Tronic's AMC motor motion-controller with pwm/servo output

Hi,

I'd like to inform the following persons to find another way for contact me, perhaps thru PM here in x-sim forum, cause every time I send them response email, it returns back with a MAILER-DAEMON: failure notice!!!

Andrzej Adaszewski
andrews@life.pl

Maciej Orszulak
ponury-grabarz@wp.pl

Sorry for this little privacy intrusion but I have no other way to communicate with you two guys...

Regards, Thanos

Hello,

I decided to collect all my code about AMC1.5 into one firmware that would be the first official release v1.0. It replaces all previous beta versions.

For this reason I included the code for the two motion styles (Joyrider & SimforceGT) in it, and made it selectable between them with a jumper.





But his isn't the only feature. I also decided to give to the users the ability to change the servo motor KP proportionality values through simple terminal connection:




Anyway you can read all about it in the manual I made for it:

PWM_AMC15_2DOF_v1_manual.pdf


And of course the firmware that cames in four files, each one for the crystal speed you are using:

PWM_AMC15_2DOF_v1 firmware.zip

Regards, Thanos

Hi,

I found a very cool layout program that was very easy to learn (record time only 2 hours!!!!!) and I converted most of my layouts to it! Its the Sprint-Layout 5!

The best part with it is that it can export Gerber and Excellon data!! And it not the only thing it can do! It has a great autoroute function and DRC check of the layout! Look in the photo below how easy it is to test the connections on my layouts:



Anyway I'll give you here the new improved layout of my AMC1.5. Its the same as the old one but with some more well placed line curves and gerber and excellon data!
amc1_5_sprint_layout.pdf


And bottom side only:
amc1_5_bottom.pdf

And these are the gerber and excellon data (I checked the gerber data and they are ok!). The gerber data includes Solder Mask layers for both top and bottom side of the board!
AMC1_5_gerber_excellon.zip


And here are some photos of the board with the photo function of the Sprint layout5!




Enjoy,

Regards, Thanos

(EDIT: FIXED the two errors in lines of the layout reported by R-eng)

hi guys!

i am collecting the components to build this nice thingy..

i have found most of the components at reichelt.de with a good price. there are some things i am not able to find though.. maybe you ahve an idea:

atmega8535 16PI (have found all models but not this one.. )
crystals
inductor coil
dip switch (found it only with a different form and 5 euro.. )

thank you very much! any place in europe is ok! the very best would be a single shop to order everything for a good price..

bye

igor

Yes, I know. The best shop that sell them in extreme low prices is here in Athens called FANOS !! I could not find any on-line source that can beat its prices yet! Too bad for all others, that it have no on-line ordering! And it doesn't even have website!!!! :rofl:

I guess I'm lucky for this aspect to live here! I'm wondering, why there are not such electronics supply shops (that you can buy in any quantity without the price to be affected) in other countries too?

I wish I had to time to arrange component kits for everyone that is interesting in my electronics...

Regards, Thanos

any chance that you manage to get a single electornic component kit?

lets see if xomebody found a site that sells everything for a good price..

thank you.. sadly i dont have a company..

Hi,

After lots of requests for a new connection diagram for AMC1.5 - DSMhb1.2 with wiper motors, I made one:




And here in higher resolution for printing:
amc1_5_DSMhb1_2_wiper_motors_wiring.pdf

Regards, Thanos

thanks..

Thanos:

Hi !! :hi: .. I'm a mechanical engineering student and with a friend of mine are thinking in building a 3-DOF gyroscope like simulator, to permit full revolution for flight simulators ... so we will need to use 3 motors to drive the system and since in every guide or how-to of yours you use a LCD in the data line that in my understand will be used for drive the third motor I wanna ask you how to the motion-controller will interface with 3 motors and if have tried it already... since the DSMhb is build to control two motors can you say to me how power can it deliver to just one motor ??

Thanks a lot... Sorry if some question may be stupid but I'm doing so many things now that I haven't had enough time to take a deep look in the PCBs...

Hi Canesin,

My AMC1.5 can drive three or four motors by sacrificing the use of the LCD display during normal operation. This requires new Firmware that I have not released cause its useless with current x-sim Profiler since it supports only 2-axis motion data thru its USO. You can see it as a future feature when its also supported by the software... I try to have the LCD in use for the beginners to know whats going on inside my AMC controller and debug on their own any possible problems.

But there is another way to add more axis to your simulator. You can use two computers with one AMC1.5 on each of them! Then you have access to four motors to control. The concept is that by running the Force sender on one PC you can sent the motion data locally in its Force Profiler (say the master PC's IP is 192.168.1.2) and in the same time to the second PC over TCP that also runs the Force Profiler only (with IP 192.168.1.3). The you can assign different forces to each Profiler's USO module, to send different motor data to each of the total four motors you have.

About the DSMhb... you can drive motors rated up to 36volt and 25Ampere current. (~3/4 hp) And it can take up to 160 Amp peak loads for a couple of seconds if required! Now, if you parallel both input connections and motor outputs you can drive one large motor (say with 50Amp current RMS) but I haven't ever tried since I have no such large motor ( 1.5 hp !!!)

Btw, for true 360 degree rotation you can't use normal potentiometers for position feedback!! You have to make your own position feedback based perhaps on true Gyroscope combined with Accelerometer (to correct its drift).

Regards, Thanos

Hi Thanos,

I emailed you a long time ago with a couple of questions and at the time your project was in early development stage. I started following Jims project in New Zealand and headed down that road.

I stumbled across this forum and wow. Your work has come a long way in a short period of time. Great work.

Now, after all that, here is my question:

In the details about the x-sim software, it says that if you don't have at least a dual core processor that you need to run 2 computers. Is this still correct?

Thanks
David

Hi RobiD

Thats not true. I was running xsim software fine with my old single-core P4 1.5Ghz PC! Its just the some games don't leave resources for other apps to run in the background and running the x-sim software in a second core bypass this!

Yes, I did lot of progress, now programming my new 6DOF ultimate AVR motion controller!

And that's not all. On Sunday I did my first real flight!!! I've never been in a plane before! It was awesome! And the best part was, that I was the pilot!!!!!! A friend of mine, that is flight instructor, offered me the flight for free!

Anyway you can take a look on my youtube video about it. Not much time on-flight was filmed as I had to do all the piloting with the instructions of my friend Stathis... I taxied the airplane around the airport, took off myself, did some maneuvers on the air (including a full stall situation demonstration), returned to the airport for a touch 'n' go and after another turn I landed it successfully!!! It was an amazing experience!!! The total time of the flight was 45 minutes. Its now clear the things that I was lacking while doing the same stuff on my joyrider... especially the heave effect that was thrilling!!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=46M0sOF27vA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46M0sOF27vA

The plane I was flying with is the SX-AOZ of F.A.S. Rhodes Pilot Academy!!! see the attached photos!






Best Regards, Thanos

Fantastic, I got my addiction the other way around. My wife bought me a TIF (Trial Introductory Flight) for my birthday years ago, and I was hooked on flying.

I did as many lessons as I could afford at the time and then came across all these people building home simulators. I started thinking that it would save me flight hours if I could make a sim as close as possible to the real thing. Then the motion thing started.

Now I have a fully enclosed 2DOF sim with a 777 overhead (which incidently I built a CNC machine in order to make all the panels), it has a generic Beech Skipper/Cessna dash with all hand made working guages all interfaced through FSBus. All this and I still don't have motion. The hobby has taken all my money away from real flying, but on the flip side, I love the building and sense of acheivement. I'm sure you understand.

Thanks for the info about running on one computer. I am sure I will go ahead and build your designed boards, and I'm sure this will not be the last question.

Regards
David

A new one completly set, made for a fan in Poland. Please see the pictures on http://www.texma.home.pl/zzz/xmosim.htm
The bottom was copied from .pdf to simply .bmp, then I changed the widht for the mosfet lines. A lot of work, especially with the cable connections. I think IDC connectors could be much easier to wire booth pcb's (they could be also directly connected via long pins) and the LCD. There are also many place for separate connectors for the trimmers. If I have time I try to make this projekt in protel
Czarek

Hi Texma,

Its pleasant to see my creations made from other people around the world! But I disclaim any issues caused by your modifications on my design. Its easy for such things to catch fire or something especially the H-bridge part!!! I can give support only for circuits that I have built and tested myself!!!

And some notes:

You should re-enforce the DSMhb1.2b motor and power lines by pouring lots of solder on the tracks to be able to meet the 25 Ampere requirements of larger motors! Like on the next photo:




And I noticed that you have plug the small LCD board wrong way! You have put Pin 1 of the board to Pin16 of the LCD!!!! If you power it as it is you will probably destroy the LCD!!! Here are some alternate ways of connecting the little board to the LCD:



And more in this PDF:

alternate_LCD_connection.pdf


Regards, Thanos

Hi Thanos


it must be a great feeling of real flying ! i try to fly a short trip on our next
fly-day on a little airport next to my city.

i build a new controller with a Mega644 an a dobble h-bridge on it, with a heatsik.
The dobble H-Bridge is nearly the same as yours with a P and N-Fet.
( the most used circut like Atmel bridge)
So i have only a smal 16cm x 10cm pcb and not the big bridges ...

bye dirk

Hi Thanos,

I was watching Planmix's(John's) 6DOF platform videos on youtube and the more i watch it, the more i am convinced that a motorised joyrider wont cut it.

He says that the controller was designed by you. however, i cant seem to find any post by you with a ^DOF controller.

sorry to pry, but is that still under wraps? if not, would you mind sharing some specs / layout etc.?

thanks,
madhu.

Hi Madhu

The video you see uses the AMC1.5 motion controller interface (from this thread) with firmware to drive six normal hobby RC servos. In the post below you can find the firmware, as well as information on the way that reads the data string:
post7350.html#p7350

I do have almost ready the new UAMC2.0 (Ultimate AVR Motion Controller) but I need to do some PWM testing first with all six h-bridges connected on it...!! And later to extend its hardware support for driving AC drive motor controllers.

Sorry but this stuff take time to be debugged and tested properly! And this is a hobby for me after all! ;D

Regards, Thanos

Oh, an expert joined the forum!

Are you familiar with the prices for gearhead motors with enough power for a 6Dof platform including 12 crossjoints and 6 AC Servodrives? Afaik the very cheapest 6dof plaforms start in the 30-40k Euro range with no limits to the top.
But the motorised joyrider can be made for a fraction (~300-600Euro) of that.

Either you are a money does not matter guy, or you dont know how much one can spend for professional motion systems.

Regarding its price, which is affordable for almost every hobbyist budget, the motorised joyrider 'cuts it' for sure!

Sure, you cannot simulate Z- and rotational axes with a 2DOF. But even a 6DOF isnt perfect in every aspect. I just can tell you that you can get alot of immersion out of a enclosed 2DOF sim.
Just compare it with a FF wheel. Nobody would say seriously, that FF effects would represent real vehicle tire feedback, but would you miss them for this reason? As long the movemets are well coordinated and lag free of course...

I personnally do have two 2DOF sims, and I am really content with them. Nonetheless their restricted DOF, it makes really alot of fun to ride them.

So, please do us a favour and make yourself some more familiar with the matter, instead of disgrading Thanos' joyrider in your very first post here in the forum...

Regards
Christian