Tutorial SMC3 Arduino 3DOF Motor Driver and Windows Utilities

Friends, please tell me so what am I doing wrong? Or is everything working properly for everyone?! After all, maybe someone will have the same situation as me, but there will already be a solution to such a problem.

Hi everyone, I'm a simulation enthusiast and a few months ago I bought the Simtools license.
I have a big problem with my simulator (electric linear actuators with Arduino) and I ask your technical support to solve it, I'll explain what happens.

I had downloaded the SMC3 V1.0 version, but I had a problem: as soon as I inserted the USB cable, the actuators went to the central position very quickly. Then I tried to use version 1.7a with "Soft Start", but even with this I am having problems, the movement starts slow but when it reaches the central position the actuators make 5 violent clicks (up and down).
In Game Engine> Interface Settings, I have selected 10 ms in Output Rate.

What I ask is: I want to use SMC3 V1.0 version. Is it possible to prevent the actuators from snapping in the center when I plug in the USB cable? That is to make the actuators move only when I start Simtools using the Game Engine functions "Startup & Resume" and "Shutdown & Centering"?

Another question: in Game Engine I set 500000 BitsPerSec, in the Windows COM port I set 115200 BitsPerSec.
What are the correct values that I need to set in the Windows COM port?

Tell me if there is any remedy, I hope you give me some answers, I am confident of your kindness and your professionalism.
A thousand thanks

I might be totally wrong as my rig has been down for a long time, but I think this is controlled by the program inside the Arduino. As soon as it has power, it brings the motor to the center. SMC3 is more like an interface to bring value to that program, but I don't think there is control for the start setup. But it's been so long, I could be wrong.

Hi Pierre and thank you for speaking to my request for help.
Yes, that's it: as soon as the computer restarts or when the USB cable is connected, power arrives to the Arduino, the motors move to the central position, this is managed precisely by the SMC3 code, in fact this behavior arises even without starting the Game Engine or Game Manager.
The problem is that it goes to the center in a nervous way, with a violent click that makes the whole simulation station vibrate.
It would be a very good thing if this start was not there, that it is only Simtools, at its start, that brings the engines to the center.
Is there any way I can do this? I address this question especially to Rufus Dufus who wrote the code.
Hope to get your help.
Thank you very much indeed.

My rig used to do that. Put the power on, it goes to the center at 100% speed. For the shaking, try to look into those posts for calibration tips. They are a bit old, but they may help you.

6 DOF from scratch

6 DOF from scratch

6 DOF from scratch

6 DOF from scratch

Pierre.

Hi Pierre and thanks for the links and your advice.
I looked at the links but couldn't find the solution I need.
I have two big problems to solve, I explain step by step what I do (with version V1.0):

1) I power up the motors, plug the USB cable into the computer, the cylinders move violently towards

2) When the cylinders have reached the center, they go up and down by about 1cm, constantly, without ever stopping.

Is there a way or a solution to solve these problems?

If you look here, the most important values for stabilization are: Fpid, Kp, Fpwm. They are the ones controlling the loop of retro action. Telling the actuator: No you are too far, come back. Too far in the opposite direction, come back. This is probably what is happening with your rig. You could try to reduce PWMmax to see if it's not that your motor is moving too fast, making too big of an adjustment.
6 DOF from scratch
Pierre

Thanks Pierre, ok for the oscillation problem I will try to change these values.
On the other hand, for the problem of violent shooting when I insert the USB cable, how could I solve it?

No idea. My rig was always going to the center at full speed.

Hi noorbeast, the values I entered through the use of SMC3utils are the ones I attached in the photo.
They are correct?
What values should I correct?

NOTE: I know very well that the PID values strictly depend on the type of motor being used

Fpid was the value that has de most smoothing value on my rig. Mine was at 4.

The Arduino software is written to work with a 10k pot meter, so pulses will not work. (i guess)
My motor did not have a long shaft so i have placed the pot meter aligned with the shaft of the motor.
I've designed and printed an arm to move the pot meter along with the movement.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5585075

A little hint: Be sure to eleminate the mass connections of your motors.

After all, it all takes some work but man this is worth it.
Another congrats for the creator of this arduino script!!
This take sim racing to a very imersive level.

In the beginning i was searching for a way to lock the motion simulator when playing without movement, but hey, i never played again without and do not play games anymore when no plugin is available.

Hello everybody,

Thanks a lot to RufusDufus for this code and software. I use it for my G-Seat Simulator.
So i have a question on it :

I use SMCUtils to param it. To reduce potentiometer noise (witch give motor noise) i chose Fpwm at 20Khz or 25Khz and especially Fpid / 4. When i pass from Fpid /1 to Fpid /4 the noise stop or decrease strongly, sometimes it necessary to pass from 25Khz to 20Khz.

It necessary to pass from a value to another to optain a result. Load parameters from file (saved) has no effect.
I don't know explain it.

The most important in my question is that i need to restart this manipulation after computer restart.
I think parameters stay in arduino memory but how to explain having to redo this operation after restart ?


Thanks for your help.

From what I remember when my rig was up and running, you don't have to redo this operation after a restart if you stayed inside the limited parameters of the motor. If you didn't trigger any safe stop or revers limits, it should restart and bring your rig to the center.
When I was hinting those limits, I had to reboot all Arduino by turning their power off and rebooting the computer.
I hope this will help you.

Thank you for your help.
I stay inside the limited parameters, i haven't limit in my settings and no Pwm rev.

I think the settings stay the same after restart but to reduce noise i need to switch into 2 value of Fpid or Fpwm.

Very strange...

I had ( and still do slightly but much better), motor noise and I did notice changing some of the values in SMC3 stopped them for a brief moment but it seemed to be very arbitrary and not much of a solution. I went back to the standard settings and started tracking down the root cause which seems to have been interference and a bad ground.

I hope you find the root cause.

Interesting, can you tell me more on interference and bad ground on your simulator ?

Which solution do you use to reduce this noise ?

Thanks.

I’m still working on the wiring. But I am trying to keep all of the power cables running both from the power supplies and the motors away from my potentiometer wiring and usb cable going to the arduino.

my bad ground was a broken wire on the arduino going to the motor drivers.

moving the potentiometer cables around under the sim would cause the motor noise to increase and decrease.

I changed both of these variables at the same time however so I’m not sure which was causing the problem. I hope you find it.