Eli5 – Why aren’t washing machines spherical?

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Why are they cylindrical shape and not ball shape. Would that not be better for more random movement of the items inside and therefore be better for washing them?

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24 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

In order to realize the benefits of the ball (spherical) shape you would need to rotate about multiple axes. It is far easier/cheaper to build a motor that has a single axis of rotation. Extrude a 2D sphere (aka disk) along a single axis, and you get a cylinder.

Anonymous 0 Comments

In addition to what everyone else said if you use a spherical washing chamber you now have to invent a way to make sure that the door always ends up in the correct place when the cycle is finished while also having a way to make sure that the sphere actually is watertight

Anonymous 0 Comments

In addition to what everyone else said if you use a spherical washing chamber you now have to invent a way to make sure that the door always ends up in the correct place when the cycle is finished while also having a way to make sure that the sphere actually is watertight

Anonymous 0 Comments

In addition to what everyone else said if you use a spherical washing chamber you now have to invent a way to make sure that the door always ends up in the correct place when the cycle is finished while also having a way to make sure that the sphere actually is watertight