400ft+ Trebuchet Shot

For an introduction to engineering class my freshman year, we built a small trebuchet that fired a baseball a max distance of 459ft with an average of 430ft

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• trebuchet
• siege
• engine
• catapult
• projectile

[XxxJcommonsxxX]

do you guys have any plans on how to build this? its for a physics project. my e-mail Jakecommons@yahoo.com. thanks

[aharrin1]

@XxxJcommonsxxX see my post above 

[48hash]

hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on

[FussyCashew]

Haha the oversized sling shot i made throws softballs, tennis balls and golf balls great distances. Not so much pumpkins tho lol

[aharrin1]

one more comment @zoidberg227. If you or anyone in your engineering club knows MATLAB, you can derive the equations of motion for each part of the machine and create a simulation. The distances that are calculated won't necessarily be accurate but the trends will be correct. My junior year in college I did that for a final project for a class and was able to find a more optimal sling length and 'pendulum' distance. Also, the addition of wheels will increase the distance of the throw too

[Zoidberg227]

@aharrin1 Thanks!  Some of this is stuff we're discussing, and the additional input is much appreciated.

[aharrin1]

@Zoidberg227 thus, if you can get the weights to fall nearly vertical, when they reach the bottom, they will have to make an immediate direction change. The forces on the axle are calculated by the force required to stop the counter masses from falling. The 'G's are fairly high and as I said in my previous comment, we used a standard steel pipe the first time and it bent in half. Use a solid steel rod and if you have access to a machine shop, have them polish it up to reduce friction.

[aharrin1]

@Zoidberg227 : yes you can calculate the forces imparted on the axle. But related to this calculation is a big tip that I have for you. Try and get the counter weights to fall as vertical as possible. This will impart the most amount of force to the sling and projectile. There will be two dimensions you can "play" with to do this which is the moment arm on the side of the weights and the 'pendulum' if you will, that hangs down from that moment arm....

[Zoidberg227]

@aharrin1 This is good to know.  My engineering club is working on a trebuchet project this summer, and the strength of the throwing arm axle is definitely of concern. Do you have any recollection, however vague, on the forces imparted on the axle, if this was something you calculated or estimated?

[STFUbelgium]

Imagine loading it with M80s..

[crazypuma164]

i bet it rolled another 100 feet though right? so it probably didn't actually shoot 400 feet.

[HardikG121]

dang thats far