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6 DOF from scratch

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Pierre Lalancette, Dec 18, 2016.

  1. Fiberop

    Fiberop New Member

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    I've seen a bunch of your videos on YouTube and really impressed by how well your 6dof setup preforms seems to have really quick reactions. I was wondering if you had a build thread or if you would be willing to share ball screw and motor information. It would be really much appreciated thank you.
  2. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    3D teacher
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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Well, you are in it @Fiberop . :)
    28 pages of it.
    I have put most of the things I used in the first post of this thread. It's already 2 years old, so, many things have changed since.
    There is no specific plans and measures, just all the experimentation, errors and trials with some victories once in a while.

    Let me give you a hint on what type of update you will find in if you go back a few posts behind.

    It usually start with some goodies coming from Santa post office.

    IMG_2263.JPG

    This is only to build some suspense, some excitement! The tension is at its maximum and nobody can bare the wait anymore. We have to know what's inside.

    IMG_2264.JPG

    Lock nuts! Now we know. But that's not all. I reveal what I used them for.

    IMG_2266.JPG

    I used them to correct the holding part of the ball joint screw bar (refer to earlier post to know what was the problem). Now, everything should hold in place.

    Now, I add something trivial, to loosen up the atmosphere. Like that when my last motor connector finished printing, I had only about 20 cm left of pla. My god, what a trivial incident!

    IMG_2262.JPG

    And to finish the post, I try to go with a bang! Something unexpected. Making people wanting more and lure them to come back. The cliff hanger method.

    Something like:

    I got fire last Friday. They abolished my job and I am unemployed now.
    So, no more going far away on the week, until I find something else.
    This is why I can correct 2 of my 6 actuators on a Monday evening.
    :rolleyes:
  3. Fiberop

    Fiberop New Member

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    Oh man sorry to hear that, hopefully you'll find something better soon. But it's also nice to have a little break if you can afford it haha.

    Very interesting thread thanks for sharing. I've been wanting to build a sim for a while now and finally decided that I'm going to do it.


    Its definitely alot to take in and hard to decide which way to go. 6 dof seems really cool I mostly want it for racing and what worries me is that if a 3 dof dbox style might be better for that applications for feeling the road. Unfortunately I've never tried any of these but have driven at speeds in real life so would like to match the expirance.
  4. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform
    So sad, its a tough world out there - hope everything turns out well. On the bright side, at least you have time now to work on your sim.....:)
  5. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF

    Oh no that's not good :( Hopefully you will find something else soon
  6. pmvcda

    pmvcda aka FlyPT

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Really sorry,
    Hope it goes for the best and you can get something better!
  7. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Hey, thanks a lot guys.
    Don't worry about me. So far, everything is fine.
    3D is a volatile business and it's not my first time around that it append. I prepare for those cases.
    Right now, I try to focus and do as much as I can while I do have the time. Time for my sim is really nice.
    It's also a time to really look deep at what you like and what you don't want to do anymore.
    I though about it all weekend and...
    I have no idea.
    :)
    I like way too many things.
    • Like Like x 2
  8. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    I recommend you start with a 2 dof (or something similar). 6 dof are costly, hard to calibrate and they break easily. In the 2 and half years I spend on it, probably less then 4 hours were used to play.
    It okay, because that's what I like. Trying new stuff and test ideas.
    But when you really want to play, 6 dof can be really frustrating.
    My 2 cents.
  9. Fiberop

    Fiberop New Member

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    I hear you and understand what you are saying. I think worse case I'll settle for a 3 to upgrade into a 4 dof set up. I dont like the idea of a 2 dof and a 3 doesnt have heave or yaw depending and to me they both seem as necessary so I'm in it and cost well I cant say it's not a problem but I dont mind spending a good amount.
  10. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    The first big spend is stressful (Hello my six motors with weight shipping cost), but it gets easier every next time (Hello my carbon plates).
  11. wannabeaflyer2

    wannabeaflyer2 Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Hi @Pierre Lalancette i'll add to the rest of the crews comments by saying im sorry to hear this bad news on your part, but you strike me as one that wont buckle under, and one door closes another opens sorrta guy.

    Hang in there as talent often shines through , loving your work and progress and the adventure so take this a s small setback that you'll rise above .
  12. wannabeaflyer2

    wannabeaflyer2 Well-Known Member

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    Hi @Pierre Lalancette not telling you guys how to suck eggs as they say , but one thing I picked up on recently, Even Though it means i'll have to pull all my actuators apart as preventative measure.

    I noticed was the 4mm Grub screw that was fitted to the square Ball-screw locking nut was missing !!!. seems ya gotta use some sort of thread locking Compound to secure it .. on my test actuator I was wondering why all of a sudden there was a lot of Axial play through the ball-screw assembly .. so when I checked, I found that screw was now missing grrrrr ..

    Luckily I had a spare But Now it means Checking all the others to make sure that (a) they are still Tight , and (b) i'll need to refit them anyway this time with Thread locking Compound of some sort .. this titbit of info might save someone some grief but just mentioned as a lesson learnt by me .. :)
    • Like Like x 1
  13. llluis

    llluis Active Member Gold Contributor

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    Sad news, sorry about it! Hope you will find something better soon so simulator investment won't stop! :)
    On the bright side, you will spare 1500km a week for now.
  14. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    How far are you from the northern US border buddy? Since you're used to driving anyway if its not too far for you we have over 6,000,000 job openings right now. Its more jobs than we have unemployed people so if you have "skills" you stand a great chance of scoring a good paying job here thanks to Donald Trump. And since it appears democrats in our government are stupid enough to let 1,000,000+ invaders come over our southern border this year I very much doubt they will care about a few Canadians invading from the north :grin.
  15. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Thanks you all guys.

    @wannabeaflyer2 : I'm not sure we are talking about the same lock screw, but I got myself rid of the dust spacer guard at the top of the bk12 part and push my rod way deeper, so I could put 2 nut screw instead of only one at the edge of the thread. Now, all my 6 actuators are lock and secure (with some blue lock tight) and the rig is back up and running. See it here:

    6 DOF from scratch

    @llluis I was not doing 1500km a week. I'm lazy. I was taking the train and had a little apartment near my job (still do). 4 hours of train a week and 20 min of walk everyday. That's what I am thinking about. That job had a lot of spending expenses associated to it. I'm thinking about that. As for the goodies, I have most of what I need to attack the carbon fiber platform. That should keep me busy.

    @BlazinH I'm about 60 miles from the US border. Here I come to invade the US with Poutine and Maple Sirup. No, actually, I'm thinking about finding something closer of my home, so I can spend more quality time with my si... Girlfriend. People are not eternal. But we are both independent, so, it's not that bad.

    I'm lucky enough to be in a position that I can choose and take my time. I try to choose wisely, seize any opportunity.

    As for the rig, it perform nicely. I was in a Elite Dangerous fight when a collision with the other ship occurred. It hits the limit switch. Had to reset, turn the actuators to put is back up (again). I need to lower the ranges (again).
    • Like Like x 1
  16. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

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    im sorry to hear you are out of employment, but i am glad your spirits are still up! dont stop 6doF building!

    ahhh! i remember having poutine on my trip to montreal!!
  17. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

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    owe man, i was going to put thread locker on the nut / 1605 screw threads.. thanks for confirming this!!
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019
  18. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    You need to set the scale correctly so that your actual movement is the same as what is in FlyPT Hexapod. I have not hit any limit switches for quite a while and I use the full range of what is available which is 300mm.
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
  19. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Yesterday was the Easter reunion of my family. We were hosting so I could let people try my simulator.
    I was really proud on how it perform. I had the setup ready for Assetto Corsa and NoLimit2.
    Five of them tried Assetto and they were blown away by the immersion. One felt a bit sick (he was already feeling dizzy), but told me he wants to try it again later.
    For my nephew, I had set up NoLimit2. He's 7 and he enjoyed it very much. So did his older brother, trying both games.
    So their mother decided to try it too.
    I forgot to tell her that if she was too scared, she just had to close her eyes, and she didn't told me she was scared of height. Once the game was started, she did not hear anything we told her.
    The result is pure chaos.
    Me, my brother and her 2 kids are laughing ours heads off. My other sister is screaming at us to stop, while we tell her she's in no danger. A moment of history.



    I would say that the simulation was pretty good.
    • Funny Funny x 4
  20. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

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    i hear your family speaking french.. are you in france? i am currently visiting paris!