Mini Pinball Kit: Ideas List

makerkaren — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 21:55:07 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by makerkaren on 8/7/2017 9:55:07 PM

Join the Ben Heck team every week for amazing hacks! Watch them build and mod community-inspired projects using electronics!

Back to The Ben Heck Show homepage

Mini Pinball Kit

Featured Bonus Content

See All Episodes

I want to gather all the ideas you all post for the build. If I missed something, let me know in the comments.

You guys are great. Keep the ideas coming!

Parts Needed: (so far)

Microcontroller Requirements:
- Able to process game logic at a fast pace (10,000Hz+)
- Ability to stream 2 channels of WAV audio from an SD card (sound FX/music)
- Can drive a display of some sort, such as an LCD or LED.
- Enough I/O for buttons and game sensors.
System Mechanical Requirements:
- Drive at least 2 solenoids (flippers) up to 6 would be nice.
- I/R or switch sensor control to detect what the ball is doing.
- Servo control for additional game features.
Interface Requirements:
- 2 flipper buttons, 1 start button
- Ball plunger
- On/Off switch
- USB programming port and SD card slot
Display Requirements:
- Cheap! Which means small, but not so small that a player can't read it.
- Alphanumeric to display rules, goals, and which player is up.
- Hitachi 44780 might work, if we can find them cheap enough (<$5)
Sound Requirements
- Maybe just one speaker which we mix stereo audio into.
- Maybe the flipper buttons in attract mode act as volume controls (saves us from using a knob)
- Headphone jack near the back of the unit on the main board? Keep everything on the main board if possible.
- Quick mute option?

Other Design Factors

Target audience:
- People who want to design their own games.
- Fun project for kids.
- How does this compare to the cardboard pinball kit which costs $50?
Cost:
- No more than $250, meaning we have to get our price under $80.
- What are the most expensive parts? Can we exclude things (like batteries) to make it cheaper?
- Need a wall wart for power.
Overall size:
- Slightly longer than original mini pinball, otherwise mostly the same.

Project Progress

Designed symmetrical flipper assembly that can be made for left or right based off how the metal is bent.
Designed everything to use a single size of solenoid, which is smaller (cheaper) than before.
Successful test with Teensy 3.6 MCU.
Started worked on code libraries including game state machine loop.

Project To-Do

Design more parts to be in the game, such as small pop bumpers, targets or slings. How many will be included in the kit?
Try to avoid injection molding as much as possible.
How will the case be made?
How do we make this kit as customizable as possible?
Sourcing parts.
Designing all-in-one PCB.
Best thing to use for switches? Experimenting with IR modules but they might be too expensive.

Tags: injection molding, project aesthetics, portable pinball, micro controller, concepts, audio, tbhs, infrared, project, theb en heck show, pcb, projects, tbhs pinball kit, princted circuit board, the ben heck show, case design, the ben heck show mini pinball kit, usb programming, injection moulding, ideas, aeshtetics, pinball concepts, pinball, microcontroller, project progress, mcu, teensy 3.6 mcu, teensy, mini pinball kit, pinball design, infra-red, teensy 3.6, arduino, flippers, pinball ideas