1. Do not share user accounts! Any account that is shared by another person will be blocked and closed. This means: we will close not only the account that is shared, but also the main account of the user who uses another person's account. We have the ability to detect account sharing, so please do not try to cheat the system. This action will take place on 04/18/2023. Read all forum rules.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. For downloading SimTools plugins you need a Download Package. Get it with virtual coins that you receive for forum activity or Buy Download Package - We have a zero Spam tolerance so read our forum rules first.

    Buy Now a Download Plan!
  3. Do not try to cheat our system and do not post an unnecessary amount of useless posts only to earn credits here. We have a zero spam tolerance policy and this will cause a ban of your user account. Otherwise we wish you a pleasant stay here! Read the forum rules
  4. We have a few rules which you need to read and accept before posting anything here! Following these rules will keep the forum clean and your stay pleasant. Do not follow these rules can lead to permanent exclusion from this website: Read the forum rules.
    Are you a company? Read our company rules

AMC1280USB Motion Simulator Controller

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by Thanos, Jul 6, 2017.

  1. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Still under construction!
    underc1.gif

    What is it?

    2017-11-30T16_33_20.992Z-20171130_075936.jpg
    The AMC1280USB motion controller provides an easy interface for simulation games (flight or racing simulation) to the real world. It takes motion cues from motion software that resides on the computer and converts it to actual positions on any kind of motor. The positioning is achieved by using any of the long list of compatible sensors that coupled on the motor output (actuator) it creates a real time positioning loop.

    Specs:

    Inputs (9 channels)
    • 10bit Analog sensors
    • 12bit Digital Sensors
    • 16bit Analog ADC with addon
    Outputs - Speed/Absolute (6-channels or 12 channels combined)
    • 8bit PWM/Analog, 0-5v, 0-10v, (-11v to +11v with addon)
    • 12bit PWM/Analog, 0-5v, 0-10v, (-11v to +11v with addon)

    Blog for news and updates on the AMC1280USB project: http://motionsim.blogspot.com/p/projects.html

    If you are unsure what motor you need for the type of motion platform or load you plan to have, please ask.

    Some basic connection information diagrams can be found here:
    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/06y2wmizl998l6g/AAB6EnvyW28odJNxC5NwAqjea?dl=0

    Documentation, Manuals, Diagrams:
    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/641qkq11p3prar1/AAA7Tjf_xZu9FOxDgl_5EbRea?dl=0

    Latest firmware info:
    http://motionsim.blogspot.com/2018/12/amc1280usb-firmware-v35-release.html




    Edit by @Pit 10/20/2018
    • Like Like x 6
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2018
  2. Mmcool

    Mmcool Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2015
    Messages:
    67
    Location:
    USA
    Balance:
    1,174Coins
    Ratings:
    +19 / 7 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF
    Hmm, link?
    • Agree Agree x 1
  3. insanegr

    insanegr !N$@n€

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2014
    Messages:
    505
    Location:
    Athens
    Balance:
    16,715Coins
    Ratings:
    +498 / 1 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino
  4. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2014
    Messages:
    2,619
    Occupation:
    Railway Maintenance
    Location:
    Morecambe, Lancashire, England
    Balance:
    20,395Coins
    Ratings:
    +3,480 / 34 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Good luck, hope you reach your goal
    • Agree Agree x 3
  5. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Thank you!

    It's already 26% in 3 days. Lets hope it keeps this way.

    Best Regards,
    Thanos
    • Like Like x 7
  6. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Why edit is disabled on the posts? Oh well.

    Correction on the above post for the interested parties:

    You can use the "AMC1280USB main, PWM outputs, EARLY BIRD (Pledge $100) " for driving Sabertooth drives with its onboard 12-bit analog DAC. The kickstarter version boards will have jumpers to convert the 12-bit DAC for either PWM or Analog 0-5v signals.

    Best Regards,
    Thanos
    • Like Like x 1
  7. RaceRay

    RaceRay Administrator Staff Member SimAxe Beta Tester

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2006
    Messages:
    4,656
    Occupation:
    Self-employed | Web and application development
    Location:
    Hamburg, Germany
    Balance:
    23,837Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,957 / 13 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, SimAxe, SimforceGT
    > Why edit is disabled on the posts? Oh well.

    Try again! You did not have enough posts for edits. Should be possible, now
    • Like Like x 1
  8. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
  9. BondeX

    BondeX Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2016
    Messages:
    141
    Occupation:
    EE
    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    Balance:
    1,515Coins
    Ratings:
    +76 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, 3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Hi Thanos, this looks good. I hope you reach your target.

    You mentioned that this board will work with SimTools, but will it work with SimTools2?
  10. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    It works with Simtools2 very well. See here the new settings for 6DOF setup as shared by a user:
    https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/thanos-amc1280-help.6045/#post-136290

    The Interface settings are:
    BitsPerSec: 250000
    Databits: 8
    Parity: None
    Stopbits: 1

    Output - Bit Range: 16
    Output - Type: Binary
    Output Rate: 2ms to 10ms

    Interface - Output: AB<Axis1a><Axis2a><Axis3a><Axis4a><Axis5a><Axis6a>


    I have many reports that was used for 2DOF and 3DOF or 4DOF on Simtools2 with no issues as well.

    Thanks
    Thanos Kontogiannis
    • Like Like x 3
  11. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Important update!

    I was looking around to see what the xsimulator members like to build the most and it came down mostly DC motor solution, with PWM drivers (MM) or using Sabertooth drives.

    So I decided to add a reward designed to serve all needs for all kind of platform used here, either they are 2DOF, 3DOF or up to 6DOF.

    The reward is very low price and is fully functional version of AMC1280USB (without 6DOF ext board) with only thing missing (to be added by the users) the 2.5mm Pin Headers. Removing those pesky through hole parts from the equation allows me to offer the controller for the price of $55 that will be available ONLY on Kickstarter!! This reward will be the first to be manufactured and ship out (September) when the kickstarter campaign ends.

    AMC1280USB bare bones reward.png

    So take your chance and grab it as long it lasts! :)

    hug:


    Thanks
    Thanos
    • Like Like x 9
  12. Mmcool

    Mmcool Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2015
    Messages:
    67
    Location:
    USA
    Balance:
    1,174Coins
    Ratings:
    +19 / 7 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF
    Wow nice

    Do you have a photo of what is going to look like? And wiring instructions?
  13. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    I don't have a photo of a unit assembled like that, but I can share a image which shows what through hole parts will be on the board except the SMT parts that will be all soldered on manufacturing.

    You can see on the picture in RED circle all the parts that will be provided on the board. As you can see what remains are just 2.5mm pitch pin headers to be added as needed.

    AMC1280USB v2.2 Kickstarter Edition PCB - bare bones.png

    I'll provide updated wiring schematics upon completion of kickstarter if not sooner.

    Thanks
    Thanos
  14. brzez

    brzez New Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2017
    Messages:
    4
    Location:
    Chicago, Il
    Balance:
    300Coins
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Neat. I'm looking to do DC motors so the new kickstarter offer is tempting. Is the ext board needed for 6dof?
  15. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    No, the 6DOF ext board is not necessary at all for use with DC motors. The 6DOF ext is mostly additional host of DAC converters and amplifiers for 0-10v analog signals mostly for VFD inverters.

    Here a generic diagram of connection options available on the AMC1280USB Barebones version:

    upload_2017-7-14_13-48-40.png

    I'll make more detailed connection diagram as soon is possible.

    Thanks
    Thanos

    Attached Files:

    • Like Like x 1
  16. brzez

    brzez New Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2017
    Messages:
    4
    Location:
    Chicago, Il
    Balance:
    300Coins
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Cool. Im assuming the sabertooth is set to bidirectional mode which the AMC supports on the 0-5v output.
    • Like Like x 1
  17. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Correct, all sabertooth models have this analog input setting, and it does not require calibration.

    Not sure why is called bi-directional on the sabertooth side, as one signal manages both speeds and directions.

    Thanks
    Thanos
  18. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    Hi all,

    I'm working into getting a custom BLDC motor actuator reward available on the kickstarter if I reach the target goal. Its perhaps the best ready actuator solution for low voltage actuators designed specifically for motion simulators. Perhaps even better and less expensive solution than AC servomotor actuators! I'll be making available more information about these soon.

    key562.285.jpg

    key562.287.jpg
    These BLDC actuators have a custom servo driver that can be controlled even by the least expensive reward I offer on Kickstarter (AMC1280USB Barebones $55 pledge)


    Thanks
    Thanos
    • Like Like x 6
    • Winner Winner x 2
    • Creative Creative x 1
  19. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,346
    Occupation:
    Electronics Engineer
    Location:
    United States
    Balance:
    2,692Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,043 / 9 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    • Like Like x 4
  20. Adrianstealth

    Adrianstealth Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Messages:
    158
    Occupation:
    director
    Location:
    england
    Balance:
    328Coins
    Ratings:
    +37 / 0 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    SCN6, 4DOF
    Looks great

    If these become for sale I'll pick one up for sure