Tutorial Driving DIY cluster gauges with GameDash

Hello,

After the giant LED gear indicator, I intend to build a big DIY cluster

- Arduino
- stepper motors : switec x27.168
- lighted needles
- GameDash



Here is a first trial video!

It's really fine for a first test with a balsa needle, without optimization.

To gain more speed, I'll supply the motors with 10V instead of arduino's 5V

Why choose switec x27?

- Because they draw really few amps: less than 20 mA so it can be driven directly from Arduino pins!
- Because there are successfull DIY examples!
http://guy.carpenter.id.au/gaugette/blog/2012/01/28/build-number-one/​

Some links I like to share

an example of DIY gauges http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=16236


DIY instrument air-core motor www.mikesflightdeck.com/instruments


printing gauge faces www.revlimiter.net


very nice, detailed and sophisticated project http://rksimracinghardware.blogspot.fr/


from Tombo: Here i found a little Photoshop tutorial how to start with making your own cluster foil. Very easy!
http://www.photoshop-plus.co.uk/speedometer-design-from-scratch/
http://www.projekt-mx5.de/eigene-tachoscheiben-leicht-gemacht/

from Tombo: ​

yours
Mat

Shopping List :

• Switec X27.168

these stepper motors are used in real cluster instrument

a buyer guide

the cheapest I found are on Aliexpress @2€ each
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs...GMC-Cars-And-Trucks-2003-2006/1456148765.html

but many can be found on eBay
switec X27 search​

• some CMS LEDs to light the base of the transparent needle

white 1206 smd led
I got 50 leds for 1€60
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/50-x-1206-White-Super-Bright-LED-SMD-SMT-Bulb-Lamp-Light-High-Brightness

or 100x for 3$ on ebay.com

LED Type : SMD 1206 LED
Lens Colour : Water Clear
Emitted Colour : White
Peak Wave Length (nm) : 6000-7000K
Forward Voltage (V) : 2.7 ~ 3.7
Reverse Current (IR) VR=5V 50μA
Viewing Angle : 130 Degree
RoHS: YES
Material:AlGaInP​

Those leds are used in automotive cluster: so it will be perfect for my needs​

• Arduino

GameDash can only output to 1 USB ComPort. So I have to check how I'll drive my 4 or 5 motors with only one Arduino.

- 1 Mega?
- or 1 Uno with shifters or quad drivers?...
​

• Downloading Arduino Library from Guy Carpenter

https://github.com/clearwater/SwitecX25
zip file

This library is simple but elaborated as you can even tweak the acceleration depending of your needle inertia
http://guy.carpenter.id.au/gaugette/2012/01/26/simplified-acceleration-model/
​

• Power Supply

Power supply concerns:
- 12V is fine for LED supply and Arduino as well

http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardUno

- 1 Arduino 50 mA
- 5 gauges lighting LED array will draw 5 x 10mA
- 5 motors will draw 5 x 20mA

This small PWU 12V 1A would be fine
@5$ on DX.com
https://www.dx.com/p/12v-1a-regulated-switching-power-supply-110-220v-94519#.VEvmjBbYncl​

Building instructions:

backlight LED assembly

CMS LED are really small and can be useful for this use


very good tutorial Cluster Tuning here
http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-light-gauge-cluster-with-leds.274519/

Here a tutorial on How to drive LED (WS2801, WS2811 and WS2812) with Arduino
http://www.tweaking4all.com/hardware/arduino/arduino-ws2812-led/

Some nice resistor calculator online:
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz which deals with serial LEDs and write the results with a nice layout.
-> R = 270 ohm



and a good instructables about this subject
http://www.instructables.com/id/Choosing-The-Resistor-To-Use-With-LEDs/?ALLSTEPS

the LED are VERY small!
I had to keep the previous LED under a wet tissu to prevent desoldering... when I soldered the next one...


and it's fragile, i will need a round support:
for the first one, I glued it! with bi-components glue


Motors wiring

If I want to drive 5 gauges, I'll need to extend the number of digital pins...

• first of all, the analog input pins can be used as digital pins, referred to as A0, A1, etc. cf http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/PinMode
  
  
• Arduino 328 (UNO, nano) has 12 Digital I/O Pins (+2 as RX and TX) + 6 analog pins
  http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Board?from=Guide.Board
  so I could drive up to 4 motors
  
  
• Arduino MEGA2560: 54 Digital I/O Pins (bigger hammer!)

• I could use I2C serial interface Microchip MCP23017 16-bit serial expander: 16 outputs
  here a tutorial: http://tronixstuff.com/2011/08/26/tutorial-maximising-your-arduinos-io-ports/
  
  
• I could use an SPI-interfaced 12-bit ADC, microchip.com's MCP3208 in DIP

Arduino code and GameDash settings:

Here is a great arduino library dedicated to driving switec stepper motors
http://guy.carpenter.id.au/gaugette/2012/02/16/using-the-switecx25-library/

Here a first code which is functional with GameDash

Code:

/*
Analogic Dashboard using Gamedash and Simtools
and Switec X27.168 stepper motor
and Arduino with Guy Carpenter's library "SwitecX25"
by RacingMat 10-2014
*/

#include "SwitecX25.h"

// void stepUp();
// void stepDown();
// void zero();
// void update();
// void updateBlocking();
// void setPosition(unsigned int pos);

int TotalSteps = 315*3;  // for example 315 degrees of range = 315x3 steps = 945 steps
byte Rpm;


  // declare MotorRPM with total steps and related pins (4-7)
  SwitecX25 MotorRPM(TotalSteps, 4,5,6,7); // the pins are set up to Output by the library
void setup() {
   
  // run both motors against stops to re-zero
  MotorRPM.zero();  // this is a slow, blocking operation
  //MotorRPM.setPosition(427);
  Serial.begin(115200);
 }

void loop() {
// compiler l'arduino avec le tweak sur la longueur du buffer Serial pour comparer

/*  // update motors frequently to allow them to step
  MotorRPM.update(); */

  // do stuff, call motorX.setPosition(step) to
  // direct needle to new position.
if (Serial.available() > 0)  {
//GameDash send RPM as values between 0 and 254
  Rpm = Serial.read();
  Serial.flush();
  }
 //call motorX.setPosition(step) to direct needle to new position.
 MotorRPM.setPosition(map(Rpm, 0, 255, 0, TotalSteps));
  // update motors frequently to allow them to step
  MotorRPM.update();

}

Start a new project

This looks interesting and affordable.

okay, I have to find some small SMD LED in order to stay compact


1,6$ for 20 pieces free shipping
http://www.dx.com/p/0-5w-3000-3150k...light-bulbs-20-piece-pack-146614#.VDt1gRYZ98E


edit :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/1-6x-0603-SM...ectroniqueComposants&var=&hash=item19f30a3e8a

do you know any other suppliers?

Switec wiring: the arduino drives the 2 poles with 4 digital pins.



If I want to drive 5 gauges, I'll need to extend the number of digital pins...

• first of all, the analog input pins can be used as digital pins, referred to as A0, A1, etc. cf http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/PinMode
  
  Arduino 328 (UNO, nano) has 14 Digital I/O Pins (of which 6 provide PWM output) http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Board?from=Guide.Board
  
  I can use a software trick using the SoftPWM library to output PWM
  http://code.google.com/p/rogue-code/wiki/SoftPWMLibraryDocumentation
  
  
• I could use I2C serial interface Microchip MCP23017 16-bit serial expander: 16 outputs
  here a tutorial: http://tronixstuff.com/2011/08/26/tutorial-maximising-your-arduinos-io-ports/
  
  
• I could use an SPI-interfaced 12-bit ADC, microchip.com's MCP3208 in DIP

Nice project ;-)
I follow it with enthusiasm.

I have found a ready to use LED illumination kit
http://moman.pl/eu/led-needle-illumination-4-pcs,13,318476.html

but expensive: 16€
By buying smd diodes and resistors, it will be much cheaper...


Another way is to use a UV diode and Fluorescent paint for needles: BUT the scales and indicators have to be lighten from above.
It'not suitable for my sim panel as I will backlight for more compacity
http://moman.pl/eu/fluorescent-paint-for-needles,13,364.html

Nice concept built a couple of theses now and retro fitted a few dashboards with steppers.
A little hint, you can try and use stepper lib to run them from code, I found very poor movements , very bad lag.
Good luck,

bad news...
did you try this specific library? or Arduino stepper library?

Yes I tried them all ages ago, actually had built one with the old software.

The issue is if you have read the library's a little closer is that there call creates a blocking affect as in all code stops until that stepper has reached its desired location then the code moves on, when trying to drive more than one this causes the other to pause while it completes its move, with dials you need nice smooth control, the simplest and most effective way is with servos.
Stepper motors require a tricky little bit of code to work correctly.

Ok!
I'll start by trying the Carpenter's library and share what I get at first trial with 5 gauges...
a video to come... after I would have waited for their shipping

If the code need some tuning, I'll share my concern and maybe need some help from you!

-> here is what I finally bought: "white 1206 smd led"

LED Type : SMD 1206 LED
Lens Colour : Water Clear
Emitted Colour : White
Peak Wave Length (nm) : 6000-7000K
Forward Voltage (V) : 2.7 ~ 3.7
Reverse Current (IR) VR=5V 50μA
Viewing Angle : 130 Degree
RoHS: YES
Material:AlGaInP​

Those leds are used in automotive cluster: so it will be perfect for my needs



I got 50 leds for 1€60 : cheap isn't it?
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/50-x-1206-Wh...=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27e6a6ae1c

or 100x for 3$ on ebay.com


First time, I'll solder smd components!

perhaps use a bigger hammer?

Yeah, it reminds me a quote from a celeb psychologist called Abraham Maslow who said
To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.

http://philosiblog.com/2011/07/01/if-you-only-have-a-hammer/

Some nice resistor calculator online:
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz which deals with serial LEDs and write a nice result



and a good instructables about this subject
http://www.instructables.com/id/Choosing-The-Resistor-To-Use-With-LEDs/?ALLSTEPS

Power supply concerns:
- 12V is fine for LED supply and Arduino as well

http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardUno

- 1 Arduino 50 mA
- 5 gauges lighting LED array will draw 5 x 10mA
- 5 motors will draw 5 x 20mA
total = 2 Amp

Where 2 Amp? 50+50+100 = 200 mA...