.cc, ... ). The cool thing for us, is that it created a massive flow of hits on our LEGO SE.  I hope that many people join us on this site.  What a promotion.
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-19T02:00:32.043Z
Answers.Text: @pcantin I think it would be very interesting to try out your device on a cheaper LEGO imitation brand brick and see if the brick wears out with significantly fewer repetitions.
Answers.UserDisplayName: ulmangt
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-19T02:06:35.320Z
Answers.Text: @ulmangt This is definitely an option when I do the next test rig.
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-01T01:50:16.180Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-03-07T19:34:11.793Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-06-18T08:28:58.637Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: pcantin
Body: <p>In <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/08/24/why-are-legos-so-expensive/">this article</a> it's mentioned that one very important feature of the LEGO bricks are their 'clutch power' which is "the ability of its bricks to snap together tightly while also being easy to separate, thereby readily allowing for de- and reconstruction"</p>
  
  <p>Since a LEGO brick is ABS plastic and will wear with use, I wonder how many times you can assemble and dis-assemble two pieces before they no longer stay together.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-12-21T01:33:34.753Z
Comments.Text: +1 for 'clutch power' - hadn't realized it was a term used for more than the character
Comments.UserDisplayName: Lynnea Taylor
Tags: <plastics><durability>
Title: How much usage can a LEGO piece take before it loses its 'clutch power'?
UserDisplayName: pcantin
ThreadText: # How much usage can a LEGO piece take before it loses its 'clutch power'?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-21)
  
  In [this article](http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/08/24/why-are-legos-so-expensive/) it's mentioned that one very important feature of the LEGO bricks are their 'clutch power' which is "the ability of its bricks to snap together tightly while also being easy to separate, thereby readily allowing for de- and reconstruction"
  
  Since a LEGO brick is ABS plastic and will wear with use, I wonder how many times you can assemble and dis-assemble two pieces before they no longer stay together.
  
  **Tags:** plastics, durability
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: +1 for 'clutch power' - hadn't realized it was a term used for more than the character  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_0 on 2013-03-01. Score: 273 | Accepted answer
  
  # 37,112 times
  
  Well I did it. I built a [machine](http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html) to test this. It took 10 days until the LEGO at the bottom couldn't stay on anymore.
  
  ![lego clutch tester 5000](https://i.sstatic.net/rTJKK.jpg)
  
  [>>> Check my blog for more details](http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Now that's dedication  
  > **username_4**: Did one side give out more than the other, or are they both equally worn?  
  > **username_0**: Because there was rotation in the movement, it worn for one position but sticks a little when turned 180deg  
  > **username_5**: @pcantin lol. I saw your test posted on my local LUG site. I rushed over here to post it, but somehow, you already knew about it...  
  > **username_0**: I'm riding this wave of visitors for 3 days now.  This story is going around the whole net (ArsTecnica, Make blog, Arduino.cc, ... ). The cool thing for us, is that it created a massive flow of hits on our LEGO SE.  I hope that many people join us on this site.  What a promotion.  
  > **username_6**: @pcantin I think it would be very interesting to try out your device on a cheaper LEGO imitation brand brick and see if the brick wears out with significantly fewer repetitions.  
  > **username_0**: @ulmangt This is definitely an option when I do the next test rig.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2012-12-21. Score: 21
  
  The optimal clutch power is attained after 8 to 10 couplings(search for "clutch"); that is, before that, the bricks will sometimes cling a little too much on each other.
  
  However, I don't think anyone ever actually stated when clutch power would start to deteriorate. I'd tend to assume that once the optimal clutch is reached, there is just enough plastic at the coupling to make it work, but not enough that it would wear of.
  
  Of course, as you said, I suppose there is still a little that wears off, but I'd wager it isn't that much, and it's probably negligible with regards to the manufacturing tolerance of the bricks. In other words, you're more likely to find two bricks which come loose too easily because they're at the limit of the tolerance, each at a different extreme; than to take two bricks with normal clutch power and try to wear them off so that they too come loose easily.
  
  Then again, I don't think it's ever been extensively tested. We'd need two bricks, and a robot that assembles/disassemble them a great many times. (Unless you want to do it manually)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I have to say that, unless there was already data available, my plan was to build a robotic rig to test this.  
  > **username_1**: You must start this right away and give your results!  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2012-12-21. Score: 12
  
  I'm not sure there's any official answer for this, however I can answer with an anecdote.
  
  There have been a few times where I've come across old bricks that have been assembled together for a very long time (ie many years). When prised apart, I've spotted that the studs have actually made an indentation on the sides of the tubes.
  
  Based on this, I wonder whether there's more danger of bricks losing their clutch power from being assembled (which means they're in compression) for a long time, rather than being repeatedly assembled and dis-assembled?
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Good points but, for this one, I'm focussing on the mechanical wear instead of the ageing effects  
  
  ---
  
  