P³ Pinball Service 101: Flipper Assemblies

Multimorphic·video·19m 40s·analyzed·Dec 30, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.020

TL;DR

Multimorphic P3 flipper assembly designed for simplified maintenance vs traditional pinball flippers

Summary

Nick Baldridge, technical support specialist for Multimorphic, provides a detailed educational comparison of traditional flipper assemblies versus the P3's floating flipper design. The video demonstrates that while both share fundamental principles (power/hold windings, end-of-stroke switches), the P3 assembly is significantly simpler to maintain, requiring fewer tools and parts, with toolless disassembly for common tasks like linkage replacement. Key innovations include mounting diodes on the driver board rather than coils, a single Molex connector for the entire assembly, and a design philosophy prioritizing both player control and maintenance ease.

Key Claims

The P3 flipper assembly requires only three tools for most maintenance tasks (1/32 nut driver, 5/32 Allen wrench, number two Phillips screwdriver) versus numerous tools for traditional assemblies
high confidence · Nick Baldridge demonstrates disassembly/reassembly procedures and tool inventory; educational video from Multimorphic technical support
Diodes mounted on the P3 driver board (PD16) rather than on coils eliminates a common failure mode where diodes vibrate free from traditional flipper coils
high confidence · Baldridge explicitly contrasts diode placement architecture between traditional and P3 assemblies
The P3 flipper assembly can fall back to timing-based mechanism if end-of-stroke switch fails, whereas traditional assemblies require the switch to function properly
high confidence · Baldridge states 'the P3 will fall back to a timing based mechanism for ensuring that the flipper switches to the hold winding'
P3 flipper linkage replacement is toolless—accomplished by pulling back a pin keeper and removing a pin without tools, versus traditional assemblies requiring pin punch, pliers, and Allen wrench
high confidence · Demonstration shows pin keeper mechanism and contrasts it with traditional roll pin removal requiring pin punch and hammer
The original P3 end-of-stroke design (used ~2017-2020) was redesigned in 2024 with a larger wrench-shaped mouth for easier maintenance
high confidence · Baldridge states 'In 2024, a new end of stroke design was created and it features a larger wrench shaped mouth'

Notable Quotes

“The bushing is the component which is most likely to fail in a traditional flipper assembly. Your linkage will fail with time and use.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~6:45 — Identifies critical failure points in traditional design that P3 engineering addresses
“For example, this bushing is very vulnerable in the P3 assembly because there are so many fewer parts involved. Maintenance is a breeze in comparison.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~14:30 — Core value proposition: fewer parts = easier maintenance despite apparent fragility
“The P3's flipper assembly is engineered specifically to give the player as much control as possible while also giving maintenance personnel as quick and easy a repair job as possible should they need to change a linkage or should they need to change a flipper pad.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~15:20 — Articulates dual design philosophy: player experience and technician accessibility
“You just take this entire assembly, pop it back in the P3, and you're done. Plug up this one connector. It really could not be simpler in comparison.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~14:45 — Emphasizes single-connector modularity as key differentiator enabling rapid maintenance
“Without a good method of control, the player will feel that the game is unfair.”
Nick Baldridge @ ~15:15 — Explains why flipper engineering is critical to overall game experience

Entities

Nick BaldridgepersonMultimorphiccompany P3productPD16productTraditional/WPC flipper assemblyproduct

Signals

?
community_signal: Multimorphic producing detailed technical education content (Service 101 series) demonstrating ongoing commitment to operator and home builder support/education
high · Professional educational video with step-by-step disassembly/reassembly, tool identification, failure point explanation, and maintenance timeline
?
product_strategy: 2024 redesign of P3 end-of-stroke switch with larger wrench-shaped mouth indicates iterative improvement addressing technician feedback on maintenance accessibility
high · Baldridge explicitly notes original design (~2017-2020), redesign in 2024, and maintenance advantage of new design
?
technology_signal: P3 flipper assembly represents significant architectural departure from traditional WPC-style design: single Molex connector, modular construction, diodes on driver board, toolless linkage removal, floating design
high · Comprehensive technical documentation showing design choices across coil placement, connector architecture, diode mounting, and pivot bracket system

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:12

Hi, my name is Nick Baldridge and I am a technical support specialist for Multimorphic. I'm also a fan of coin operated games from all eras and love working on them and talking about how they work. Today I wanted to talk you through the differences and the similarities between a traditional flipper assembly and multimmorphix floating flipper assembly. Uh the differences are fewer than you might imagine and generally make it easier to work on multimorphix assembly. Let's get started. This is a traditional flipper assembly. It's comprised of multiple parts. You can see here this large red component is a coil. And on the coil there are three different lugs because there are two different windings, a power winding and a hold winding. The power winding is lower resistance and the hold winding is higher resistance. So as the flipper travels, it will expend a lot of energy using the power winding. And when it reaches its apex, it closes this end of stroke switch. and that disengages the power winding and leaves the hold winding engaged. This will remain engaged until a ball strikes the flipper bat, which causes the end of stroke switch to open up and turns the high power back on until the end of stroke engages again. So, as you can see, as the flipper moves, the main component which changes is this plunger linkage and pole. The plunger is pulled into the coil and rotational force is applied through the movement of the linkage and the pole. The pole is a clamp which connects to the flipper bat's shaft. The shaft extends through a bushing. This bushing extends through the playfield surface. So, on a traditional wooden playfield, you have at least two of these assemblies on most flipper amusement games. This base plate here has to be removed in order to fully remove the bushing. So, let's take a look at the tools which are needed to disassemble this assembly. If you just need to change the coil, you have to remove the coil stop. The coil stop is held in place with these two cap screws. So, find the appropriate size Allen key or Allen wrench, and then you turn it, loosen this, and the coil comes off. Easy enough. However, things get more complicated from there. Let's say you want to remove this bracket that holds the coil firmly in place. In order to do that, you need a number two Phillips screwdriver. unscrew the screws and then that front bracket will be removed. Now, let's say that you wanted to remove the plunger or change the linkage. We have another cap screw here. So, that requires the appropriate size Allen wrench. But if you look on the back side, there's a lock nut. A pair of pliers is required to loosen this lock nut as this cap screw is loosened and removed. This pin here is a roll pin. A roll pin has to be punched out. There's a specialty tool called a pin punch. And a pin punch has only one function, and that is to punch out pins. So, it looks similar to an Allen wrench. However, it is straight and heavier at the base to be struck with a hammer. And it's perfectly shaped to punch out that roll pin. So that will free the pole from the linkage and the linkage from the plunger. So we've talked about removing the coil, we've talked about removing the bracketry, and we've talked about removing the plunger and linkage. Now let's talk about removing the pole. To remove the pole, and this is really the first step, if you were to disassemble the flipper, you would loosen the clamp here. So again, if you have a pair of pliers or if you have a nut driver that's appropriately sized, you can loosen this clamp and that will allow you to wiggle the bat free. So once the bat is free, the paw is free, if the coil was free, and these were still connected, you could remove all three of those at one time. But you notice that there are a number of parts which have to come off of this assembly before you're able to actually access or replace any of these components. So let's talk about the end of stroke switch. This end of stroke switch here is connected to the pole with this spring. To remove the pole fully and replace it, the spring has to be removed and then replaced on the new pole. And if you were to remove this bracket, you need your number two screwdriver. And if you wanted to remove the switch stack, you need a number one Phillips screwdriver. Once these components are removed, you have a bare bracket. The flipper bat has been removed, and what is left is the bushing. Now, the bushing is the component which is most likely to fail in a traditional flipper assembly. Your linkage will fail with time and use. uh diodes may vibrate off of the flipper coil. Your coil stop will fail with enough use and your clamp will lose effectiveness over time as it loosens through the vibration. Your end of stroke switch rarely needs to be replaced. In some assemblies through some eras there are differences in the way this assembly is constructed. However, this is one of the more common assemblies that you will come across. To remove the bushing, you again need your number one Phillips screwdriver, but more than that, you'll notice on the back side there are these lock nuts. So, you need a nut driver that's appropriately sized to hold that in place and loosen it slightly as you remove the screw from the other side. In order to do that, you have to remove the entire base plate. So, to remove the base plate, you have a number of screws. Each of these screw holes is a mounting point, and this is where it attaches to the wooden playfield surface. So through this demonstration, what I wanted to show was the number of components, the items that can fail, and the number of tools that are needed to access the flipper assembly and completely disassemble. Now let's take a look at the P3. This is a flipper assembly from the P3. It has a single connector which connects this entire assembly to the P3 itself. This flipper assembly is original to this machine which was purchased in 2018. It has had virtually no maintenance. Although I have replaced a lugged flipper coil with a lugless flipper coil. So over here you can see how everything is constructed. This assembly is upside down currently

7:45

and this is right side up. So let's look at how we would disassemble this assembly on the P3. We have the lugless coil. So we would disconnect this Molex connector. And we have a similar coil stop. And it uses an Allen key to remove and replace. Up here we have what's called a rest stop. And the rest stop is what determines the precise stopping point of that flipper. The flipper on the P3, you'll notice, has fewer parts, and that design makes it much easier to maintain. Aside from being able to take the entire assembly out of the machine to work on it, part of the disassembly process is toolless. So, one of the most common tasks on any flipper is to either replace a bushing or to replace a linkage. Both of those items wear with enough play. So, let's look at something comparable for the P3. First, let's free the linkage. The linkage, you'll notice, is longer on a P3 assembly than it is on a traditional flipper assembly. And this is because the linkage transmits to the coils which are actually under the apron. So to free the linkage on the one side, remember on this assembly, we have a pair of pliers or vice grips and an Allen key and then a pin punch. On this, you pull back what's called the pin keeper, and that reveals a pin, which can be removed without the use of any tools. Letting that rest, you'll notice that the flipper is now flopping around. It is no longer held in a fixed position. Next, we'll remove these pivot brackets. Now, the pivot bracket requires an 1132 nut driver. We place that on top and then we use a number two Phillips and place that on the bottom. So I'm going to remove the nut and at the same time I'm going to loosen the screw. So the nut is free and this is a magnetic screwdriver. So it remained in the nut driver and this is the screw. So we do that again for the second screw. And a trick here is to use the screw itself to screw it into the nut and then that helps you pull it up and it keeps it together. Okay, back we go. We've got number two Phillips and 1132 nut driver. We're loosening things. We pull the screw out. Now, these little tubes protect the polycarbonate of the lane guide from the movement of the screw and the polycarbonate of the surface. Once the pivot bracket has been removed, it just slides up like so. This is a lower flipper pivot bracket. There are separate pivot brackets for the upper flippers. However, this is how both of the lower flippers are constructed. And this is the decorative piece that the player sees. And as you can see, it can be used on either side of the assembly. Same with these pivot brackets. They can be placed on either side. Here's what we're left with. We have the flipper bat itself, which is made out of aluminum. The linkage is a single piece, and it is held in place with a pin, a dowel pin. And this is punched out using a pin punch. So you punch it out, and then the linkage is free. You replace the linkage, punch the dowel pin back in, and this is set and ready to go. So, you can swap a flipper very quickly simply by removing these pivot brackets, which requires two tools, an 1132 nut driver and a number two Phillips screwdriver. So, this assembly is pulled apart here and we're ready to reassemble. And I can show you how quick and easy that is. Before I do so, I just wanted to talk for a moment about the uh portions of the coil which are similar and different to those of the traditional assembly. So just like in the traditional assembly, there is a coil sleeve. The coil sleeve reduces friction of the plunger as it travels through the bobin of the coil. Uh it also makes sure that the plunger stays at exactly the center of the coil bobin as it travels. Uh so it's a very important part. Uh this is the same size, same diameter as a traditional flipper coil sleeve. The other portion uh which is different is the fact that these coils do not have diodes mounted on the coil directly. Now in a traditional assembly like I showed earlier, you have those diodes which can vibrate free. So, one of the lugs of the diode can actually vibrate off and it creates problems for your flipper. Uh, in a multimmorphic P3 flipper assembly, there are no dodes on the coils. In fact, there's no dodes on any coil within the P3. And that's because the diodes are actually mounted on the driver board, the PD16. So each uh FET on the driver board has its own diode which is mounted on the board itself rather than on the component which is being driven. Uh so this prevents those situations where one leg of the diode can pull free. Okay. So to reassemble we have our flipper bat with linkage attached. We have our lower pivot bracket. We have our upper pivot bracket, which you can tell apart because it has the P3 logo etched on it. We have the two metal spacers. And we have our screws and lock nuts. And finally, we have our pin, our dowel pin, which holds the flipper to the plunger. So, first we're going to pull the plunger into position. Okay. So, we're going to pull the plunger up like so. Take the flipper bat and then thread the linkage into

15:20

So when you put it in place, just make sure that the P3 logo is facing towards the player. Okay. Now we take our lock nuts and we just wind them on. Couple of threads just to hold things together while we tighten them up. So get your magnetic nut driver or regular nut driver in place. Take your number two Phillips screwdriver and then tighten them on down. Now with that, let's take a look at the end of stroke. Now this is the original end of stroke design. In 2024, a new end of stroke design was created and it features a larger wrench shaped mouth. So the original end of stroke design uses a U channel octo. Now the P3 is phenomenal in a number of ways. One of the ways in which it's phenomenal is if one of these end of stroke switches fails, then the P3 will fall back to a timingbased mechanism for ensuring that the flipper switches to the hold winding. So the return spring on this traditional assembly and this is a WPC style assembly is mounted here to the pole. The return spring on the P3 assembly is here on the plunger. So that spring is providing the return force which brings the flipper back into position. Now to reinstall this traditional assembly, you have to replace all these parts in a specific order and then ensure that the alignment of the flipper bat is correct. And that is performed manually on a traditional wooden playfield. Ensure that the spacing between the flipper bat and the bushing is a specific distance away so that the flipper [snorts] bat does not drag on the bushing and wear it unnecessarily. and ensure that the tightness of the paw is enough to hold that flipper bat in place and not allow it to overt travel. Any of those things done incorrectly will cause this traditional assembly to fail to operate properly. It may drag on the wooden playfield surface or it may damage the components that you've just changed. For example, this bushing is very vulnerable in the P3 assembly because there are so many fewer parts involved. Maintenance is a breeze in comparison. You just take this entire assembly, pop it back in the P3, and you're done. Plug up this one connector. It really could not be simpler in comparison. So, a lot of thought and engineering obviously goes into flippers because those are the players method of control for the game. And without a good method of control, the player will feel that the game is unfair. The P3's flipper assembly is engineered specifically to give the player as much control as possible while also giving maintenance personnel as quick and easy a repair job as possible uh should they need to change a linkage or should they need to change a flipper pad for some reason. Uh or should they need to change a coil. And even the EOS is quick and easy to change. And that again is a number two Phillips. And then a uh nut driver on this particular assembly. So this is an original flipper assembly. Um these were used from 2017 until somewhere in the realm of 2020. Uh and then the EOS was mated to the flipper base plate. And from there, after the EOS was redesigned, um, it used the same mounting holes in the flipper base plate. So, that's all there is to it. As you can see, many fewer tools. Here's what we needed. An 1132 nut driver, a 532 Allen wrench, a number two Phillips screwdriver, and that is it.