Multiplying the two systems will give the total advantage.ĥ Rules to Help Determine Simple & Compound Mechanical Advantage Systems: Compound MA: A Compound MA is a simple mechanical advantage system pulling on the haul line of another simple mechanical advantage.Simple MA: A Simple MA consists of a pulley system that has a single haul connection between the load and the haul team.There are three categories of mechanical advantages using pulleys: Simple, Compound, and Complex. We’ll cover, in-depth, things like horizontal systems and elevated system later, but we’ll touch briefly on these here to give you some circumspection. However, we all know that while these make up roughly 70%-80% of our mechanical advantage needs, there are other areas we want to make you aware of. Most systems in place are used during either raise or lower systems, so we’ll focus on these two areas. And yes, we’ll be covering much more in the advanced section under Technician.

So, we’re aiming at introducing you to the personality and characteristics of mechanical advantage systems. Life throws all kinds of stuff at us and systems are no different. Now, the word “theory” should grab your attention it’s a vacuum word, and we don’t work in vacuums.

We’ll start this course by getting an overview of what mechanical advantage theory is and how progressions work to build advantage into a system sequentially. An overeager group of strapping young men and women on a given mechanical advantage system can yield an explosion of power, that when not desired, could actually create problems.

The purpose is to show how we can achieve more work with less people AND that sometimes having more people can actually be dangerous. In most cases, this involves using pulleys, but that isn’t always the case. Mechanical Advantage is a measure of the force multiplication achieved by using a tool.

Mechanical advantage word problems