Showroom FlyPT - 6DOF Brushless DIY Actuators

This looks like the full motion that I will be attempting to build I've had this in my mind for over a month and have most of the hardware on order thanks for your pics and info

Well after reading all of this I really want to build this thing like everyone else. I have been working on a joyrider first years and never finished it after moving and having kids. Now time to just on the horse and start over and build something better. My question at the moment all I have found locally in Minneapolis is aluminum that is 2”x4” for the base with I am assuming should not change any of the main dimensions? I will also be teaching myself to weld aluminum so this might be the hardest part, as soon as I can afford a cheap welder. Anyone else building this in the US that has sourced the parts at a decent price?

I am building in the US. I obtained my metal stock from https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/. They have locations all over the US. You can order online but you will pay more than if you just visit or call your local location.

From my order history, so far I have obtained the following. These are very close Imperial matches for the metric originals.:
SKU # Product Grade Length Quantity Price Per Piece Reorder Item
ATRT6063/3112120 3.000 X 1.500 X 0.120 AL 6063T5 TUBE RECTANGLE ALUMINUM TUBE RECTANGLE 6063T5 6063T5 60.00 Inches 3 $37.11
ATR6061/114125 1.250 X 0.125 AL 6061T6 TUBE ROUND ALUMINUM TUBE ROUND 6061T6 6061T6 60.00 Inches 2 $25.17
ATSQ6063/112112125 1.500 X 1.500 X 0.125 AL 6063T5 TUBE SQUARE ALUMINUM TUBE SQUARE 6063T5 6063T5 104.00 Inches 2 $45.77
AF6061/12212 0.500 X 2.500 AL 6061T6 FLAT BAR ALUMINUM FLAT BAR 6061T6 6061T6 96.00 Inches 1 $78.86


BTW - I am brazing my Aluminum not welding it: check youtube (e.g. ) for tips - all you need is a blowtorch. Learning to use an actual welder is a much bigger learning curve. I may decide to strengthen some critical joints in the upper section with extra plates just cto be safe.

Thanks for the info. I will look into those links. I have saw the brazing method before but I was curious how that will hold up with all the movements and banging around and all. @FlyPT what method did you do? I do have some big metal places not too far from me in Minneapolis so I was going to check them but didn’t know if I wanted to go toward the larger 2x4 rather than a 1.5x3 ish for the base.

I will let flyPT or others comment on strength of brazing vs welding. It certainly seems pretty strong to me so far, but my build is not complete yet.
I did decide not to use 3D printed parts - my actuator assembly, connection of the actuator to the base and the connection of the actuator to the upper frame are all 100% metal,

I see no reason why the base could not use the larger material you mention, but 1.5x3 construction seems plenty strong The extra weight might make it more stable perhaps?

I was thinking of trying to make some of the plastic parts out of aluminum on my cnc if it would actually cut aluminum well is yet to be seen. Have you sourced the motors yet? I looked at the metal on the website you sent. Of course the price has gone up! about 15$ more for the rectangle tubing but it’s only 20 min or so from my house so that’s not bad. Is 5’ enough for the base? I wasn’t it 3 meters or so needed? I’ll have to look again it’s been a little while since I have looked. How far are you on you build? Would like to see you progress if you have a post started.

I'll get some pictures when I can - so far I have finished the base and one actuator - since I was changing the design, I wanted to make sure that actuator would would work first. It does, so I am now ready to knock out the other 5.

The motors and controllers are from ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Free-Sh...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Also, the ball screw assembly: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ball-Screw...var=611734692642&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

I worked up a spreadsheet with the metal dimensions in it when I did this. I am attempting to attach to this post.

Wow good price for that motor combo. Wonder if you will notice the 500 rpm difference from the one OP used. Not sure if he’s using it at full speed or not. They give you a discount with quantity order so might have to jump on that before they are gone. Haven’t seen any others with similar ratings in my searches

Here are a few pictures of my Actuator build. All metal design - no printed parts. And no need to CNC Aluminum the way I did it. Everything is made from Aluminum stock, cut to size and drilled (and threaded as necessary). TOP VIEW







Motor Detail​

Simple rectangular Aluminum plates, drilled to allow the shaft and coupler. Threaded on the sides (left and right in this picture) so that bolts can hold the plates in place.

CLOSE UP OF SCREW PILLOW BEARING
​

On the right you can see the microswitch mounting. Simply thin Aluminum bent into shape. The microswitch is epoxied on.

CONNECTION OF BALL SCREW CARRIAGE TO ROD​

I used the hardware that came with the ball screw assembly. Not visible in the picture is where the rod joins the carriage, I added a smaller size tube to allow the rod to mate with the carriage (the rod diameter was too great to fit into the hole). Note that the carriage can rotate at the moment because there is no connection between the carriage and the side walls of the actuator. It works as is, but I may screw bolt into the carriage and slide the head of the bolt into the channel in the side walls. You can also see the upper-limit microswitch here.

ROD END​

This end of the rod also uses a smaller tube to allow attachment to the rod. The M12 bolt head was ground down so it just fit inside the smaller tube. The entire tube was then filled with Polycarbonate resin to hold the bolt in place, with the end projecting out as you see in the photo.

TOP DETAIL
​

You can see the teflon coated flange which ensures the rid travels smoothly.

Man that looks very nice. Great job. Thanks for sharing your progress and explanations. Getting amped up wanting to drop the hammer and start ordering everything. Just need to pay off a couple thing first. Keep us posted on your progress and let us know how the movement goes.

Hello! Is it possible to use this code for 4dof? Thanks for answer

Hi @pmvcda , do you have some news about code for ESP32 with external PID calculation project?
I'm still struggling with some tiny different actuator moves witch occurs some extra motion. As I said before for example when I drive straight fast on a road, heave makes a road effect, but there are some tiny extra sway and surge moves, because of different actuator moves or speeds I think. It feels strange, and I dont know how I can solve it. I hope the external PID control will help.

Not sureit will solve the problem.
I'm working on it, it's not so easy to integrate in Mover has it was in the old software

But what about with your rig? Do you feel those strange moves too? You know my rig is absolutely the same with yours. As I copied the whole project

No, I don't feel it, it's stable.
Try to put some extra wheigt on the rig, just to see if it's still happening.
Yes, I know, seems like something crazy, but please try.

Some actuators might have pid overcompensating. Did you use the nanotec motors? I don't remember, sorry

Yes, I used Nanotec DB59C024035-A motors with BLDC-8015A motor driver.

Hi guys.
I've been thinkering with this for a long while now, and yesterday I was finally able to get the test actuator to run the calibration routine successfully (or did it?).
When I look at the serial monitor in the Arduino IDE, this is what it displays after it goes to max, then to minimum (where it stays):

Actuator 0: Minimum=-647 Maximum=647

Does this look right?
I'm not good at this, but I'm a little worried since the two numbers are equal (except for the negative minimum number)?
No matter what the position it is when the calibration starts, the two numbers are allways the same (once again, except for the "minus" in front of the minimum number).

And also, is there a comprehensive guide on how to test one actuator in FlyPT Mover?
I've been testing and trying to set this up, using LFS as the source, but I don't have a clue on what I'm doing..
A few times I've been able to get the actuator moving, but then it just "shoots out", past the max endstop switch, and I've had to quickly pull the power cord to stop it before it hits the physical max.
I was hoping there was a step-by-step guide on how to test an actuator?

I've been reading the forums up and down, but I've yet to find something that makes sense to me (as I said, I don't have a clue).

Thanks a million.
Have a nice day.


\ Martin

Really sorry.

I need to get some time to update this thread.
I'm full of real world work over me, Mover, Mover manual and trying to answer questions everywhere, specially the bugs....
I think I'm going crazy

I really need to release a Mover update and update some parts of the manual before anything else. Sorry.

Don't be sorry, you've already done an amazing job with this!
I fully understand the real world situation. I'm working in the daytime, and attending school in the evening. On top of that, I have to help my mother move house, so I'm basically doing this stuff during night time.

I just hoped there was a step-by-step guide already available, that could help me understand how to configure everything and to test the actuator I've built.
I've been reading your posts, and looking at videos, but I haven't been able to figure it out.

As a first test, I would like to just move a slider on my screen, to move the actuator.
Is this possible to set up?
Just move one axis, if you will, and see the result on a corresponding output axis.


\ Martin

I was thinking is there anyway to adapt an ac servo to this just to eliminate needing a power supply and batteries etc. I did notice to get similar torque one would need to upsize to a larger frame so it would not be as clean of a look. Unless someone had ideas. Would there be any downfall of going this route?