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Motor Selection ?

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Building Q&A / FAQ' started by Jason Currington, Sep 1, 2015.

  1. bsft

    bsft

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    theres no real actual travel for a sim to move, but for a seat mover, usually 200 mm back and forth at your head is good, its enough to allow good immersion and not get hurt. That can translate to about 70-80mm travel for a lever at the back on the motor shaft.
    If its a seat mover, wheel and pedals stationary, so you get the feeling of being pushed and pulled around.
    BUT
    That being said, here again is a comparison I did
    Heres what I came up with, didnt record lap times. No frame made made me faster or slower, so times were about the same.


    Comparisons between simulators. Other people will of course differ with this comparison, so please add your thoughts.


    First things to consider, angle of actual swing of the frames and the profile written. Also, its a brain trick.

    If you want a big swinging frame, go hard, the biggest swing I have had is 14 deg total, but others have frames up to 25 deg. And thats for race, not just flight.

    Both frames use same motors and JRK control boards


    Seat mover with shoulder mounted motors.

    Generally, a seat mover can give more precise motion detail as it has less over all weight to move than a full frame. However, too much movement can make it hard to hang onto the wheel or mash the juice pedal. And yes, the wheel and pedals are stationary, so proper placement to allow you being pulled away and pushed around has to be taken into consideration. But as said, it does give you the feeling of being moved around in a seat in a vehicle, even with a race seat to hold you in more. You tend to shift your body around to compensate for movement and also what your brain thinks you are moving like. You can still feel pitch and roll of track, but maybe a bit less as legs are still.

    Some SCN seat movers on videos have HEAPS of throw. It might look like fun, but can be too much and eventually make it tiring to drive the game.

    As mine is DIY and has 70mm travel of motor lever and at 600mm from the pivot , total angle is 6.5 degrees. Not much, but then again, too much may make it too hard. Other people will of course differ with this comparison.

    I had a seat mover of 12.5 degrees at one stage, so with a good profile, it was nice, but a harsh profile and WHOA! Fun but hard to hang on.


    Full frame with motors mounted near feet

    Full frames allow you , wheel and pedals to move with you. You dont really get sensation of being pulled, pushed around from pedals and wheels. Obviously not as much as a seat mover, but still there. You tend to feel a bit more of the motion of roll and pitch , when your whole body is getting moved around, I find.

    Seat mover can lose this a bit, but not really much.

    Motors mounted at feet on the frame in question, may take away some of the finer vibration and motion that shoulder mount gives, but then again, shoulder mounting motors would return that finer detail due to higher leveage point. It may lessen a bit due to the fact that a full frame requires a bit more power to move. But hey, just change the profile and increase the motor power a bit more.

    Although, I must say, once again, a good profile can give the same sensation in motion, be it from a different spot. Feet or knees instead of shoulders.

    Full frame is about 8 deg total swing. May not sound like much considering 4 deg from centre, but again, throw a decent profile in it and you feel like you are moving a lot more.


    Summary

    After a while I get the same sort of feeling from both my frames, even though they are different in design.

    In your choice of motion sim build, It will come down to watching videos of other frames, opportunity to play on sims when they are around to do so. Taking a look at pics, seeing what takes your fancy. Heck, even a seat mover can be converted to full frame later, add the extra bit, move pivot, and off you go. 2 seat movers I have sold, the owners have since converted them to full frames, their choice of course. They enjoy both frames they tell me.

    I have played on dbox, and scn simulators and the motion is set tame. Although others whom have such rigs wind it up and get great results. Mind you, I dont have that sort of money to get one.

    I have been through 14 different 2DOF designs, starting with joyrider design with about 9-10 deg total swing with screen on it. Good fun, but I found it a bit difficult to focus on a screen moving with you. But thats just me.

    I had 2 hire sims based on the Desk Racer for a while and over 100 players though they were immersive.

    8 professional drivers have played on those simulators as well, and they admit, its not real, but the immersion of being in game is.

    Then I moved onto development of more compact designs, with motors under rear, at knees, out the side, shoulder mount, at feet. Still 2DOF. Screen static.

    So thats how I go here. Each frame design is a new learn to drive experience I find. Nothing makes me go faster I think. I am slow regardless.

    I may have missed something and please add your thoughts as well. Its always good to compare notes.
    • Informative Informative x 2
  2. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Here are some different options for implementing heave with a traditional universal pivoted 2DOF and yes you need an additional motor. Keep in mind you may want to try the simplicity of a 2DOF first before extending its capabilities, then add traction loss and heave after if you feel you want them:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/dx-racer-compact-simulator.5866/page-15#post-83683

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/simple-hinge-heave-for-seat-shakers.138/

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/simple-heave-plate.96/
  3. Jason Currington

    Jason Currington Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    So I will have to build a hinged trap door to express the heave motion (vertical lift ?). I think as long as I am building the frame with all of this in mind I might as well add surge to the list (Throws forward and backward ?). So 4 motors correct ?
  4. Jason Currington

    Jason Currington Member

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    Another question? Lower frame is stationary and upper frame is traction control with shoulder mounted motors. so does this mean I will have to build a 3rd frame as the primary to thrust the whole machine forward ?
  5. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Yes that would be 4 motors if you add surge. Best to do some further research and design work as it does get more complex.

    Have a close read through @Boomslangnz, @Pit and @SeatTime's builds to get a clearer idea of what you need to consider design wise:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/motion-sim-w-surge-traction-loss.5950/

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/3070w-6dof-seat-mover-wip-surge_sway-table.5276/

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/seattimes-dc-motor-sim.5024/
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. Jason Currington

    Jason Currington Member

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    alright I see now... That actually shouldnt be too bad to figure out. Granted going to cost more but will make one awesome marchine.

    I understand how the hinged plate works. How in seatimes sim is the plate resting ? on motor or on a cross bar ? cant really see
  7. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
    3DOF, DC motor, JRK
  8. Jason Currington

    Jason Currington Member

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    ok so what say ye about a wheel and pedal set ?

    I know there is lots of stuff out there just dont know what setup is gunna be good .
  9. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Do you mean purchasing a wheel and pedal set, if so then one obvious aspect is within what budget, as you can spend a little or a great deal?

    At the top end of performance and cost are things like OpenSimWheel and Accuforce:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/diy-opensimwheel-net-selbermacher-servo-lenkrad.5699/

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/accuforce-now-available-for-purchase.6256/

    There are well respected performance consumer options like the Clubsport wheel and pedals:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/fanatec-v3-clubsport-pedal-overview.7004/

    There are also some old and new options to consider at the budget end of the scale like the tried and true G27 or the just released T150:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/marketplace/logitech-g27-racing-wheel.84/

    http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/Пресса/thrustmaster-t150-force-feedback-advanced-wheel-all-fun-force-feedback-officially-licensed-ps

    There are also DIY options: http://www.xsimulator.net/community/faq/diy-peripherals.13/category

    Here are some of the past discussions:

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/need-a-strong-racing-wheel.6018/page-2

    http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/which-wheel-and-pedal-combo-would-you-recommend.6657/
    • Winner Winner x 1
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2015