Transformations

Transformation (トランスフォーメーション, Toransufōmēshon); or Transform (トランスフォーム, Toransufōmu) if you failed English class, is the process by which a Transformer alters his or her form between modes. It should not be confused with reformatting, a type of full-body upgrade.

The technical details of transformation, as well as the manner in which the art was introduced to the Transformers themselves. When the issue is addressed at all, transformation is usually treated as an innovation from some point early in Cybertronian history rather than something that was literally always with them. The Transformers were, at the time of their genesis, simply Cybertronians — mechanical life-forms — and became "Transformers" only later. However, just as often in Transformers fiction the "origin" of transforming is simply not discussed.

All Cybertronians can transform into any kind of vehicle, animal, etc. Whatever they want on Cybertron or on Earth. A transformer's Transformation Cog enables them to physically transform. Without it, they wouldn't be able to do this.

"TSCHE- CHU-CHU-CHU -TSCHE"
 * —yes, there is a canonical spelling.

Transformation cogs

 * Main article: Transformation Cogs
 * Main article: Morphcores

Technical description
Transformation is often accompanied by a distinct noise — an 8Hz pulse, repeated five times, with each pulse lasting a roughly equal amount of time, whose pitch can be represented by the absolute value of a declining (for alt mode to robot mode) or increasing (for robot mode to alt-mode) sine wave. In the G1 series, the sine wave generally increased when a Transformer changed to his robot mode, and declined when he converted to vehicle form (or whichever mode was smaller/shorter.) In general, the larger the robot, the deeper the pitch of the sound, and the longer the duration of the pulses. There is no general consensus as to what onomatopoeia should be used to represent this sound.

Combiner teams have been shown to transform one component at a time, or simultaneously, into their gestalt forms. When transforming simultaneously, the pulses may sound as though they are looping over each other for one or more cycles, depending on how quickly the team members complete their combination. One-at-a-time combinations are usually accompanied by a metal "clank" when each component makes a connection. Electrostatic discharges, though rare, are also possible during such combinations.

Function
At this time, neither the cause of the Noise nor its relationship to a Transformer's ability to transform is known. It may just be a side effect to the transformation process; possibly, it represents the parts moving during transformation.