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Question Wobble up and down problem as soon as I plug in USB cables

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by motiondynamics, Dec 17, 2022.

  1. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Wobble up and down problem as soon as I plug in USB cables

    Hi all, I have a very annoying problem:
    I built a simulator with 4 electric actuators (D-Box type) arranged in the 4 corners.
    For each actuator I use a 10K potentiometer.
    I loaded the SMC3 V1.0 code into my Arduino.

    I give power to the electronics, as soon as I connect the USB cables the platform starts to oscillate "up and down" of about 1 cm, around the "center" position of the potentiometer.
    This behavior is very annoying.
    Is there a way so that when I insert the USB cables, the motors stop, so they don't receive current?
    Surely it is the SMC3 V1.0 code inside the Arduino that gives this effect. Is there a way for the actuators to move only when the car is on the track?

    Please give me an answer, so the simulator doesn't look nice, it shouldn't move when you plug in the USB cables.
    It would be a good solution if there is a way to stop the motors from moving when you plug in the USB cables.
    Thank you
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2022
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Have you tried a little dead zone in the SMC3 settings?
  3. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Hello noor beast.
    Do you mean the SMC3 Utils settings? (see picture)
    I've tried increasing this value but the wobble won't go away.

    Attached Files:

  4. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Yes that is what I meant.

    The other thing to check is a noisy signal messing with the pots, use shielded cable, keep power leads well away from pot leads, and try some ferrite magnets.
  5. Gadget999

    Gadget999 Well-Known Member

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    How many other usb devices are plugged in ?
  6. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi noorbeast.
    The potentiometer cable is shielded (3 wires + shield).
    The sock is not connected, should I connect it together with Arduino GND?
    Power wires are far from Arduino and potentiometer. The Arduino board I'm using is "Standalone Uno R3", so I've taken the essential components and essential pinouts. In the PCB of Arduino Uno R3, there are SMD filter components near the USB port which I didn't use. Maybe that could be the problem?

    Hi Gadget999,
    I only use 2 USB devices (one port for motors 1-2, one port for motors 3-4)
  7. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    I'm stuck, I changed the USB cable but I still have the same defect (platform that goes up and down with small oscillations...)

    This swing is really very annoying.
    Is there any way to prevent SMC3 V1.0 from starting motors when inserting USB cable? Therefore, enable movement only when you start running on the track.
    Tell me if this is possible, I also await your answers to my previous post.
    Thank you
  8. Gadget999

    Gadget999 Well-Known Member

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    what happens when you open smc3 test program ? does it oscillate in there ?

    try a smaller Kp number
  9. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Do you mean in the graph?

    The Kp value is already small, 150
  10. Gadget999

    Gadget999 Well-Known Member

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    Is the sim stable in the graph program (smc3)
  11. Tomsix

    Tomsix Member

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    Hi, i had some of this problem , be sure that your Windows are on English speech.
    I hope thats enough
  12. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    I'm Italian, I'm translating into English with Google Translate.
    Have you had problems like me?
    And how did you solve it?
    I need help, my platform is wobbling, it's not usable like this.
    Give me the solutions to solve the problem.
    Thank you
  13. Tomsix

    Tomsix Member

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    If your PC is on Italian Language please make a try and Switch it to English.
    Let your Windows on English language
  14. Tomsix

    Tomsix Member

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    Switch your Windows Language from Italian to English and then Restart your System
    Try to Plug just one usb cable and check what it does.
    If no wobble there anymore than try with the second Usb cable
  15. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Could the Italian language be the cause of the oscillation defect... ???
  16. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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  17. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    I'm going to try this "solution" today.
    But I have a question, which I think is legitimate (since I bought a license): why hasn't the problem been solved directly on the SMC3 code?
    The problem is not in Simtools (software), because the oscillation starts as soon as I plug in the USB cables (even without starting Simtools).

    Having paid for a license and having an anomalous oscillation problem is not pleasant, especially due to a Windows language bug that prevents the regular functioning of the fantastic Simtools software.
    Yes, probably, as you suggest, changing the language in Windows could solve the problem. For those who speak and write in English it's ok, but for people like me who speak and write in Italian, changing the language in Windows for a bug is absolutely not pleasant. Since many have already complained about this problem and that, as you write, it is due to the Windows language, why hasn't the bug been fixed?
    I appeal to all of you moderators, but above all to the developer of the SMC3 code (Rufus): is it possible to solve the problem directly in the SMC3 code?
    Maybe tell us what we can/should change in the code, or (best solution), create a new SMC3 version with the change already integrated.
    Simtools is great software, it's easy to use and it's one of the best, but it's a shame that it has this bug.
    I hope that my message is seen by you and that you can solve the problem correctly
  18. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I believe it has been resolved in SimTols v3, but it has been a difficult one to pin down as it only affects a seemingly random small number of users. My understanding is that it is more of a Windows bug.
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2023
  19. Tomsix

    Tomsix Member

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    The programming language is English and probably the programmer also speaks only English, the user interface of the program is also only? English. In order to solve such a problem, the creator of the program would have to know the 12 most common languages in the world, which, let's be honest, is quite difficult. In this case, since there is a very unique problem like yours, it should be enough that you take a step to solve the problem now. Take the advice given here, it was a solution for me, I hope it will be for you too.
  20. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My understanding is that on just some computers Windows does not return data in a standard format. It does not affect all user for a particular language, just a small random percentage.
    A programmer should not need to worry about language settings, rather the system should be able to convert all language settings to a standard data format.