T-Shirt Cannon Robot

Initial prototype of cannon

Small Prototype chassis to test code on

Visualizing how the cannon will fit on the base

Making sure everything lines up

Assembling the second version of the cannon

The new revision of the cannon all assembled

Wiring up the cannon to be controlled by buttons

Testing the cannon with electronic and pneumatic controls implemented

A close up of the electronics testing

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Info

What better way is there to promote our robotics team and our engineering school than to use a robot to shoot t-shirts into the crowd at promotional events? This robot is being designed exactly for that purpose: promoting the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Design began Fall of 2020, but construction was delayed due to a pandemic and all that jazz. Construction began Fall of 2021 where a prototype cannon was designed and constructed for testing effectiveness of the design. The cannon has been designed and updated to run remotely using an electrical system controlled by an Arduino Mega to control solenoid valves to fill the ballast tank and release the compressed air to fire a t-shirt. In order to allow for repeated firing, a pneumatic system has been set up to eject the shell allowing a new shell to fall into place.

A basic test code was created but will be revised and updated as the bot takes form and the final sensors and drive system are implemented.

Currently the tilt mechanism is being designed, and we are working on assembling the chassis and figuring out how we will mount the cannon.