Group 24 - Tippmann 98 Custom - Gate 4

Figure 1: Tippmann 98 Custom Paintball Marker

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Purpose

The purpose of this stage of the project was to show the process of reassembling the tippmann 98 custom marker. After going through this page a person with no knowledge of the marker should be able to properly reassemble it following the step-by-step guide given. Also design revisions were proposed in order to improve the workings of the marker.

Cause for Corrective Action

The way this group has been working together is phenomenal. After the previous gate we are very pleased with our work. We put in many hours in order to perfect our work and make it easy to follow. We were told that our work on the wiki page was getting disorganized so we made it a goal to make this not happen again. So in the previous gate we made the section titles obvious so if the reader was looking for something specific it would not be difficult to find.

The group is continuing to meet at the given time of 5 after each class on Monday. We also have had some un-planned meetings during the week but with the good communication between each member this has not been a problem.

As the final weeks approach school we are going to continue to meet on Mondays and try to complete our fifth gate before finals begin. To achieve this we are going to work together on revising the gates so they can be finalized in a reasonable amount of time.

Product Reassembly

Difficulty Scale

Below is a difficulty scale that was used for each individual step. The difficulty was based on tools needed, time for completion, and force used:

1-Minimum: This step required little to no force to complete the task at hand. It would take a short amount a time and only one person was needed. The components being assembled could be easily be put together with your hands with little to no confusion.

2-Adequate: This step used a moderate amount of knowledge to be assembled. A tool could be used or multiple hands were needed. More time was needed in this step, but it wouldn’t require more than one person.

3-Maximum: This step required directions or pictures in order to be completed. The components being assembled needed precise position and order. This step needed the most time and more care was given in order to prevent any further problems it could present.

Table 1: Reassembly

Step	Description	Tool	Difficulty (1-3)	Picture
1	Screw the vertical adapter into the bottom of the power tube.	Hand	2
2	Insert rear bolt insert into rear bolt	Hand	1
3	Align front bolt and rear bolt with the power tube outside of the marker	Hand	1
4	Place aligned bolt system into the right side casing.	Hand	2
5	Attach linkage arm to front bolt and rear bolt.	Hand	1
6	Place the guide pin into the drive spring and connect to end cap, put buffer O-ring around the spring and pin.	Hand	1
7	Insert the drive-spring and end cap at the back of the marker; align the rear bolt with the grooves in the casing.	Hand	2
8	Insert ball ledge, trigger guard, safety, and rear sight dovetail into their designated contoured positions on the marker casing.	Hand	1
9	Place the seven long pins in marker near the trigger area. Also align trigger with long pins and position the trigger spring underneath top arm of trigger	Hand	2
10	Attach seer to necessary long-pin and attach spring to seer and pin as shown.	Hand	2
11	Insert short pin and front sight spring into the front of the marker, adjust the front sight over both such that the two holes on the front sight fit over the pin and spring arm.	Hand	3
12	Place tank adapter nuts on the bottom of the handle	Hand	1
13	Align left side casing with all pins and fix in place	Hand	1
14	Screw in 6 receiver bolts into the left side casing to connect the housings.	1/8” Hex key	1
15	Flip the marker and screw the two valve bolts into the right side casing.	Hand and 1/8” Hex key	1
16	Screw in tank adapter and expansion chamber to the gas line.	Hand	1
17	Screw in expansion chamber to front grip	Hand	1
18	Attach tank adapter to bottom of handle using tank adapter screws	1/8” Hex key	1
19	Screw the elbow latch into the elbow feed using the elbow latch screws	Phillips Head Screwdriver	1
20	Screw the barrel into the front of the marker and attack the feed elbow onto the right side of the marker	Hand	1

Challenges During Reassembly

During the reassemble process the group encountered only a few challenges. The first problem we ran into was how to describe the reassembly process in words so we could place them in the table above. It was very simple for us to do with our hands and to describe it verbally but when we were typing up the table we struggled making it clear to the user. What was most difficult was describing the section of the marker where the parts needed to be placed. We decided to input pictures containing arrows on them in order to make our descriptions more clear. The last problem we had was putting the front sight onto the marker. The small spring that is located under it was hard to hold in the correct position. We learned that there is a specific order in which you have to put the spring and front sight on. You had to first position the spring in the marker and then put the sight on top.

Original Assembly

Looking at the Tippmann 98 Custom paintball marker I can make assumptions as to how it was assembled. First off, all of the individual parts of the marker had to be manufactured individually, by the processes stated in Gate 3. Then they were probably brought to an assembly line, where people inserted the majority of the parts into the right side of the housing. They used workers instead of machinery because there are unique paths that need to be taken to insert the parts and connect them together. Therefore it is faster for a human to do this part of the assembly. They also used the right side of the housing because the bolts that hold the two sides of housing together are on the left side, so that side would be most likely to be added later. After most of the parts are put together, a machine probably puts the casing on top and screws in all of the bolts which hold the two sides of the housing together. This can be done by a machine because all that is needed is up and down motion, along with drilling. It would also be more efficient at screwing in the bolts than a human would be, and it would reduce the cost of labor. To complete the assembly, a person screws in the gas line to the expansion chamber and tank adapter, and then screws in those parts to the gun. After the marker is complete, they are probably put into their box and packaged in crates by a machine, to be shipped out to the retailers.

Assembly vs. Disassembly

Putting the Marker back together was remarkably similar to the process of taking it apart, except for the fact that it was all done in reverse order and in the reverse direction. While the physical processes were in reverse order, it did seem that a lot more attention was required when putting pieces together versus taking them apart. During the disassemble process the marker, once opened; only required minor attention to detail. Whereas it only took minimal effort to pull and unscrew the marker into pieces, it took a little more care and knowledge of function to put the marker back into order. For example when working with the trigger system, during disassemble all you had to do was lift the parts out of the marker. But when placing it back into the marker you would have to look at pictures in order to know which pins you have to connect the sear spring too. Certain placements during reassemble were critical to the function of the marker, but were, for instance, less critical when being removed.

Design Revisions

Velocity Adjuster

Figure 2: Tippmann 98 Custom Velocity Adjuster Screen

One design revision to the marker that we thought would improve the marker would be a visible velocity adjuster. The current velocity adjuster is not easy to change quickly, and is hard for the user to visualize the changes it makes. The way it works is by turning a screw either counterclockwise for higher velocity of the shot, or clockwise for lower velocity using an allen key. The problem with this is it is nearly impossible to understand how much a user must turn it to get a certain numerical value for feet per second and it is not easy to change in the field of play.A better way of doing this would be to have a knob located where the screw is now and have a visible digital screen. By having a knob on the outside of the casing the user can change it using their fingers at any time during a use. It also would display an exact number for the speed the paintball is being fired at. The location of the screen is shown in figure two and it would be powered by light-emitting diode (LED). This small display would not be too bright so the marker won’t to stick out in the dark. Societally this would be a huge factor for the marker; it would make it much easier to use because there would have to be no estimation of the velocity. Also with a visible screen it could add a better look to the marker which means the marker will sell more. An environmental impact would be that the user will have more precise shots now, so fewer shots will be taken. Therefore not a lot of carbon dioxide will be released into the environment.

Bipod

Figure 3: Tippmann 98 Custom Bipod

A possible revision to the design of the Tippmann 98 custom paintball marker would be the incorporation of a bipod/adjustable handle. The main purpose would be to allow for the user to adjust the handle into the most comfortable position for them. Also, having a bipod that could slide out of the handle would allow a person to stabilize the marker on a surface. The handle/bipod would attach to the expansion chamber and could be extended out by releasing a lock. The main factors that would be addressed with this revision would be global and economic. In rural areas paintball is played in the woods often with homemade bunkers made out of wood or other scrap materials. The bipod would directly benefit those individuals and areas where “woods ball” is often played. The availability of an adjustable handle would allow the company to advertise the versatility of the marker to any sized consumer. Most of the time there isn’t much of a difference between similarly priced markers. Therefore, little things such as added comfort would put the marker above the rest. Also, an environmental factor would be that the increased stability would lead to better accuracy which would cut down on the number of missed shots that stay on the ground.

Battery Powered

One component that we would like to change would be the energy used to power the marker. Right now carbon dioxide is used and we would like to change that to a battery pack. We feel that the carbon dioxide is harming the environment and costing the user too much. After a few hours of play you have to fill up your tank again which is costing you money every time. Also once a shot is fired, excess carbon dioxide is released into the air which is a waste. So by installing a rechargeable battery it will reduce all of those harmful productions. The battery would call for a change in the bolt system because the energy powering it is changed. The changes would be that the power tube now needs to made into an electric signal. So when the trigger is pulled a circuit is completed and then the bolt would be released. The rest of the bolt would just stay the same. This initial change would cost a lot of money but the long term advantages will make it worth it. The looks of the overall marker would change but this could be in advantage to society. Consumers will like the change of design because the carbon dioxide tank won’t be at the bottom of the marker any more, making it look more like a real gun. It should be known that since all of the electrical components are inside of the marker that the rain or conditions of play would not affect the overall output of the maker. Also this will change the weight of the marker because the heavy carbon dioxide tank is removed from the back of the marker. This makes it easier to maneuver because it is lighter and also there is nothing hanging of the back so it can be held with one hand and you wouldn’t have to worry about the tank hitting anything since it will not be there.