Hexapod racing sim

just found the Thanos controller - AC servo motor solution. Seems to be a good option as well, albeit quite a bit more expensive.

Downloaded simtools and iracing plugin, 10 min later I have virtual axis output! So that is promising. The mechanical part will take a longer time. And the tinkering thereafter.....

after some more reading and concept designs I decided to step away from arduino and dc motors. What I'm going to do now:

• Thanos AMC-AASD15A controller (On its way)
• ac servo motors with AASD15A drives (ordered one to play with)
• game engine on dedicated computer, thinking NUC. lattepanda/odysey x86 also look interesting. Anybody experience with microcomputers running simtools?
• flypt linear hexapod plugin. Tried it already. Amazing stuff!!

So no need for switches and pots or large power supplies, and using tried and true electronics.

Will post my first design of the actuator soon

I missed that the flypt plugin evolved into software: checking that out now. Seems to have more options which is good, but adds to complexity of which I cant yet judge if that is a problem. Regardless an amazing effort!

Design of the diy actuator suitable for hexapod:

• I like a clean cylinder like appearance
• 470mm stroke
• 1605 ballscrew 600mm & FK12 support
• Should be around 250mm/s
  
• 30mm hardened hollow rod & linear bearing (which is placed upside down: no ideal for heavy radial loads but I think its ok here)
• 750W AC motor / AMC-AASD15A / thanos combo
• Outer tube aluminium with diameter 80mm
• Length 980mm bolt to bolt, completely moved inward.
• Using sheetmetal universal joint as of the shelf these are crazy expensive
• The inner tube can rotate freely since I'm using universal joints at both ends. It could be adapted to fix the relative position using the 4 rods.
• Outer tube has 2 endcaps which are bolted together with 4 rods. So no need for welding and it can still be disassembled.
• The end of the ballscrew has a POM "bearing" to avoid the ballscrew from touching the side of the hollow rod when flexing at high speeds and lower positions. Need to test if that works
• A POM disc as endstop to avoid damage/noise when finding the zero positon
• The usual motor/ballscrew joint
• Hardened rod will be epoxied into aluminium parts since welding/drilling is troublesome. I made channels into the parts so you can just fill them up when assembled, and have verification they are full when the secondary hole shows epoxy.
• The whole business end of the cylinder can be mounted, adjusted and tested before placing it into the cylinder
• Cylinder and endcaps black anodized to match the motor, and a decal
• Access to lathe and milling is needed. interface parts could be 3D printed but I dont think it will hold up.

Comments appreciated, going to order material for 1 set to try it out.

73352

got the chair, so I can take dimensions for the upper frame

Let the games begin!

number one is working! The noise is obvious because the table is amplifying it. Free standing this is acceptable.

Lower frame also ready: 6x large feet and sturdy steel profiles. Hopefully that is not going anywhere.
Will finish welding next week, and powdercoat it after.

Build is looking great!! I'm following!! Keep up the posts. Starting my build this week and am putting together some plans using ideas from what other have found to work best.

Machining of the outer parts is finished, sending it out to anodise.

lots of parts are back today: powdercoated and anodized. Next week cylinders will be completed!

Wahoou ! It's clean ! Good job ! I like the design of your outer cylinder !!!!

Cylinders are finished, starting with the topframe now!

Hi ! what a beast

great job, it seems professional rig

could it be possible to have a draft of rig platforms ?

where did you buy feets ? U-joints ?

thanks

Thanks! That is exactly the aim: make a professional rig!

U-joints are custom made. The feet are from this Dutch site https://www.rubbermagazijn.nl/trillingsdempers/machinevoeten/

While testing the Thanos board I found that the filters on that board severely limit the overall speed. Using the recommended settings the motors only turned at 800rpm. Disabling that made the actuators really fast at their 3000rpm!

Thanks a lot, and for the dimensions ?

will post something later

Working on the topframe. I made a welding jig that also has the option to cut prebend tubes at the right position. After cutting mount the brackets and they align perfect, so they can be welded.

Maybe a bit over the top to make the welding jig but it makes the process so much easier and faster.

Next step is to weld the structure to fix the seat.