Question Newbie my servo almost moved!

2 Things to try;

I think you need to have this for the Interface-Output field:

A<Axis1a>B<Axis2a>C<Axis3a>D<Axis4a>E<Axis5a>F<Axis6a>X

Also, unless you have changed the arduino sketch, you need to set your 'BitsPerSec' setting to match the Serial.begin value of the sketch i.e. 57600.

Give that a go and see if some servos start moving. Good luck!

Thank you GWiz. I looked at the code and it ends with X so it makes sense. I copied pasted the line you send me but no luck. 57600 has been not stable for me. Since I dropped at 9600 more stable. So I change the interface and the script. Still no movements. ok now the big one " Axis Allocation is done horizontally, with each axis being vertical." I see this on many threads. Sorry guys I just can't get my head around that is it like in this pic?

Yes, I think that is correct in that for each DOF1 to 3 you now have an individual servo (axis) moving, i.e. for Pitch movements, only Axis1a moves, Roll only moves Axis2a. Ordinarily you would have multiple servos attached for different movements of a platform. For example Roll might need 2 servos to move in different ways to achieve the roll movement so you may need different directions of movement or different percentages depending on the shape of your simulator setup.

Your software settings look correct to me, so I think the most likely fault will be your arduino not being able to supply enough current for so many servos. You can quickly check this by disconnecting the power line in all but one servo and see if it allows the remaining one to work. If so, then connect a separate power supply of the correct voltage for your servos to the power line and connect the Gnd of the power supply to the Gnd of the servos as well as connecting this Gnd to the arduino Gnd. Don't forget to disconnect the power from the arduino to the servos so you don't fry the arduino by accident with the added power supply.

Thank you GWiz for the quick reply. Also thank you for clarifying "For example Roll might need 2 servos to move in different ways to achieve the roll movement so you may need different directions of movement or different percentages depending on the shape of your simulator setup." Now I get it. I was wondering why I see some project threads that shows under DOF 1, 2 times roll. Great example. Ok now Arduino. I am going to connect a 5 Volt power supply to the Arduino board. Sorry just to be clear, I should not connect the USB cable to my computer at the same time I connect the 5 volts power supply? So that makes me thinking when I diconnect the USB from my computer does the Arduino remembers the code unless I push the reset button?
Sorry - a lot of new stuff for me. Thank you for your help.

sorry I wrote something stupid. I have to have the usb connected at the same time as the + 5volt. its ok right?

Once you have uploaded the code to your Arduino, as long as you supply the arduino with power, it will remember the code and run the script. The reset button will start the code again from the beginning as will disconnecting and reconnecting the power supply to the arduino. The USB is a handy way to power the arduino though, so it's fine to keep this connected for now, but should you have a project that uses an arduino - you can power the arduino with a battery or separate power supply without needing it connected to a computer. For the purposes of making a motion simulator, you will probably need the USB connection as you will use this to send the data from the PC to your arduino.

The warning about the power supply was just that arduinos are fairly easy to break by putting too much current down one of their connections so you don't want to have the power supply positive connected to any of the arduino pins, you might be OK with 5V, but once the 'magic smoke' comes out of the arduino, it's time to buy a replacement!

Yes, that's fine. You can use the 5V output (and the 3.3V output) to send small currents from the arduino to things like LEDs and other low power projects but the power capabilities of the arduino are small, so you need a separate power supply for most things like fans or motors. You can also buy 'shields' for arduino Unos that sit over the top and will do specific things like run motors more easily than wiring everything up yourself.

Edit - Although for this project, if you have the servos connected to their own power supply and share a common Gnd, you won't need anything connect to the arduino 5v output.

ok got it thank you. separate power source 5 v for all the servos (+ and -) So in other words the only part of servos wires going to arduino is the signal pin 5 to 9. Sorry to make you repeat i just don't want to fry anything!

No problem I've made a good number of errors myself before! Here is a circuit diagram to make it easier to understand:
So Gnds connected together for everything, power +ve from power supply only and signal pin from arduino to servo. (Shown as pin 9 in the diagram above).

Great diagram thank you. Oh man! I need tylenol again. Well I decided to go back to 2 servos with the eaorobbie script that I sucessfullly made working with LFS and MSFS2020. Not working. Sorry but here are my settings again and a short video showing what happens when i turn on output testing. I hope my board is ok. Please le me know what you think is the problem Thanks guys.

Hello noorbeast. Thank you for your message. Yes I flashed it (pressed the red button than download the code. Ok, Thanks to you guys I understand much more. I unplugged everything, went back to 2 servos BUT with external power for the servos.
I now understand the letter thing. If in the output sequence of Simtools I have A B C D...... then the constant KActuatorName must match. Also now I understand axis versus DOF 1, 2 so I put Axis 1a on DOF 1 Pitch 30% and Axis 2a on DOF2 Roll 30 %. Confirmed that I have 9600 baud rate in Simtools and the code and tried: Worked perfectly! I am happy I did not fry anything yesterday. So. Now I am going to add 4 servos with external power, use the MM_Stewart_test4.ino, update the interface settings with 57600 baud rate and put output to A<Axis1a>B<Axis2a>C<Axis3a>D<Axis4a>E<Axis5a>F<Axis6a>X
then configure Axis assignments as on one servo (axis) per DOF and that should work right? Thank you!

We have a winner! Thank you so much for all the help. I am going to now start studying how to build that miniature platform. See you soon!

Sorry the repeating in the video. I had to make it over 1 min so it goes to youtube normal not a short.

Hi guys! I am NOT quitting. I am studying different platforms and organizing my goals and questions. I'll be back soon!

Hi guys, I have been studying and came up with some questions. I am going to write some understandings and please tell me if true or not. Thank you.
If I build a 6DOF| with linear actuator rated at 50 lbs, then my rig can support up to 300 lbs. Right?

To build a 6DOF suitable for racing and flying a linear actuator stroke 500 mm and 500 mm per second would work? yes /no

Servo actuators seems easier for me. They have red and black for power and a 3 pin connector for the signal. Just like a RC servo. True?

I can either go with an AMC AASD15A or SMC3, any preferences, what is better for someone with practically no experience at building a 6 DOF?

I think my approach is backward but is ok. Instead of designing a 6 DOF Stewart platform and then get the proper actuators, I think of getting 6 Linear actuators and then build a platform that goes with that. The reason I say this is because it seems hard to find fast linear actuators.

I live on an island in the Caribbean. Most likely I will buy actuators from the states. Can you please recommend where I can buy in US , ideally Florida, Linear actuators?

Thank you for the help. Greatly appreciated.

Thank you noorbeast for your reply. I have been watching a lot of ?DOF and looking at Xsimulator Showroom.
So. The picture will give you an idea on which way I am thinking of building. For now I am just trying to get my head around the budget part rough numbers. Please let me know if buy looking at the picture there are uncompatible things or wrong specs. With those items it seems to be pretty much plug and play. I am having a hard time finding a company in USA that sells Servo Actuators Linear like actuators speed:500mm/s,force:150kg,stroke/450mm). Can someone send me some suggestions? BTW I have no problem assembling actuators like a kit, but not build them from parts I would buy. Thank you.