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  Course: Systems & Structures
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Combining LEGO Elements Design cool models that really work by combining LEGO System and TECHNIC elements! In some cases, you may want to design a LEGO model that looks cool and has mechanical functions. Learn how you can combine LEGO System and TECHNIC elements together to make your creation really work!  
Many of the new Make & Create Inventor Sets include examples of LEGO models that use both TECHNIC and System elements. These models, such as the flying bird in the Motion Madness set (4090) or the motorized monkey in the Motor Movers set (4094), owe their eye-catching designs to LEGO System elements, while the addition of TECHNIC elements gives movement and functionality to the models. Using System elements insures that the primary design is immediately recognizable while the TECHNIC elements make the model operate or function in a certain way.
In order to make an attractive model, it's important to use many LEGO System elements -- these elements are usually more appealing in color and shape than TECHNIC elements. You should only rely on TECHNIC elements (such as gears) for what they do best: adding functions and moving parts. Meanwhile, you can create interesting design features such as eyes, hats, mouths, beaks, tails or arms with LEGO System elements. Take a look at the arms on the Motor Movers monkey or the eyes on the Motion Madness bird to see examples of design features made with LEGO System elements. You can use LEGO System elements to make just about anything you can imagine. Try to be creative with the pieces in your collection -- you can come up with great design ideas just by thinking up other uses for common elements. Be inventive! Make it work! Adding TECHNIC elements to your LEGO System model is actually pretty easy. You don't need to be as concerned with measurements and math as much as when you are building solely with TECHNIC. When combining TECHNIC with LEGO System elements, you probably won't need to lock or brace any beams together to support your construction. Instead, interlocking will be your model's source of stability and strength. (If you do need to brace beams, just refer to the last section of the Introduction to TECHNIC lesson.) When combining the different types of elements, you will primarily use TECHNIC to add movement with gears or make quick flexible connections with connector pegs. TECHNIC elements are commonly used to add gear trains to a model. A gear train is a combination of two or more interlocking gears used to transfer rotation from one spot to another. As we mentioned earlier, the motorized monkey in the Motor Movers (4094) set owes its movement and functionality to TECHNIC elements, specifically a gear train that transfers movement to the monkey's arms. To form a quick joint, simply snap one TECHNIC beam or brick to another with a connector peg. If you used a gray connector peg, you will be able to make a swiveling joint similar to one you would make with a free-moving hinge. Use this quick TECHNIC joint trick to make arms, doors, flapping mechanisms, or anything else that pivots. If you look closely at the monkey in the Motor Movers (4094) set, you'll see that the legs are actually TECHNIC bricks snapped to connector pegs. TECHNIC levers are another easy way of adding movement to your model. A lever is a rod or arm that tilts around a fixed central point when some force is applied. One example of a TECHNIC lever is the stick of the hockey player in the Wild Wind-up (4093) set. The cross-hole brick is a key element when it comes to making a lever or arm that will swing from a fixed spot. This particular TECHNIC element is very handy for constructing jaws, legs, arms, or devices that lift, flap or tilt. Axles also make great quick legs and arms, but they aren't very strong, so you should avoid overloading them with too much weight. You can incorporate many other TECHNIC elements to add motion features to your LEGO design. If your model is human-powered, you can use the a TECHNIC pulley wheel as a crank for a wind-up motor or to drive the mechanism directly. You can attach rubber bands to connector pegs to make spring-loaded actions and shock-absorbing mechanisms. Try experimenting with the TECHNIC elements in your collection to see what interesting functions you can add to your LEGO model. Then spruce up your model with System elements to make your design look cool.
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