Why should you consider a Cyclone over slightly less expensive 3D printed designs? 

   The Cyclone's design boasts many advantages and one important reason why the Cyclone is far superior to conventional designs is that the pachinko balls do not need to be organized in a single file line to be introduced to the Cyclone's sprocket. And that's the first place where other lifters run into their jamming problems. Pachinko balls have a nasty property that causes them to bind up and jam on themselves just trying to get past one another to form a single file line (think of your shooter tray or prize tray). Sure they appear to be organizing themselves just fine then suddenly the flow stops and jams.         Video :   https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z-hv4OKGink  

 If this happens in your ball lifter input tray, you most likely won't know about it right away.  If that's not bad enough, other designs contain a secondary pinch point. It's actually fairly hard to pinch a round object but it still occurs given enough chances. On conventional designs, the sprocket can and will pinch an incoming ball that happens to be just in the wrong half way position as it enters.    

    The Cyclone, on the other hand, just simply accepts any unorganized output of balls from your machine with it's large 3" opening. With the sensor properly adjusted the Cyclone is always operating with a full sprocket full of balls. So there are zero pinch points in the entire ball path to encounter. That equates to zero jams!  All you have to be aware of to install it is to make sure the included tubing has a free unobstructed path for them to move in, yes move, move all the way up to the second floor if need be with it's powerful high torque gearmotor.  

Video here:  https://youtube.com/shorts/7f1MfsvWbOA?si=VjzXKOY2_GbZ64F0

                 Delrin Sprocket and Aluminum Hub     VS     PLA   

• Delrin

  A commercial name for POM-H, Delrin has a high tensile strength and low friction coefficient. It's often used in automotive components, medical instruments, and electrical enclosures. Delrin has a melting point of 172–184°C, and can withstand cyclic compressive and tensile stressing of 5,000 psi almost indefinitely. It also has exceptional fatigue resistance and can absorb only 0.2% moisture. However, Delrin has a uniform crystalline structure and increased centerline porosity, which can increase the risk of bacterial growth. 
• PLA

  PLA is one of the easiest materials to 3D print because it has a low melting temperature and minimal warping. However, its low melting point also causes it to lose strength and stiffness at temperatures above 50°C. PLA is also brittle, which can lead to parts with poor durability and impact resistance. PLA's poor chemical and heat resistance make it almost exclusively used for hobbyist applications. 

Here is an actual output force test

 Lets Call it 10 Lbs of of force and figure 10% for the minimal point friction of ball bearings, that still represents over 25 feet of balls! This test is at 12 volts with the supplied 1 amp power supply. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J6-JmMh8uws