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Pekwah1's 2DOF DIY

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Pekwah1, Jul 8, 2020.

  1. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    Balance:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    So.....

    I have the SimTools licence!
    Unfortunately it looks like another one of the MMs decided to die so ordered more from Germany which have now arrived and i'm ready to start testing again.

    I've been through the SimTools manual and at the moment just want to use the axis testing before i load a game to make sure everything is working, although i can't work out how to get it to move (still working fine in SMC3).

    I've got two motors at the rear of the rig, so set up the following axes:

    Axes.JPG

    and tried the following interface:

    interface.JPG

    That's with the rig connected directly from the Arduino to the laptop (which is running SimTools).

    The only thing i did notice is that it won't let me click the save button on interface for some reason, although did let me create the preset.

    Any ideas guys?

    Thanks in advance
    andy
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Balance:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    For SMC3 your Interface Output for a 2DOF should be: [A<Axis1a>][B<Axis2a>]

    Set 10bit binary output

    Baud rate 500000 BitsPerSec, N , 8 , 1 (10ms delay)
  3. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK

    Thanks noorbeast,

    I actually found that in the SMC3 instructions after posting and tried but didn’t work.

    I think the problem is not the settings, but it seems like the save button is disabled, certainly doesn’t save the settings as every time I close simtools and open again the settings are blank.

    I’ve checked all the antivirus bits and don’t have anything running, and again SMC3 util works fine so the com port etc must be ok.

    Again just seems like the save button doesn’t work, have been searching but can’t find an answer to this problem
  4. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
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    Balance:
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    Ratings:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Have you tried reinstalling SimTools?

    You can make a backup of any existing settings: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...thout-loosing-your-profiles-and-settings.160/
  5. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
  6. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Well tried reinstalling simtools a couple of times, didn’t bother saving the settings and thought it would be safer as a clean install.

    still not able to click on the save button on the interface screen.

    SMC3 Utils still works fine, simtools finds com5 in the list so can see the arduino but just won’t let me even click the save button.

    now completely stuck and for the love of searching can’t find a solution to this one!

    All antivirus etc completely disabled....
  7. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    ok, i feel a bit silly now as i had missed the output string [A<Axis1a>][B<Axis2a>].
    Have put this in and able to save and have comms!

    However, i'm now struggling to get proper movement on the motors.
    I've tried a few different settings for the axes assignment but cant get this working.
    It seems a bit strange as i can slide the roll/pitch or try the specific axis output which does nothing, but as soon as i cross 0 and go to the other side of the axis, even just by 1 or two it sends the motor spinning to it's max range.

    I've attached a few screenshots as below, any pointers appreciated!

    smc3 settings.JPG

    int-set.JPG

    axis-set.JPG
  8. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    In SMC3 is your pot centered in the graph when your rig is level at rest?
  9. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    yep all centred and good - all works a treat in SMC3.

    having had another look I suspect that simtools didn’t save the ‘b’ page of the axis config, it’s a bit late now in the UK so will have another play tomorrow
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    You do not need a b designation in Interface settings for a basic 3 axis rig.

    For SMC3 the SimTools Interface Settings Bit Range should be 10.
  11. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Noorbeast THANK YOU!!!!!

    turns out it was just the bit output set to 8 instead of 10, we now have movement!

    I’m going to do some tuning now and will test out on a game very soon!
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Well looks like my motor placement wasn’t very good as they weren’t really strong enough under the seat, I’ve now moved behind and works much better! My linkage rods aren’t strong enough and bend a bit so going to sleeve with some hollow tube.

    good news is that it works at least in test mode, movement is a bit jerky though - sometimes have to move around 10-15 points on the slider for it to register and move, guessing it just needs a bit of tuning.

    many ideas what the best way to sort this would be? I was thinking maybe the pwmin setting in SMC3?
  13. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Further to this, it’s actually not that jerky but seems when the motors are moving past their middle point upwards, they don’t move until I move the sliders in test mode in simtools to around 45-50%, I have no idea why!!
    Have tried changing Kp and PWMmin but hasn’t made any difference
  14. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Balance:
    144,602Coins
    Ratings:
    +10,741 / 52 / -2
    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
    It would assist others and troubleshooting if you post pictures of all of your settings.
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2020
  15. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    2C6BBF92-B955-4CBE-923D-54C1FBD20AA7.jpeg Pictures of cute settings:

    099B8F0C-27BD-4EF3-BE16-45E23F0F581B.jpeg

    07E28DCC-5433-4ED6-A9B1-9DDA8D1ACEF9.jpeg
  16. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    Balance:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Uploaded a video showing the dead zone on pitch:

  17. Pekwah1

    Pekwah1 Member

    Joined:
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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
    Well had a good result yesterday, hadn’t been able to get Simtools and Xbox forza to talk, turns out I tried another plugin and all now nice and happy!

    getting movement in game but seems to give up after around 5-10 seconds and motor one just drops to lowest position, not quite sure why....

    pitch still has the deadZone problem if anyone has any ideas on this?