Practical Application

What exactly does all this math and theory really get us? Why predict theoretical rate of fire? The answer is best described anecdotally. Suppose you are in possession of an AEG which has been pre-upgraded with a powerful spring but retains the standard ratio gearset. The range and accuracy of the AEG serves you well, but the low rate of fire is unsatisfactory. You decide to improve your rate of fire by purchasing a new gearset, but which gearset do you go with? On the one hand, you can purchase a high speed gearset to reduce your gear ratio and increase the rate of fire, but on the other hand, if the main spring and combination of parts in your mechbox result in too much load for the motor, a high-speed gearset could decrease your rate of fire. Conversely, a “torque-up” gearset could improve your rate of fire if there is already too much load for your motor to handle, but could also decrease your rate of fire if that isn't the case.

Therein lies the dilemma many have encountered when faced with the decision of which gearset to purchase. With the formulas derived above however, a solution to the dilemma is simple:

Step 1: Determine Current Rate of Fire
By using the audio-analysis method, the rate of fire for any AEG can be easily and accurately measured. It's important to note that the measured rate of fire is dependent on the output voltage of the battery, hence the measured value can change significantly with batteries in different charged states.

Step 2: Calculate Theoretical Mechbox Torque Load
Using the formula:

mechbox torque load = (- (ROF*1407*current gear ratio)/27552 + 1407)*current gear ratio

Calculate the theoretical mechbox torque load given your measured rate of fire and current gear ratio.

Step 3: Calculate Predicted Rate of Fire
Once the mechbox torque load has been determined, calculate the predicted rate of fire with your new gear ratio by using:

ROF = ((27552/1407)*(1407-(mechbox torque load/new gear ratio)))/new gear ratio

*The equations above assume that the EG1000 motor is being used. Calculations with other motors will require the substitution of that motor's operating specifications into the equation. Operation on voltages other than 8.4v will also require scaling of the equations to properly model the change in output of the motor which will be discussed in the upcoming AEG Motor article.