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Showroom EXTRUDED ALUMINUM 2 DOF MOTION SIMULATOR

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Ekain Lopez, Jul 11, 2019.

  1. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    Hi! I'm starting my own project of a 2 DOF motion sim with the mobile part of the structure made of extruded aluminum.

    I have quite clear how I will make the structure: I have ordered the aluminum and all the screws and nuts that I will need. I already have the cardan (universal joint), and I almost chose the seat. I have not yet thought about how the base will be, but I think I will make it of wood.

    In terms of hardware, I own a couple of 12v wiper motors and an Arduino board. I'm looking a monster moto shield, but I have no idea what kind of PSU I need. Another question I have are the potentiometers that have to be put in the motors. The last question I have related to the hardware are the gearboxes. Which gearboxes do I need?

    As for the software I have not investigated much but I have found some code for the Arduino. If I have doubts about this, I'll ask you.

    I will publish photos of the evolution of the project but for now I have nothing :(:grin

    Regards;)
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    What motors and gearboxes you need depends on the design, so use SimCalc to get you head around the design Vs physics involved: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...e-linear-speed-and-forces-of-your-design.270/

    You can use 10k pots, but personally I use and recommend Hall Sensors, as they have great resolution, longevity and won't break if over rotated: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/how-to-choose-potentiometer.238/

    These are the Hall Sensors I use: https://au.element14.com/bi-technol...fs/sensor-hall-0-2v-20v-to-10v-pin/dp/2319662

    With either posts or Hall Sensors use a correctly sizes flexible coupling to mount them to the motor: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...1313&_nkw=flexible+aluminum+coupling&_sacat=0

    You can modify server PSUs as a cheap PSU, though they can be a bit sensitive to power spikes: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...ver-power-supplies-as-cheap-powerful-psus.54/

    Or if you have the room use cheap LED strip PSUs, you will find plenty of options via Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-110V-22...hash=item236be66178:m:mnohYz4NZlT_Dq5l5lWNUMg

    There are lots of Arduino code choices: https://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/arduino-code-for-use-with-various-hardware-and-simtools.31/

    But I would recommend you start with the SMC3 code, as it has a handy app to make configuration easier: http://www.xsimulator.net/community...3dof-motor-driver-and-windows-utilities.4957/
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  3. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    I have a couple of 12v wiper motors. How can I know what amperage they need?
    IMG_20190717_125517.jpg
  4. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi! A 500W PC PSU would work fine with two 12v motors?
    I think that it's easier to get and prepare a normal PSU than a server PSU, but I need advise. :confused:
  5. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Server PSUs are a bit sensitive when it comes to power spikes, and I would suggest they are cheap enough to prefer one per motor.

    Alternatively if you want a single PSU have a look at cheap LED PSUs on Ebay, they tend to be more robust than server PSUs.
  6. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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  7. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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    That source would only be valid for one engine and very fair, I used a 65A source for 2 motors
  8. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Thank you all for your answers:thumbs
    One only Moto Monster Shield would be enough for the two wiper motors with a 12v 62A PSU? Or should I buy two Moto Monsters?
  9. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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    A motomonster is capable of supporting 30A mandatory the use of heatsink, if your engines do not exceed 30A you can use only one (I used in my old sim only 1 motomonster) and if you overcome them you can wire the motomonster to unify the 2 outputs to 1 engine, with which you should use 2 of these, if you could not use the IBT-2 that can deliver up to 43A
  10. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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  11. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    I have already received almost all the components that I ordered, such as the motomonster, arduino, potentiometers, PSU... But I'm a bit lost with the power supply.
    I don't know where I should connect the cables that will power the motomonster.
    First doubt: (top of image)
    I have 8 connectors; 1, 2, 3 and 4 are V- and 5, 6, 7 and 8 are V +. Where do I have to connect the cables that will power the motomonster?
    Second doubt: (Bottom of the image)
    Where do you have to connect the positive cable of ac and where the negative?
    Third doubt: (Right side of the image)
    Is there anything I should keep in mind? Or is it irrelevant?
    Meanwell_PSP_600_12_edited.jpg
  12. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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    We go in parts, first doubt, terminals 1 to 4 are V- and terminals 5 to 8 are V +, so you have to use a V- and a V +, for example with 1 and 4 you would feed the motomonster.

    Second doubt, in the lower part you must connect 230vac, N (neutral) and L (phase) and earth

    Third doubt, in the right part you have a small potentiometer to adjust the output voltage, if your source is 12vdc you can adjust a few volts up and down
    • Informative Informative x 1
  13. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    Thank you so much, mate;) You helped me a lot.
  14. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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    There is no need, for that we are in the forum, any problem do not hesitate to ask
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  15. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I will start with the electronic part. What confuguration should I do first to test all the components?
    SMC3, Simtools and LFS with one motor?
  16. zapata_h

    zapata_h Active Member

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  17. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    Thanks for your answer.
    I have been testing with SMC3Utils and one motor works perfectly. Instead, the other motor only turns in one direction when I move the potentiometer by hand (it only turns when the green line is above the blue line, when I move the potentiometer below the blue line, the motor does not turn).
    If I change the motor power cables, it turns in the other direction, but the green line moves away from the blue one.
    What could be the problem?
  18. sam poole

    sam poole Active Member

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    sounds like a wire not connected from the ard or from pot would be my first check and have you done the mandatory ground isolation on the motors?
  19. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    I think the cables are well connected. I have thought the same about the ground isolation, because I asked a friend to do it, and he may not have done it correctly. Although I have been testing with the multimeter and I have not found any fault.
  20. Ekain Lopez

    Ekain Lopez New Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    Hi, after many tests, I have finally got the two engines to work properly. I had to use two Motomonster, because one chip on each board didn't work well.
    Now I have got the engines moving with SMC3Utils, but I can't do the same with SimTools.
    I have configured it and SimTools collects the data from Live For Speed, but when I try to move the engines from Axis Testing, nothing moves.
    Captura1.PNG
    Captura.PNG
    Captura2.PNG
    How can I make it work?