Automatic Tennis Ball Thrower

Project Title

Automatic Tennis Ball Thrower

Project Area of Specialization Shared EconomyProject Summary

Tennis ball thrower is a machine that is used by the people to practice or to play tennis individually without having the other person. Its purpose is to throw the ball within a particular range with varying speed. Tennis ball machines existed long time ago, and are available in market today based on different sizes, level and price. It consists of ball storage mechanism, feeder mechanism and the launcher mechanism. Storage mechanism is where the balls are stored; feeder mechanism is from where the ball passes in order to proceed to the launcher mechanism and finally launcher mechanism is for launching the ball. Storage batteries are commonly used for providing the power supply to the tennis ball machine. In the market today there are three types of tennis ball machines present. First one is the Pneumatic tennis ball machine that uses compressed air to throw the ball. Second one is the spring based tennis ball machine which throws the ball by the force of a compressed spring. Finally the Mechanical tennis ball machine that uses two counter rotating wheels that rotate to launch the ball.

Project Objectives

1. To design an in-expensive and cost-efficient Tennis Ball Thrower Machine
2. To throw multiple balls one by one at the required rate
3. To produce Top and Back Spin

Project Implementation Method

In comparison Mechanical launcher has better characteristics in terms of stroke playing and offers better control potential than Pneumatic launcher such as greater initial velocity. On the other hand Pneumatic is difficult to control and has accuracy and repeatability problem. Thus a mechanical tennis ball thrower is decided.

Basic working of this project comprises of two oppositely rotating grooved wheels covered with rubber tubes. These wheels are attached to two different motors with a space of ball left in between. When the wheels rotate with a considerable speed this creates a kind of suction and the ball when placed in that suction is thrown on the other with some force which is how the ball reaches the player. This tennis ball thrower is mainly comprised of three main parts i.e. storage, feeder and launcher. The storage part is for storing balls before they are thrown so that the player can practice with many balls without getting paused and disturbed. This storage can be a funnel like vessel or even a twisted storage mechanism can also be considered. The feeder consists of a pipe or duct that directs the balls from the storage to the launcher. But the very important feature here is that of the switch between the storage and the feeder. This switch is based on the phenomenon of electromagnetism due to which a solenoid acts as a pull/push switch which allows only one ball at a time to go through the duct that leads the ball to the launcher. This switch has a delay few seconds so that the player gets ready for another shot rather than getting a whole battalion of balls one after another. Then comes the main part of the launcher, the launcher comprises of two wheels made from Teflon or PVC which has a specific radius. These wheels are rubber coated and have grooves in them. The wheels are left with a space of that of diameter of the ball and are connected to motors which can rotate them with various speeds. The ball when placed in the assigned space is thrown with a substantial speed to other side where the player can train. This thrower also contains the feature of top spin and back spin. If the upper wheel rotates with a higher speed than that of the lower wheel then the ball will have a top spin whereas in the opposite case it will have a back spin. 8 This whole assemble is not bigger than 2-3 feet with a weight which a teenager can easily lift. It means they are very feasible in the sports academies even the young players can easily carry them but still for more convenience the assembly is supported with small wheels so that it can be easily moved from one place to another. This thrower is very easy to use as it has no complex feature which confuses the user. This suitable structure and user friendly features make this machine ideal for the academies as they can help the players a big time which will save a lot of their time without getting exhausted and even players can train if they are all alone.

Benefits of the Project

There are several advantages of using tennis ball machine. First and the foremost is that player can practice individually. It keeps player focused and practice shorts desirably. Player can set the pitch and pace of the ball according to the level of expertise, starting from beginner level and gradually moving towards the pro level player can set the trajectory and swing of the ball accordingly. Hence it is beneficial for the all kind of players. Finally it is portable and the players can take it anywhere anytime and practice suitably without relying on anybody.

This study presents a framework for a prototype which is going to be very user friendly, easy to carry and operate while the most significant feature is that it would be very cheap and can be easily bought by the local academies as well as the individuals. It is produced with the use of local and recycles products. This can save the cost of production of machinery and Pakistan is facing electricity shortage, this device is operated on low Power which can cater the problem of electricity consumption. With a much cheaper cost compared with imported machineries, this innovation can be commercialized with a broader perspective. If tennis players use this machine, certainly their skills and the quality of the game can be improved. So, tennis sport can be promoted widely in this country and Pakistan is on the track to produce world class champions.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The expected deliverables from the prototype are: 

1. The speed of the ball approximately 180 km/hr.

2. top spin and back spin. 

3.  bluetooth module attached.

4. potable sturucture. 

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Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemType of Industry Manufacturing , Others Technologies OthersSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for People, Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	33500
d.c motors	Equipment	2	4000	8000
material for wheels	Equipment	1	4000	4000
batteries	Equipment	2	1700	3400
arduino and ics	Equipment	4	750	3000
wheels manufacturing	Miscellaneous	2	3000	6000
PCB	Equipment	1	3000	3000
material for feeder and storage parts	Equipment	2	800	1600
feeder and storage material	Equipment	2	2000	4000
storage and feeder manufacturing	Equipment	1	500	500