OK i've added 3 more meters:
"Weight 2 Actuator F*V" (times time)
This is a good measure of work done, when it isn't creating or destroying energy, but it only does that when subjected to high and abrupt accels / decels, and these errors
can be spotted and weeded out.
In short, it's pretty fool-proof, if not idiot-proof (looks away humming).
"Weight 2 CF/CP Work Done" (CF*V times time)
This just isolates the equation for the single active actuator - the initial meter combines both green weights, then both reds, then their net sum, but to eliminate the possibility of interference, here's the proof... (plus it's easier to take data from, having only 2 columns).
"Weight 2 Actuator F*d" (time-invariant)
This is a standard F*d meter - it multiplies the force 'felt' by the actuator, by its 1 meter radial displacement.
As noted already, we can't use this type of meter for an oscillating action, since it'll curve back on itself forming closed loops if we allow the actuator to switch direction, ruining the line integral (the area under the curve).
However for a single stroke in either direction, it's perfectly fine!
This means we can use it to sim each stroke independently, adjusting the graphing direction between sims when the actuator changes direction.
So, to be able to make
any use at all from the new F*d meter, we
have to break each cycle down into two strokes - the lift into the center from BDC, and then the lift from center up to TDC.
As such, here's the first 90° of a cycle, still using a ¼ J kickstart, at a fixed integration step of 1 per frame (i've found that using thousands just gives mixed results, besides making runtimes unmanageable):
(believe it or not, this is sped up - you've never seen paint dry so fast!)
Here's the integrals:
Weight 2 Actuator F*V*t = 8.35572394 J
Weight 2 CF/CP Work Done = -0.653315247 J
Weight 2 Actuator F*d = 8.354699198 J
Are you getting this? I'm struggling with it, me..
The CF work integral checks out - it's solid.
This is work done
against CF force,
by the same actuator performing the radial lift.
The radial lift that raises 9.80665 J of GPE.
Plus that CF work.
So, 9.80665 + 0.653315247 = 10.459965247 J.
10.459965247 J of work has been performed by that actuator.
That CF work was definitely done..
..and that GPE was definitely lifted.
10.459965247 J of work, in total.
For 8.35 J of input energy.
We also have 8.6 J of KE.
We
began with ¼ J, so:
8.6 - 0.25 = 8.35 J is the actual rise in KE.
So it's a
unity result, here at the halfway mark...
..except, once again, it is the
manner in which unity is being attained that is interesting - how in the hell does 8.35 J perform 10.45 J of work?
Because that 10.45 J of work was definitively done!
GPE is time-invariant and not path-dependent. It's G*m*h, period. 9.80665 J of work was definitely done by the actuator!
Plus it did another 0.65 J of work against CF!
That's 10.45 J of work, is it not? It's not 8.35. Never 8.35. How can 8.35 be 10.45?
They're two completely different numbers! Even
i know that.
But, if we've
really only spent 8.35 J doing it, then... umm.. it's
still 9.80665 J of GPE, right? And it's just sitting there.. sooo.. what if it were to
fall..?
Halfway into the cycle here, we might just have stumbled across something exciting..