Rapid Fire Recovery: Shooting Back-to-Back
Why does your second shot always miss? We explain the physics of flywheel recovery and how to maintain RPM during rapid fire.
Rapid Fire Recovery: Shooting Back-to-Back
You line up. You fire 3 times.
- Shot 1: Perfect.
- Shot 2: A little low.
- Shot 3: Hits the floor.
Why? Flywheel Recovery Time.
The Physics of Energy Transfer
When your spinning wheel hits the game piece, it transfers Kinetic Energy to the piece to launch it. By definition, the wheel must lose energy. This means it slows down.
- Shot 1: 2000 RPM. (Perfect)
- Shot 2: 1600 RPM. (Too slow)
- Shot 3: 1200 RPM. (Way too slow)
Solving the Problem
1. Mass is King (Inertia)
A heavier wheel stores more energy.
- Light Wheel (Plastic): Slows down A LOT when hitting a ball. Easy to spin back up, but the shot-to-shot variance is huge.
- Heavy Wheel (Brass/Steel): Slows down very little. It acts like a battery for kinetic energy.
- Pro Tip: Add brass ring weights to your shooter wheels.
2. Software “Ready” Checks
Your code should forbid the robot from shooting until the RPM is back within target range.
if (currentRPM > targetRPM - 50) { triggerServo.activate(); }
This prevents “dud” shots, but it slows down your cycle time.
3. More Power
As discussed in our Dual-Motor blog, adding a second motor is the brute-force way to shove energy back into the system instantly.
Conclusion
If you want to fire like a machine gun, you need a heavy flywheel and a powerful motor. Don’t fight physics; use it.