Showroom Prototype 6dof

@danalog : What an incredible setup!
- to reduce slack, a spring between plateform and ground could do the job easily! (power consumption shouldn't be highly increased)
- what do you think? it's a good find this video! but this design leads to huge dimensions and accessibility (and security) seems poor. According to this prototype, if the sim plateform is 1,5m long, the whole system should be 5m wide...

As with all Stewart Platforms, the dimensions are variable but you are right, it would be huge! Especially with the construction. If I would built it I would mount the motors to the ceiling and skip the whole construction. Makes for a very cheap and easy build. You could even mount a removable chair so you can lift the base platform way up to the ceiling when not in use. Maybe we should move discussion about this idea to a seperate topic to keep this topic about @merchan-e's 6DOF?

@RaceRay Those shields are the same, made from same Eagle files. Maybe the Chinese version has less quality components but the ones I have (also from dx) look perfectly fine.

dx stuff looks fine, but from testing cheap clones that burn out quickly, I have one and burnt one side with same power supply I used on the Jrk.
But some people havent had issues.

Springs , are the pits, if needed for motion you have something badly wrong.

The monster moto shield, dx.com.
You have to bring them a good cooler, and if a fan best.

Has it on it, what failed was a track leading to a diode, simply fix for me, but not good, ya get what ya pay for, beware putting 30amps through it. Where mine failed. Copper tracks might be a bit thinner. As my Sparkfun Unit has been tested past 45amps , no worries, i could have got the one in a million thou.

Only feeds 2 wiper motors, 20A, maybe less.
The mine is not for continuous use, it's just a prototype, but for larger motors, do not work, they are very weak.

agreed, springs were used by me in the beginning for helping create a light load on the wipers to keep the gears meshed and stop them chewing out. Not for balancing. @RacingMat
Havent used them since, ever.

Hi Guys EBAY is truely your Friend on Friday my bid was accepted for 4 brand new Invacare Wheelchair gearbox Motors and when i went to pick up the items the lady had another 2 that she was selling ( i don't think she knew what they were and how much they really sell for ) anyway my lucky day as i now have 6 brand new 24Volts Dc / 3 amp with output sped of 110RPM ,,, Now all of a sudden i have no excuse not to try to copy this Project ( i say copy because merchan-e has done the hard work and shown what can be done) , My question is for some Guidance regarding Motor Drivers , i already Have Velleman Controller Card , Arduino Uno, and Tronics AMC 1.5 & Dual H-Bridge which i built 3 or more years ago LOL. during this time i have bought Ians SP40 Controller card and 2 x MD30 Motor controller which were used on my 2dof FS Simulator and 3 Parvalux PW60 Motor/Gear Box But they only had 8 RPM output lots of torque for the 2 DOF platform but slowwww, and the latest was the Dimension Engineering Sabertooth 2X 60 Controller + Kangeroo unit ,, as you can gather i have all the gear but no idea as they say i keep shifting the goalpost as i see guys here doing great things. This time im cutting metal and drawing up CAD plans to build this 6DOF project .. But back to my Question .. Based on these Motors Which Controller Would you Guys Recommend, Devantech MD30 , or get 2 Sabertooth 2 X 25 Motor controller and 2 more Kangeroo module to go along with my 2 X 60 Version.. For Controllers would Love to Use the Simaxe module But not quite sure where its at development wise ?? i may have missed some post so please ignore my lack of knowledge in that area... Im and engineer by trade so the mechanical element does not phase me , like most builders here for the electronics side i'd like the almost ( i say Almost) plug n play aspect of the Simaxe or Ians New SP64 interface, as they a proven options, i already have the Old SP40 interface but would need to buy the new one so SIMAXE would be great as its support is here.. Thanks guys will post pictures in the next post

Hi Guys 1st pics of my new toys 2 of 6 not bad for £100 uk pounds am i happy or what either way this project is officially kick started

Hi Wannabeaflyer,

I look forward to seeing your progress. Perhaps you could start a new build thread?

OK Guys will do , just started creating a cad model for the Invacare Motor and will post all other detail on my new build thread Cheers guys this project is and inspiration will keep watching for developments here

Last Post here as i will start a build thread tomorrow , here is my 1st draft cad model as proof of Concept , based on the work of others on this forum, The Prototype Base will be 18MM MDF just so i can verify the mechanical motion parameters are good and the there wont be and Binding of actuator arms or levers at maximum movement angles ,, this drawing is not complete but is done to scale based on my new motors and the scale model i created. Dont mean to Hog this post, but just excited that Merchan -e showed the posibilites and Hoping these stronger gearbox motor units will up the stakes the Main use will Be FSX or X-plane and maybe even the DCS sims, with some racing sims dependant on performance lots to do but its started, Cheers Guys its all theory at the moment but soon as i decide which motor driver then things will start moving in more ways than one LOL

Hi merchan-e,
This is the thread I've been looking for
I really like the idea of using low cost wiper motors and keeping the platform as light as possible, this should work great with Oculus (no need for heavy monitors).

Hope wipers are performing well.
What do you think about these motors? http://www.motiondynamics.com.au/worm-drive-motor-12v-24v-200w-180-rpm-20nm-torque.html
I'm looking forward to your updates!
Best regards, Tino.

@Tino , they have the torque needed about double of most wipers, but do not hold position at all when the power is off, and are 3 times quicker too. No ones just given it a go yet.

Keep up the good work, I'm all for pushing the design until it breaks.

Remember eaorobbie and bsft when people doubted the output capacity of the Jrk and you guys in particular have proved otherwise.

Maybe we have underestimated the humble wiper motor. Surely if it can do it a big worm gear motor will do it easy.

Thanks for your reply eaorobbie.
Do you mean they don't hold position when simulator is off?
I don't know much about these things but I don't see how this should be a problem, actually I'd like the simulator to be in the lowest position when it's off, and then to rise slowly when I turn it on.

If this isn't an issue then I'd say I'm close to finding my ideal motors for 6dof...
Thanks, Tino.

@Tino , thats fine then, when you power off, lean on the frame gently to it sits low and the motor levers swing down. Piece of cake.
Then when you power up it will sit up to centre.

@bsft
Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear.
I still have quite a bit of research to do, but hopefully it won't be to complicated do program arduinos to put motors to lowest position before shutting down.

Hello Tino.
These engines are great, but are very fast, better than 40 or 50 rpm.