This thread is designed to do the following: Help teams whether experienced or not with launcher designs, help improve launcher designs, and to come up with new launchers (if possible). Below I am giving the main designs that have been introduced this year. The pole is for what design you think is best not what design you have. All credit for the videos goes to there sources.
To start off with the most common type of launcher, the dual flywheels:
The dual flywheels are 2 wheels set beside each other or above each other that spin at a target of 2400 - 3000 RPMs. The housing of the flywheels is usually stood horizontally (which gives better accuracy) but in some cases stood vertically (gives better distance). The best gear ratios are: 7:1 with turbo motors, 15:1 with high speed motors, 21:1 with high speed motors. The fallowing are videos of the dual flywheels, all thanks to there origins:
929w
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and many more that will not be shown.
Next is the single flywheel, with the fastest recovery time. This was pioneered in vex by 8059:
The single flywheel is a wheel that spins at a target speed of 2800 - 3200 RPMs. The ball can be entered on the top or bottom. Some teams have the ball switch directions with a bent piece of metal the goes around the wheel. The best gear ratios for this are: 35:3 with turbo motors, 21:1 with high speed motors, 25:1 with high speed motors. This design has been the fastest at recovering its full speed in about 0.7 sec. (respectively). The best examples of this design are:
The next design is the hardest to perfect but is very rewarding, as we see with team 62’s pinball launcher. This design is the catapult, whether it be a Wingus and Dingus catapult or pinball launcher, they are all catapults:
The catapult is a design that pulls back rubber bands by the means of a cam gear (or any other means), after the piston or foot releases it hits the ball and sends it flying. This is the most accurate design, as we see in team 62’s documentary video. The design works best with cam gears. The drive gear ratio depends on the rubber banding. Below are the best examples of these launchers, all credits go to the origin of these videos:
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7682
So the real question is, what is the best launcher. The dual flywheels shoot the farthest, the single flywheels ramp up fastest, and the catapult is the most accurate. Well, that is to be decided (or made more clear) by this thread. So what do you think?