Some catapult tips

[79298A-terry]

Hello everybody! Our robot is currently using a flywheel but we would like to improve. I believe that a catapult is a great alternative (being small enough to go under and its lightweight properties, while not sacrificing power.) Does anyone have some coding tips/building tips? Thanks so much!

[79298D]

I think you are doing vex v5 not vex iq so this may not help you but…
The only downside with a catapult is that your matchloaders need good rhythm. I also suggest getting an elevation because if you can get a consistent elevation, it’s a free 20 point advantage every match. Just make sure it doesn’t interfere with anything

[Gigahertz.t]

Sorry no one has replied to your post, I am also buildign my first (tbh pretty cursed) cata too this year. Here are some things I’ve learned:

1. Use high strength shafts if possible, depending on the amount of rubber bands low strength shafts might bend after 22 consecutive shots
2. Use bearing flats
3. Mount your cata, slip gears, and motor to the same structure if possible, as it reduces the effects of warp (my team and I mounted our motors and cata to 2 different structures of our robots, which each warped individually and ruined the gear mesh. Mounting them to the same structure or standoff-ing them together will make all the parts warp together, ensuring constant gear mesh)
4. Sand just a little beyond the teeth to ensure a nice slip
5. Don’t try and go for a meta, jsut go for something that works. A well-built simple cata that has trained match loaders and drivers is much better than a complicated “meta” that was finished just before a comp without trained drive team members
   (Specific building tips)
6. Go for a quick cata (launch as much as possible before defence comes) or elevated cata (try to go above the blockers), as there is a lot of defence this year
7. Don’t use a 5.5w motor; 11w is a minimum, but 22w would ensure a nice distance and reload time
   Well, good luck building!

[Maddox_Heaton]

Ok I got some. Our team is making a bot with a catapult.

1. Make the arm part of your catapult as long as possible. That will help you be able to catapult over most bots that aren’t made for blocking and a few that are. If you do this you can also block and it will be useful on the offensive side.

2. Don’t use motors for launching. You will want to use rubber bands to launch with motors pulling it back. If you are doing this you will need a slip gear to pull it down. Also make the bands easy to put on and take off while being secure. The bands break a lot.

3. Make sure that your triball is secure and will not fall out of the catapult.

4. The optimal angle for a catapult to launch is 45 degrees, so that is where you will want to stop the catapult arm.

Well I hope that these could help.