Origami Launcher

Friendly design and folding competitions.
Baltorigamist
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Baltorigamist »

Howel wrote: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)."
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?
First, let me clarify: I was confusing the Miura-Ori with the Magic Ball tessellation, though it's possible that either could work.
The technique I have in mind involves folding the corrugation on one side of the paper and leaving plain pleats on the other side. Then you could bend the corrugated part back on itself (kind of like a black hole shape) with the regular pleats outlining a cavity on the inside. You could lock the pleats together and place the ball in the middle, then pull the pleats down and release them to launch the ball.

(I know it's hard to picture, so maybe I can come up with an example to show you.)
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origami_8
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by origami_8 »

What about a "Spring into Action"?
Otherwise I guess folding the paper in half lengthwise a few times and then folding this thicker sheet zig-zag into a spring should work too.
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Gerardo
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

Howel, how high must the ping pong ball reach? I did a test, with an idea of mine, and I was able to reach around 30 (11 13/16 in) to 50 cm (19 11/16 in) using a 75 g/m2 letter size copy paper; it's easier for me to find than A4 size. Is that high enough?

It's a pity we can't use other sizes nor other materials, I'm sure I could make something a lot more interesting without those restrains :).
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Howel »

NeverCeaseToCrease wrote: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?
Baltorigamist wrote:First, let me clarify: I was confusing the Miura-Ori with the Magic Ball tessellation, though it's possible that either could work.
The technique I have in mind involves folding the corrugation on one side of the paper and leaving plain pleats on the other side. Then you could bend the corrugated part back on itself (kind of like a black hole shape) with the regular pleats outlining a cavity on the inside. You could lock the pleats together and place the ball in the middle, then pull the pleats down and release them to launch the ball.
origami_8 wrote:What about a "Spring into Action"?
Otherwise I guess folding the paper in half lengthwise a few times and then folding this thicker sheet zig-zag into a spring should work too.
I've tried to fold it like this. Did you mean that?
I know it's not good but I'm trying to improve it.
Spring into action seems very interesting. Thank you :)
Gerardo wrote:Howel, how high must the ping pong ball reach?.
The more, the better :D
Gerardo wrote:I did a test, with an idea of mine, and I was able to reach around 30 (11 13/16 in) to 50 cm (19 11/16 in) using a 75 g/m2 letter size copy paper; it's easier for me to find than A4 size. Is that high enough?.
Really? Can you show it? :D
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

No one else fed this thread afterwards?! I was really hoping to see different ideas on video :(.

Anyway, I made a couple of videos and took some pictures. I tried out two ideas, one only shot the Ping Pong ball around 10 cm (3 15/16 in) high while the other shot it around 1 m (39 3/8 in). I measured the distance for the videos. Let me remind you I used letter size copy paper (75 g/m2) since I can't easily find A4 size.

I'll organize, upload everything, and share the links here tonight. Howel, have you tried any other idea? How high have you been able to shoot the Ping Pong ball? And PLEASE tell us what EXACTLY is this for? I really wanna know.
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

Launcher A: I made a "spring" folding water bomb bases. I don't know if this type of folded structures have a name. Jo Nakashima uses it to fold the neck of some of his humanoid models. The ball only jumped around 10 cm (3 15/16 in) high with this launcher.
Video: https://www.facebook.com/neorigami2/vid ... =3&theater

Launcher B:
It uses the same principle of certain catapults, flexing a relatively hard but also elastic material. The ball jumped around 1 m (39 3/8 in) high with this launcher.
Video: https://www.facebook.com/neorigami2/vid ... =3&theater
Steps to fold launcher B: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i07-Bg ... sp=sharing Make every fold tightly in order to add strength to the launcher. You should know: it's easy to accidentally tear the paper with the last step.

You must get the hang of launcher B in order to shoot the ball properly. Sometimes the ball followed a slanted trayectory and sometimes it didn't jump high enough. Use both hands to press the ball softly just halfway down and simply let go immediately.
Last edited by Gerardo on January 10th, 2018, 6:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by NeverCeaseToCrease »

I recall now that when I was a kid, I would sometimes go to school events or such where I would get a nametag sticker. Almost everytime I got bored, I would fold the little 2x3 inch (pardon my American measurements) waxy paper that comes with the sticker into a small pull-back catapult from a bird base. It could launch a pea-sized crumpled paper about 5 inches up and 10 inches forward, approximately. These were my two observations:

First of all, thicker paper makes a significant difference. I suppose that this is because thicker paper is stiffer and requires more energy to pull back, therefore releasing more potential energy when released. This is shown in Gerardo's models too, where launcher B is obviously much thicker and launches higher.

Secondly, launchers lose some strength/elasticity after each launch. I found that I could only do about 7-8 launches before the small catapult stopped working. After a while, the arm of my catapult would be "used to" being bent back. In the case of Gerardo's launchers, I'm sure the paper will eventually become "used to" being compressed, and will require less potential energy to pull back. Of course, my paper was tiny and thin, so a thick model made from A4 paper should last longer than 7-8 launches.

I can post a picture/video of my old design of those catapults if needed, but I don't think it will be very helpful because it can't launch vertically.

Howel, is this for an engineering class or something? Do you still need to use a tessellation? And if it is an assignment, when is the due date?
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by firstfold »

Here are some things I have done in the past –

















Here are other unusual approaches:
1. A drop lever – using a beam construction like “ slip and stick” make a beam that has extra paper folded over at one end to give more weight at that end. Hold the beam horizontally above the edge of a table. Place the ball at the light end. Drop the beam and ball together so it will strike the table about 2/3 over the table with the ball and small end of the beam over the table and the other weighted end off the table. The ball will be flipped into the air. Experiment with a ruler and a pingpong ball to see what I mean. Whop
2. A drop bellows. Construct a bellows out of paper such that a small opening is at the top and air is pushed (and pulled) from the bottom. Place the ball over the hole and drop the ball and bellows together. Poof

3. Air compression tubes – Make two tubes with one tube that slides inside the other. The outer tube should be sealed (folded tight) at the end. Slide together part way, insert the ball ad slide together to expel ball – Pop

4. Gravity Sling – Make two long paper beams. Connect the beams at one end with a paper hinge. At the other ends connect the beam with a long rectangle of paper so the beams and paper form a 90, 45, 45 triangle. Place the ball in the middle of the paper and draw the ball inward so the beams are more parallel and perpendicular to the floor (bottom of both Beams on the floor). Hold one beam static and release the top of the other beam. The paper will open with the weight of the beam propelling the ball. SPLAT
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

It's really cool that your participating in this thread firstfold! Remember that the launcher has to be folded from a single A4 copy paper sheet. It seemed to me some of your ideas needed more than one sheet.

Will you try and show us a video? I hope so!
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by firstfold »



I have been working on several ways to approach this problem - this is perhaps my most successful method that meets the rules for this challenge.

I have also been exploring my "serendipitous spring" design ans a single sheet shooter. See the "Wicked Twist" design on Flickr. It makes for an interesting design, but is substantially less successful in accurately projecting a ping-pong ball than the "Thrown for a loop" design shown here.
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

Awesome firstfold! I new you would come up with an interesting idea. Good thing you used the vice grips. Any way you can really measure the height when shooting using the vice grip?

Also, I REALLY hope to see "Wicked Twist" shooting a Ping Pong ball! Any way we can get a video? How high did it jump with that launcher?
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by firstfold »



None of these designs come close to being as good a launcher as the "Thrown for a Loop" but they are more interesting to look at.

I wanted to compare the efficiency of these launchers over Time so I used card stock but the same size as standard printer paper. I also folded these designs in paper but they would not hold up for 20 or so tests and had less than half the power.

I may perform more tests by adding a plunger apparatus (like I used in my "origami Pinball Game"). This will allow me more control in the amount of compression and will tend to constrain the path of flight to a straighter line. Thus the comparison of designs will be more controlled. I might also be able to use standard printer paper at the prescribed weight.

The triangular design is the easiest to fold if you want to try one on your own.
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Gerardo »

They look awesome firstfold! It's a great idea to use the plunger apparatus and I really hope to see how do the Spring Fling designs perfom folded from A4 80 g/m2 copy paper.

People mentioned launching the ball using Yuri Shumakov's Magic Ball. Might it perform better than your Spring Fling designs?

It has been a very didactic challenge :).
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by firstfold »



Discussion –
Here are the factors which might improve spring style design.
The weight and quality of paper seems to be one of the most important factors in enhancing the performance of a paper folded spring.
The next most important factor is perhaps the number of pleats and corner turns in the design.
The third most important might be the accuracy of folds. I tend to fold a bit too quickly being more interested in trying as much variety as possible and sacrificing the quality of my folds.
The following factors provided some improvement in performance.
Jeremy Shafer suggested that doubling or quadrupling the paper before pleating might improve performance. It did have a slight improvement but not without some additional problems. Doubling a paper results in smaller side lengths and the area inside the spring using 12 pleats could only be doubled using the triangular design. Secondly, doubling or for that matter overlapping layers created additional friction. The spiral design is a solution to overlapping as the multiple layers can be separated by space, reducing the friction crated. I think for a spring-based pin-ball launcher, I was most satisfied with the spiral design.
The twisted (slanted pleats) design provided some improvement over the straight pleat design, but this is a much more difficult fold to make and makes directional control more difficult. Generally, I would say that the spiral design with straight pleats makes for the most successful fold. 90 degree corners on pleats is much easier to make and fold accurately.
I tried making a plunger device like used in my pinball game (with a rod through the center of the spring) but it did not perform well in launching in a vertical direction. It either hung up or was slowed by the friction of the rod against the spring especially with a spring with a small interior diameter as required when doubling layers.
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Re: Origami Launcher

Post by Tankoda »

Nice work Firstfold! Very thorough. I did notice that the spring itself is usually launched into the air. Were the base of the spring affixed to the ground (thus preventing it from springing into the air), I wonder if your efficiency and therefore height would increase? or possibly decline? I don't know.

Just a thought.
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