Showroom 6DoF Winch Motor Flight Sim Platform

Very good looking! I hope you will find the solution soon (inverting motomonster, power supply...)
Nearly finished!!
Mat

Hi Mat, and thanks. Could you explain further the comment "inverting motomonster"? Not sure what that is but I am willing to try it.

Sorry for my approximate english: I meant what you said previously: trying to use the faulty arduino with another motomonter or power supply from the side which is working fine...

Finally! I was able to install that cabinet job (the other subs were in the way, plumbers, electricians, tile guys, etc) and my shop is clear of unwanted clutter.

So, with part of the profit from that job my wife said that I have 500.00 in my motion platform budget!! Woohoo!!!

What am I going to do with it? Well....

I am going to rebuild my 2DoF platform because I do not want to share my flight sim platform with driving controllers

Today I ordered:

Another 32" LCD TV 1920x1080

4- Pololu 755s (to match the two that I already have). This will give me a Monster Moto to drive the 2DoF platform and another as a spare.

Four Heim joints with bungs.

Another Heli gear

A couple of 10k 10 turn pots

Last night I picked up two more winch motors from Menards and ordered the correct replacement bi-directional bearings for them (thanks @boosted-it1 for looking that up and sharing). I am going to use the Masterlock motors for the 2DoF that way all six of my motors will match on the flight platform.

@Historiker
congratulation for nice setup and hard working to this complicated project,
but a few questions?could you please tell more about simtools configuration and setting for your
project(6dof),and what is your winch motors final rpm?and also turqs?
thnk you and regards
Hooshang

Hi Hooshang, thanks for the questions.

On the Simtools configuration; you can find that information on page 2 but to be honest it will be slightly different depending on how you have your axis named, etc. The info on page two will help with configuring your axis.

If you are using multiple controllers, like this project does, you will need to set each one up in "Interface Settings" in the game engine window. For this project I have three Arduino Uno micro controllers. All three are set up in Simtools as SER output types, then each has a different interface tab (1-3) where I input the correct comm port for each. Since I am using Prilad's Arduino hex code I use his Simtools settings but assign each separate Arduino with different Axis commands. Arduino Interface tab 1 will have Axis1 and Axis2, Interface tab 2 will have Axis 3 and Axis4 and so on.

I am in my office right now but later, from my shop, I will save and upload my interface settings.


As to the motors, I am not sure what the RPM output is on the winch motors. Plenty fast enough to throw me out of the rig (I told my wife I slipped, lol).

Not at all sure what the torque is but here is the data shared with me by a fellow Simtools member about these winch motors. I hope he (@boosted-lt1 ) does not mind me reprinting it here.

Much of what he is discussing is about the potentiometer gearing but there is a great deal of valuable info there. He did a lot of work and deserves a round of applause.

Anyway, I hope this helps to answer your questions.


Basic info:

• 430:1 final gear ratio
• ~9 RPM output gear speed (based on book speed of 6ft/min and assuming a 2.5" spool diameter). I guess I'll probably measure the actual as well!
• Output gear is Module 1.50 (so any metric 1.5 gear will mesh). A 12 tooth pot gear would give about 2.5 turns. I suspect you may be running yours off of 'gear 1' with potential for more turns on the pot. I started looking at driving off of the final output 'gear 3' thinking that is the gear that provides the most torque so impact of the pot friction could be minimized. I may look at other drive options though and will keep your spur gear insert in mind for sure.

@Historiker
many thanks for your reply freind
this configuration seems smooth and you have 6 axis that each get information
and work separately, but in 6d0f (stewart platform) supposed all axis
work and move together how do they synchoronize with each others ?!
waiting to see your Axis Assignments setting picture,probably it can help
much.
thank you for answers again and make it clear the real RPM,9 which works
for you and around 15 which work for me and not 60 and 80 and 180...
regards
Hooshang

Hi Hooshang,

Everyone has their opinion as to what is "correct", I just let my butt decide, lol. I am also an R/C pilot, and focus on WW1 planes. You will hear loud, and sometimes violent, arguments about the proper shade of PC10 (UK WW1 camo color prevalent on most of their planes at the time). Personally I believe that the correct anything is up to the person who owns and enjoys the platform (or airplane).

On page 2 you can see the axis settings, they work very well. With 6DoF not all axis are moving for a particular direction of movement so those axis are turned off to perform that movement. Roll for instance does not use axis 1 or 6 allowing for a pivot point.

Simtools takes care of synchronizing the axis, as long as the output data from the game is good then the motion should work, and of course the plugin has to use that data.

One reason that I recently purchased two more winch motors is that I was having trouble with the old, larger, winch motors moving higher and further than the other four new winches. Now all my winches match.

I am actually using the old winches for what they were intended; putting my 2DoF platform back together.

Another thing to consider is the data that @boosted-lt1 passed on to me above, the pot gears must all be the same to get the same amount of movement out of all six winch motors at the same time.

I measured my winches to be a lot faster , but they are a similar make but not the same as you have. Have you actually tested them , IE count the turns in a minute of time under full power - recommended 13.8v which they are designed for. Would be interested to know.

Hi Historiker
thank you for information and also your advice ,we all sharing our experience(to me just problems) to help others,it helps community grow
all seems going to be smooth now.i am going to start my 6dof project too. one more thing! ,I also saw your set up with RC servo, would you please tell
which code do you use for your Arduino uno.
thanks a lot friend.your information got a lot of help.
best regards
Hooshang

Hooshang, I edited a version of Eaorobbie's two servo code. I believe he has released an updated version of the code to include six servo functionality. I do not remember where he had posted it though; Rob could you throw up a link?

Rob, I am getting 10 rpm from my winches. Sounds slow but it certainly doesnt feel that way. I did indeed test them in the prescribed manner.

By the way, my method of measuring RPM is this:

http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/towp1221.html

Hi Historiker

I was going to ask you about the maths you were using for the upper platform position, I see from a previous post

With your top platform pivots so far apart, are you getting twist on your top platform?

regards Terry

Hi Terry, I am so sorry for this late reply. I got very sidetracked with my 2DoF platform rebuild.

As long as all of the hardware is equal there is no difference in position from bottom travel to top. That is why I replaced two of my winch motors so they would all match exactly. I have not yet gotten back to this project as I still have a few details to finished on my 2DoF project (adding more controls, etc).

I did receive my other Pololu 755's and because I added traction loss to the 2DoF platform I need to purchase another winch motor to replace the one that I scavenged from this platform. I have the other Arduino Uno as well. I plan on using RufusDufus' SMC3 code and utility to run three motors per Arduino. I also need to order another heli gear.

I'm very impressed.
I hope I could build somthing like that.
Good work!

Looking great. Very nice work!

Wow! Very impressive. I have a long way to go.

Hi, I want to build a 6 DOF platform with only servo motors. But I do not know what firmware I have loaded into the Arduino. Just one that can be downloaded from this site? Because i have in my Arduino firmware for controlling two motors.

Hi, Please do some more detailed scheme to involve the servo to arduino you could not see? Sorry for my english.

Hi Berty,

I am not using servo motors, rather winch motors.

As to the arduino code, you can find that in Rufus Dufus' thread as I did not, myself, create it.

Never did get my flight motion pit up and running. I have bagged it until..."someday". I still have a flight pit, this is what I am sitting in right now.