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Ion (paintball marker)
Encyclopedia
The Ion is an electropneumatic
paintball
marker
manufactured by Smart Parts
. At the time of its release, the Ion was the first fully electropneumatic marker to target entry-level players, at a price point
previously inhabited only by Spyders
and other mechanical blowbacks. The Ion has generally been credited with making high-rate-of-fire electropneumatic markers available to the masses, at a time when electropneumatic markers were considered out of reach of most casual or budget players.
The original Ion was released in 2005, and soon soared in popularity, though it was often criticized for being difficult to disassemble and service. Smart Parts addressed these concerns in 2007 with the release of the Ion XE, which features the ability to remove the bolt from the back of the marker. .
and firing chamber, both hard-anodized. Its grip frame and ASA are both made of die-cast aluminum and are powder-coated. The outer shell of the Ion is polymer. The Ion includes the Vision system,or eyes, an infrared
emitter and receiver on either side of the chamber. This prevents the Ion from firing when a ball is not fully loaded in the chamber, reducing the number of "chopped" balls.
The Ion is notable for being highly customizable: it is sheathed in a removable polymer shell, which comes in several different colors. This shell can also be replaced with aftermarket "body kits" to change the appearance of the Ion, similar to the kits available for the Tippmann A5 marker and others. These body kits also affect the performance of the gun and accessibility of the bolt. Body kits such as the lucky and deadlywinds are BOB ( bolt out the back) allow for easy access and cleaning of the bolt. In addition to these body kits, several aftermarket replacement parts (such as triggers and feednecks) are available.
The Ion board is manufactured in two forms: one intended for distribution in the United States
, and another for distribution in the United Kingdom
. The UK version of the board does not have burst or fully automatic firing modes and is identified by the green power LED
. The US version of the board includes all firing modes and has a red power LED. This board can also be replaced with a number of aftermarket boards (such as Blackheart or Virtue boards) which offer greater control over the timing of the firing action, different firing modes, and a higher maximum rate of fire, in most cases limited only by the mechanical capabilities of the marker itself.
Due to the large number of aftermarket upgrades available, the Ion can be customized or used stock to hold its own in today's fast-paced speedball
tournaments. It can also easily be made into a competent woodsball
marker.
or a Dye Matrix
. However, the operation of the Ion is somewhat simpler than a Shocker SFT or Matrix in that it does not use a 4-way solenoid
valve. The Ion's solenoid valve only has three hoses: one to provide air to the solenoid, one to provide air to a reservoir chamber behind the bolt, and the other which provides air to the front of the bolt to hold it back while the marker is at rest. The solenoid thus directs air either to the front of the bolt when not firing, or to the air reservoir behind the bolt, to blow it forward.
When the Ion is fired, the air in front of the bolt that holds it back is drained back through the solenoid, which causes the air in the rear of the firing chamber to blow the bolt forward. In order to expedite the draining of air from the front of the bolt, many users add a quick exhaust valve (QEV) to their marker. The QEV replaces a fitting on the Ion's body and allows the draining air to vent into the body cavity instead of passing all the way back through the solenoid. By allowing the air to vent faster, this allows the bolt to close faster and with more force, which permits lower operating pressure and dwell (the time the solenoid valve is open). The QEV also acts as a trap for excess grease that might otherwise enter the solenoid and cause problems.
Two other markers manufactured by Smart Parts, the SP-8 and the Epiphany, are based on the Ion's spool-valve design.
Electropneumatic paintball marker
An electropneumatic paintball marker is a paintball marker that utilizes a pneumatic solenoid to actuate the hammer and/or bolt's movement.-History and basic operation:...
paintball
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
marker
Paintball marker
A paintball marker, also known as a paintball gun, is the main piece of equipment in the sport of paintball. Markers use an expanding gas, such as carbon dioxide or compressed air, to propel paintballs through the barrel. Some paintball players refer to the piece of equipment as a "marker" rather...
manufactured by Smart Parts
Smart Parts
Smart Parts was a paintball manufacturing company in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, which filed for liquidation on 28 July 2010.As of August 22, 2010 Smart Parts Assets and IP was Acquired by Kee Action Sports. - Products :...
. At the time of its release, the Ion was the first fully electropneumatic marker to target entry-level players, at a price point
Price point
Price points are prices at which demand for a given product is supposed to stay relatively high.- Characteristics :Introductory microeconomics depicts a demand curve as downward-sloping to the right and either linear or gently convex to the origin...
previously inhabited only by Spyders
Kingman Group
Kingman Group is a manufacturer of paintball markers; including the line of Spyder, Raven, and Java brands, all of which produce markers and apparel for paintball players.-Method of operation:...
and other mechanical blowbacks. The Ion has generally been credited with making high-rate-of-fire electropneumatic markers available to the masses, at a time when electropneumatic markers were considered out of reach of most casual or budget players.
The original Ion was released in 2005, and soon soared in popularity, though it was often criticized for being difficult to disassemble and service. Smart Parts addressed these concerns in 2007 with the release of the Ion XE, which features the ability to remove the bolt from the back of the marker. .
Features
The Ion's receiver consists of a breechBreech-loading weapon
A breech-loading weapon is a firearm in which the cartridge or shell is inserted or loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of a barrel....
and firing chamber, both hard-anodized. Its grip frame and ASA are both made of die-cast aluminum and are powder-coated. The outer shell of the Ion is polymer. The Ion includes the Vision system,or eyes, an infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
emitter and receiver on either side of the chamber. This prevents the Ion from firing when a ball is not fully loaded in the chamber, reducing the number of "chopped" balls.
The Ion is notable for being highly customizable: it is sheathed in a removable polymer shell, which comes in several different colors. This shell can also be replaced with aftermarket "body kits" to change the appearance of the Ion, similar to the kits available for the Tippmann A5 marker and others. These body kits also affect the performance of the gun and accessibility of the bolt. Body kits such as the lucky and deadlywinds are BOB ( bolt out the back) allow for easy access and cleaning of the bolt. In addition to these body kits, several aftermarket replacement parts (such as triggers and feednecks) are available.
The Ion board is manufactured in two forms: one intended for distribution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and another for distribution in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The UK version of the board does not have burst or fully automatic firing modes and is identified by the green power LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
. The US version of the board includes all firing modes and has a red power LED. This board can also be replaced with a number of aftermarket boards (such as Blackheart or Virtue boards) which offer greater control over the timing of the firing action, different firing modes, and a higher maximum rate of fire, in most cases limited only by the mechanical capabilities of the marker itself.
Due to the large number of aftermarket upgrades available, the Ion can be customized or used stock to hold its own in today's fast-paced speedball
Speedball
Speedball is one of the two distinct game variants in the sport of paintball, the other being woodsball. It is a general term for a game in which the playing field is composed of bunkers, of the same location and number on each side of the field, that provide an equal playing field for each team...
tournaments. It can also easily be made into a competent woodsball
Woodsball
Woodsball is a format of paintball gaming, in which players compete in a natural outdoors area using paintball markers to tag opponents....
marker.
Operation
Internally, the Ion features a spool-valve design, similar to a Shocker SFTShocker (paintball marker)
The Shocker is a series of electropneumatic paintball markers manufactured by Smart Parts. The original Shocker was built by PneuVentures and distributed by Smart Parts in the US in 1995. It is now discontinued, but was the first electropneumatic paintball marker on the market at the time...
or a Dye Matrix
Dye Matrix
The DYE Matrix is an electropneumatic paintball marker manufactured by DYE Precision. The first DYE Matrix, the Matrix LCD, was based on the E Matrix, the rights to which DYE purchased in 2003...
. However, the operation of the Ion is somewhat simpler than a Shocker SFT or Matrix in that it does not use a 4-way solenoid
Solenoid
A solenoid is a coil wound into a tightly packed helix. In physics, the term solenoid refers to a long, thin loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through it. Solenoids are important because they can create...
valve. The Ion's solenoid valve only has three hoses: one to provide air to the solenoid, one to provide air to a reservoir chamber behind the bolt, and the other which provides air to the front of the bolt to hold it back while the marker is at rest. The solenoid thus directs air either to the front of the bolt when not firing, or to the air reservoir behind the bolt, to blow it forward.
When the Ion is fired, the air in front of the bolt that holds it back is drained back through the solenoid, which causes the air in the rear of the firing chamber to blow the bolt forward. In order to expedite the draining of air from the front of the bolt, many users add a quick exhaust valve (QEV) to their marker. The QEV replaces a fitting on the Ion's body and allows the draining air to vent into the body cavity instead of passing all the way back through the solenoid. By allowing the air to vent faster, this allows the bolt to close faster and with more force, which permits lower operating pressure and dwell (the time the solenoid valve is open). The QEV also acts as a trap for excess grease that might otherwise enter the solenoid and cause problems.
Two other markers manufactured by Smart Parts, the SP-8 and the Epiphany, are based on the Ion's spool-valve design.
External links
- Smart Parts website
- Smart Parts Ion Review at About.com
- Ion Technical Guide