Suggestions for D-Box Type Home Theater Simulator

I am interested in building a low profile platform type 3-axis simulator for home theater. I would like it to meet or exceed the performance of the D-Box system. For anyone not familiar with D-Box: http://www.d-box.com/en/home-theatre/mo ... m/srp-330/

I am trying to gather information on the feasibility of the project. I need 4 actuators that together can lift/move approximately 1,000 pounds. What kind of actuators should I be looking at? I am thinking of writing a custom PC based controller software for the system. Any ideas or advice are welcome.

I hope this is the appropriate place to post. Most of the simulators here look like racing/game sims but the principals are the same right?

Mike

finding those actuators wont be easy,there force isnt a problem speed will be.
the only specs d box gives are 2G accelaration 100kgf startingforce(they use steppermotors)travel 2 inch or less.(there design makes it inpossible to create more travel)
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So they are probably using something like this: http://www.thorlabs.us/newgrouppage9.cf ... up_id=3039

or this: http://www.ultramotion.com/products/digit.php

I understand this may not be the best design. I am open to other ideas. If I could surpass the performance of their system, that would be awesome.

Mike

they are verry expensive to weak and to slow
you could look @exlar also.
Fore those prices you able to let machine actuator parts , make your own
and outperform them.
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I appreciate your feedback. So we have a fundamental design problem. Now I know why D-Box is charging $12,000 for a system.

So, I need to somehow reduce the load (heavy springs, a pivot of some kind?) and/or use multiple traditional type actuators? What about using multiple actuators per corner? Something like 2 or 3 of these per corner: (each 100lb @ 2.5/Sec. under load) http://www.firgelliauto.com/product_inf ... cts_id=245

Or what about using one of these for each corner (each 450lb @ 1.89/Sec under load): http://servocity.com/html/450_lbs__thru ... tuato.html

Are they fast enough? Responsive enough?

Thanks for the advice.

Mike

I just checked out the Exlar stuff. It looks very nice. I can only imagine it is expensive. It almost seems overkill for what I am trying to do - no? The GSX20 has 12 inches of stroke with 578 Lbf with a max speed of 33/sec! I wonder what kind of power that would require? Are these specs for real?

http://www.exlar.com/assets/File/Brochu ... 008-11.pdf

Mike

Hi Mike. Might be worth seeing what Michal Stanek has over at http://www.oring.com.pl/oferta/hydrauliczny-symulator-f1. Their 4 actuator system should be around 4300 Euro's. They are also into larger motion systems as well.

Regards
Iain

Thanks for the link Iain. Cool stuff but I don't think I want to deal with hydraulics. I guess this is going to be even more complicated than what I originally envisioned.

Mike

I just found this other thread using 6 Exlar GSX20's: erics-6dof-ride-simulator-ride-u-lator-t1825.html. Very cool stuff. One thing I was surprised about though is how little weight it could handle. The builder says at 270 pounds of riders plus the wood and chair, the actuators are right at their limit. That doesn't sound correct for actuators that are rated to 578 Lbf each. Maybe I am missing something.

Mike

Hello Bigpines, have you considered using motors instead of actuators? Motors can be responsive and CHEAPER.

I like cheaper... Are you talking like a wiper motor design? I hadn't really considered that because I didn't know if I could find anything powerful/accurate enough to do the job. What do you recommend for this amount of weight?

Mike

Hi Mike. Their larger platforms are hydraulic. The standard ones are electric D-Boxtype actuators. See the video's lower down the page (Electric Motion Systems for Simulators).
Note: there is a selector for English at the top right of the page.

Regards
Iain

Thanks. I see the motion system on the PlaySeat now. Pretty cool stuff. I wonder what actuators they are using?

Mike

You know, there *HAS* to be a way to get a few inches lift like I am talking about. But economically? Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3CaoeV9 ... re=related or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJoi-1g0IzI What kind of actuators are those guys using? They have to have huge motors on them or they are hyraulic? I can't even figure out how they are doing that. It is amazing. I don't need anything that extreme but I know if that is possible, what I want is possible.

What if I built my own actuators or modified some using very powerful 3-5 HP electric motors with lots of torque? Like this one: http://www.qcsupply.com/190053-leeson-f ... oductfeeds

Would that work? Could I build them strong enough to handle the abuse? Are there resources on the web that can help me with that?

Mike

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online ... escription

Aldoz and Eaorobbie are using these style 12v winch motors on their sims , here is aldoz's my-3dof-project-is-born-t3096-110.html , check out the video of his sim. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeyQC2lW ... r_embedded
They use the Pololu JRK board http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1393 which are a monsta of a little board, as I do.

Hi Mike
For technical info see application engeneering @ http://www.roton.com
For motors see attachment there 82bds173-208 got a continuous stall torque from 1.2 nm
thats over 100kg continuous holding force (price around 150,00 euro)
with an 1605 ballscrew (maximum speed 250mm/sec.)
this can be driven with adriuno and sabertooth controller using a 10 turn poti (for feedback)
When using a basicmicro controller and inplement a encoder,youre having more updates a second.
(if winch motors can hold 100kgf continuous is a gamble)
With c7 class ballscrews youre having 0,05mm backlash (free play)with winchmotors a lot more.
I have asked a guy some time ago for making actuator parts,and he asked 200,00 euro for it
see attachment (there is 1 page missing ,it could be you not understand the drawings.ifso ask and i will post missing drawing later)
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I wouldn't be worried about the backlash of the ballsrew and nut as the forces act mainly upon one direction and so it takes away the backlash all together. Only when braking upward motion would you be able to experience any backlash (and that would be minimal anyway), 16mm might be a bit thin screw, on my design I use 32mm but the forces in my design might be somewhat stronger. Your pdf file was corrupted in one of it's page and so I don't see the actual screw drawings, but in case you have missed one crucial point in your design I'll add that you need to have a bearing in top of the screw also. It might be a simple nylon bushing acting against the actuator tube and be aligned that way that it is at the same point as the top slide bushing acting against the outer actuator tube. It would be better if the inner slide bushing was free to rotate and only vertical sliding would occur, hence the small top bearing.

Hi Jyrki
Place for top bearing is given @ nr.2 page 5
I whil post missing drawing later
p.s. I,am not ussing a hollow pushrot ,but two precision round rails for it
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Hi
The missing drawing