Dog ball launcher

Help & Support Robot Toys
1

Hi!

I require your help regarding a problem I’m encountering.

Description: Making an automatic dog ball launcher but new and never done before.

Hardware concerned: I do not want to use an arduino or a pico and keep it bare bones

  1. Another diy project used 775 DC Motor DC 12V - 24V Max 10000RPM - 20000RPM Ball Bearing Large Torque High Power Low Noise Gear Motor Electronic Component Motor 2pcs ~$30; would the above motors have enough torque to launch a tennis ball ~10-15 yards/meters? if not, what should the pair be?
  2. what kind of wheel would be good to attach to the motors? Or do I not need wheels and glue foam or anti slip tape on the motors to drive a tennis ball?
  3. what would be the best kind of battery to power this (cheaply)? Would I need anything/board from the battery to the drives?
  4. if I buy a AC power supply, 12V 5A Power Adapter AC 100-220V to DC 60W Power Supply US Plug Switching PC Power Cord, do I need a DC DC converter?
  5. if I have an on/off power button, to what do I connect it to?
  6. Do I need a servo if it is to simply power up and spin at a constant speed?
  7. Do I need a motor controller if I want to motors to spin at a constant speed?
  8. Is there anything else I would need?

Thanks for all the newbie questions. I have tried to watch some youtube videos on this and most are incomplete with what the parts are needed. This is the one video with all the parts but it is overkill for our project (driven by a pico with a ball sensor and variable motor speeds, etc)

Thanks

Software concerned: no running a pico or arduino so no software needed

Troubleshooting steps already taken:

Additional information:

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

2

@kw5232 Welcome to the RobotShop Community.

would the above motors have enough torque to launch a tennis ball ~10-15 yards/meters? if not, what should the pair be?

No clue.

what kind of wheel would be good to attach to the motors? Or do I not need wheels and glue foam or anti slip tape on the motors to drive a tennis ball?

Likely something which compresses the ball slightly and ensures contact is always at the same angle. The more friction the better (but not something sticky). Rubber is a good start.

what would be the best kind of battery to power this (cheaply)? Would I need anything/board from the battery to the drives?
if I buy a AC power supply, 12V 5A Power Adapter AC 100-220V to DC 60W Power Supply US Plug Switching PC Power Cord, do I need a DC DC converter?

That will depend entirely on the voltage and current needs of the motor(s).

if I have an on/off power button, to what do I connect it to?

You can connect it between the battery’s positive and the motors.

Do I need a servo if it is to simply power up and spin at a constant speed?

Not really unless you want to change the angle at which it’s launched.

Do I need a motor controller if I want to motors to spin at a constant speed?

Nope. If you connect a DC motor to a DC power supply it will rotate. Ideally your DC power supply would be the motor’s nominal voltage to get maximum efficiency.

Is there anything else I would need?

  • DC motor(s)
  • On/Off switch
  • Power source
  • Appropriate wiring for the current
  • Well thought through mechanics

One item might be a fuse in case the current spikes for some reason (example the ball gets stuck, you don’t want the motors to overheat). If you only want to use one motor as opposed to two, you can choose / create a pair of spur gear motors. This will also help ensure both wheels operate at the same speed, which is not always the case with two DC motors.