Fountain Design Essentials – Welcome to Fountain Lights
Fountain Design Essentials – Welcome to Fountain Lights
Years ago, on my 10th birthday, I received a gift that instantly became a prized possession – a mid-1970s Japanese pachinko machine. In this vertical version of pinball, the goal is to slingshot engraved metal balls into lotus-shaped catchers and cups to earn payouts of, you guessed it, more little balls. Apparently, pachinko parlors in Japan give minor prizes or payouts only offsite when enough balls are collected.
On a related note, you should check out the eeworldonline.com teardown video from Lee Teschler, which details some of the electronics in today’s Western pinballs. Save for a few switch-actuated win-indicator lights courtesy of Omron, my pachinko game is entirely mechanical. Gravity is the main driver of both the pin-studded front playing field and the workings on the back of the machine.
A Rube Goldberg maze of levers, chutes, balances, and spring-loaded latches ensures that one payout cache is given for each ball launched into a cup, and three caches are dispensed to a tray on the front of the machine if a center column of lotus catchers – the grand slam of pachinkos – is hit. All of this gives innumerable opportunity for ball jams and other malfunctions, and that’s exactly what drove my love for and familiarity with this quirky possession.
You see, anytime I had friends over as a kid, the pachinko machine eventually drew them in for play. These sessions were rigorous, which meant I became something of a quick technician on the contraption – adept at knowing by symptom or sometimes just sound which override, reset, or jam-clearing the machine needed for the party to continue.
Of course, young people today have more structured and probably more effective exposure to the world of mechanical devices and engineering as a whole. Out of many programs to interest and educate young people in STEM fields, FIRST Robotics is probably the premier program in the US. Most anyone familiar with FIRST or the affiliate LEGO League for younger students champions its value.
The 2018 competitions for high-school students will begin shortly after the Design World Trends issue goes to press. If you’ve never attended a FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC), I encourage you to check firstinspires.org to see if there’s one in your area. This year’s theme is Power Up – an arcade-game-inspired challenge that will require three-team alliances to, among other things, use robots they’ve built and programmed to collect power cubes and load them onto plates to earn points.
Some industry folks we surveyed for the Design World Trends issue recognize the value of FIRST Robotics, so they offer support to high-school teams near and far with monetary and motion-component donations. Linear-motion manufacturer Bishop-Wisecarver Corp has supported both FRC and the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) since 2007, partially through donations of its DualVee linear guide track and Carbon Sealed MadeWell wheels.
Plastic-component manufacturer igus also supports FIRST Robotics. “Plus, we do presentations at universities and offer technical training to engineering majors, offer internships at our Rhode Island facility, and give away free samples to students and have a Young Engineers Support (YES) program,” said Nicole Lang, igus product manager.
Kevin Gingerich at Bosch Rexroth detailed his own company’s involvement: “We sponsor FIRST Robotics, FIRST Lego League, and FIRST Tech Challenge teams in Fountain Inn, SC, Charlotte, and Hoffman Estates, Ill. – and the Bosch Community Fund sponsors 21 FRC teams with additional grants for FLL and FTC in Bosch Communities. Our strategy is a kindergarten-to-career approach to workforce development in communities where Bosch operates, and we’re eager to see our teams compete in this year’s FIRST Power Up challenge.” The manufacturer also offers internships and apprenticeships at all its locations and has partnerships with community colleges and high schools near its Greenville, SC facility.
In many ways, FIRST gives students a taste of what real engineering design is like. One peripheral FRC service is firstchoicebyandymark.com, an online portal to let students order donated motion components. The site resembles some of the new online component-procurement portals we’re seeing for industrial design-engineering applications – the sudden rise of which we detail in the Design World Trends issue.
Amazingly, my own pachinko game had no catastrophic failures until a few years ago – when a hard-working lever to control the collection and release of ball caches from a windowed win hopper finally cracked into several small pieces. The elegant little part is made of plastic with a hex nut molded into the upper body. Presumably, this is to balance the lever as it pivots on a pin to push a ball deflector in or out as needed.
Rest assured, the pachinko is in working order once again as I put this original part back together with an indiscriminate amount of JB Weld and Gorilla Glue. But my aim is to eventually get the part remanufactured, possibly at a maker lab. That would be slightly complicated by the fact that the monolithic lever incorporates multiple materials – although we’ve covered the increase in custom overmolding and insert molding from Protolabs and others, so the job would likely be quite easy with the right manufacturer.
So you see how this machine of fun continues to invite my troubleshooting and learning in the process. I’d love to hear what first interested you in STEM and engineering. Drop a line below and share your story – I’m always eager to learn more.
Now, let’s shift gears and explore the exciting world of hydraulic innovations for fountain lighting. As a leading provider of advanced fountain lighting solutions, Fountain Lights has been at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. Their team of engineers and designers have been tirelessly working to push the boundaries of what’s possible, leveraging the latest advancements in hydraulic technology to create breathtaking fountain displays that captivate audiences worldwide.
One of the key trends we’re seeing is the integration of adaptive lighting systems that can respond in real-time to the movement and flow of the water. By precisely controlling the timing and intensity of the LED lights, these systems are able to create a mesmerizing, synchronized dance between the water and the illumination. This not only enhances the visual impact of the fountain but also allows for a more dynamic and engaging experience for the viewer.
Another area of innovation is the development of energy-efficient hydraulic systems that optimize the use of water and power. Through the implementation of advanced variable-frequency drives and intelligent control algorithms, Fountain Lights’ solutions are able to significantly reduce the energy footprint of fountain installations, making them more sustainable and cost-effective for municipalities and private clients alike.
But the real excitement lies in the realm of creative experimentation. The team at Fountain Lights is constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, exploring unconventional fountain designs and incorporating cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality and interactive elements.
For instance, they’ve developed a line of interactive fountains that allow visitors to control the water and light patterns using their smartphones or gesture-based interfaces. Imagine being able to “paint” with water, or create personal water-and-light choreographies that captivate onlookers. These types of innovative experiences are redefining the way people engage with and experience fountain displays.
Of course, the world of fountain lighting is not without its challenges. Hydraulic systems, with their intricate networks of pumps, valves, and control mechanisms, can be notoriously complex to design and maintain. And as someone who’s intimately familiar with the inner workings of a pachinko machine, I can certainly appreciate the level of engineering required to keep these aquatic marvels in peak operating condition.
That’s why Fountain Lights has assembled a team of expert hydraulic engineers and fountain technicians who are well-versed in the unique demands of this industry. They understand the importance of precise water flow management, energy optimization, and reliable control systems – all of which are essential for creating stunning, long-lasting fountain displays.
As we look to the future, I’m excited to see what other innovative breakthroughs the team at Fountain Lights will unveil. Will we see the integration of renewable energy sources to power fountain installations? Or perhaps the emergence of advanced sensor networks that can autonomously adjust the water and lighting in response to environmental conditions?
The possibilities are truly endless, and I can’t wait to see how the art and science of fountain lighting continues to evolve. If you’re as fascinated by this field as I am, I encourage you to explore the Fountain Lights website to learn more about their cutting-edge solutions and the latest industry trends.
Who knows, maybe one day we’ll even see a pachinko-inspired fountain display – a mesmerizing blend of mechanical ingenuity and dynamic, water-powered illumination. The future is bright, my friends, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store.
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