Universal 6DoF Recessed Simulator

Hi

I'm not really sure if it's appropriate to make your first in this section about a new build but I had a bit of spare time the last week and decided to design a simulator. The idea here is to use the same chassis for F1 style, Rally/GT style and flight simulation. I went with a recessed stewart platform, costs are surprisingly low, however I do have access to all the machinery for the cost of only time.

Anyway, for now I just have some pretty renders, note the steering wheel, seat and pedals are from grabcad.

Specifications:
750W motors
400mm/s max theoretical linear speed per actuator
+-300mm soft stroke (600mm total)
+-350mm hard stroke limit (700mm total)
Modular design for easy transport and adjustments. Low static platform weight (<70KG).
2.8m x 2.8m open space required.

Does someone here have any experience using projection/display/headset visuals and can compare which works best, I can build a VR headset into a helmet, I just checked and I can actually make a VR helmet but I'm looking for the setup that's the most fun (and motion sickness isn't fun).

If anyone has any advice regarding steering wheel setups, I'm not sure if the high torque low speed 130mm 1KW 130mm AC servo or the lower inertia 86mm medium speed 1KW AC servo is better to go with, has anyone tried both and can you offer some advice?

Any help, advice and tips people have are most welcome.

Have to figure out how pics are embedded. The warning refers to links not pics, I guess pics fall under links?

Success!

Wow. That is gorgeous

Looks very ambitious, good luck in pulling this off.
You'll also need to be careful that the pedals don't foul on the front two actuators as it looks pretty close?

Seriously nice design though!

Nice . You obviously know your way around a rendering package. Now all you have to do is turn you render into reality . In regard to DD steering servos, this one seems to be popular - https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...60419119835.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.looVQr

Promising, although I find the jacks a little too horizontal!
What is the amplitude of the movements on each of the three axes and at what angles?

Its easy - the OP wants to build something like this.

Thank you, you are correct. In the renders it is in an F1 seating position which pushes the pedals far forward and they can touch the frame in extreme positions(full forward pitch and full yaw), for F1 seating positions the end piece where the pedals mount needs to be half the length and the pedal box should be more compact or the soft limits should be adjusted to +-250mm to compensate (or both). This won't be a problem when in the other seating positions where the pedals are moved about 300mm or more back.

Usually I get reasonably close to the renderings, the mechanical/electrical part are the easy bits, making a nice seat is going to be tricky for me.
That motor seems popular with DIY users while the lower inertia smaller ones seems to be the one sold in the steering packages.

Nice vid thank you!
I modeled this one as a mini-cruden... But it's interesting to see what they did with the plates on the floor, that's been bothering me a bit.

They may cause some spikes lower down, but keep in mind using the soft limits they are not quire as bad, the renders attached are at full rest.
On soft minimum 40 degrees to max 60 degrees per axis, hard limits are a couple of degrees less and more.
Soft travel limit 600mm, hard limit 700mm.

Wow, looks awesome! If you build it and decided to sell, I would be extremely interested. I'm guessing something on this level would be crazy expensive to anyone who doesn't have easy access to the parts and machinery though?

Great design and good luck.

Thank you. I was for now just hoping to get some feedback so that I don't have to fix mistakes the hard way, I've evaluated input costs and have more or less an idea of what it's going to be. I still have a bit of reviewing to do on the design as well but it's reasonably mature. I tried to reduce the machining costs as much as possible even if it is "free" for me, I still have to spend the time, so the majority of the chassis is meant to be tig welded in stainless and should be fairly simple to do if you can source laser cut plates and tubes and have someone that can cut and weld for you(or if you can do it yourself), if I just look roughly at the machining, expect to pay about $2000-$3000 due to the low quantities. But there might be a few ways around getting it done cheaper if I change some parts a bit...

Obviously there are some bushings, bearings, spreaders etc. you can't see that needs machining but these would be possible even on a manual lathe if you have one, so they probably wouldn't be too expensive.

If I'd build this for someone, a functional plug and play chassis excluding wheels, pedals and seat would probably be about $8000, meaning you will need: batteries ($250 worth, just not worth shipping it), software, wheels, pedals, seat, computer and displays. If the chassis includes seat, pedals and wheels then probably around the $10 000 mark... But it would all come in a big box and you'd still have to bolt it together

Understood. Look forward to further updates - Re seat, may be easier to just purchase one (example below from Tillett) - not that expensive in the scheme of things.

I've worked it a bit, adjusted the rear beam and moved everything back and also changed the pedal box... It clears now at full soft travel.

I just found this for sale locally:

Nice update, I'll be watching with interest.

Do you have a timescale in mind?
It looks like your a CAD master, hope you're as good with the tools also?

What manner of actuators will you be running?

750W motors
400mm/s max theoretical linear speed per actuator
+-300mm soft stroke (600mm total)
+-350mm hard stroke limit (700mm total)
these are DIY or commercial?

...I'm half a mind to give up on wiper motors myself

Well the main reason I'm building this is to have something really cool to demo my HMD with, right now I'm currently finishing a new HMD, I'll probably only start in 2-4 weeks and I think it will take about 8-10 weeks to complete.

I'll have to make them...

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think your costings are very fair & if your final product ends up anywhere close to the level of your designs then it would get plenty of attention! I've started the process of putting a 2dof plus traction loss setup together, but if a decent and affordable 6dof kit like this became available then I would find it hard not to upgrade.

However, the only concern for me personally with your intended specification, is the overall size at 2.8m x 2.8m. A smaller version, even with the compromise of less movement range, would be great in my opinion.