By: Jason Anna, Cody Beatty, Mark Brumbaugh, Dave Clapper, Trevor Helsley, Ben Zurilla

 Build a weight-driven trebuchet to launch a Ping-Pong ball as far as possible.  Use what we have learned throughout the year to help aide in our design process.  Perform detailed calculations to predict function of final product. ◦ Restrictions:  $20 budget  3 feet maximum height  No more than 6 group members.

The three chief distinguishing characteristics of a trebuchet are:  Powered strictly by gravity (in our case by means of a counterweight).  Counterweight rotates throwing arm (usually four to six times the length of the counterweight arm) to multiply the speed of the arm and, eventually, the projectile.  The machine has a sling affixed to the end of the throwing arm, acting as a secondary fulcrum, to further multiply the speed of the projectile.

 Throwing Arm Rations- 5:1 or 4:1  Counterweight optimal ratio- 133:1 Sling Ratio- about 80% of throwing arm length Release Angle- Look at release pin and sling length (biggest contributing factors). Wheels- Not mandatory but help in conservation of momentum.

1.) Use solely wood as our building material. 2.) Use PVC pipe and construct our of 60 degree triangles. **While looking for supplies, we realized these would not work** 3.) Merged ideas: built frame our of wood, wheels out of PVC, and launching arm out of wood.

 Tested 4 different slings.  Left: Too heavy and caused late ball release.  Middle: Would not hold ball and release too early.  Right: Not Consistently releasing.

Main Problems:  Weak Trusses  Adjustment to counterweight  Launch Angle Solutions: Added supports on sides. Also made many adjustments to counterweight and launch angle (dictated by pin at end and sling length).

 "DO IT: Projects, Plans and How-Tos." DO IT Projects Plans and Howtos RSS. Word Press, 12 Dec Web. 25 Apr