Universal 6DoF Recessed Simulator

I've gone over to using 3 x Odrive servo controllers with modified firmware that I wrote to work with simtools.

This is the first test, I need to work on the motion profile some more and do a few tweaks before we unleash some performance. Right now it's on 1/7th off peak speed, running only off the 500W psu.

We have 32 bit output from simtools, soft start and stop features, speed control from simtools as well as overtravel protection in the firmware.

New platform updates makes for a super stiff structure. I'll finish the tweaks and do some test runs tomorrow off the batteries at higher speeds. The LFS profile needs a lot of tweaking still but getting the motion control sorted took more than a whole damn month, will work on the default profile and some game profiles next.

there is no sound on your videos.
LFS is not the best for the tests I find.
it's really very slow, and so not at all in sync with the video.
keenly the real tests!
your structure really seemed to lack rigidity, it seems better now with the changes.
I am waiting for the tests at high speed!

Hi

You wouldn't hear anything at this low speed other than two people talking and some noise from the TV in the living room, the actuators are very quiet with the new gearboxes. I'll include sound at high speed. I had smoothing at 100%, so I'll fix that which might make a difference to the lag, but yeah a couple more things to sort out in the firmware (mainly soft crash control and soft recovery, I have it in my head, just need to write the code) and we'll do some comparative and high speed runs.

It's solid, you can only try to make it wobble after all the triangulation was finished, no problem jumping up and down all day long. The bottom sections have nice connectors for things like shifters, hand brakes, flight controls etc.

Another video... I'll post a couple more...
High speed, I'm testing out the crash detection, works pretty well.

You are right, I got LFS better but there is always a bit of lag, check the PCARS vid, I'll upload a few more when I've merged the screen recording with the sim.

I'll probably redo this one, the overlay isn't that well synchronized with the main video.

Cannot put my finger on it, but the movement does not look right - like the actuators are sticking now and again. Early days, I'm sure you will get it sorted.

I don't see what you see I guess, if an actuator is "sticking" you'd certainly know it!

But I did fib the axis assignments and tuning center numbers to use more of the available travel and push certain movements out of proportions. So sway and traction loss(I'm experimenting swapping some sway axis assignments for extra 1) is well out, hence the sensitivity to steering wheel input.

Like I said, I cannot put my finger on it - it just does not look right... Have you tried turning off all the Simtools filters and then see how it moves?

Smoothing is at 75-100%. When I'm convinced the soft crash firmware is the way to go I'll adjust things a little bit back to normal again, it might actually be the crash filter causing a bit of an exponential acceleration curve by filtering out initial aggressive/fast movements, I'll change the firmware so that the strength can be controlled through simtools, it's hard coded now so every change requires a re-flash.

Ok, that explains allot. That's way too high for a car sim, look forward to seeing this sim moving to it's potential .

Just as an example, for my 6DOF all my filters are off, except for surge with 5% smoothing. Different setups I know, but you tub is very deep.

Also if you do not want feedback and are just demonstrating your building/testing process, happy to keep my mouth shut .

No sir, all feedback is welcome, I just wanted to point out that mechanically there is no problem(lots of time spent already testing the mechanics) it is most likely somewhere in the profile or the crash filter
I don't have much time yet to do work on the profile, I made the videos last night at 2-3am, I'm finishing the seat mould machining today, someone asked before how to do it so I'll post some pics later and explain how it will be done. I'll probably take the sim apart tonight and send it in for painting, when it comes back I'll spend some proper time on the software side of things.

Great thank you, I'll do the same and give it a go.

Thank you, I'll pick up a decent USB cam, I was just using my phone.

the settings seem really reduced in% of the axes no?
it moves very little given the length of the axes.

I am curious to see how you are going to make settings.

from my point of view, the fast cylinders with a great length of displacement are not well managed by the softs.

I highlighted this problem in my tests.

I do not find a good compromise, the movements are either too violent if you use the complete displacement of a large cylinder, or too slow without details.

the only solution is to lower the speed of the engines.

G forces are difficult to operate on fast, powerful engines on long axes.

(I hope it's understandable, French in English, sorry for my approximate English)

Hi

I understand what you are saying, what are you using, Arduino? The crash filter can also filter bumps given a different set of parameters. I have only spent about 1-2hours on the profile, I'll only really concentrate on it when the seat is in and I can feel it, but a combination of profile tuning and firmware filtering can go a long way. Simtools is a bit limited, for certain DOF outputs even on the 2D motion math you might want a different positive and negative scale for instance.

if you are using Arduino send me your code and I'll see if we can do a filter, I'm not sure if it's possible or if it will work well but worth a try?