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Showroom DX - Compact Simulator

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by noorbeast, Sep 29, 2014.

  1. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    Hi @noorbeast do you recall the wall thickness of your aluminum square tubing for the parts that deal with the wheel and pedals?
    Was at a shop with some and 1/8 inch wall 1" square tubing and putting over 200lbs of sheer force at various angles it wasn't bending with a 4ft length. 1/16 wall had did have some give. That being said, I wasn't replicating what a high torque direct drive wheel might be doing on top such a thin shaft, so curious what your wall thickness was.

    Gauge/metric measurements are fine of course :)

    Contemplating 2" up to the wheel support and then going to 1" to the pedals.
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    The main aluminum tubing is 40mmx40mmx3mm, the reinforcing plates are 6mm and the bottom pedal strut is 40mmx25mmx3mm.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  3. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    First, thanks for the last reply, I'm not sure how saying "thanks" as a reply work with regards to forum rules so I usually just rate your replies (and others) thumbs up/informative mark/etc...maybe I should ask for clarification on this in the "Forum and Website" section, as I'm always thankful!

    Anyway
    Here's the link that post:
    https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/dx-compact-simulator.5866/#post-61899

    I'm curious how you secured the aforementioned tube, I thought you'd welded it until I read further down - so I was contemplating a longer tube that protruded beyond the walls slightly to hold itself in place to serve the same bushing purpose.

    However now am wondering, since you didn't weld it - did you just fit in a longer tube and cut it flush with the walls from the outside so that it remains "secured?" Or...??? Thanks in advance!
  4. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    The tube was cut flush with the walls from the outside so that it remains "secured", its purpose is both as a pivot and to reinforce the relatively thin square tubing from the crush force when tightened.
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  5. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Don't sweat it. As long as you're not oviously posting in order to get more coins in a hurry you'll be fine and you don't even need more atm.
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  6. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    Thank you!

    Looking at the image below, zoomed in - along with other images of the plate mounted to the top of the tube, I'm not sure how you made/configured the plate mount to connect with the top of the tube.

    [​IMG]


    Upon zooming (since no welding) the only thing I could think of is 3 L brackets working together around the center post: wheelMountPlate.png

    That being said...I'm not fixated on square/rectangle tubing, as I have more ideas available to make a telescoping center post, such as set screw collars and quick release bolts/fasteners that I can't find for square tubing.
    For instance down at the bottom where the center post meets the pedal tube and chair tube...could use a Ubracket[​IMG] to direct a static upright round tube...or base plates with "flange" for rectangle or round.
  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    The top plate is welded steel that cradles and bolts to the tube, reinforcing it as well.
    • Informative Informative x 1
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2018
  8. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    Thanks again...just thought of inverting a square tube flange so the square part is in the tube, drill through that and then the bottom of the flange is could serve as the plate itself, not sure, late night here, take care!

    Maybe...not stainless, just grabbed the first image...[​IMG]
  9. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    That should work OK, and serves a similar function.
  10. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    Hi @noorbeast - Season's greetings - quite a few more questions for ya :)

    1) On the first page of this thread your final feet look wider/fatter. Did you upgrade to wider?

    2) Is it true that your design distributes the entire weight down to the 6 feet (plus 2 below the center post)?

    3) are those 2 feet attached to that baseplate only or through the baseplate and to the center post?

    4) Am I seeing that the center post and all other components are weighted upon the "base plate," with the center post's L brakets distributing weight along the inner rails only?

    Saw an old post where someone questioned the stability while search for keyword "feet" in this thread. I'm trying to figure out how you designed a way to thread the 50x50 square tube for the feet...

    5) was it similar to the motor mount supports you created, but then expanded upon as guessed below? upload_2018-12-24_17-29-4.png



    6) Why did you elevate the rig above the feet that distancet anyway - rather than have the frame lower to the ground?
    Was it to so the power supplies and other components inside would be flush with the top of the 50x50 tubes so the awesome looking, carbon fiber top could go on top?

    7) Not so much a question
    When I first began delving into this, I actually didn't realize how you appear to "float" on four (or six ) feet, as was so fixated on certain aspects of your/other designs and some alterations I was brewing up...
    Basically, I was thinking of having the baseplate much lower than yours, practically siting on the floor. However I'd still use anti vibration feet, just not "suspending" the entire rig so "high". It'd be more like having some rubber feet on the ground and plopping the rig on top.

    If on carpet, it would sink in, whereas yours would be riding safe and high. I'm not sure if what I'm thinking to do would matter on carpet though.
    If on hardwood, the baseplate and rig would be sitting strong upon the anti vibration feet.

    @noorbeast You once stated,
    ...I'd worked with metal before in the past...but this is a totally different level. Pretty sure I'll expand on that statement when I start my build thread soon... :) :) :)

    Am going forward just to finish a static rig base design and continue to learn by experimentation, but look forward to your thoughts (as well as others of course!)

    Cheers
  11. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    1. Yes I upgraded to bigger rubber feet that were made for isolation with big Buttkickers.

    2. There are just 4 of those Buttkicker feet.

    3. There are no feet below the center post, the structure is rigid enough to not need them.

    4. The base plate only support the PSUs when they were internal, it does not take any structural load from the isolator feet or the center post, the outer frame and center rails take all that load.

    5. I changed the inner L shaped bracket to steel with welded capture nuts, it was stronger and less fiddly.

    6. Yes the drop down base plate was so the everything fitter inside but was flush and minimalist on the carbon fiber top side. The base plate is also the inner cavity dimension size, so a casual observer would not really notice it.

    7. Mine is not particularly high, but one consideration if going lower is to allow enough height so the lever can fully rotate in a runaway motor scenario, not that you want one of those, but it does prevent the possibility of additional damage.
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  12. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    :cheers
    Thank you, thank you, thank you:cheers
    Really going to mull over the whole thing here. Why would I use an entire 500mmx500mm plate when I could shrink it down and just do what you did. Got to question the purpose of adding more weight to the whole thing, even though it'd be the bottom...hmmmmmm

    Same thing is happening to me, with your design included :) :) :)

    Just thinking out loud....and sure there are more pros and cons
    Pros
    • it would be low enough to the ground where I could move the center post as shown in the attached pic, to alter between full frame and seat shaker style
    • could have the center post braced directly to the plate as well as rails/frame but how's this a pro if mounting to the frame and rails works as yours does
    • maybe smaller bolt sizes for the frame since the frame wouldn't be the main support system

    Cons and Unknowns
    • Possibly too low as you mentioned regarding leaving clearance for the lever
    • since that possibility, would have to come up with a way to make sure it doesn't happen! :)
    • 500mmx500mm base plate significantly weightier than using your design

    This is the way I've been thinking of approaching it...edited one of your pics to help the diagram hopefully make more sense
    motion sim post positions with photos.png
    edit:somehow double posted image
    edit 2: fixed the a/b labels had full frame and shaker labeled wrong
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  13. gSeat

    gSeat Member

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    should have clarified that the post would be swapped with quick release bolts, in B, the seat shaker only position, sideways L brackets mounted to the front of the 50mm*50mm square tubing would be the proposed method of securing the wheel/pedals unit

    In addition, the pedal bar will be adjustable up and down to various degrees, to accommodate the switch and possible F1 style seating in an future design change.
  14. FrankXX

    FrankXX New Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, 3DOF, DC motor, AC motor, SCN5, SCN6, Arduino, JRK
    Your wonderful work gives me good experience.And this is a very practical solution for a compact space.
    • Like Like x 1
  15. alberto_sv86_

    alberto_sv86_ New Member

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    Good, @noorbeast how do those engines work? Do they have strength? What relationship do you use? Do you have any game on the shaft? forgive for the questions that are looking for some engines hehe

    regards
  16. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    The 200W motors with 60:1 gearboxes and 60mm CTC levers have plenty of torque for a compact design, can't be back driven, and work really well on my rig. My compact sim is pretty responsive, can handle users up to 14okgs and the motors barely get warm.

    Wormdrive grarboxes do have some backlash, but the heave knee on my rig keeps them pre-loaded so it is not really an issue: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/wormdrive-backlash.293/

    I had one gearbox fail very early on, but the other original gearbox and the replacement have been going strong for years now without issue.
  17. alberto_sv86_

    alberto_sv86_ New Member

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    ok thank you very much for answering, are you going to 24V or 12V? what about the dead zone of the axis I do not think it's a problem
  18. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Mine is 12V, but 24V would work even better.
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  19. T R Para

    T R Para i make stuff up

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    @noorbeast
    I have been very intrigued by your Tilt Control Mechanism adaption for adding the heave axis.
    I am building a new chair and I am going to incorporate your idea.


    My question is how much throw is available on your mechanism (approximate is fine)

    Attached Files:

  20. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I had a feeling I measured it at some stage and mentioned that in a post, but can't recall when. I would have to disconnect the rear motor and remove the rear Buttkicker to measure the full range properly, but I don't need the full range for my compact rig, you can see the fully extended range here:

    [​IMG]

    And in use in this early test run (slightly changed seat position and rod for better angle since then), I do limit the range in actual use, one because I don't need it, and two because of the rear placement of the large Buttkicker.

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