So for the “Pitching In” game everyone has an intake to a catapult why is this.
it happens to be the most efficient design
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You have to load the balls in to the catapult some how. I am sure there is the possibility of a fork like design to pick up balls without an intake, but the intake seems easy, reliable and can hold an extra set of balls that are not in the launch position.
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I realized this as i did a competition today
So how did you load your catapult then?
Well its not that its the most efficient design but rather that it is the one that most people are posting in their reveals and is not that hard to build so it is a great compromise between efficiency and simplicity.
What do you propose the most efficient design is?
As of now, it seems to be the dominating design, not only among teams, but in winning events too.
My team did not have a catapult
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to be honest i feel that a conveyer system as displayed by caution tape alpha could be a better design overall i just feel that a catapult although fast can have bigger consistency problems as the rubber bands will wear out so you would have to change your rubber band frequently and if you have to change rubber bands multiple times through the competition the place were you launch from might change between an old worn out set of bands to a fresh new stiffer set. so my only real complaint about the catapult is potential for inconsistency although it does seem that many teams are having great success with it.
Can I see a picture of the conveyer system please
When it comes to getting balls, a roller intake is one of the most efficient designs. It’s also probably the easiest to make. So, simplicity and efficiency. Hence why you see it on all the robots. Heck, it’s even on Fling!
Here is their early season reveal VEX IQ Pitching In Conveyor Concept Design by 839Z - YouTube
The main reason I am not for the conveyor method is because from my experience in building it, it doesn’t work well. It was slow, inconsistent, and clunky. Also I’ve built several catapults, and if you store the robot with the catapult up, the rubber bands will last for a few weeks before needing replacing. So you don’t need to worry about replacing them during a competition. My answer isn’t the one all be all, but it’s just my take on it.
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