Help Needed With 2DOF Motion Platform Build

Hi guys, I am new to the forums here and am looking for a little bit of help in designing and programming a 2DOF motion platform flight SIM. It will be used in a non-profit youth outreach that is based in Memphis, TN at the moment, but we hope to build these for churches and organizations all over the country.

The budget is $3000 total and I think we can reach the goal.

About the build:

I am going to build a fully enclosed cockpit that is mounted on a motion base. The frame will be wood, as will the platform base. I am going with a driveshaft/u-joint pedestal design as I think it will offer the smallest footprint and easiest build design. The first picture shows the basic type of pedestal I am planning to build.

I am not planning to use pneumatic cylinders for this build, but rather 50:1 50RPM crab pot motors connected to arms and pushrods on ball and socket joints for hydraulic pushrods - the type used in the rear hatch of an suv.

For the actuator controls I am thinking the Polulu JRK12v12 looks to be the simplest choice. However, I know NOTHING about computer programming or how to wire the boards etc. So, I will need help there.

The power supply unit I think I will be using is a 12V 50 AMP 600W psu. I think one for each motor should do the trick. However, I do not understand for certain if these convert 120v to 12vDC directly or do I need a car battery in line with them...a little help there would be appreciated.

Ok, so some of my questions about the platform build itself... the guy who built the pedestal in the picture used pneumatic cylinders and set the pedestal slightly behind and to the right of the rider in order to keep a constant load on the cylinders. Do I need to do this using electric motors as well, or should it be centered on the center of balance? Will the ball joints be strong enough to be used for this or is there a stronger option available? Also, I notice some people mentioned that 50:1 ratio might be slow for a flight sim on the DC motors...is this true?

The last picture is a preliminary setup with monitors and seat. This will be mounted to the platform, pending a little lightening up on weight. The seat base has a homemade bass shaker under the seat.

Any and all help appreciated! Thanks guys!

I can link anyone curious about the components, once I get to 3 posts lol.

That is a very unique way of doing positional feedback. Is it just the weight of the arm on the pot that causes it to turn when the platform lowers?

thats a big poject for jrk's. maybe go with sabertooths.

He has a spring attached to each axis to help pull it back against the pneumatics.

LOL There is obviously a LOT more involved in this than meets the eye. Somehow I was thinking just mount the platform on the shaft, find out how far it will tilt either direction, then mount motors and build a lever system that will not allow them to over extend. I am completely stupid with electronics, so I will most likely be coming back with "what is this..." "how does this work..." etc.

Ok maybe I can post links now, so I will show you guys the actual parts I am looking at and you can help me determine if they are strong enough to do the job.

DC Motors - do these need to be reversible motors? And if so, how do I wire them to reverse current on command? https://www.ebay.com/itm/371596157992

PSU - Will 2 of these be strong enough and do I need a 12v car battery as well, or will these provide what I am looking for?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/112793230937



And this is a link to our website, so you can see what it is that we actually do. www.impactministries360.com

Also, is this the Hall sensor you mentioned Noorbeast? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hall-Effec...146927?hash=item23595d5faf:g:o5wAAOSwTapV4nMU

So I am thinking I could use these at each end of a lift rod to provide a sturdy connection to the SIM base. My thought is to put a short (6-8") lever on the motor and connect a lightweight steel rod to the lever and then to the SIM base, thus the motor action would lift and lower the lever to move the SIM.

However, I am curious as to the range of travel these joints have...Will the pitch axis lock over extend the joint on the roll axis? Anyone ever used something similar to this before?

PS if your looking at PGsaw motor's, PM me, i can get you a better deal.

Ok, so the high misalignment heim connectors look like the best choice as far as something that will last for the linkage rods. However, I have looked through e-bay and cannot find exactly what I am looking for. I am thinking like a 5/8 to 3/4 size would be sufficient for the pins that will pass through the heim connector...but I cannot seem to find a ready made linkage rod with that type of size connectors. What are you guys using to connect the motors to the motion base? Keep in mind that rider and seat and controls plus monitors will all be moving so probably somewhere in the range of 350-400 pounds in the top end of the weight category. I need strength and durability.

Honestly aerospace quality 3/8 high angularity rods are more then capable of handling the load if you don’t use high angularity you can go up a size and make up or buy stepped bushing to step down the pin size And make high angularity. Best ones have Teflon lining w/0 that they will start to rattle at some point. This is from McMaster as an example

I have looked at the different tie rod ends with Heim joints and had already decided that stepping down via a high angularity bushing would be the most cost effective method. However, I am having trouble finding rods that are threaded on the inside to accept the male connectors. I guess I just haven't figured out how to search for it. LOL

Most cost effective is these By FAR, and last a really long time with legit lube in the joint, These also have more than enough angle to play with.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Fre...857f274&transAbTest=ae803_5&priceBeautifyAB=0

Ah now those I like! That was what I was think of for my seat end. I’m on the road but let me look up the ends for the tubes so you can weld together. To be honest I don’t recall ever seeing pre built ones. Have you tried speedway motors? Or some of the sprint car suppliers?

Try these they also have weld bungs for your own tubes.