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6DoF VR Flight Pit

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by Historiker, Feb 18, 2019.

  1. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    So, take this:

    IMG_20190206_071623649.jpg

    And a bit of these:

    IMG_20190218_104510319.jpg

    Stir in a couple [EDIT: Six] of these:

    IMG_20190218_104455125.jpg

    Spike it with a handful of those

    IMG_20190218_104615091.jpg

    toss in this:

    IMG_20190218_104700097.jpg

    And you get!....And you GET!!!...er....wait a minute....forgot to turn on the stove...come back later. :D
    • Like Like x 1
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    Last edited: Mar 22, 2019
  2. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Ok, forget the universal joint. How about this?

    Mark 2 6DoF.JPG
    • Like Like x 4
  3. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Thanks to @bruce stephen allowing me to buy his Bodine motors the 6DoF has been officially started.

    Nothing earth shattering here:
    Motors: six @ 12v, 23a, 60:1 gearboxes, 42rpm and 310 in-lbs.
    Drivers 3@ 2x32 Sabertooths (I wanted to be one of the cool kids!) They have shipped so I get to play with them soon.
    30amp LED power supplies behind a 12v garden battery (cause I wanted to)
    Three 100lb Suspa gas struts (because...me)
    I have not yet decided if I will buy Kangaroo's but probably. I do have lots of Uno R3s around though.
    Also ordered 1/2" (12.6mm) hiem joints.

    I cut up my old 6DoF frame from way back when and re-purposed it:

    IMG_20190322_161924620.jpg IMG_20190322_161930850.jpg
    • Like Like x 8
  4. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Needed a base, so here is a base. I might still put a steel frame on top of this to mount the motors but I will probably reinforce the motor mount positions and mount them directly to this base.





    IMG_20190323_120130093.jpg




    IMG_20190323_120153871.jpg


    This only shows half of the supports, there are a total of 12.
    IMG_20190323_130903107.jpg

    And of course; blue :)

    IMG_20190323_172505646.jpg
    • Like Like x 6
  5. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Oh, and gears. Lots and lots of gears ;)

    IMG_20190326_095318908.jpg

    As per request, here are the STL files for my 75mm gears that I use for potentiometer mounting, including the arm that holds the potentiometer.

    Attached Files:

    • Like Like x 2
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2019
  6. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Hey Craig! I am channeling you here buddy! :D
    • Funny Funny x 1
  7. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    BEHOLD!
    I am now replete with cooliousity! :cool:


    IMG_20190326_133523341.jpg
    • Like Like x 3
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  8. bruce stephen

    bruce stephen Hammer doesnt fix it, must be electrical

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    That's the stuff that dreams are made of. :thumbs
  9. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Have you not finished it yet ? :D
  10. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    YES! IT IS FINISHED! (my plan to take over the world, muahhahhaa)

    The 6DoF? Not so much.

    BUT WAIT! Look what I found under a stump in the back yard (it was an iron wood tree).

    IMG_20190327_153415061.jpg

    I was sure that I would make these out of aluminum as I have the other five motor mounts but, Steel yourself for it, I had iron laying around. That is what you (would not) call IRONy :D
    • Funny Funny x 3
  11. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    It is very sad how long it took me to come up with those last jokes. About 10 seconds. Think about it...how sad is it that I can come up with really bad jokes that fast? :D

    The Motors are Ready!

    IMG_20190328_120748776.jpg
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    @SilentChill did you use some type of solenoid between your battery and the Sabertoothes? Saberteeths? What is the plural for sabertooth? Do they get a dental plan? Do I have to pay for that or is there a public program for that? These questions keep me up at night...among other things.
  13. MarkusB

    MarkusB Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, 3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform
    I am quite optimistic that therapies for Saberteeth 2x32 will be covered by the new health care program that president T. is going to establish.
  14. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Updated the post showing my gears for potentiometer position and mounting with the STL files in case anyone wants to print them.
    • Like Like x 1
  15. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    No my batteries are just connected directly to the power circuit with a switch to turn them on and off
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    So, I have been playing around with my Saberteeth 2x32 drivers.

    I uploaded @BlazinH 's (thank you) sketch found here:
    https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...ket-serial-pid-motor-driver-w-softstart.9277/
    and followed the instructions listed there. Sketch uploaded and compiled fine.

    Using Describe software I changed the Baud rate to 115200, also changed this in Windows device manager for both the sabertooth (teeth?) and the Arduinos. Is there another setting in Describe that I am missing?

    sabertooth test describe screen.png

    SMC3 utility shows the pots functioning perfectly (hall effect) but there is no controlling the voltage. On the Sabertooth the voltage output (M1 and M2) is always around 8v on one side and 12v on the other. Even when all settings in SMC3 are zero the voltage on the Sabertooth is the same. All three sets have similar. Changes in SMC3 make no difference at all, and pot position does nothing either.

    What makes me wonder if I have a Describe setting wrong is that the Diagnostic screen shows that the mode is Analog, I thought it should be Serial?

    sabertooth test diagnostic screen.png
  17. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Hmm...might have figured it out. I had assumed that the V.3 2x32 didnt need dip switches set. There is even a plastic cover over them. But After setting 1 and 2 to off (as instructed in @BlazinH 's thread) I get some control over voltage and device monitor does show the pots adjusting voltage but not gradually, just big jumps.
  18. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Further progress, I have control of the motors now but they are extremely jittery. I have to increase deadzone to 4(!) to smooth them out but manual control makes them go nuts, where sine wave they stay smooth. Tried Fpid/1 and 2 and three etc. 2 seems to work best but still not perfect. Tried jumpering a capacitor between A0 and ground to see if I could smooth them that way but there was no difference between A0 and A1 (without cap).

    Its getting there. More head scratching needed.
  19. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    These settings seem to work best, and once there is weight on the motors I am sure they will smooth out a bit more as well.

    Utility screen.png
    • Informative Informative x 1
  20. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I would try FPID 3 or 4 and i would deffo not be using any deadzone. Thats just from my experience. And deffo no PWMmin thats just gonna heat your motors up theres no need for it. KP should probably be around 400 as a minimum .