Oscarh's homebrewed 2 DOF Car Simulator

Gentlemen,

After having spend a lot of time in looking at this forum, surfing the net, and asking questions, it is time for me now to share with you my 'own' simulator design. Please note 'own' had been put in between quote, because this is a mix of Tornado-blu and TronicGr setup. I also added my own part to the design.

Let start with 2 pictures : side view and front view.

Actuators I am using are 2 wipers motors from a Renault Clio.
I am using an Agilent Power supplies model 6672A (20V - 100 A) in place of a batterie.
The electronic is based on TronicGr BS2 application, modified, with code slightly optimised. Next step is to move to PIC16F877 when I will have time.
For the time being I'm only using LFS for joydriding. Plan is to setup Flight Simulator too, again when time permit.

It took me sometime before I came to the conclusion I can do my own simulator. For the folks who keep thinking it is not for them, I hope this project will convince them to move forward.

I would like to take this opportunity to thanks Tornado-blu (I could never reach) and TronicGr I had many time by Email. Both had been key players in my decision to built this 2DOF simulator.

If you have any question, please feel free to ask; I have many picture during the design so I am ready to help.

Cheers.
OscarH

Oscarh's homebrewed 2 DOF Car Simulator (2)

Hi Agin,

Here are 2 video I took recently. I must admit they are not top quality (and sound is even worst), but this for you to see how my simulator is operating.

Using LFS with a Formula one setup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlGiNOfM9ec

Using LFS with on a sand track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrSJNXsr7Hw

I promise to publish better quality video as soon as I can.

Cheers.
OscarH

Congratulations, Oscar! :thbup:

Awesome work! The movements are so close to the ones of the joyrider, yet it looks so compact!!!!! I like the way you simply walk in and out of it.

I bet it will be even better with the AMC1.5 controller and 10ms refresh rate on x-sim2 software!!! 8)



Regards, Thanos

Well done :clap:

Regards
Christian

great job :yes:

regards
Christian

Could you post some pics that show the construction under the seat a bit closer please? I would like to understand better how it works.

Regards
Christian

Hi Egoexpress,
Please find attached below pictures I took during the preliminary setup phase.
Hope resolution will not be impacted too much by picture crunching.
if you like to have picture with higher resolution, please ask through PM.
If you also like to have a specific part, or assembly, more in detailled, I can take a specifi picture for you.

Cheers.
OscarH

Hi again,

for those who like to see how it is working without the seat in place, here it is :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7LSG_cz1DI
This is the bank slider in standalone. I just applied a DC voltage in both directions, no electronic at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hHAh97deFI
Same for pitch slider. Please note there are no limit switches, so pitch either bang the floor or hit the back of the frame (not good :thbd: )

It was at the early stage... now I have limit switches in place...

OscarH

thanks alot! very describing pics and vids :thbup:

Imo you should consider another way to connect the pots. I think as it is (bendable wire) it may not be acurate enough.

And wouldnt it be possible to balance the weight a little better to get rid of the additional weights on the back of the seat? I think the wipermotors have to work quite hard with those bricks mounted. There is a little bit too much mass inertia.

Regards
Christian

Hi Ego,

For pots, there is no effort, so no reason to bent the wire (this is a paperclip). This will protect the pot if, for some reason, motor is going over the limit. It happens to me once, so I prefer to replace a paperclip than a pot... 8) .

The weakness is clearly the number of turns. I took a 10 turns potentiometer, and in the real world, it only make 2.5 turns (over the 10 possible). So I am loosing a little bit on resolution. I only have 100 points for the complete travel both for Pitch and for Bank.

About the counterweight on the back of the seat, this is something I added recently. We the LCD screen, the driving wheel, the pedals, my legs on pedals and the mechainical stuff, I had aproximately 6-7 kilograms weight to compensate. To stay horizontal, the pitch motor was driwing 3.5 Amps at 14V, that was 50 watts in the wipers motor, just to stay horizontal. Not to say after 30 minutes it was really hot.

With the 15kg counterweight, now I only have 0.5 Amps to have seat horizontal. Counterweight does not impact bank as it is close to center of gravity. It help on Pitch, to make riding smooth. It does not help to move the seat from one location to another, just 15 kg heavier ;D .

Bye for now.
OscalH

Hi Raceray,

As I said in the early phase, my reference is based on Tornado-blu design.
My design is highly inspired for this URL, even if some dimensions had been sligthly tuned during design. These are the only draft plans available for it. (I put dimensions on pictures I took, if it can be of some help).

http://digilander.libero.it/tornadoblu5/en/index1.htm

The critical assembly are the 2 U shaped forms. One of my friend working for Air France has done it for me (Thanks Olive).

I used to learn arc welding at my technologie school, but had not been using it for 25+ years. Then started again. I cannot say my teacher would had been happy with all the welding I made, but at the end it appears to be robust enougth to handle my weight.

I think after a short training on old iron bar, you can do arc welding easily by yourself. Just remember to protect your eyes, and use the right current for the arc, otherwise you get stuck on the iron

I started design in April 2008. Simulator was ready just before christmas, my personnal gift :thbup:.
I spend in total may be 10 week-ends, working mostly on Saturday, because I always mountainbike on sunday. This include the base welding, painting, assembly, rework, electronic design, BS2 code optimisation from TronicGr, and gaming last days...

The first time it worked, I can tell you it worth all the hours your spend on it !
If I can convince you to try, this will really be my pleasure.

Bye for now.
OscarH

Hi

Very nice Sim you made there.. Where did you buy those DC motor drivers i see in your controller box??



Henrik

Hi Henrik

The motor controller consists of a BS2 unit (robot education kit from http://www.parallax.com) and two HB-25 RC mode motor drivers, again from Parallax.

Its essential the same motion controller stuff I used before building the AMC1.5 and the custom h-bridge DSMhb. But as its an education kit its programmed only in basic and runs like ten times slower than the AVR electronics...!


Thanos

Hi

Thanx for your reply Thanos.. Is the HB-25 RC mode motor drivers not better than the DIY H-bridge?


Henrik

Hi,
HB25 are much more easier to setup than HBridge, at least with a BS2.
My main objective was to have the setup working, then slowly improve it over time. Just like TronicGr did.
Next step for me is 1/ to migrate from BS2 to a PIC16F87x to increase speed then 2/replace HB25 with Hbridges and 3/ replace LCD screen by a video projector on back of the seat (vertical + mirror).
OscarH

Hi Folks,

Just to let you know I am modifiying the bank axis on my seat, using a motor holder (so called 'Engine Stand') I found in a super market a a really cheap price (<50€).
Work still in progress, but I plan to re-use as much as I can parts from my 'old' seat.
BTW, you can see how the actuator I bought on US Surplus had been installed.
Stay tuned.
Bye for now.
OscarH

Hi OscarH, do you mind me asking why you are changing your design from the original tornadoblue type?

Hi Turbodude,

1/ New challenge : once something is complete I love to start again and improve .
2/ Opportunity : when I saw this motor stand, I instantly though this will be perfect for a new design
3 / I also like to have the actuators bought from surplus used, and this cannot be adapted to my old design
4/ This one will be much more easiear to dismantle and move. This is my main objective. Tornadoblue base is one single piece and not easy to move.

As far as my wife is ok and supportive, I keep trying.

Cheers.
OscarH