Harbin Singh - Ring Launcher

sketchfab

This prototype was designed to verify the precision of a flywheel design for the 2020-2021 First Tech Challenge season. Constructed from 3D printed PLA plastic and laser-cut plywood, the mechanism operates by spinning a four-inch diameter flywheel at approximately 7,290 rotations per minute, enabling rings to precisely strike a target located 12 feet away and 3 feet high. Equipped with a hinge, the mechanism allows for adjustable launching angles, allowing the rings to hit the same target from various distances. The flywheel imparts significant spin to the ring, stabilizing its path through gyroscopic stabilization. To ensure proper contact between the flywheel and the ring, it is compressed 0.35 inches. Mid-arc, the ring gradually decompresses to prevent sudden release, which would cause it to spring off the flywheel if decomposition occurs too rapidly.