Ping Pong Ball Launcher
I built a contraption that can launch a ping pong ball a set distance from 3-23 inches. A flat arm attached to a DC motor is programmed to rotate 180° and back when button D35 is pressed to hit the ball at an adjustable speed. I used SolidWorks to make the flat arm, a part to keep the ball in place before it is hit, and a holder for the DC motor. My contraption is built on an extremely tall platform to increase the range at which the ball can be launched. I used a bandsaw to cut the cardboard tubes and the slabs of wood to my desired lengths for the platform.​​​
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For my demonstration, a cup was placed at a certain distance (20 inches) within the range of my contraption. The goal was to get the ball into/hit the cup. I adjusted the speed of the motor in order to control the distance the ball traveled. My code can be accessed here.
Main Micropython Skills Used:
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PWM motor speed control
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Encoder position reading
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Debugging and error analysis
This project required a good amount of troubleshooting, as my DC motor had a lower speed capacity than I expected and also seemed to be overshooting 180° at higher speeds on the way back to its original position. I initially was not intending to create such a high platform, but did so because the ball was not being hit with enough velocity to travel a significant enough distance. However, after testing the contraption, I was able to accurately and consistently control the distance in which the ball traveled by adjusting the motor speed accordingly.
Motor Holder CAD:
Ball Holder CAD:
Flat Arm CAD:
