DIY D-Box style for VR 3-dof

And a small step in the right direction..
Bottom frame is ready and motors are attached.. All is a snug fit and the platform is stable..
Next up is more wiring.. Need to wire a couple of endstops and then unloaded tests. after that gradually add weight to see if it can hold me.. So fingers crossed

Small detail view.. bolted through the fram and the base plate..
Full frame overview..

great work keenly following

Things are really coming together.. The 2 frames are connected and all is still working and lifting me up without a problem..
Still everything under 16 amps while the max of a single motor is 9 amps I have it all connected to a single 70V AC toroidal spool ..

But a relieve to see it all finally coming together.. really happy with the first result although not really happy with the accelstepper library.. so if there is anybody willing to share their Arduino code for a stepper driver (dir/step pin only) with some form of acceleration.. this is needed otherwise it gives an overvoltage error..

For now running on 2 Arduino Mega's 1 for the back and 1 for the front.. All looks good and no difference in motion except the moving speed looks a bit higher then with 4 actuators on 1 arduin0.. as said not really happy about the accelstepper library but have nothing else right now.

But anyway as said happy with how it all came together and also the looks of it, I like the open view of the actuators


Test fitting all


Fitted and bolted the 2 frames together..

Nice industrial look

next up .. testing.. testing.. testing.. and having fun..
Will do video's later on!

look forward to seeing the video

Looks really nice . How is the noise from the steppers?

Congratulations ! great work

Hi SeatTime,

no problem for noting your observation.. this is why I tried to keep it as low as possible without making it awfully more difficult in constructing.. I looked at the video and you are absolutely right..The biggest avantage I have is that I will be using VR. so in that case, because you have no outside visual reference, the sideway sway will be eliminated in your sense.. VR does some weird things to your brain..

In the first instance it seems to be ok.. that is why I moved to the bigger size ball bearing.. less rotation, less speed equals less whining noise.. but I will have to run it first in full setup to provide more info

hello
how much is maximum loading?
thanks

replaced the 2 Arduino's for a Teensy 3.5 and without really changing the software the motion is so much smoother .. more accurate!
Thanks for the tip Saxxon.. It was the trick.. now some dampening for the 'noise' and it will be superb.. details in the motion are incredible in contrast of the geared motors..
Now finding the sweetspot between acceleration/speed. Although still using the accelstepper library, so need to switch to the supposing better teensystep library..
But I need to read up on the subject first..


Happy so far.. video's will foolow later . need way more tuning and refinement in motion..


@misoswan: It is loaded with 190 kg.. and I feel I have a load more..
Made a small mistake with the values set for the Arduino which where to high for the Teensy.. the front jumped off the floor!!
My guess would be in the 250-300 kg range.. ​

Hey @Michael Hensen , how is it working ? Looking forward to see more action

Also curious about the noise levels in the new design. Looks great though!

Raw footage of the sim. Need to do more tuning /filtering on the axis.. but it works.. The rumble is coming from the small motions on the floor.. the floor is quite thin and has a hollow spacing underneath making it sound louder that the actuator actually is..

But I can play with acceleration a bit more..

Need to check out anouther library ,.. but this is a closeup .. so also sound is in closeup and thus more pronounced.. not really as load as it sound with the camera close by.

Also need a beter isolation between the actuator and the floor..



more quite then this previous old beast

The rumble is coming from the small motions on the floor.. the floor is quite thin and has a hollow spacing underneath making it sound louder that the actuator actually is..

Hi Michael, great looking rig!

About the noise, it looks like your are on tiles?

1/Maybe start with dampening the acoustic signal with a rug/carpet or such.
2/On the base of the actuator use a 60mm super ball as the cushion.
3/ If you have still have a hollow sound from your steel tubes, you could use expanding foam to fill the void.

Just some suggestions that may help
Regards Jerry

hello any news ?

Hi Michael, I have a question about your first post. Wouldn't a powerful, 6DOF Stewart/hexapod platform, linear actuator system be the same or have the same functionality as a dbox setup, but with more degrees of movement?
I've never been in either, but I would think a 6DOF build would give the same results, but with more options.

congratulations for the great study you are doing on stepper engines,
I'm very curious to see how far you can get.
I would also like to try a project but I am undecided whether to go on AC servos or stepper motors.
I cheer for you


complimenti per il grande studio che stai facendo sui motori stepper,
sono molto curioso di vedere fino a che punto si può arrivare.
Vorrei anch'io tentare un progetto ma sono indeciso se andare sui servo AC o sui motori stepper.
Faccio il tifo per te




This (for information) is my simulator in one of the very first setups and the speed of the engines was 50% and also the pid 25/0/0
They are also my 0.75 kw motors but probably your gearbox has a very high ratio that causes such slow movements of your old sim

Questo (a titolo informativo) è il mio simulatore in uno dei primissimi setup e la velocità dei motori era del 50% e anche il pid 25/0/0
Sono anche i miei motori da 0,75 kw ma probabilmente il tuo riduttore ha un rapporto molto alto che causa movimenti così lenti del tuo vecchio sim

Hey Michael, great job on your build. Were you able to fine tune the axis? Can you share how you have each axis set up in Simtools?