Anyone thinking NERF ball turret

[teh_masterer]

is anyone thinking about using a turret on their robot?

i personally don't like air power but im just wondering if anyone will be thinking about shooting with air

[greencactus3]

if you mean as in air pushing the ball down a barrel. i thikn its impossible. from the size of our tanks vs diameter of the ball and the 60psi regultion doesnt hlp either

[teh_masterer]

Originally Posted by greencactus3

if you mean as in air pushing the ball down a barrel. i thikn its impossible. from the size of our tanks vs diameter of the ball and the 60psi regultion doesnt hlp either

what about the catapult

is there anyother way to do a robot that could fire a ball

[Stephen.Yanczura]

You'd have to check the rules to be sure, but I believe all air systems have to be closed.

[teh_masterer]

darn what about a pitching machine if we cant use air

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by teh_masterer

what about the catapult

is there anyother way to do a robot that could fire a ball

One of our team mentors is noodling about a system where the ball is placed in a launching tube, and then smacked with a spring-loaded paddle (like a giant ping pong ball). The spring-loaded arm would be cocked either by pneumatic cylinders or a low-RPM motor assembly. I'm not saying we are doing this, by the way, but it is one of the out-of-the-box ideas we are (kind of) considering.

[teh_masterer]

hmm that sounds like a good idea

but wouldnt the foam absorb some of the shock and keep the ball from moving as fast

[RedFire]

Is there not certain rules around using springs as well?

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by teh_masterer

darn what about a pitching machine if we cant use air

I wouldn't say "we can't use air". I'd say we have to be creative in how we use it.
Think of punching the ball instead of "spitting" it out with air.

I happen to agree that we don't have the air volume with the two Clippard's we are limited to. But if you use their air wisely, you just may be successful.

[CyberCheetah]

what about using a pool cue like object at a high velocity?

that may work

[jbobj]

We did rule out an air pressure design, but we did look at a different type of nerf gun similar to a softball pitcher.

http://www.bangzoomdesign.com/ripsaw.html

This nerf gun has a loose barrel and the wheel puts a really nice back spin on the ball. Its very accurate for a nerf gun.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by teh_masterer

is anyone thinking about using a turret on their robot?

i personally don't like air power but im just wondering if anyone will be thinking about shooting with air

Before you spend too much time on this idea, try this simple test: put your mouth on the ball, making a reasonably tight seal against the surface, and blow. Surprising, isn't it?

-dave

[eiii]

My team has been thinking about it pretty seriously, but we're a rookie team, so we don't really know what we're doing. I'm checking frantically through the manuals to make sure this is legal. I haven't found anything, but can anyone here confirm that we can do it?
The thing about 'no open systems' worries me.

[KrtZer0]

Originally Posted by eiii

My team has been thinking about it pretty seriously, but we're a rookie team, so we don't really know what we're doing. I'm checking frantically through the manuals to make sure this is legal. I haven't found anything, but can anyone here confirm that we can do it?
The thing about 'no open systems' worries me.

Turrets are very legal.

the big issue for our team is side-loading vs bottom-loading.
We are actually probably going to end up with the launching device being part of the turret with just as much movement allowed., Remember, the longer the ball stays enclosed without direct propulsion, the slower and less accurately it will go

the 'no open system' refers to the covering of fast/dangetously moving parts. There have been some pics up of teams launching through two fast-moving belts and for safety reasons, the final model will need to have those belts covered from the outside. The same will go for spinning gears and wheels that could possibly come in contact with another bot.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Before you spend too much time on this idea, try this simple test: put your mouth on the ball, making a reasonably tight seal against the surface, and blow. Surprising, isn't it?

-dave

I can't get my mouth to fit around the 7" ball.

But, I think your point is, if the ball has a tight seal and is restricted from moving until the pressure builds sufficiently*, then some surprising force can be generated.

*Sufficient = you do the math

Don