Ball Pitcher Hood Design

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

What was the range?

We haven't tested the full range yet because it was an electric drill running it and we were testing things like energy absorption of the backboard, consistency of shot, best angle to approach the basket from the key, etc. Our results are similar to Jim's video, but I suspect that the reason for our convergence to similar results from different setups is the fact that we use a heavier/bulkier wheel with grippier tread versus his lighter/slippier -- both are tradeoffs between the designs and there doesn't appear to be a 'better' one so long as the implementation makes up for any potential shortcomings. It's pretty interesting.

As-is I suspect our shooter gets the ball far enough to cover half the field before it hits the ground again, which is good enough for a ball-delivery bot should the situation arise. Once we get a starting point for a more realistic motor/gearbox we'll adjust speed with some extra room for maximum "oomph" (and also some breathing room for drained batteries). It won't do full-field shots, but we're not trying to do those in the first place. At best we'll try to hit the mid or high goal from ~24 feet away.