Why no Electronic regulators?

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Ever notice how the most critical systems are mechanically controlled? ie back up flight controls, brakes, steering, parachutes, ejection seats, respirators, firearms etc...
Electronic devices have a purpose for convenience but for dependability/reliability simple mechanical design normally wins. Except for pacemakers Lol...
 
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I imagine in a tucked away lab at some air gun manufacturer’s facility is a bespectacled lab rat working on something like this right now. Just cuz it ain’t out for public consumption doesn’t mean it isn’t being thought about or developed. The big air gun companies, like big companies in every industry are always working to improve their mouse trap. Some folks have an idea and wonder why it has not taken over a market. Well maybe, just maybe it isn’t quite possible yet or theory proved better than reality and it has been cast off into the bin of misfit ideas.
 
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If you want to apply electronic controls to an air gun in a way that would have a truly positive effect, the regulator is not where I would go with it.

Look at electronic fuel injectors in diesel engines and use those technologies to precisely meter the amount of air and the duration of the release.
Manage those two parameters and a little variation in regulated pressure becomes somewhat irrelevant.

But then, what do I know?
 
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I’d be surprised if this doesn’t come to fruition soon. We already have half of the system in the form of the electronic pressure gauge. All that is needed is for the gauge to communicate with a motor that moves a tiny gate between bottle and plenum. Taking it a step further, an additional motor and gate could allow the plenum to also vent to atmosphere, reducing pressure. No mechanical reg allows that (to my knowledge) and there are many advantages:

1. Eradicates reg creep.
2. Automatic adjustment in accordance with temperature change.
3. Tuning at different reg pressures with the push of a button.
4. Preset reg pressures available at the push of a button, for different projectiles.
5. Degassing of the plenum alone or main air reservoir (open both gates) at the push of a button for maintenance or air travel.

Sign me up!
 
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I worked with electronic regulators during my time with Uncle Sam at Shore Duty. Electronics of any kind adds another layer of complexity with more likelihood of failure. Mechanical is simpler and far easier to troubleshoot. I am a fan of bringing in electronics under the right circumstances. But in the vast majority of scenarios I'm aware of, electronics add significantly great complexity to systems design and end up hindering owner/end-user repair. Fact is- most people are not going to be able to troubleshoot digital circuitry when something goes amiss. They simply "replace with new". At least with mechanical regulators, you can generally SEE what went wrong.

I am also a proponent of the KISS principal. Electronics are not KISS.

BTW, both my EdGuns came with electronic pressure gauges. I am not a fan despite how well they worked WHEN they worked. Both were swapped out to mechanical gauges. No batteries to deal with.
 
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P_Bachman said:
I worked with electronic regulators during my time with Uncle Sam at Shore Duty. Electronics of any kind adds another layer of complexity with more likelihood of failure. Mechanical is simpler and far easier to troubleshoot. I am a fan of bringing in electronics under the right circumstances. But in the vast majority of scenarios I'm aware of, electronics add significantly great complexity to systems design and end up hindering owner/end-user repair. Fact is- most people are not going to be able to troubleshoot digital circuitry when something goes amiss. They simply "replace with new". At least with mechanical regulators, you can generally SEE what went wrong.

I am also a proponent of the KISS principal. Electronics are not KISS.

BTW, both my EdGuns came with electronic pressure gauges. I am not a fan despite how well they worked WHEN they worked. Both were swapped out to mechanical gauges. No batteries to deal with.
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For sure... I've noticed that anytime software or electronics is utilized the reliability goes down.

I don't understand why design engineers today feel the need to control everything with a computer?

You don't need a computer for a basketball.

The older I get the more I despise the over use of plastic and electronics / software.
 
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Adding electronics to a system does not automatically make it less reliable…I remember all too well how many miles before an engine rebuild was needed in the days of carburetors. Modern vehicles seldom need the ‘routine’ maintenance I remember from my younger days.

It’s not for every application or everyone but me, I like choices.

Dave
 
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If my regulator were remotely adjustable, I'd be sold on it being electronic, having a digital screen as part of the gun, imo is cumbersome and funny looking, although for others having a remote for your gun may come off as silly, so to each their own! A 'smart' system would be able to relieve the pressure for you when adjusting lower on the regulator.

Likewise with an electronic valve imo, unless you managed traditional style knobs / adjustments with a very tiny digital display.

-Matt
 
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too noisy, nothing like the sound of solenoids engaging and dis-engaging, might be ok for target shooting but not for hunting, besides it will drive the price up even more, I prefer simplicity over tech, I guess I'm old fashioned, but simple is easy to fix, less to go wrong, more reliable.

why not make the entire gun Electronic, Rail gun...... then all guns will be as expensive as a Daystate or more.....
 
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I personally don’t think an electronic regulator is needed at this time. We have some great external regs that are easy to adjust and are quite accurate. I hear a lot of folks complain about a slow refresh rate. Many times a digital gauge is being used and they can see plenum slowly coming up that lasts few pounds. This is after shooting a higher power shot from a relatively small plenum. What is actually going on is the plenum is slowly warming back up. Shoot a higher power shot on an unregulated gun with a digital gauge and it will show this very clearly.

Although I don’t think I would need one, I welcome companies trying new things…it’s still my choice if I want to try it or not.

If I wanted to change my reg pressure often, I might think differently though…

Dave
 
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sb327 said:
Adding electronics to a system does not automatically make it less reliable…I remember all too well how many miles before an engine rebuild was needed in the days of carburetors. Modern vehicles seldom need the ‘routine’ maintenance I remember from my younger days.

It’s not for every application or everyone but me, I like choices.

Dave
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Modern vehicles are also more difficult and costly to repair. Planned obsolescence through the over use of plastic and electronic software controls is not only unethical it's bad for people who want to be able to repair what they own.

I currently own an electronic controlled Daystate Airwolf MCT and a Daystate Wolverine. Both shoot the same however...the mechanical Wolverine has been a lot more reliable and is easier to work on due to a simple yet quality design.
 
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