Over the years, even though the internal construction of pinball machines changed considerably, many of the important components remain the same. From the essential coin operated switch which marks the start of play to the score display, there are lots of important parts in a pinball machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 8 parts of a pinball machine that you need to know are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from the components listed above, there are a number of minor components that are used in a supporting role. These vary from machine to machine and are not indispensable, so their usage is minimal. Below, we take a look at all of these components in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the front of every pinball machine is a coin slot. Just below it is a coin-operated switch used to start a game. It gets triggered when a metal coin of a certain weight is inserted into the slot<\/strong>. Accurate calibration of this switch was very difficult. In the early days, people used to insert metal washers, so more sophisticated switches were devised to ensure that a real coin was used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Current coin operated mechanisms can measure the weight of a coin very accurately<\/strong> with an error margin of one gram. Any coin over or under the pre-set weight is identified as a fake, and will be ejected back to the player and the game won\u2019t start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The spring-loaded ball launcher is a metal plunger with a spring around it located at the extreme right of the pinball machine. The<\/strong> plunger handle protrudes outside the metal cabinet<\/strong>. When a game starts, the machine places a steel ball in front of the plunger. The player pulls the plunger back as far as possible and then releases it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The plunger powered by the compressed spring hits the ball onto the playing field<\/strong> to start play<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The early pinball machines used an electromechanical display, where solenoids were used to drive a set of wheels with the digits 0 to 9 on them. Using a small set of gears, each wheel was interconnected to the wheels next to it<\/strong> so that the tens, hundreds, and thousands got carried over. The designs were very complex causing a high failure rate where the score would get stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the late seventies, when microprocessors and electronic seven-segment LEDs made an appearance, the mechanical displays were abandoned and replaced with LED displays. In the eighties, plasma displays were used<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bumpers are mushroom-shaped knobs of<\/strong> different colors about two inches in diameter<\/strong> with rings around them near the top and a bulb inside. When the ball hits a bumper, the bulb switches on and a solenoid pulls the ring down to kick the ball away<\/strong>. At the same time, switches below the bumper turn on a loudspeaker to emit a loud thump or a bell might ring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s common to see three to four bumpers positioned in a rectangular group separated by a few inches. When the ball gets trapped between them, the bumpers kick the ball back and forth to each other with their lights flashing and thump sounds galore<\/strong>. This adds to the overall enjoyment of the game, and it\u2019s how you score a lot of points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flipper arm<\/strong> length varies between one and a half inches to three inches<\/strong>, mounted on a steel pin about an inch high. They are made from hard plastic with a rubber outer layer to increase bounce. Each flipper is controlled by a circular plastic-covered switch on the side of the pinball machine and is powered by a dual-coil solenoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the playfield is the largest area of the game where all the scoring takes place, manufacturers take a great deal of care in positioning various elements of the machine on it. careful placement of various elements on the playfield makes a big difference to the difficulty level and playability. This determines the popularity of the game<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The size of a standard pinball machine playfield varies with different manufacturers. Different sizes are used<\/strong> varying from 16.50 inches by 41.50 inches, to 28.5 inches by 51 inches. They\u2019re housed in a metal cabinet with a<\/strong> 3\/8-inch-thick glass sheet on top<\/strong>. The playfield is made from a plastic or plywood sheet with hinges on the side so that it can be lifted up for easy access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The playfield is tilted at an angle of 6-8 degrees<\/strong> to ensure that the ball rolls naturally toward the lower end where the flippers are located, but not so fast that it\u2019s unplayable. In many arcades, it was common practice to place a wooden plank under the rear legs of the pinball machine to increase the gradient. This made the game more difficult because the ball rolled faster<\/strong> toward the drain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many pinball machines feature ramps. These are two walls about an inch high separated by a little more than the width of the ball. In between the walls is a ramp. The player has to<\/strong> hit the ball accurately<\/strong> with a good amount of force for the ball to roll up the ramp and go down on the other side. This is often linked to bonus points or an extra ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n8 Parts Of A Pinball Machine You Need To Know<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Coin-Operated Switch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Spring-Loaded Ball Launcher<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Score Display<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Bumpers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Flippers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Playfield<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ramps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Holes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n