The Origami Forum

Hey everyone,

Can you help me to make an Origami cannon to launch a small ball vertically (like a ping-pong ball).
Are structures such as the Miura-ori origami helpful for this?

Thanks

EDITION: Forgot to mention that "the launcher has to use its own potential energy".

Depending on the type of paper (and cannon) you have in mind, I don't know that anything like this is feasible. You'd have to use thick, sturdy paper (elephant hide or even cardstock)--and even then, I think the closest you could get is some kind of catapult.
A member here who goes by Gerardo has a Balance model which could be adapted into a catapult. I'd suggest messaging him.

My first attempt would be to use a balloon like structure similar to Sipho Mabona's pufferfish (sometimes called fugu). If you aren't already familiar with that model, I recomend you watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO6eTdQi4R8

I suppose that if the object you want to launch is light and floaty enough, you could try inflating the pufferfish, placing the object in the mouth, and squeezing the body.

Also, you don't have to fold the entire pufferfish to make the balloon structure, as the diagrams require glue and are only found in an obscure tanteidan book. Simply fold the Magic Ball tessellation, with a grid of perhaps 24 or higher, and tape one end. I have done this and after wet folding in the squeezed position, it blew very nicely. I guess in your case, it would be better to wet fold it in the inflated position somehow.

Good luck!

I think the fugu idea is good. This method is the nearest one to a cannon which comes to my mind at the moment. For the diagrams, they're also available in the Czech origami convention book 2013, which is unobscurely and digitally available on Origami-Shop.
In case a catapult is enough, there is a very easy one with a nice effect in "Origami in action" by Robert J. Lang (I don't know about its availability).

Baltorigamist wrote:Depending on the type of paper (and cannon) you have in mind, I don't know that anything like this is feasible. You'd have to use thick, sturdy paper (elephant hide or even cardstock)--and even then, I think the closest you could get is some kind of catapult.
A member here who goes by Gerardo has a Balance model which could be adapted into a catapult. I'd suggest messaging him.

Thank you

I have to use an A4 regular paper.
The cannon has to launch the ball vertically and also I forgot to mention (sorry about it) that cannon has to use its own potential energy. So I think catapult has no use here.

NeverCeaseToCrease wrote:My first attempt would be to use a balloon like structure similar to Sipho Mabona's pufferfish (sometimes called fugu). If you aren't already familiar with that model, I recomend you watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO6eTdQi4R8

I suppose that if the object you want to launch is light and floaty enough, you could try inflating the pufferfish, placing the object in the mouth, and squeezing the body.

Also, you don't have to fold the entire pufferfish to make the balloon structure, as the diagrams require glue and are only found in an obscure tanteidan book. Simply fold the Magic Ball tessellation, with a grid of perhaps 24 or higher, and tape one end. I have done this and after wet folding in the squeezed position, it blew very nicely. I guess in your case, it would be better to wet fold it in the inflated position somehow.

Good luck!

Thank you,

I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that the cannon has to use its own potential energy. So we can't use our force (hands) to launch the ball. Although that Origami Fugu is very interesting

Baltorigamist wrote:A member here who goes by Gerardo has a Balance model which could be adapted into a catapult. I'd suggest messaging him.

Thanks for suggesting my model Baltorigamist .

Howel, what would be required to be considered a cannon? Is the hollow tube needed? On a different note, what rules of origami do you wish to apply? For example, only squares or will rectangles be allowed?

My Fireplace Bellows can easily launch a ping-pong ball upwards. If you're interested, you can find the diagrams in the book Practigami. It's a extremely economical book. Search for it on the web.

One last thing, firstfold is way good at creating this kind of origami models. You should contact him as well.

MotherOfThree wrote:I think the fugu idea is good. This method is the nearest one to a cannon which comes to my mind at the moment. For the diagrams, they're also available in the Czech origami convention book 2013, which is unobscurely and digitally available on Origami-Shop.
In case a catapult is enough, there is a very easy one with a nice effect in "Origami in action" by Robert J. Lang (I don't know about its availability).

Thank you,

About the catapult, the cannon has to launch the ball vertically and also I forgot (sorry) to say that cannon has to use its own potential energy. but I think catapult is not working like this.
About the Fugo, I think it doesn't use its own potential energy. i am sorry, I should have mention it.

Howel -> It's possible to quote more than one post at a time.
If the cannon needs to make and store its own potential energy, unfortunately I'm not sure something like that is easy to do in origami. The Miura-Ori corrugation /might/ work for that, but you'd need to come up with some kind of a launch mechanism and probably wetfold it.

If I might ask, why do you need a working origami cannon?

What do you mean by "own potential energy?"

I apologize, I have never studied physics in school yet, and my only understanding of potential energy is that it is energy put in from another source to be used later. My biology teacher's example was when she lifted a book with energy from her own arm, the potential energy was the kinetic energy created from dropping the book.

So, I'm guessing that when you say "own potential energy," you mean that the cannon would have to fire after being dropped? If so, I'm afraid that's probably not possible, or if it were, the projectile would not be able to fly higher than the original height of the cannon.

My biology teacher's other example of potential energy was the chemical bonds in glucose, which stores sunlight. Obviously, origami can't make or break chemical bonds, so unless there is another way to use potential energy, it probably can't be done.

And I'm as curious as Balto, why do you need a cannon, especially one that fires on its own?

Thank you guys for reaching out

Baltorigamist wrote:If I might ask, why do you need a working origami cannon?

NeverCeaseToCrease wrote:And I'm as curious as Balto, why do you need a cannon, especially one that fires on its own?

of course! this is a question that I have to answer. But I'm not good at origami!
the question is: "Folded paper structures such as the Miura-ori origami can be programmed to exhibit a wide range of elastic properties depending on their crease and defect patterns. Design and build an origami cannon to vertically launch a standard Ping-Pong ball using only a single uncut sheet of A4 paper (80g/m²)."

NeverCeaseToCrease wrote:What do you mean by "own potential energy?"

In this case for example the potential energy is like when you stretch a spring so it stores potential energy in it (it's called elastic energy).

Baltorigamist wrote: The Miura-Ori corrugation /might/ work for that, but you'd need to come up with some kind of a launch mechanism and probably wetfold it.

Can you help me? Or do you know anyone who can?

Howel wrote:the question is: "Folded paper structures such as the Miura-ori origami can be programmed to exhibit a wide range of elastic properties depending on their crease and defect patterns. Design and build an origami cannon to vertically launch a standard Ping-Pong ball using only a single uncut sheet of A4 paper (80g/m²)."

1. So it's like homework, right?
2. Do you have to have to use the Miura-ori pattern or can you also try something else?
3. Does it have to be folded in paper or are you allowed to use plastic?

Additional questions:
Does it have to be pure Origami (folding only, no cuts, no glue) or can you just craft a paper machina with cuts and glue?
You said you have to use regular A4 paper, I take it you mean 80gsm printer paper? Or can you take other A4 paper like for example elephant hide too?

Gerardo wrote:

1. So it's like homework, right?
2. Do you have to have to use the Miura-ori pattern or can you also try something else?
3. Does it have to be folded in paper or are you allowed to use plastic?

1. Yes, kind of a project.
2. We can use Miura-ori pattern or something else.
3. Just an uncut sheet of A4.

origami_8 wrote:Additional questions:
Does it have to be pure Origami (folding only, no cuts, no glue) or can you just craft a paper machina with cuts and glue?

- It has to be pure origami

origami_8 wrote:You said you have to use regular A4 paper, I take it you mean 80gsm printer paper? Or can you take other A4 paper like for example elephant hide too?

- An uncut sheet of A4 (80g/m²)

I think that the Mira Ori tessellation is not the right
One. Mira Ori is stretchy but only in one direction. The magic ball tessellation, the same one used in the fUgu, can pobobalby be used like a trampoline if the tessellation is not rolled up into a balloon. Would this count for your project?