Please help with my Engineering Design project - ping pong ball picker and launcher

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1

Hi everyone,

As a school project I have been assigned the task of creating a remote control robot that is capable of maneuvering, picking up ping pong balls, and launching them at targets of various heights. I am given 2 small motors to use. The dimensions for the robot are that it has to fit within a 40 cm virtual cube. I am having a hard time deciding how to use only two motors to perform the 3 functions.

The overall task that I have will be to begin at a starting line. I will have to drive to the middle of a “field” (the ground will have a felt layer) and obtain the ping pong balls for launch. There are 32 ping pong balls located in the center of the arena. Somehow i will have to pick of these balls and launch them, or launch them from the ground at a target with holes in it. The holes are only 8cm in diameter and range from 15 to 30 cm above the ground.

If you have any suggestions or ideas about how i can pick up the balls, or what a simple and accurate method of launching them would be, please share your ideas.

My initial design idea is to use a ramp leading to two spining wheels to launch the ball. This will require one motor, so i will need the other motor for driving. I also need to come up with a way to load the balls.

I am just a beginner, so any advice from someone with experience would be greatly appreciated. All ideas are welcome!!!

Thanks.

2

Hi rako97,

Welcome to the RobotShop Forum. You have some interesting restrictions for your project which means you will need to have many different parts connected to one another. Note that you need a minimum of two motors to have your robot move in two dimensions, otherwise you might consider a mechanical system that allows your robot to move forward in a straight line, but reverse left or right. With regard to the actual task of pickup up the ball and lanching it, it is up to you, though other members here may have suggestions. With regard to launching, you may consider a fast spinning motor with a “barrel” or track of sorts to help with direction.

Hope this gets you started.