I was just wondering, are pneumatic worth using as a primary method of scoring?
No.
Its possible, but you have less shots compared to a battery powered slip gear or choo choo launcher. Also pneumatic power decreases as the number of shots fired increases, so shot consistency would be a problem.
As a catapult, I don’t think so. You only get so many strokes out of two full reservoirs before you just don’t have power. They could be used to assist, but look to something else for the backbone of your scoring mechanism.
I agree with the previous posters that it is not wise to have a solely pneumatic scoring system. However, IMO, using pneumatics as a dumper assist (as some Singapore robots have used) or as a lock and release system for a catapult (as our robot is using) would be appropriate.
If you are only using the pneumatics once or twice, at max ten times during a single match, I would say that you are in pretty good shape to use pneumatics, otherwise, you simply won’t have the power in an intense match. Only think abut using them if they will be used very infrequently.
Pneumatics are better for temporary, low use changes. We successfully used our pneumatics as a modified transmission for lifting.
Depending on what you use them for. If they’re going to be used alot for lifting or so then its not fully reliable as they get weaker the more they are used. So do consider the fact that if they are used often then they will get weaker futher into the match.
How meany strokes can you get out of a tank of air, with one cylinder?
Depends on how strong you want the stroke to me.
It does depend on what you are doing… but 10 is a good rough estimate.
That’s not vary meany, only 20 max in a mach with only one cylinder. sounds like their not worth $180.00-230.00 (for kits).
Heavy-duty applications will use up air faster. It depends on what you use them for. Free load, probably 40. Using a solely pneumatic catapult may not be the best idea.
I think most of the cost is in the intricate mechanisms in those kits.
You can reduce the air consumption by adding a pressure regulator, but that lowers the force the pistons exert. This makes pneumatics great for low-force, repeated-use applications (such as a transmission), or a single-use, high-force mechanism (such as a hanging lift).
It does seem a small number, and there is definitely a cost/benefit to using pneumatics. But keep in mind that user control is only 105 seconds… 10 shots is 1 every ~10 seconds.
I was planning on using pneumatics this year. And then I realized that two motors could be used for the job of linear motion in a better and more convenient way, not to mention cheaper as well.
We are using pneumatics solely because:
a) We had them already from previous years, whereas due to parts splitting up our team only had 11 motors 
b) We needed a transmission for hang mech.
c) Pistons are easy and fast linear motion required for locking the dumpapult to launch. We considered slip gear, but ultimately decided not due to the combined weight of a), b), and c).
However, we did detach our hang mech since we felt the 1.6x speed boost in launching would be more useful, and we will now be returning to the club room with all our parts after this weekend’s competition, so we are definitely going to reconsider our call with pneumatics vs motors. If we do slip gear and switch our hang mech to a simple rack and pinion, we might be able to rig something up that accomplishes everything we need better than pneumatics.
Finally, just for the record, with just the piston for locking we got 70+ actuations on 2 tanks at 100 PSI. We configured the piston as single-acting using rubber bands for the “unlock” (since that part has to be snappy, while the lock can take ~1 second if we’re low on air). If you’re able to go single acting and have numerous low-load actuations, that’s when pneumatics are really useful. IMO, pneumatics really are only worth if they’re going to be used for 2+ things (in our example, lock and theoretical transmission). If it’s just one thing, unless it really has to be a piston, motors might be the way to go.
No