They've borrowed the Flintstones characters from the earlier game to test their controls. If the ball hits one particular object, little Pebbles takes a flying leap. The pinball machine is purposely powered by an outdated computer because the computing power built into consumer electronics needs to be simple, cheap and reliable, Stewart said. In cost-conscious manufacturing industries, the thinking is that the more money you save on computers, the more money can be made on the product. Stewart said the pinball project has academic significance for the students beyond what they would learn in a textbook.
Pinball is an engineering marvel.
The work involves mechanical challenges that most pinball players would never think about. One is the friction of the playfield, which determines how fast the ball can travel, which in turn determines how fast the flippers should work. Students also must consider things like the proper angles at which to place the ramps in the machine, so the ball is able to sustain its momentum. The measurements have to be exact. Jason Tam, a senior mechanical engineering student, has helped test different designs.