This year Team 1771 built a robot unlike any I have seen. It uses a shop vac (powered by 2 FP motors) and a large funnel to grab a ball by suction. It then uses a pneumatic cylinder arrangement to shoot the ball. The vacuum holds the ball against the funnel, and the cylinders are pressurized. When the cylinders develop enough force to break the vacuum (around 300 pounds) the ball flies off with great speed. They were able to achieve more than 6 feet vertically, and over fifteen feet horizontally. Once the bugs were out, they were able to average 5 hurdles per match, and got 7 once (I think, still waiting on video).
Unfortunately they were eliminated in the semifinals at Peachtree, and their season is done
Cad model pics here: (the CAD model shows four 3/4" cylinders, the actual bot has four 1.5" cylinders that extend only, and one 3/4" cylinder that extends and retracts)
http://picasaweb.google.com/mwilson4...33288827560866
Early season scrimmage Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeQSGmFnKAE