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Home → Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 FAQ

Newgy Robo-Pong 2040 FAQ


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Robot Features

Q What's the maximum ball frequency, ball speed and ball spinning speed (rpm.)?

A Maximum ball frequency is 85-90 balls per minute and maximum ball speed is 65-75 MPH. We do not have a way to measure ball spin RPM, so we do not have this specification, sorry. I will say, though, that the spin is very realistic, and simulates very well the spin that is on serves, fast loops, pushes, chops, etc..


Q Why can I not vary speed and spin independently?

A Since we only have one wheel to create BOTH speed and spin, it is only possible to adjust these two characteristics proportionally to one another. Although this at first sounds quite confining, it actually works out quite well in real life with only three shots that the Newgy can't reproduce well — no spin "floaters", flat kills, and slow loops. Other shots like serves, pushes, chops, lobs, fast loops, counters, etc. are reproduced well, with minimal adjustment.

This same design also allows the Newgy to be low cost & maintenance. There is no other robot in the world that gives you the functionality and ease of use that the Newgy Robot does for its price. To get those "missing" 3 types of shots, you would have to purchase a robot costing twice as much or more and it would be more difficult to adjust and keep running.

The Newgy Robot is by no means perfect. I've yet to discover a robot that is. While there are more expensive robots out there that can do "more", my experience with them is that they are too complicated to adjust and use, defeating much of the advantages that they offer. For the price, Newgy Robots are the best robots available, and by far, are the easiest robots in the world to use.

Q What type of warranties/guarantees/service policies do you offer?

A Your robot purchase is protected three ways: (1) a 30-Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee, (2) a standard 1-Year Limited Warranty, and (3) an industry-leading 5-Year Service Policy. Details of the Warranty and Service Policy are included with the Owner's Manual that comes with the robot. All North and South America service and parts orders are done at Newgy's headquarters in Gallatin, Tennessee. If you live outside North and South America, look under International in this FAQ list for repair information. Also Newgy is a member in good standing with both the Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. We invite you to inquire about Newgy with either of these two fine business quality-assurance organizations.


Q I don't have much space in my home for a table. How much clearance around a regulation size table is required for operation of the robot (particularly on the robot's side)? Is there some type of netting which captures returned balls? Do returned balls automatically get reloaded into the robot?

A The robot takes up about 12 inches of room on its side of the table. You can back up the robot right against a wall. Since the table is 9 feet, the table with a robot mounted on the end would be 10 feet. Robo-Pong 2040 comes with a net collection system for capturing and recycling balls hit into it. The net is contained within the space dimensions given above. Balls are automatically recycled if they are hit into the net system.

The robot is perfect for playing table tennis in a limited space. Much more so than having two people play on opposite sides. By setting the robot to its lower speeds, you can stroke the ball with your body only a few inches from your end of the table. Minimum recommended court size is 15 feet. You may be able to get by with a foot or two less if you have a very short backswing, but that normally leads to bad form on your strokes.

Q If I were to take the robot "on the road" (to a nearby facility) and set it up on their table, is it easily set up/taken down? How about the net that captures returned balls?

A This is one of the outstanding features that sets Newgy's robot apart from other models available in Europe and Japan. The Newgy Robot comes fully assembled in the box so you can be playing on it within a few minutes of unpacking it. It takes less than 5 minutes to put the robot on or take the robot off the table. The net and robot are attached together during use, transport, or storage.

Q If I take proper care of the robot, how long can I use it in excellent conditions? (Months, years, in your experience!) How long can I keep Robo-Pong working without stopping it?

A You can expect many years of use from your robot. We have many customers who bought robots when we first started selling them in 1988 who are still using them. They are very durable and dependable. You can keep the robot going for many hours at a time. In some of Newgy's tests, they have kept the robot going for more than 24 hours straight.

Q About maintenance, does it require any special care? Is it easy to maintain and fix if problems occur? Do you provide some after sale service? ? Do you recommend getting any spare parts for replacements?

A The only maintenance is to keep the robot clean. In that regard, it would help tremendously if you also keep the room you play in very clean since dirt normally enters the machine primarily on the surface of the balls after they have rolled around on your floor. The parts you need to clean periodically (depending on how clean your room is) are the Friction Block and Ball Discharge Wheel in the head of the robot (where the balls are shot out) and the transfer gears at the foot of the unit where the balls are picked up.

Maintenance is very easy. To clean the parts that get dirty would take approximately 30–45 minutes. If you keep your playing area reasonably clean, you would only need to do this maybe once a year. If you play on carpet, have pets that shed hair, or play in dirty conditions, you may have to do it as often as every week. The robot comes with a complete Owner's Manual that details set-up, take-down, adjustment, maintenance, troubleshooting, assembly/disassembly, and parts list. We also offer free telephone customer service if you have a question that is not answered in the manual.

The only parts that can wear out under heavy use are the Ball Speed Discharge Wheel, Friction Block, and Discharge Spring. If you are the owner of a Model 1929 or Robo-Pong 2000 manufactured from 1993 to 1999, and you have a problem with dirt clogging up the ball feed gears, you may order a new dust-free mechanism (part #2000-508). This mechanism is standard on all Newgy robots manufactured after 1999, but can be added to any Newgy robot that has a brass (instead of plastic) post for attaching the Ball Feed Main Gear.

Q I have been wondering about the functions of the remote control box. Could you please briefly explain this to me?

A The control box is placed on the side of the table close to the players free hand. The player can control 4 functions at the box:

(1) Turn unit on or off
(2) Adjust ball speed from @10 MPH to 75 MPH
(3) Adjust ball frequency from @ 15 balls per minute to 85 balls per minute
(4) Adjust side to side head movement from slow to fast.

Controls that must be adjusted at the robot are:

(1) Head angle—to produce low shot or high shot or select serving action (ball hits robot's side of table first) or return action (ball hits player's side of table first).
(2) Spin—select topspin, underspin, sidespin, or combination spin.
(3) Oscillation Range—select what area of the table that sweeping action will occur within. You may choose eight different ranges, from full table to one-quarter table. With oscillator on, robot will deliver balls only within the selected range.

Q Can you tell me the specifics of what it takes to set it up? Also, since my ping pong table rests on top of our pool table, there are no corner legs for support. Will this machine cause a balance problem in this scenario (will it cause the table top to tilt or fall over)?

A Robo-Pong 2040 will work on ping pong conversion tops for 8-foot or shorter pool tables. It will not work on 9-foot pool tables unless you set it on the Robo-Caddy in back of the table. It will not cause an imbalance to the top. The specifics of setting up or taking down the robot are:

(1) Set the robot on top of the table. Fold down the robot's "wings" (ball return trays). Fold down the front support mechanism.
(2) Pick up the robot and slide it onto the end of the table. The robot secures itself by its own weight (about 20 pounds). This is similar to the way child seats attach to restaurant tables. There are no clamps or other such attachment devices to fool with.
(3) Attach the robot's side nets to your table net (it helps to have a sturdy table net with a cord for adjusting net tension sewn at its top) by capturing the table net between the side net's velcro fasteners.
(4) Plug in the transformer to a wall outlet and then into the bottom of the control box. Plug in the Connector Cable to the bottom of the control box and then plug it into the robot.
(5) Turn on the robot and you're ready to go.


Other Products

Q Is there any difference between Robo-Balls that come with the robot and normal balls? How often do you recommend changing the set of Robo-Balls? Can I use a normal ping pong balls for it?

A Robo-Balls are regulation size and weight. It’s only necessary to change balls when they are cracked, dented, or otherwise broken. Balls that are "slick" actually work better in the robot than new balls. Robo-Pong 2040 will use any quality table tennis balls. Balls should be graded 1-star or better. Avoid ungraded or unmarked balls. Also the brands Halex and Pioneer do not do well in the robot. Newgy Robo-Balls have been tested extensively with the robot, and provide reliable performance.

Q I have a 2000/1929, but I'm not sure how the ball return net system would function when the robot is removed from the table when using the Robo-Caddy.

A When we first introduced the Robo-Caddy, we pictured it by showing a Robo-Pong 1000 sitting on it. Some people thought that it would only accommodate the 1000. In actuality, Robo-Caddy is designed so ALL models of Newgy robots (even the discontinued 1929) will fit. To use the Robo-Caddy with your robot, simply remove the robot from the table and place the entire robot into the caddy's tray. On Robo-Pong 2040 models, you can fold back the front support assembly if you want (or even remove it altogether if you decide to leave your robot mounted in the caddy). You may also leave the trays folded up or down on when using either Model 1929 or Robo-Pong 2040.

When you mount Robo-Pong 2040 in the caddy and back it away from the table, you increase the variations possible with the robot because you now can adjust the distance from the table, height from floor, and angle to the table. This permits much more realistic reproduction of shots such as loops, lobs, and chops that are typically executed from several feet in back of the table. Also you can better simulate the typical high toss serve from the backhand corner because you can angle the robot correctly and lower the trajectory.

However, this added functionality comes at a price. Because the robot’s net system is no longer mounted to the table, the ability of the net to capture your returns is greatly diminished. The vast majority of your returns will end up on the floor. When using the robot away from the table like this, it’s a good idea to use more balls than normal simply because most balls will not be recycled and therefore you’ll run out more quickly. Also it is highly recommended to get a Connector Extension Cable (part #2000-221) to extend the reach of your Connector Cable and permit easy adjustments of the robot when it is located away from the table.

Complete instructions come with the caddy to show the many configurations and uses of the caddy. It is an excellent accessory for your robot.


Q To use Rawn Rubber Drive Cleaner, do I just clear the balls from the head, put some on a rag and wipe it clean? Then remove any excess cleaner and play? Anything else I need to be aware of?

A Yes, you have the right ideas. Just to clarify, however, the parts you will be cleaning will be the Ball Discharge Wheel and the Friction Block. You can access these two parts through the front discharge hole or disassemble the head by removing the 4 screws in the side of the head and splitting the spin label along the seam. Rawn Cleaner is for cleaning rubber parts, not plastic parts.


Q The Pong-Master Sensors are a great idea. Can I set different point values for the different sensors?

A Yes, you can set varying point levels for the Pong-Master's targets. Each target can be assigned 1, 2, or 3 points for each strike. You may plug in 1 to 6 targets at one time. Each point level has two pins for attaching a target. At maximum capacity, you would have 2 1-point targets, 2 2-point targets, and 2 3-point targets. 3 targets (small, medium, large) come standard with Pong-Master. You can optionally buy additional targets.


General

Q Is Newgy Industries the manufacturer or just the US distributor? Is the robot actually made in the States?

A Newgy Industries is the manufacturer of Newgy robots. Newgy USA distributes in North and South America, Donic in Europe, Nittaku in Japan, Newgy Thailand in Thailand, and Taylor Brothers in the rest of Asia and Oceania. Newgy robots are manufactured in Taiwan.

Q What happens with balls that aren’t caught in the net? Do they interfere with your play?

A Balls that don't go into the net either end up on the floor or on the table. Most of these will not interfere with your playing except balls that roll under your feet (quickly kick them away) or balls that end up on the table on your side of the table net (quickly brush them away with your racket).

 

 


Model Characteristics/Upgrading

Q What are the differences between the older, discontinued Model 1929/2900/6900/Triten robots and the current model, Robo-Pong 2040?

A There are numerous differences between the old model 1929 robot and the new model 2040. Newgy quit manufacturing the 1929 model in approximately June 1994. It was replaced with Robo-Pong 2000 in September 1994. Robo-Pong 2040 was later introduced to adapt for the new 40mm ball. Newgy started producing the 1929 in November 1988 and it went through numerous design changes in the 5+ years it was in production. When they were last sold, their MSRP was $295.00.


Major differences include:

(1) The net now includes two side panels to prevent your returns from going off the side of the table. In addition the net system includes another net that is attached in front of the main net to prevent balls from rebounding off the net and landing back on the table. These extra nets increase ball capture efficiency from about 50% to better than 80%.
(2) The 2040 is "ready to go" right out of the box, no assembly required. The 1929 required @ 1 1/2 to 2 hours of assembly.
(3) The 2040 control box has a special electronic sensing circuit to detect and warn the user when the ball feed gears have become clogged by dirt or some other object is jamming the ball feed mechanism. This prevents the stripping of the ball feed gears. Also the 2040 box has circuitry for interfacing with the Pong-Master scoreboard. The 1929 box does not have either of these circuits.
(4) The robot body on the current robot is mounted at the back of the center trough instead of at the front as was the old model. This permits the front net to hang in front of the robot body and capture any balls hit directly at the robot. If balls were hit directly at the Model 1929 robot, they would hit the hard plastic and bounce out of play. Also, the more rearward mounting of the robot body gives a more realistic trajectory to the ball because the ball is delivered from in back of the table instead of being directly over the table. And lastly, this change permitted Newgy to change the ball feed cover to a clear plastic so the user could actually see the balls being pushed up the ball feed channel. When you used the Model 1929 robot, you couldn't see the ball until it was actually shot out of the hole in the robot's head.
(5) The gearing mechanisms for the ball feed and oscillation are now reinforced with brass. This change made these parts much stronger and at the same time, much quieter. It has virtually eliminated the necessity to ever replace these parts. Whereas, with the old robot these parts were made entirely out of plastic and would eventually warp (making for lots of noise) or break (making the robot unusable).
(6) The Ball Speed Motor, Ball Discharge Wheel, and Friction Block were all changed so that they produce a much more consistent trajectory and landing pattern than the Model 1929. The new robot produces a spray pattern of approximately 6" in diameter. The old robot's spray pattern was 12" or more.
(7) The 2040 is more compact when folded up and can be placed into the Robo-Tote, a carrying case. The 1929 was more cumbersome and did not have a carrying case.
(8) The Control Lever Adapter on the 2040 has a guard on it to prevent the control levers from becoming entangled in the net.


Q What is the difference between Robo-Pong 2040 and Robo-Pong 1000?

A The 1040 is basically the 2040 without the 2040's net system. The ball bucket of the 1000 holds approximately 100 balls. After the bucket is empty, you will have to stop, pick up the balls and reload the bucket. It sits on top of the table instead of attaching to the end of the table. Since RP1040 is not attached to the table, you will be able to place it anywhere on the top of the table and twist it at any angle. You may also place RP1040 on a chair or small table at various depths in back of the table for an even larger range of delivery possibilities.

There is an inexpensive ($50) Ball Catch Net available for the 1040 that will catch balls hit off the end of the table. It doesn't recycle the balls and it has no side nets. Also we highly recommend getting a Pong-Pal to make ball pickup easier and quicker.


Troubleshooting/Repair

Q I suspect that the motors may be losing strength/slowing down. What can I do?

A We suggest several possible solutions for "reduced motor output".

(1) Check first to be sure you are using the correct transformer. The voltage listed on the back of the transformer should have its output listed as "12V AC, 1.2 amps (or 1200 mamps)". If the amount of voltage going into the control box is less than this amount, all motors will run slower than normal.
(2) The motors may have an accumulation of dirt in them, slowing them down. Buy some electrical contact cleaner and lubricant (I buy mine at Radio Shack) and spray it inside the motor while it is running. Often, I will hear an immediate increase in RPM as soon as I spray this inside a dirty motor.
(3) The gears or shaft connected to the motor are clogging up with dirt and/or fibers, preventing the motor from turning at full speed. Scrub all the gears with an all-purpose cleaner and a stiff toothbrush. Check for hairs or fibers entwined around the base of the drive shaft coming from each motor. Cut and pull these hairs and fibers away from the shaft.
(4) If you bought your Robo-Pong between September 1994 and May, 1995, it may have a defective part inside the Control Box called the bridge rectifier. The normal symptoms of a bad bridge rectifier is that the robot's motors start slowing down by themselves without you turning down the power with the knobs on the Control Box. Eventually when the bridge rectifier goes completely bad, no motors will work at all.
(5) If none of the solves the problem, a component inside your Control Box has probably gone bad, most likely the potentiometer or voltage regulator. Send in your control box for repair.


Q The control box started to generate a high frequency tone and the robot quit working. The lower gear, which pushes balls upward, is not working. The tone is so loud that I am forced to shut it down.

A First of all, your robot is working exactly as designed. The tone coming from your control box is a warning to let you know that there is an obstruction in the Ball Feed mechanism. 95% of the time, the obstruction is dirt (usually hair or fibers), caught in the gears that are directly attached to the bottom of the BF Motor. To clean the gears, first remove the robot body from the net assembly by following directions on page 7 of your Owner's Manual. Then go to page 21 of the Owner's Manual and look at Figure K to see how to remove the Ball Feed Motor Assembly. Next, identify the two Ball Feed Transfer Gears that are marked #35 & #68 in Figure L. These are the two gears that can get clogged up and should periodically be cleaned. Clean the gears off (an old toothbrush is handy to help clean between the teeth of the gears), reassemble, and you're probably ready to go again.


Q When the robot’s side nets are attached to the table net, I notice that the table net is pulled toward the robot. Also balls are falling down between the side net and the table. What can I do to alleviate these conditions?

A If your side nets are too tight, it may be because your robot is leaning backward, pulling the side nets with them. To correct the problem, try longer Support Leg Rubber Tips on the Support Legs that fit under the table. Page 8 of your Owner's Manual will explain more about this leveling adjustment. Also it is possible that the Left and Right Curved Net Support Tubes have gotten stuck in the "up" position. Grab hold of them and twist them gently downward.

The other possibility is that you do not have a top adjusting string in your net or the string is not adjusted as tight as it should be. If you have a top string (and bottom string on some nets), pull it as tight as you can. If you don't have a top string, then buy a good net system that does have one.

With all this said and done, even with everything adjusted correctly and with a good net system, just the sheer weight of the side nets will pull the net toward the robot to some degree. But by taking the steps above, the pull should be minimized. Also you will soon be able to order a Side Net Extender to help reduce the pull on the table net. Contact Newgy Customer Service to obtain the status of this new part.

Also you mention that balls are falling between the side net and the table. This is a simple adjustment. Just move where you attach the side net to your table net inward so that the entire side net is above the table, not hanging away from the side of the table.


Q I am having some problems with my Newgy Robo-Pong 2040. The Ball Feed Motor works OK. It can throw balls. Ball Speed motor does not work. I can tell it clearly because I cannot hear the sound of the motor running. If I turn up/increase the speed, the robot head starts sweeping (it functions like the oscillator). The oscillator works, but very, very slow

A I believe all the problems you list are caused by the same problem. My first guess is that the control box has been reassembled incorrectly. There are no assembly instructions in the Owner's Manual, so I will relate the relevant information below:

(1) Open up the control box by loosening the 4 screws in the corners of the bottom metal plate.
(2) Examine the way that the circuit board is attached to metal plate. It should be held on by two small "L" shaped metal brackets through which 2 small machine thread screws pass. Secondarily, it is held by a U-shaped metal bracket that holds the 3 voltage regulators (rectangular shaped electronic components soldered to the circuit board and located at the bottom center of the circuit board). 2 longer machine thread screws hold this bracket on. The assembly of this bracket and the related parts is crucial. Be sure to check the following points:
(A) The bracket is "U" shaped. The legs of the "U" should be pointing AWAY from the metal plate.
(B) There is a fabric insulator pad (a thin piece of fabric, rectangular in shape, with 2 holes in it through which the screws pass) that must be between the voltage regulators and the metal plate. This insulator pad prevents the leakage of voltage across the metal plate from one voltage regulator to another one. There is 1 voltage regulator for each motor. They should be completely insulated from one another.
(C) The metal "U" shaped bracket should lay flat across the top of the 3 voltage regulators. It should contact only the hard plastic composite part of the voltage regulator. It should not contact the metal backing plates of the voltage regulators in any way.
(D) The order of parts, when assembled correctly, with all parts in layers parallel to each other are:

(1) The metal bottom plate of the control box.
(2) The fabric insulator pad.
(3) The 3 voltage regulators.
(4) The metal "U" shaped bracket.

Also check your Connector Cable that goes from the Control Box to the robot. Inside are 5 wires that carry electricity to the 3 motors. These tiny wires can break and should they touch each other, electricity could be transferred from one channel to the other. To check, make sure the cable is plugged securely into the bottom of the Control Box and the back of the robot. Turn on power at the Control Box and set the Ball Speed and Oscillator Speed to 10 and Ball Freq. to 0. Then, starting at the Control Box and working your way toward the robot, twist, turn, push and pull on a small section of the cable at a time. If the wires inside are broken they will temporarily make contact with each other and you will hear the motors start up at full speed. If this occurs, then either repair or replace the cable. If this doesn't work, then you will have to send in your robot for repair.

Q When I switch on the robot, the Power Switch light remains off, but I’m still getting power to the robot. Is this a problem?

A The light inside the switch is burned out. This is normally not a big problem because the switch will still function correctly, it just won't light up. If you want to replace the switch to restore the light, order part #2000-224-17.


Q Last week I bought a Robo-Pong 2040. I want to send out the Warranty Card, but I can’t find the serial number. Could you tell me where it is located?

A I am sorry that you had a problem finding your serial number. If you will look at Figure 11 on page 8 of your Owner's Manual, you will see that it points out a part on the robot called a Support Flange. The serial number is located on top of the Support Flange, directly below where the Connector Cable is plugged into the back of the unit.


Q The problem that we are experiencing is the discharge of the balls from the robot. Balls fly out of the head haphazardly in all directions and angles. What is the solution to this problem?

A The solutions are fairly straightforward. Try the following in order:

(1) Clean the Ball Discharge Wheel and Friction Block. Assembly/disaasembly instructions are shown on page 20 of your Owner's Manual. Be sure to scrub (an old stiff toothbrush with stiff bristles works well) these rubber surfaces thoroughly with an all-purpose water-based cleaner or the Rubber Drive Cleaner that we sell for this specific purpose.
(2) If cleaning these parts does not solve the problem, then you will need to replace them. Under normal use, these parts last about 2 to 3 years; under heavy use, perhaps only a year. Part numbers are 2000-190 for the Wheel and 2000-192 for the Friction Block.
(3) If replacing the Wheel and Friction Block doesn't work, then replace the two halves of the robot head. These are part numbers 2000-172 and 2000-174.

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