Need help with 4DOF (FD301/401) like simulator

That dogdeals link you gave was a jackpot! Too bad they don't seem to ship overseas... There's some stepper motors with sweet little reduction gearings on them with drivers and all, with the aid of a gas spring they might be powerfull enough for the belt drive...

I would have absolutely no idea how to translate position data from Xsim and use it to control a servo drive. But it would be fun to learn. My programming capabilities are limited to scripting, html, java, visual basic, and a little bit of C++. I think I'll just stick to 3 phase ac motors with gear boxes and VFD's, and build an AMC 1.5 to control the VFD's for now.

So, how exactly would you incorporate gas springs into the belt gear design?

amock78, I am planing to build using 2 X acm 1.5 for 4 motors drive.
Converting the pwm to analog output and apply into inveter (VFD)220v to 380v AC motors.
I wolud like to share some tips I already found:
need-help-with-4dof-fd301-401-like-simulator-t3620-20.html
tronic-s-amc-motor-motion-controller-with-pwm-servo-output-t559-1070.html?hilit=firmware
What do you thing about it?

the amc1.5 works with 0 til 5volt
vfd are normaly working with 0 til 10 volt

Depending on your VFD drive you could control it without a analog signal that is if the drive accepts serial commands. Most VFD's are slow to respond to control changes (they check their inputs about a 1000 per second) so controlling them with serial data isn't any slower.

Sorry, on the last post I´ve placed a worng link.
The right one with diagram to for convert 5v pwm to 10 analog, from TronicGr :
download/file.php?id=5615

I thought the AMC 1.5 could already control 4 motors. Why would you need 2 of them?

So basically, this is just an adapter you can build to convert the voltage and then connect it to the AMC 1.5 correct? I think I read this one time before. Does this modification require different firmware for the AMC 1.5?

I don't know, 1000 times per second seems pretty fast to me, but then again, I don't have anything else to reference it with. So, do you think it would be better to build your own VFD or AC Drive of some sort? Would it really make a noticeable difference in speed for the simulator? I mean, I'd like to be able to build a really fast simulator, but I may be limited by my knowledge of being able to construct my own motor drive/controller. I can follow directions quite well, so I'm not worried too much about building the AMC 1.5, but if I had to come up with something like that on my own, I wouldn't have a clue where to start. :?

But I'm all ears for suggestions or tutorials you guys may have to offer. :yes:

I just got off the phone with a guy from http://www.driveswarehouse.com and he told me pretty much what drive I needed to get, based on my power requirements and application. Here is the drive:

http://www.driveswarehouse.com/p-2526-wj200-015sf.aspx

Do you guys think this drive would be sufficient enough for my sim?

He also told me that in order to get it to switch directions instantly, that I would also need a braking resistor. Are there any other options that would get it to switch instantly without a braking resistor?

Are there any guys in here that are using AC motors with VFD's and braking resistors on their sim projects?


Edit: Just did some more reading about this VFD on this page: http://www.wolfautomation.com/products/ ... achi-wj200 Also here is the manual: http://www.wolfautomation.com/assets/15 ... ochure.pdf This thing sure does have a lot of functions.

It says that there is a Dynamic Braking Transistor built in to the device. Does this mean that I don't need a braking resistor now?

Edit:Edit: After doing some reading in the manual, I think I'll still need to get a braking resistor. How would you know how big a resistor to get?

The AMC 1.5 firmaware 1.0 works 0-5v Pwm.
The direticon of rotation is set by digital outputs IN1 and IN2 for cutoff each side of H-Bridge output.
Using this AMC 1.5 digital output connected to VFD function input for reverse the motor.

No I did not mean that you should build your own AC-drive (it's impossible if you haven't studied electronics and even then it would be some sort of achievement ) but rather what I meant that you need some sort of controller/software that tells it what to do.

Braking resistors are used when the drive suddenly stops or changes direction of the motor or the motor spins faster than it's told to, the built in resistor might suffice but if it doesnt then the drive just free coasts the motor to stop and enters error state. There are parameters that you can set in the VFD to alter the accelerations to lower values and see if that helps.

You should read the manual http://www.driveswarehouse.com/document ... WJ200M.pdf cover to cover and decide then if it's something you can use. It seems that the drive supports positioning which is a big plus, but I've only skimmed the manual, you may not need analog control at all for your drive.

Ahh, ok....well that does sound easier than building my own drive. This VFD does have a dynamic braking circuit built-in, but it does require a resistor as well.

I did some more reading and came across this Q&A in the manual:

Is this referring to the use of an encoder?

And one more question about the braking:

Do you think my application will have enough load inertia to stop the motor without using a braking resistor? I kind of do, but I'm by no means an expert on this situation.

Aside from all that, it looks like a drive with a lot of possibilities and good features.

If I didn't use analog control, what would I use then?

This stuff is so fascinating. 8)

If you use a gearbox (I assume you took the belt drive route) then I guess you don't nessesarily need a braking resistor, but if you do need it it is easy add one later.

I didn't read the manual completely but I think you can command the drive with 24v pulses to the optocouplers (it's easy to translate 3.3v/5v logic to higher voltages, don't worry about that) or you can command the drive through rs485.

Hi amock78


look at this site: http://svivier.free.fr/ 3dof is one, and he used the board VELLEMAN.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYdT4LRG ... ure=relmfu

So, do you still work on this sim rig or did you give up on this project?