The complete history of Lego technic
Sets by Year

Lego Technic 2000

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Category: Technic history 2000s
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In 2000 again a lot of new sets are released. This year a huge number of 37 sets is released. First time is the release of Starwars sets under the Technic theme. In 1999 the first Starwars set was released in the Mindstorm theme. This years release contains 3 droids; Pit DroidTM, Battle DroidTM and the Destroyer DroidTM. The sets are considerably detailed counting the pieces ranging from 236 to 654 pieces per set.
New is a kind of tuning sets for cars. This contains a tyre set a side skirt set and 2 different chassis with which you can design your own racing cars.
Additionally a few smal starter sets are introduced. Strange thing is that the same sets for Asia get a different model ID. Probably because of the fact that the text on the boxes are in Japanese.
Besides the small starter sets and the Starwars sets a big formula 1 set is released consisting of 1443 pieces named the Silver Champion. This set introduces new tyres specifically for racing cars reused in later F1 Ferrari and Williams sets. Also a new part is introduced to mimic the wishbone suspension technic we know from racing cars in real live making this model very realistic.
Also this year the Slizers aka Throwbots are continued from 1999 with 3 new sets. Additionally a new series of RoboRiders was a TECHNIC theme launched by LEGO in 1999 as a successor to the Slizers theme. It was short lived, and was discontinued in 2001, when it was replaced by BIONICLE. These sets were well marketed by Lego including dynamic designs and bidon like packaging in stead of the oldfashioned carton boxes. It also came with a story and a website. Nevertheless this theme only lasted for one year.
In this year sveral new technic parts are launched like the reinforced shock absorber to carry bigger sized cars.
Technic Liftarm
The liftarm was introduced first time in 1989 with just one type. In the years after new once were introduced one by one. In 2000 however 10 new liftarms are introduced which is a big amount considering the release of 14 liftarms in the 11 years before. The 3, 5 and 15 long and the L-shape 3x5 and some thin once.

With 25 total sets released, 2000 is tied with 1999 for the most sets ever.  2000 also holds the record for the most diverse product offering with models in almost every category imaginable.  The Tech Build / Tech Play categorization which had been in use since 1995 more or less ceased to exist this year although the numbering groups of 8200 and 8400 remained for a bit longer.

  • Only 2 of the 25 models could be considered traditional Technic.  In addition to this there was a fully motorized racer.
  • 2 new Competition play sets were released which were quite different in color and concept than the previous models.
  • A new type of play set called Speed Slammers was introduced with 3 models.  These included a launcher that could be used to propel the vehicles across the floor.
  • 3 new models in the Slizer theme were released, the last in that theme.
  • A new type of very simple play set was released called RoboRiders.  Similar in concept to Slizers, these were further precursors to Bionicle which used different construction methods and parts than typical Technic.  There were 11 models in this theme.
  • Finally, the Star Wars theme expanded into Technic with 3 models of droids with minimal functionality.

If this sounds like a lot, it is.  At this point in time, it would be very difficult for anyone to describe what "Technic" was or tell you how to distinguish a Technic model from any other model.  This was intended to expand the market but also resulted in a dilution of the brand to the point that it almost didn't mean anything.  In the future the company would go to considerable effort to do exactly the opposite of this: strengthen the Technic brand with consistent product offerings.

The two largest models of the year were very impressive and unprecedented.   The 8457 Power Puller is a subject that is obscure to many parts of the world and contained the largest tires ever as well as 20(!) engine cylinders.  The 8458 Silver Champion was one of the physically largest models ever which uses a totally new color and new tires, wheels, and suspension.

The studless system received many new parts.  At this stage, traditional Technic bricks and studless beams were fully integrated resulting in the most rigid and solid chassis construction in Technic history.

This year also featured 6 supplemental sets or "packs" which could be used to modify or expand other models: a pneumatic pack, a styling pack, a chassis pack, a silver wheel pack, a motorized base, and a speed computer.

Parts
Beams and Liftarms
The studless system was significantly expanded this year.  A series of half thickness L-shaped liftarms (shown in black) were released which have a curved reinforcement (3x3, 3x5, 5x7).  These very sturdy parts are very useful for reinforcing structure and can also be used decoratively due to the smooth surface.  Two more angled liftarms (shown in red) were released (4x4, 7x3) to compliment the existing 6x4.  Finally, the most ubiquitous studless parts of all, straight beams (shown in blue), were introduced this year.  The first lengths were 5 and 15.  It may be noted that studless beams come in odd lengths while Technic bricks come in even lengths.  However, this is not as different as it may seem because a 16L Technic brick only has 15 holes, the same as a beam.

It is possible that these studless parts were designed more with the Star Wars theme in mind than for use in traditional Technic models.  It would be several more years before Technic would go totally studless, but the Star Wars models already used this building style exclusively.

Suspension Parts
The Silver Champion included several new parts intended to simulate a Formula 1 pushrod type suspension.  The first of these is a wishbone arm.  A set of 4 of these can be used to create an aerodynamic double wishbone of a single wheel.  These parts were occasionally used in the future for other uses.  The next suspension part is a 9L rod or link.  The existing 6L link is to short to be compatible with the long wishbones.  The 9L link was used both as a steering rod and as a suspension pushrod.  Finally, the 6.5L shock absorber got a new variant with a much stiffer spring.  This version can be distinguished by being yellow as well as having a visibly different spring.

Miscellaneous Parts
A perpendicular connector was released with an axle hole and two pin holes.  The thing which makes this part special is that the axle hole is centered beneath the pin holes.  Use of this part therefore allows a 1/2 stud offset.

Finally, a engine block support (shown transparent) was released which has a built-in angle and pin holes to support engine cylinders in a V configuration.  This made Technic engines stronger and easier to build.

Wheels and Tires
Both the Power Puller and the Silver Champion introduced new wheels and tires, the largest of their respective types ever (a minifig is pictured for scale).  Both sets used the same wheel, a metallic silver painted wheel of great diameter and depth.  The wheel is reversible and looks quite different from each side.  Note that the wheel has both a central axle hole as well as 3 pin holes in a triangular pattern.  At this point, no rub existed to use the pin holes.  The Silver Champion racing tires have a grooved tread from Formula 1 at the time.  The Power Puller tire is a balloon tire with a lot of internal volume and compressibility.  Both tires have printing on the surface, a very unusual practice.  These tires were no doubt very expensive and are quite rare, though both did appear on at least one subsequent model.


2000 sets:

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Lego Technic 2001

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Category: Technic history 2000s
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The year 2001 two big events; the introduction of Bionicles and the introduction of a new 'Super Car', although not everybody will consider this model 8466 '4x4 off-roader' as 'Super Car'.
BIONICLE The theme word is a combination of "biological" and "chronical". Best repository about Bionicles. The concept can be seen as a continuation or successor of the former themes; Slizers/Throwbots and RoboRiders. Also the characters of Bionicles are based on classical elements Earth, Water, Fire and Air. Although the earlier sets of Bionicle were introduced under the flag of Lego Technic it rapidly evolved into its own theme by the enormous success it has as of the year 2002.
Strong point is probably the story lines for which Greg Farshtey is responsible. Even Lego Group still maintains a Bionicle site although the Theme was discontinued in 2010.
Showdown In The Sky Mata Nui has been busy since defeating the Skrall leader Tuma and helping Glatorian and Agori unite on Bara Magna. His quest to free his people, enslaved by the evil Makuta, continues as he journeys to the north. There, he finds an ancient fortress of the Great Beings, his creators. Inside, Mata Nui discovers a source of power so great that it could bring the smaller robot found on Bara Magna back to life. See for more stories Bionicle Site.
8466
I consider the 8466 Off-Roader released just 2 years after the Street Sensation as a Super Car also because it has the same features as 8448, but with an additional feature of all wheel drive! This off-roader is still a cross over model from technic bricks to technic lift arms. In this model however the amount of lift arms used is much more than technic brick used. The front and rear train are build out of technic lift arms so looking good. Funny is that the chassis is still designed with technic bricks which rises your eye brows during building this model.
The technic design of the all wheel drive is very like reality. Differentials in front and rear train and a differential incorporated in the gearbox. This model also uses the approach of a chassis with different coach models. Besides you could build a pneumatic tow hook with set 5218.

2001 saw a reduction in the number of sets and the number of categories to a more manageable level (10), perhaps in response to the unsustainable number of models in previous years.  There were 2 large new traditional sets, 2 re-released sets from prior years, 3 new Speed Slammers, 2 new Star Wars models, and a promotional set.  The two new sets both used a new metallic green painted color that was unique to 2001 and would never appear again.

The historical context makes it clear why Slizer and Roboriders were discontinued this year. 2001 is the year that Bionicle started and that theme superseded the others. Early Bionicle sets did bear the Technic logo, despite they are really a different theme they are added to this web site to keep the Technic theme complete.

With the addition of the new frame parts, the new models from 2001 had the most robust and sturdy chassis construction ever.  In fact the evolution to fully studless in future years would generally reduce the overall rigidity of structure from the 2001 high point.  The most notable model is the 8466 Off Roader which can arguably be considered part of the Supercar line since it contains all the same features.  With four of the Power Puller tires, this was one of the largest, heaviest sets ever.

The new parts this year would continue to expand the studless system while still adding parts with studs as well.  The catalog of panels was also expanded.

Parts
Frames
A set of 3 box or L shaped Technic frames was released.  These very rigid studded parts were used to make extremely sturdy structure.  They have since been largely phased out of Technic with the switch to studless, but are still used to reinforce large Systems models.

Beams and Liftarms
The catalog of studless part was further expanded with the addition of a 3L, 7L, 9L and 3x5 beam.  A 4L thin liftarm was also released.  The older 4L liftarm with a thicker bush at one end remained in production.

Miscellaneous Parts
A new, longer version of the perpendicular connector with 1/2 stud offset was released (shown in black).  There was also a 3L crank used as, not surprisingly, a crank.  Finally, the existing 3L pin got a similar part without friction for rotating joints.

Panels
The catalog of curved panels which had been introduced the year before was expanded.  The new panels (#5 - #8) are the same lengths as the previous but only half the width.

Suspension Parts
The Off Roader included a very important new system for supporting and steering the wheel.  Older hubs typically relied on only a single small diameter axle.  The problem of having a steered, suspended, driven axle had only been tackled on the 8880 and the solution was very large and had a lot of friction.  The new wheel hub was supported top and bottom by ball joints which mate with control arm sockets.  An existing ball joint on either side can be used for steering.  The much larger bearing area allows for the support of greater weight. and the connection to the wheel uses 3 pins instead of a single axle hole.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, a CV joint (shown in gray) eliminated the need for a u-joint on the steered axis.  The angular limit for the CV is fairly small, so this means only a correspondingly small steering lock and suspension travel is possible when used.  Both parts would be used sporadically far into the future.


2001 sets:

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Lego Technic 2002

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This year nothing spectacular was released. A lot of technic educational packages are released in stead. Besides that the series of Lego Technic Starwars was extended with a figure for R2-D2, Darth Vader, Jango Fett and Super Battle Droid.
From real Lego Technic 3 non complex starter sets are introduced. There was a Formula One set released '8461 Williams F1 Racer' but not in the Technic category although it contains a lot of Technic Lego.

This year however a few technic parts are released which will become the hit of the decades to come like the blue "Axle Pin with Friction Ridges" and other small elements which will support the design of smaller future Lego sets like the "Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with 2 Pin Holes" and "Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split". These parts will make it much easier to change building directions in small areas.
    
In line with the current strategy for Lego Technic, making models more realistic several new panel fairings were introduced.
   
Besides the small parts a new big rim was introduced for the bigger cars:

You could reasonably say there were 8 new Technic sets released in 2002, but you could also say there were 3 sets, or you could say there really weren't any.  Each point of view is correct in its own way.  Of the 8, 4 were in the Star Wars line and therefore may or may not be counted, depending on your point of view.  One was in the new Racers line although it was made of Technic parts.  The 3 "traditional" models were all re-releases and therefore not new this year.  The fact that no new traditional models were released certainly suggested something was amiss inside the company.  Some of us who were fans at the time feared that Bionicle would be replacing Technic and that it was therefore being phased out.  Thankfully, this turned out not to be the case.  Rather, the problems were related to finances within the company.

The 4 new Star Wars sets this year closed out the Star Wars Technic line.  The 8461 Williams Racer was a virtual clone of 8457 in a different color, but was released as part of the Racers line instead of the Technic line.  It is included here because it is clearly a Technic set, despite what the box says.

Spybotics was another new robotic them introduced this year but is beyond the scope of this web site.

Parts
The number of new parts was very minimal given the lack of new sets.  The new panels were used in the Williams set and the other new parts were used on the Star Wars models.  The Star Wars sets also made use of a considerable number of Bionicle parts, but those are not discussed here.

Beams and Liftarms
The catalog of studless beams was nearly completed by adding the missing 11L length and also adding a 2L length, the only even value.  An additional 2L thin liftarm was added with axle holes at each end.  This part is not used often because the adjacent axle holes fit very tightly and are therefore quite difficult to remove.

Connectors
A further set of perpendicular axle and pin connectors was added.  One of them included the useful 1/2 stud offset.

Panels
Although the old curved panels had only been in production for 2 years, a new set of even smoother panels was released (#20 - #23).  There were the same in overall dimension as the prior panels, but lacked the large slots to receive ribbed hoses.  The new panels had a lower number of smaller slots sized only for flexible axles.  The new panels did not completely replace the old.  The two types were used in conjunction with each other for years.

2002 sets:

Lego Technic 2003

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Category: Technic history 2000s
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Several technic parts were released for tuning cars. These parts are mainly used for non Technic Category technic cars.

There were 5 new Technic sets in 2003 in addition to one re-release (the third release of the pneumatic crane truck) and a final Star Wars model.  The Star Wars model was not actually labeled as Technic, but is made entirely of Technic parts so was included here.  The investment in 5 new models as well as a number of new parts allayed fears that Technic was no longer of interest to the company.

With the exception of the crane which is actually a model from a prior year, this year saw the genesis of the first fully studless models.  The new models this year had no traditional studded bricks whatsoever, and this would be the baseline for all future Technic development from this time onward.  The studless system offered a new type of building experience.  While traditional models are built from the bottom up, studless models are built from the inside out.  This makes attaching parts in many different directions much easier.  Since the feature needed to connect parts together, the stud, was no longer present, it means the primary means of connection became the pin.  This use of the pin (and also axle) as primary connectors drove the part count of studless models much higher than their predecessors.  This makes it impossible to compare the sizes of studded and studless models based on part count.  In general, studless models have about twice as many parts as their predecessors.  Because of the unique construction method, studless models tend to be very durable and can endure a lot of abuse.  However, the lack of firm connection in multiple degrees of freedom also means that they tend to be quite flexible, especially in torsion.

The largest model, the 8455 backhoe, contained the new pneumatic parts and remains the most thoroughly pneumatic set ever released to this day with 10 cylinders.  There were also 3 new Mini sets.  These were not as small as the older Micro sets, but were still smaller than traditional and were clearly aimed at younger builders, but retained a lot more in the way of function than the Micro sets.

Worth noting is that this year saw a completely new Technic packaging design with thick yellow boxes that only lasted one year.  The next year saw another totally new design.

This year started the idea of color coding common parts like pins and axles.  While this made it generally easier to tell the difference between different lengths and types, is also meant that many such parts were now in non-neutral colors which clashed with the color scheme of some models.  The main new parts for the year were an updated pneumatic system.

Parts
Pneumatics - Generation 3
A new system of pneumatics was released this year.  The previous generation had completely changed the concept from the original, but this was a more modest evolution.  The actuator stayed the same length and size, but the base was changed from 2x2 studded to studless to better align with the studless system.  As well, the valve switch was replaced with a functionally identical version that mounted with pins instead of studs.  The new switch was always dark gray.  The actuator is almost always yellow, but occasionally transparent in Education sets.

Color Coding
This year saw the introduction of color coding of common parts.  The original Technic system included axles in even lengths, always in black.  With delineations of 2 studs, it was pretty simple to tell the difference between them visually.  Eventually 3L and 5L lengths were added which made things much harder.  5L and 6L were particularly hard to tell apart.  With the introduction of a new 7L this year, LEGO® decided to color code all even lengths in black and all odd lengths in light gray.  This made it much easier to identify a length visually without resorting to measurement.

A new axle pin with friction was also introduced for which color coding was even more important.  The old frictionless axle pin was always light gray.  The new version would be nearly indistinguishable from the frictionless without a color code, although close inspection would reveal the friction ridges.  The frictionless version was changed to tan, and the new version with friction was blue.  The blue version caused the most controversy because, as a primary color, it very clearly clashes with the color scheme of some models.  A very rare black version of this part exists and is highly prized by builders.

Wheels and Tires
A new 81.6x38 large balloon tire was introduced and used on the rear of the backhoe.  A smaller version of the Technic wheel went with it and remains in use.

By Technicopedia

 

2003 sets:

Non-Technic Theme sets:

  • 8365 Tuneable Racer
  • 8366 Supersonic RC
  • 8369 Dirt Crusher RC (Yellow)
  • 8370 Nitro Stunt Bike
  • 8371 Extreme Power Bike
  • 8376 Hot Flame

 

 

Lego Technic 2004

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Category: Technic history 2000s
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Those familiar with their LEGO® history will recognize 2004 as the year that the company almost went out of business.  Their expansion into new markets and addition of new parts and colors had diluted the brand and production system to the point that it was unmanageable.  Although 2004 did not see the tremendous sprawl of Technic models of some recent years (there were only 6 sets this year), a survey of the parts in them highlights the problem.  8435 in particular has rare parts in unique colors that had never been used before or since.  Worse, there was no particular reason for these colors.  They added nothing to the model.  The other models shared similar issues to lesser degrees.

A new box design was added this year which would be the standard for a decade.  The box featured a black left edge with a main image on the right with a faded "technical" view of the model as a background.  In order to save on packaging costs, the typical box was changed from one with reinforced side walls and an reusable top flap to a very simple carton which needed to certain sections punched out to be opened.  This made the box much less useful as a storage container versus just as a shipping container, but also made the boxes easier to break down and flatten.  Instructions of this era also became much simpler than their predecessors, sometimes with only one or two parts added in a step.  While this made the instructions understandable to a younger audience, it also added a lot more pages.  At this time instructions started to be separated into multiple printed volumes.  This year the maximum number of volumes was 2, but it would go as high as 6 for some models in later years.

Of the 6 sets this year, 4 were new Technic models, one was a re-release of the pneumatic loader, and there was one new Racers model made from Technic parts.

Parts
Panels
A pair of new small panels (#24 and #25) were introduced to complement the smoother panels from the previous year.

Beam
A new 13L straight studless beam came out, completing the set of odd numbers from 3 to 15.

Turntable
A new, lower profile studless turntable came out to replace the one in use since 1990.  Like the old one, it has 24 teeth on the inner ring gear and 56 teeth on the outer.  The old turntable disappeared from Technic but is still used for large Systems models.

Connectors
A small connector (shown in black) was released specifically intended to reinforce bevel gear connections.  A couple of other useful pin connectors with multiple holes (shown in gray) were also released.

Wheels and Tires
The new large Technic wheel and 68.8 x 36 ZR tire released this year in the Ferrari Racer became the most widely used tire for fan supercar creations.  With a large diameter, a low profile, and a pin pattern which attaches to the wheel hubs, it was a natural choice although it is a bit wide for many scale applications.

Another new 68.8 x 36 H tire was released with a very strange tread pattern for the 8435 truck.  The tread is not really appropriate for a truck, so it is hard to understand why this was necessary.   It only appeared in one other Technic set and then disappeared forever.

2004 sets:

Non-Technic Theme sets:

  • 8378 Red Beast RC
  • 8386 Ferrari F1 Racer 1:10

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Lego Technic 2005

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A total of 8 Technic sets were released in 2005, 2 of which were in the Racers line.  The models had a vast size range from a couple of very small construction machines to the largest forklift, motorcycle, and mobile crane to date.  The 8421 Mobile Crane in particular was remarkable in several ways.  At the time, it was the largest Technic set ever made with almost 1900 parts.  It also included 8 tires, a motor, and a 3 stage telescoping boom, all firsts.  The 8420 Motorcycle also included many new parts including wheels, tires, an adjustable shock absorber, and a windshield.  The 8416 forklift had the first (and only) 2 stage lift mechanism.

This year began the recovery of Technic and of the whole LEGO® company with a more focused product strategy.  Gone from Technic were the various play themed sets or character based sets.  Gone was the "Tech Play" and "Tech Build distinction on the 1990's.  Instead the Technic line focused on realistic and functional representations of real world vehicles at a wide range of sizes and price points.  Although every product lineup of former years included a range of model sizes, this year could be considered the first year where there was a dedicated "flagship model": the year's largest model clearly designed to stand out at the highest price point with the highest number of parts which highlights the limit of what was possible with the Technic building system at the time.  Each year the flagship model tended to introduce new parts and push the state-of-the-art to the next logical level.

The new parts this year were remarkable in the sense of their scarcity.  Most of the new parts never appeared again in a newer set, and even those that did appear again did so rarely.

Parts:
Pneumatic Brackets
The 8421 crane came with a set of yellow brackets which are used to connect a pair of pneumatic actuators back-to-back in series (as shown) to increase the overall length and stroke.  While successful at this goal, these parts only ever appeared in one other set, and that set did not even have pneumatics.  Because of the popularity of pneumatics among fans and the need for longer length, these brackets are highly prized and very expensive to acquire.

Shock Absorber
The 8420 motorcycle introduced a new adjustable shock absorber.  This very large has a stiff spring and an adjustable collar.  If rotated 90 degrees, the collar slides up a ramp and preloads the spring resulting in a harder suspension (although the rate stays the same).  Both positions are pictured.  The yellow version of this shock only ever appeared in the one set.  Some versions of the set came with a dark gray version instead.  That version also never appeared in another Technic set but did appear in some Racers.

Windshield
The 8420 motorcycle introduced a new transparent black windshield, unique to that set.

Axles
A new 32L axle was introduced, the longest ever produced.  It was needed for the long telescoping boom of the 8421 crane.  The notched 2L axle was also changed to red to meet the new color coding policy and make sorting easier.  The older black pins are prized for their neutral color.

Gear
The line of double bevel gears was expanded to include a large 36 tooth version, nearly always black.  This gear appears in only a handful of Technic sets.

Wheels and Tires
The small 43.2 x 22 tires included in the 8415 truck have a strange tread and never appeared in another Technic set.  The large, spectacular front and rear wheels and tires of the 8420 motorcycle are unique to that set and never appeared again.  Both front and rear use the same wheel but the rear tire is wider than the front.  The tire is solid rubber (not pneumatic) and therefore quite difficult to install and remove from the wheel.

2005 sets:

Non-Technic Themes:

  • 8369 Dirt Crusher RC (Blue)
  • 8653 Enzo Ferrari 1:10

 

Lego Technic 2006

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2006 saw Technic on the road to recovery with the release of 9 new sets of which two were in the Racers line.  Among these were the highly sought after 8288 Crawler Crane and the enormous 8285 Tow Truck, the physically largest technic set ever at that time and with nearly as many parts (~1900) as the flagship 8421 Mobile Crane from the previous year.  The Tow Truck in particular highlighted a wide range of Technic parts and features with gears, linkages, pneumatics, and dampers and well as 10 tires, the most of any single Technic vehicle ever.  The 8284 model was a bit of an oddity.  While it has always been common for models to be marketed differently in different countries, in this case the alternate model (the dune buggy) was actually put on the cover of the box as the main model in North America while the rest of the world had the tractor on the cover.

While there were very few new parts this year, the color lime green appeared in Technic for the first time.

Parts
Rubber Connector
A very unusual new part this year was a 2L liftarm made from rubber with two axle holes.  This part can be used to attach parts which must be allowed a certain amount of flexibility.  Within 8288, it was used to support a ratchet pawl.  It also has use in suspensions, as an impact absorbing stop, or even as a high friction tread in fan models.

Wheels and Tires
This year saw the release of the largest non-Power Puller balloon tire, the 94.8 x 44 R.  It uses the same large Technic wheel as the flat bottomed 68.8 x 36 R. Only a handful of sets have been large enough to require such a tire.

2006 sets:

Non-Technic Themes:

  • 8674 Ferrari F1 Racer 1:8
  • 8682 Nitro Intimidator

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Lego Technic 2007

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2007 saw 8 new sets, 2 of which were in the Racers line.  But the big news for the year was the introduction of the Power Functions system.  Right from the beginning in 1977, there had been supplemental motors available for use in Technic models.  In the beginning the available motor was an ungeared 4.5V motor, and in 1982 it was finally included in a set off the shelf.  It was 1990 before this was replaced with a larger ungeared 9V motor and associated new battery box and wiring system.  Like the previous motor, this was available in supplemental sets but only rarely included in a model off the shelf.  In 1997 a geared 9V motor was released using the same power and wiring system.  Now in 2007, 30 years after the original Technic line was released, the entire system was replaced with something completely new.  This wasn't just a new motor, but an entire system of multiple motors, batteries, wiring, switches, and remote controllers.  Whereas the previous motors were fairly limited in power, the new system was designed to be able to actually propel entire models effectively.  Motors were designed to attach via the studless system.  An entire protocol for the 4-wire electrical system was developed and made publicly available, giving clues to the future of the system.  From this point forward, there was usually at least one motorized model available every year, and most larger models included instructions on how to add Power Functions.  The system itself would continue to be expanded with new powered components for years to come.

The flagship model for the year, the 8275 Bulldozer, was clearly designed to showcase the capabilities of the new Power Functions system.  With 4 motors and 2 remote receivers, it was the first ever motorized model that was fully controllable wirelessly.  This model contained at least one example of every part of the new Power Functions system.  A wide variety of shapes and colors of other models rounded out the lineup.

Although the new parts were dominated by Power Functions, a new much larger tread and sprocket system is also worthy of note.

Parts
New Treads
The original chain links and related treads had been in use since 1979.  This year a new system of much larger treads was released.  Whereas the old treads mated with standard gears, the new treads use a custom small or large sprocket.  Note that the old treads remained in production for smaller models.

Miscellaneous Parts
A new 8L axle with an integrated stop was released.  With the new Power Functions system, it was important that powered axle be retained so they wouldn't migrate out over time.  The retainer can be trapped between parts, locking the axle in place.

A new corner pin connector was also released which made stronger corner joints possible.

Power Functions
The new Power Functions system included a wide range of components:

  • Motors
    • M-motor:  The medium motor features a 3L diameter and a 6L length.  There are 4 pin holes on the front and a female 2x6 plate on the bottom for a variety of attachment options.
    • XL-motor:  The extra large motor features a 5L diameter and a 6L length.  It has many pin holes on the front and sides, but no studded attachment options.  This motor has the torque to destroy a Technic axle if stalled.
    • Both motors use internal planetary gearing and therefore have low output speed with relatively high torque.  The fact that the motors were named medium and extra large left an obvious hole for a potential small and/or large motor.
  • Power System
    • The new battery box holds 6AA batteries for a total of 9V (or less if rechargeable batteries are used).  It has an integral current limiter set at about 1A.  The battery box can only be attached studlessly with pin holes.  A 3 position switch on the top of the battery box is used to change polarity.
    • The new wiring system includes 4 conductors instead of 2.  Two of these are full time power and ground.  The other two, C1 and C2, are used for control and switching functions.  The wires are much larger and stiffer than the old wires and therefore harder to route through small spaces.
    • A new type of connector (shown in dark gray) was needed to support the new 4-conductor wiring.  Unlike the older connector, it can only be attached one way and cannot be rotated to change polarity.  The connectors can be stacked to attach components in parallel.
    • Another type of new connector (shown in light gray) is available only on extension wires.  The bottom of this connector interfaces with the old 9V system.  This allows old 9V motors to be used with the new system, or old battery boxes to use with the new motors.  However, the new remote controllers cannot be used with old battery boxes because they are powered by the 2 wires that are not present in the old system.
  • Remote Control System
    • An infrared receiver was introduced with 2 outputs and 4 channels.  Infrared has limited range and does not work well in direct sunlight, but is much less regulated than radio frequency.  The receiver output allow the control of 2 motors.  The protocol is capable of using Pulse Width Modulation to vary the speed of the motors in 6 steps in each direction, but this functionality has never been used in a Technic model.  A channel selector (orange switch) on the receiver can be set in one of four positions, allowing a maximum of 4 receivers and 8 functions to be used at one time without interference.
    • An infrared transmitter was introduced with two levers and a four position channel selector.  The switches are momentary (must be held to maintain command) and allow only 3 options: forward, back, or off.  Each output channel has a polarity reversing switch.  The transmitter uses 3AAA batteries.
    • The Power Functions system also includes a train controller which has speed control output and persistent commands (lever doesn't need to be held to maintain command), but this has never appeared in a Technic set.

2007 sets:

Non-technic theme sets:

  • 8145 Ferrari GTB Fiorano 1:10
  • 8146 Nitro Muscle

 

Lego Technic 2008

Details
Category: Technic history 2000s
Hits: 188

In 2008 the Power Functions system was expanded with a number of new parts, the most prominent of which is the mechanical linear actuator.  When including the new linear actuator, 4 of the 7 new sets from this year include Power Functions components.  This made it pretty clear that Power Functions was at the core of future product strategy.

Both the 8295 and 8297 sets were very large and could be reasonably considered the year's flagship, and even the medium scale models were unusually complex.  Model complexity and part count in general were increasing across the board at this point in history.

There were a large number of new parts this year.  Some extended the Power Functions system, some replaced older parts, and some were brand new in principle.

Parts:
Linear Actuators
A mechanical linear actuator was released.  This actuator is roughly equivalent in size to a pneumatic actuator, but instead of pressure uses an internal screw.  The advantage of this is ease of motorization and the ability to hold position.  The disadvantage is difficulty in routing the mechanical power to remote locations and a lack of correlation with the function of many real machines.

The actuator has an internal clutch which slips if driven at too high a torque but never with a back-driving load.  A pair of brackets were released to adapt the actuators to structure.

It was initially feared that the linear actuators were a replacement for pneumatics and therefore that pneumatics were out of production.  This fear persisted until 2010 when pneumatics reappeared.  Some future sets would even include both.

This part was revised in 2010 after the initial release of the 8043 Excavator to increase internal clearance and decrease friction.  New versus old parts can be distinguished by a molding mark near the input axle slot.

Power Functions
Other new Power Functions parts included a pole reverser and some LED lights.  The pole reverser serves the same function as the switch on the battery box, but can be located remotely and is somewhat easier to use.  The LED system includes two bright white lights and a diode block.  Both of these parts appeared in sets only very rarely, but are present in the supplemental Power Functions set.

Differential
A new differential gear housing was released.  The primary difference is better support for the pinion gears (in slots) which makes it easier to assemble.  The ring gear also changed from a spur type to a bevel type.  The older differential remained in production and still sees some use when it is the only one which will fit.

Suspension
A new suspension control arm was released with a 2L wishbone width and a ball joint at the end.  Overall size is slightly smaller than the old control arm with narrower end.

Universal Joint
After 31 years of production, the 4L U-joint was replaced with a 3L version to better integrate with the studless system.  The new U-joint is also made from a harder plastic which should provide extra durability.

Miscellaneous Parts
The 2L studless beam was supplemented with a new 2L version that has both an axle hole and a pin hole.  The 3L pin was changed from black to blue to help differentiate it from the regular pin.  Finally, a smooth axle connector was released.  The old ridged connector was retained for use with the driving ring transmission parts, but the new smooth connector is used where consistency with the angle connectors is needed.

Wheels and Tires
A set of new wide low profile 43.2 x 26 balloon tires and wheels was released.

 

2008 sets:

By Technicopedia

Lego Technic 2009

Details
Category: Technic history 2000s
Hits: 186

2009 saw the release of 10 new sets.  For the first time, the release of the new sets was split into two parts.  For the first half of the year the sets were released in January and included a mid-size flagship.  For the second half of the year the sets were released in July or August and included the major flagship.  This release strategy and general number of models would be the standard for future years.

The first half flagship was 8264, a large but minimally functional hauler with a motorized bed.  The 8265 Front End Loader was greatly larger and had more parts than any before even though this wasn't the year's biggest set.  With over 1000 parts it exceeded the part count of any Technic set of the first 15 years.  The second half flagship was the 8258 crane truck, one of the biggest trucks ever.  With 4 axles, 8 tires, two steered axles, and a motorized crane, it was clearly designed to be the epitome of what was possible with Technic at the time.  The summary image above shows just how large models had become and how many very sizable models were available.

Notable new parts this year included some studless frames and a large number of new smooth curved panels.  With the conversion to the studless system, models had become generally less rigid, sometimes alarmingly so, and the box frames helped a lot with this.  Technic models were also moving away of their historical roots in which a largely empty body merely hinted at the shape of the real thing, but made no serious attempt to recreate it in favor of displaying internal mechanics.  The new assortment of panels enabled a much more closed look and would be used in virtually all but the tiniest models going forward.  The use of so much smooth space facilitated the use of many more stickers.  While older models often had no stickers at all, virtually every model of this era came with a large sticker sheet.  In many cases, much of the appearance of the model depended on application of these stickers.  While this allowed for more decorated models, it also made many parts less useful for other creations.

Parts:
Frames
Two studless box frames were introduced: a 5x7 and a 5x11.  Both offer attachment only with pin holes and both are sized to rigidly house the new 3L differential between the rails. These exist only in light gray.

Miscellaneous Parts
A new 13L rack gear was released.  Unlike the original rack gear (still in production) which used studs to connect, the new rack gear is studless with both pin and axle holes at the end.  With a thicker cross section, it was also usable as an extensible beam such as for outriggers.

A 3x3 T-shaped studless beam was released.   Like the frames, it is useful for structural reinforcement.

The venerable round pin joiner was modified to include a central slot, presumably to simplify molding.  It is functionally identical to the old model and does not seem to suffer structurally from the slot.  The pins pull out before enough tension can be applied to cause a problem.

A 3L pin joiner perpendicular was released.

Finally, a 9L axle was released, completing the entire range from 2L to 10L.  This was the longest odd length axle, though longer even length 12L, 16L, and even 32L exist.

Panels
A large number of new smooth panels were released.  The mirrored curved panels were numbered #3 - #6 for the narrow panels and #13, #14, #17, and #18 for the wide panels.  There were also highly stylized panels used as fenders, mudguards, or spoilers.  A 5x11 flat panel was used to span large open spaces, and a 3x11 curved panel was used as a 90 degree edge.  All of these panels used purely studless attachment.  The previous panels, in use for only a couple of years, disappeared.

Wheels and Tires
A new 68.7 x 34 R balloon tire was released.

 

2009 sets:

By Technicopedia