It is important to get real world experience in addition to a well rounded education. This is exactly what a mechanical engineering student will receive when attending the University of Evansville, starting with this exciting project.

The freshman tennis ball launcher is a project that is required for all freshmen taking ENGR 101. The students are all given the same pneumatic piston and air compressor with a specified power and capacity. After given this equipment, it is up to each small team to design and fabricate a working tennis ball launcher. Examples of possible designs include catapults, slingshots, or trebuchets. There are also limits on the size and cost of the launcher as well, so these constraints have to be considered when designing the launcher. The most challenging part of this project is designing a trigger mechanism that works consistently with the pneumatic power.

The goal of the project is to have the most accurate and most efficient working launcher. At the end of the semester, there is a competition that includes all the freshmen mechanical engineering students. Each team is graded on their design, efficiency, and accuracy.