pic: FRC 2869 - 2016 Shooter

[notmattlythgoe]

Originally Posted by Orion.DeYoe

Yeah, I was attempting to indirectly point out that you can't say a wheel is, or isn't, a flywheel based on its weight. Because whether or not it's "heavy" just depends on how much energy you need to store.

I just wanted to emphasize the fact that the OP's terminology was correct and that these are considered flywheels in this application.

But they're not, these wheels are not storing energy (or at least enough energy to make any difference) which is the exact point of a flywheel.

[IndySam]

That's a flywheel!

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by notmattlythgoe

But they're not, these wheels are not storing energy (or at least enough energy to make any difference) which is the exact point of a flywheel.

Yes they are. They're storing kinetic energy. If the wheel needs to be spun up before the ball contacts it for it to work as intended, then the wheel is a flywheel. Whether or not it is a particularly good flywheel isn't relevant. Spinning wheel shooters in FRC work by storing kinetic energy, which is exactly what a flywheel is.

[Electronica1]

Originally Posted by notmattlythgoe

But they're not, these wheels are not storing energy (or at least enough energy to make any difference) which is the exact point of a flywheel.

It is still a flywheel, just not a particularly good one.