Showroom Building a new simulator

After building simulators with 4 motors, I decided to do one with 6.

I do not plan to change my G27. I replaced the brake for hydraulic 'Perfect Brake' that worked about 4 years before leaking and put back the OEM and added stiff rubber inside the spring. It is OK this way.

Instead of triple monitors, I will use my Samsung Odyssey +

I also keep my wiper motors that do not show signs of wear after 7 years of use.

I did not draw parts I do not have to make which I consider a waste of time, Just bear with me.



If you want more details, the pdf is a 3D model.

Fern

I also modified the motors to have the potentiometer inside the housing. I had blocks 3D printed and putted them inside with the wiper screwed to the gear. With a 12 bit ADC, it will give a reading precise enough.




Fern

I was finaly able to tack weld some pieces today and my brother will do the weld properly. He is a true weldor. I cut most parts on my mill (this is very slow) and some will arrive shortly.


Fern

Finally completed!

I am using 2 24V PSU 600w and 350w in parallel. They are set at 20.4v to protect my vnh5019 drivers. I limit their output to 13.5v.

Fern

Nice looking rig. Doesn't the vnh5019 come with built-in protection against reverse-voltage, over-voltage, under-voltage, over-temperature, and over-current?
https://www.pololu.com/product/1451

Do you have a video of the rig in action?

Yes there is protection but I understand it is safe up to 24v.

No I do not have a vid in action as I am still configuring motions.

Regards
Fern

Hi Fern!
Somehow i missed your thread last year. Hmmm..
I really like the design of your sim! You have put some nice ideas into it!
It seems to be not expensive, but still a serious sim and not an arcade toy.
Are the parts between your push-rods dampers or air springs? How much do they reduce the load from the platform?
I look forward seeing a video!

Wickie

All nice race sims that peolpe build are prototypes and prototyping is NOT inexpensive. Many things have to be redone over and over. Builders goal is not to save money but be creative and have as much fun designing and building it as using it. If you want something inexpensive, buy a well designed one that fits your budget but if you still feel building it for a low cost, make it bare bone and do not try to innovate.

They are common gas (nitrogen) struts with as little dampening as possible. Before bolting the seat to the base through push-rods, I made legs to put in on scales and I sitted in place. Rear was 80 lbs, left 88 lbs and right 110 lbs. I am 200 pounds. I did not make enough adjustment to the seat brackets to offset it to left and that is why it is not even. My struts are all 90 lbs force. It is heavier on the right and I have to tweek my PID to compensate for it.
If you want gas struts, contact a manufacturer in your country and fill the spec sheets they have. Cost should be ~20-30$ plus freight. It does act as damper a bit but make it easier on motors and PSU. It is a must.

Regards
Fern

I think the use of VR instead of a triple monitors is a good choice. Hopefully we'll continue to get good VR support for driving and flight sims in the future. I imagine a rig like that would be a hoot in VR with something like Star Wars Squardrons.

nice work I really like the fact that the potentiometers are integrated into the engine

I have a Samsung Odyssey+ HMD and do like it and installed my 3 27" monitors on a special stand in a way I can rotate it from above my desk to front of my sim.
Reasons I did it ? First, resolution is far from a monitor at 26" from your eyes. Second, I need glasses and though I had new ones that are narrow enough to fit in the headset, lenses are touching the mini screen and make it very uncomfortable. Last, combined with the motion of the sim, it gives me motion sickness...
Hopefully it will improve with next versions.

Regards
Fern

Hi François
I like it too because it protects them from any incident and are not breakable unless the finger it not properly adjusted.
However I have a problem with them now. The way I installed them is too close to power lines and they get noise when the motors are activated. Readings are erratic and results vary +-30 with a 10bit ADC.
I will try something different...

Regards
Fern

This pot design is really cool. I might try it in my next build. So you built a 6dof with wiper motors? From what I have heard they aren't be powerful enough. If you got away with it though, I might have to try it out for myself.