Friday, May 17, 2019

Electromagnetics in Pinball Machines




Pinball is an arcade game in which points are scored by manipulating a metal ball on a play field with flippers, bumpers, kickers, and slingshots. Players also aim to hit targets that are dispersed throughout the game, with some moving and some unmoving.  The pinball machine was invented by British inventor Montague Redgrave in 1871. He built it based on the game Bagatelle, which includes maneuvering ivory balls through a maze of wooden pegs. In 1933, electrification was introduced to pinball, and later became popular in arcades up until the video game boom in the 1980’s. There are countless variations of pinball, with different themes and mechanisms involved.



Electromagnets are used throughout pinball machines. When the game starts, there is a solenoid behind the ball that pushes the metal ball into the playing field of the game. The solenoid is connected to the computer and motherboard of the game, and when it is required, it is also used to send out several other metal balls into the game when a player gets a multiball advantage. Electromagnets are also used in pinball to manipulate the ball in the game. The balls used are metal, and there are electromagnets throughout the gameboard that are used to draw the metal balls in certain directions, manipulating their path. In some variations of mini pinball, there are flipper buttons a player can press, which activate electromagnets which act as invisible bumpers for the metal ball.




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