Tommys simulator powered by wipermotors

We had some bad weather here last weekend so I used the time to check some points of my to do list. The gapping linkage is now fixed and I have also made a box for the electronics. Almost the whole simulator is also now painted.

Here is a video of the simulator in action, as I have promised. Im sorry for the bad quality but I have broken my camera so I have to use my phone instead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEnnlsAkjD4

Some pictures:

Hi Tommy,
Nice Video :thbup:
Do you use a Transformer as Power Supply or still Car Batteries?

Nice work m8,
I would like to suggest something regarding videos.
It would be really nice if members who are using wiper motor solution create a video pointing to the motors.
I`m taking the wiper motor road, so it would be very helpful to see the motors in action.
Michael N. said that he`s going to make such a video but nothing since 5th of May .
Watching the back of seat and PC screen is nice and amusing, but we all now know that most of us are good drivers , and X-sim is working perfect :clap: .

Hi,
sorry, I am last time a little busily . But i have a early Video from my Simulator, there you can see the Simulator in Action. But nobody is sitting on the seat. If i have soon installed my Simulator again, i want to make a new video :yes: .
Here is the Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyjITO9WQyI

Im still using a car battery, but I have now swapped to a bigger one from our harvester

I made some new videos yesterday.

One that is almost the same as the last one but with better quality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Rwsy3LbZ0

and one for fermevc, where you can see the wipermotor movements:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqJjSF8BKH8

Hi Tommy, nice Videos again :thbup: .

Which KP Value do you use?.
You can disable the LCD Data with Dip Switch Nr.1 set to off. You do not need it the whole time, only for check . That would be a little bit faster for the system and i unplug the LCD too . Only for check i plug the LCD on and set the Dip Switch to on.

Thanks for the tip m8 : I had forgotten that. Do know if the diffrense is noticeable?

Btw. Im also still using the old x-sim. Are there any reason to change to x-sim2 regarding the speed? I tried it once but couldnt get it working, so I changed back to the old version.

Edit: Im using Kp-30

The LCD tip will work even more noticeable in x-sim2 where is possible to change the update rate of comport data from 33ms (standard in old x-sim) down to 10ms or 5ms if your computer is fast enough... Don't forget to also set the Math calculations to 10ms as well to match the flow of updates. This simple modification with LCD turned off, will make AMC give crazy response time over motors and in most cases no overshooting...!!

Thanos

Hi Tommy, nice work!
I just finished the AVR Motion Controller Board 1.5 and Dual Simple Mosfet H Bridges.

It´s working Ok in my tests, The wiper motors move side by side well. The lcd indicates the pots values.
I can comunicate with Hyperterminal too!! and change KP settings.

BUT...

I have a problem to configure the X-Sim software to setup the board.

I´m using Native Serial port COM1, but I don´t know how configure it...
I´m searching about 1 week (8 hours per day) of reading... but I can´t find a tutorial or video guide that works.

I don´t know what version of X-Sim is best for AVR.
There is any tutorial, for the Tronic AVR controller? If so, I can´t find it.
I hope you can help me.

Thanks a lot for your time.
Thanks

Thanks for the tip tronicgr I haven't tried it out yet as I having problems with my wipermotors. The strenght is not the same in both directions which means the motors aren't moving correctly. Are you still using wipermotors or have you swapped to industrial motors? Have you experienced the same problem?

Hi ne02005 :hi:

I noticed that you have asked the same question in many threads. I quess it would be best if you started an own project thread instead of asking several others.

The tip I can give you is to check these videos out: http://rapidshare.com/files/106829488/AMC_video_guides_parts1_to_4.zip
That was all I needed to get the x-sim working. The tutorial is for the old x-sim, which Im still using.

I´ve asked the same in many threads becose I was desperated, and nobody answered me, but I had luck and discover the problems by myself.

Thanks anyway.

P.D: Which kind of potenciometers do you use? they are multiturn? or simple pots?

Thanks

They are multiturn for better precision. Mine are 10-turn 1k potentiometers I think.

WOW Tommy,
No one ever made a video specially for me!
That was the info I needed thanks a lot for the effort m8. It gives me the idea for mounting the motors and pots.

Im glad to help you, but I want to warn you about the potentiometers. Dont use a belt as I did because its slipping and the simulator is losing its position. I have tried to make another solution for it now but it still isn't working.

1k Potenciometers? on the schematics from Thanos says 250k Pots. Are you sure?

Thanks!!!! :yippiee:

1k pots = less resolution but more immune to motor's noise
250k pots = best resolution but lots of noise (random readings unless good shielded)

A middle value is better to be used ~ 10k-100k potentiometers...

Thanos

Plastic Gears... never slip!! :lol: :lol:

What relation are the plastic gears? Where did you get it?

I would use plastic gears if I manage to get in hold of them, maybe from some toy.
When I come to that point, I`ll be asking some questions about gear ratio
br, Igor

Hi all!

The new solution for the potentiometer is finally working :happy:
A couple of pictures:
[img600px]http://home.mnwa.net/~tommy/Simulator/22102009193.JPG[/img600px]

[img600px]http://home.mnwa.net/~tommy/Simulator/22102009195.JPG[/img600px]

Still using Lego Thechnic

The gear ratio is not hard to count at all. You just have to think of that you want the potentiometer to turn 10 revolutions when the wipermotor arm turn a half revolution. The closer 10 revolutions you get, the better precision you get. It however has to be 10 or less, otherwise the motor will not turn a complete half revolution.

Btw. Im still not happy with my simulator. It feels like the precision is not good enough and I think it is because the motors need too high voltage to get moving. This means that when they will start moving, they move too fast. Am I right?

It also feels like they are not powerful enough. I can for example hold back a motor with one hand without any problem, if I grip the linkage that is moving the seat. I have a feeling that they were stronger before.