Design Refinemen t

These drawings below are the final two track designs that were added on.

Mechanisms Explained

• Pendulum

  • We shifted the center of mass upwards, causing the pendulum to stay tilted once a ball drops. This allows us to send a ball right, then left, then right, etc.

• Archimedes' Screw

  • This contraption is powered by two motors on each sides, fastened by a 3D Printed motor adaptor. When it spins, the ball will slowly move downwards. To prevent multiple balls from falling in and colliding, we used a stopper that would release one ball at a time. There are long plastic sticks holding the screw together. When a specific stick hits a touch sensor, it signals to the stopper that the screw has rotated one full cycle and that another ball can be released.

• Ball Sweeper

  • When a user presses down on a touch sensor, a motor flings forward and hits the ball coming out of the funnels. It will then route differently.

• Loop

  • We hot-glued pieces together here because they were worn out and broken. In order to keep the ball on the track due to its high velocity out of the loop, we created a moderately large 180° turn. It was slightly inclined towards the loop as well.