Harbin Singh - Ring Launcher

This prototype served to test the accuracy of a flywheel design for the 2020- 2021 First Tech Challenge season. The mechanism is made of 3D printed PLA plastic and laser-cut plywood. This launching mechanism spins a four-inch diameter flywheel at around 7,290 rotations per minute, allowing the rings to accurately hit a target 12 feet away and 3 feet high. The mechanism is mounted on a hinge to allow it to change the angle at which the rings are launched. As a result, the rings can hit the same target from multiple distances. The flywheel gives the ring lots of spin making the path stable and accurate due to gyroscopic stabilization. The ring is compressed 0.35 inches to ensure it is in contact with the flywheel. In the middle of the arc, the ring gradually decompresses to prevent it from springing off of the flywheel if it decompresses too quickly.