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

6 DOF from scratch

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

  1. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Under my profile picture, do you see my location? I guess you should... Anyway, I am from Quebec, Canada.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. 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
    That's brilliant immersion at it's best!!
    • Agree Agree x 2
  3. llluis

    llluis Active Member Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2017
    Messages:
    165
    Location:
    Quebec
    Balance:
    1,630Coins
    Ratings:
    +103 / 1 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    @Pierre Lalancette, can you give us more info on the U-joints and U-bolts (dimensions, where you got them)?
    I'm going for the same design to avoid soldering / welding on the base of the actuators.
  4. llluis

    llluis Active Member Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2017
    Messages:
    165
    Location:
    Quebec
    Balance:
    1,630Coins
    Ratings:
    +103 / 1 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    Found the info on the first page! Thanks :)

  5. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2018
    Messages:
    677
    Balance:
    4,489Coins
    Ratings:
    +297 / 4 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    hey @Pierre Lalancette do you know the size of the setscrew / grubscrews? i like to order additional grubscrews and try to drill and tap the nut so it has two grubscrews instead of one... i took existing and used micrometer.. looks like i assume a M4 x 5mm size grub screw... maybe @wannabeaflyer2 you know the size of the grubscrew for the screw nut so i can order?
  6. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
  7. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2018
    Messages:
    677
    Balance:
    4,489Coins
    Ratings:
    +297 / 4 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    the nut is M12.. but the setscrew is M4 (i think).. i just wanted to confirm with you.

    Attached Files:

  8. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    The Allen key says 2 mm and the screw diameter is 3.9 mm. So, I guess it's a m4 indeed.
  9. wannabeaflyer2

    wannabeaflyer2 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2015
    Messages:
    724
    Location:
    london uk
    Balance:
    8,286Coins
    Ratings:
    +950 / 7 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Hi @hannibal Pierre has already beat me to it and I agree its an M4 Set screw / Grub screw (depending on Country terminology ) . been on Holiday so now back to business here again :) But not sure if that 12mm nut is hardened or not if that's the case it may be difficult to Drill and tap the existing part as pictured above ( but don't quote me on that as im not in the man cave)
  10. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Messages:
    2,574
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Brisbane Australia
    Balance:
    28,370Coins
    Ratings:
    +2,844 / 38 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform
    I have always also applied 'locktight'' to the nuts thread.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  11. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2018
    Messages:
    677
    Balance:
    4,489Coins
    Ratings:
    +297 / 4 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    thanks everyone.

    i was going to try to add a second grubscrew and also threadlocker liquid.. i havent tried to drill it yet, so i will find out the hard way.. but if the threads stripped from @Pierre Lalancette 's experience, maybe the nut is not so hardened...
  12. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,145
    Location:
    Oklahoma City, USA
    Balance:
    16,568Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,831 / 32 / -1
    Okay but which one?

    Typical properties of thread-locking fluids
    Type Typical color code Torque to break free(3/8-16 size bolt) Torque to continue turning Temperature range

    Low strength ■ Purple 62 in-lb (7 N⋅m) 27 in-lb (3 ) −54 to 149 °C
    Medium strength ■ Blue 115 in-lb (12 N⋅m) 53 in-lb (6 N⋅m) −54 to 149 °C
    Medium strength surface insensitive ■ Blue 180 in-lb (20 N⋅m) 62 in-lb (7 N⋅m) −54 to 149 °C
    High strength ■ Red 230 in-lb (25 N⋅m) 225 in-lb (25 N⋅m) −54 to 149 °C
    High temperature ■ Red 180 in-lb (20 N⋅m) 270 in-lb (30 N⋅m) −54 to 232 °C
    Penetrating ■ Green 90 in-lb (10 N⋅m) 310 in-lb (35 N⋅m) −54 to 149 °C
  13. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    I used the blue one, because that's the one I had. No scientific reason.
    Since I use 2 nuts, I had no issue (yet).
  14. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,145
    Location:
    Oklahoma City, USA
    Balance:
    16,568Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,831 / 32 / -1
    When in doubt use blue first because red could end up being permanent.
  15. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Today, I tried to calibrate Assetto Corsa with direct link (no simtools) using @pmvcda Hexapod. The problem I had, is that there is no way to set up the scale, as we cannot set the value to 100% and leave it there to make measurements. So I tried by trial and error.

    Got on the rig once: The wheel does not work. Get down to reset.

    Got on the rig twice: The wheel works but the car does not respond to it. Get down again.

    Got the wheel working for the third time: The Pimax got black. Had to get out again.

    Got everything to work, for almost 2 hours and start to play and calibrate. I could not feel the roll and I was changing value, test, change and test again. Until I hit a limit switch. That was it. I got frustrated.

    Got it back stable (man that thing is heavy) and turned everything off. I will get back to simtools, since I can calibrate the rig size with it.
  16. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,145
    Location:
    Oklahoma City, USA
    Balance:
    16,568Coins
    Ratings:
    +1,831 / 32 / -1
    If testing new software easily frustrates you then its probably best not to be a tester. His software is still a work in progress and I'd say its still in the alpha stage. So you should probably wait until its a least to the beta stage if you don't have enough hair left on your head to spare :D.
    • Like Like x 1
  17. pmvcda

    pmvcda aka FlyPT

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2010
    Messages:
    1,846
    Location:
    Portugal
    Balance:
    14,096Coins
    Ratings:
    +2,169 / 16 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
    Sorry, it's not working for you.
    The direct input is really WIP.
    Many problems with Yaw. Mainly at start and end of race when we change to/from menus where Yaw changes from zero to a certain direction suddenly. It needs filtering.
    Like @BlazinH says, it's really a WIP. I'm sharing what I'm doing for me, so don't expect a professional result here.

    To adjust scale, you could:
    #1 Reset all sliders and put the rig at "zero". Also put all gains to 1.0 and remove all filters and mixing.
    #2 Measure in the sway direction, the distance from the rig to a stand still object (like a chair).
    #3 Now in the sliders, move the sway slider to something, like 100 mm.
    #4 Measure again like #2 and see the difference.
    #5 Adjust scale until the difference matches the 100 mm (don't touch the sliders).

    You can use surge or heave. Maybe heave is the better one, just measure distance to floor.
  18. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    Hey, sorry I gave the wrong impression. I'm not frustrated at your program @pmvcda . No, I'm loving it and will keep on testing it.
    I did not know that you could modify the force inside Hexapod. I always use it with simtools and they were grayed out. That changes everything. You learn every day.
    I'm frustrated by the fact that it took me almost 2 hours to successfully start my rig.
    Hitting the limit switch was the little drop that filled a glass already full.
    Also, I like to complain to draw attention. Don't pay to much attention.

    Testing it now, setting the scale is a breeze.
    Thanks.
  19. hannibal

    hannibal Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2018
    Messages:
    677
    Balance:
    4,489Coins
    Ratings:
    +297 / 4 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    6DOF
  20. Pierre Lalancette

    Pierre Lalancette Sir Lalancelot Gold Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    943
    Occupation:
    3D teacher
    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    Balance:
    7,683Coins
    Ratings:
    +883 / 6 / -0
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, 6DOF
    I'm not that young anymore. Hurry up, or I might end up dead. :)
    • Funny Funny x 4