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Question Servo motor configuration (modeling), for 6DOF prototype

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by motiondynamics, Aug 19, 2025.

  1. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi everyone, I built a small 6DOF prototype with small servomotors (the kind used in modeling, with 3 pins), connected to a Pololu USB board.
    Can you tell me how to configure the prototype (6 motors) to work?
    motiondynamics, Aug 19, 2025
    #1
  2. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Is there anyone who could tell me if it is possible to use servos (those used in modelling) to work with the POLOLU USB card, and if anyone can tell me how to configure Simtools?
    motiondynamics, Aug 20, 2025
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  3. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    What specific Pololu board are you talking about in relation to RC servos and in what manner do you plan on using to interface with, via the Pololu software or something else?

    @yobuddy can likely be able to advise if you are specific about what you are using and doing.
    noorbeast, Aug 21, 2025
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  4. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi Noorbeast, the USB electronics (Maestro Pololu 6CH) board I have is this one in the link:

    link

    I built a small 30x30x30 6DOF (Stewart Motion Platform) prototype. I need to connect the six servos to Simtools to make them work.
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2025
    motiondynamics, Aug 21, 2025
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  5. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    My guess is that this is likely configured similar to SMC3, but hopefully @yobuddy will chime in to advise.
    noorbeast, Aug 21, 2025
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  6. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    I don't need to use Arduino; I just need to use the "Maestro Pololu 6Ch" electronic board with Simtools, so no code, no USB card to program. The "Maestro Pololu Ch" board is already programmed with its own configuration software for the degrees of rotation. Now I need to configure it to receive data from Simtools and make the 6DOF prototype move.
    motiondynamics, Aug 21, 2025
    #6
  7. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    I'm guessing when plunging in the Pololu it will give you a serial com port to send commands to. Do you know what the commands look like to set the target values for the axis? My guess is this may take a custom interface plugin depending on how they send the target values.
    yobuddy, Aug 22, 2025
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  8. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I found this @yobuddy: https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...ntroller-and-small-rc-servos.2268/#post-21972

    So I suspect it would likely translate for SimTools something like this, what do you think?

    Set Comm port
    BitsPerSec 9600
    DataBits 8
    Partity None
    Stop Bit 1
    Output Bit Range 8
    Binary
    Startup <255><1><0><255><2><0><255><3><0><255><4><0><255><5><0><255><6><0>
    HW Start 10
    Interface <255><1><Axis1a><255><2><Axis2a><255><3><Axis3a><255><4><Axis4a><255><5><Axis5a><255><6><Axis6a>
    Output Rate 10
    Shutdown <255><1><0><255><2><0><255><3><0><255><4><0><255><5><0><255><6><0>
    HW Stop 10
    • Like Like x 1
    noorbeast, Aug 22, 2025
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  9. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Exactly, something similar, yes.
    I used my prototype (for 180° servo controls) with X-SIM a few years ago, and it worked perfectly with the following string:

    ~255~~0~~a01~~255~~1~~a02~~255~~2~~a03~~255~~3~~a04~~255~~4~~a05~~255~~5~~a06~

    Then I abandoned X-SIM because it was inefficient and the site often crashed, so I purchased the Simtools license and would like to get my prototype up and running.
    I tried entering all the parameters you described correctly, I associated the COM3 port (Pololu Micro Maestro 6 - Servo Controller Command Port), but the servos don't work either when starting rFactor or from the Output Testing > Output Type section.
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2025
    motiondynamics, Aug 28, 2025
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  10. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Yes, with X-Sim, I entered the following string (for 180° servo controls) and everything worked fine:

    ~255~~0~~a01~~255~~1~~a02~~255~~2~~a03~~255~~3~~a04~~255~~4~~a05~~255~~5~~a06~

    The associated port is COM3 (Pololu Micro Maestro 6 - Servo Controller Command Port).
    I didn't use any custom plugins with X-Sim; the only plugin I used for rFactor was the standard Arduino plugin (xsimplugin.dll).
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2025
    motiondynamics, Aug 28, 2025
    #10
  11. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    So the SimTools equivalent of this is as follows...
    <255><0><Axis1a><255><1><Axis2a><255><2><Axis3a><255><3><Axis4a><255><4><Axis5a><255><5><Axis6a>
    • Informative Informative x 1
    yobuddy, Aug 29, 2025
    #11
  12. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi Yobuddy, perfect!!
    I just entered this string and the prototype works perfectly!!
    Thanks for your help.
    I've now finished making the first configurations for the 6 axes and the 6 effects (DOF). Next, I'll need to adjust some parameters in Simtools and the Maestro software to smooth out the movements (the movements are very stiff right now).

    Just one question: I didn't enter anything in the STARTUP and SHUTDOWM lines (Interface Settings).
    Do I need to enter something?
    Perhaps I should enter the strings Noorbeast recommended?
    What function do the two lines/strings have?

    I'll update you as soon as I'm finished.
    motiondynamics, Aug 30, 2025
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  13. yobuddy

    yobuddy Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator SimAxe Beta Tester SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    No, you won't need any of these settings for SimTools v3 since it has built in soft startup and shutdown.
    yobuddy, Aug 30, 2025
    #13
  14. motiondynamics

    motiondynamics Member Gold Contributor

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    Ok, Thanks !!!
    motiondynamics, Aug 31, 2025
    #14