
Ask HN: How do I launch a ping-pong ball across my office with Arduino? - fiddlerINT
I (and my coworkers) have started playing around with arduino.<p>I want too create a sh<i></i>*y (simplest) racquet made of plastics, &#x27;glue&#x27; it to a strong enough electric motor (servo?) and launch the ball across my office.<p>I have a servo motor in my starter arduino kit and it&#x27;s not strong enough. People smarter than me suggested a spring of some kind. Is it possible to do this with just an electro-motor (what kind???) ? I&#x27;m willing to pay quite above average amount for components to get this to work with an electro-motor.<p>How would you launch (repeatedly) a ping-pong ball across an office?<p>edit: I want to swing my &#x27;racquet&#x27; to launch the ball if possible.
======
joezydeco
Check this Instructable and steal some ideas from there:
[https://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-controlled-Ping-
Pon...](https://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-controlled-Ping-Pong-Balls-
Launcher/)

------
gvb
The simplest way would be to make a ping pong ball scale "spud gun" using an
electronic underground sprinkler control valve to shoot the ball.

Ref:
[http://spudgunner.com/electronic.php](http://spudgunner.com/electronic.php)

For motor based launchers, there are many ways:
[https://www.google.com/search?q=ball+launcher+mechanism](https://www.google.com/search?q=ball+launcher+mechanism)

------
h2odragon
If you're fixated on a racket, use gravity as the spring; have your motor lift
the racket and let the drop smack the ball.

I think I'd do a "pitching machine" with two drive wheels and a tube feeding
balls in. _much_ easier to make full auto, and then you can spend your effort
doing the XYZ mount and face tracking auto-aiming system.

