A motion platform using Power Steering Racks !!!

[CWFlightsim]

Hey, Rodney, why do you need to stay out of this forum, I am intrigued!

[CWFlightsim]

New videos added today http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/cwarner/flightsim.htm

[Jim NZ]

Craig, you little beauty !!! It works !!! And so it should !!!
Thrilled for you Craig, and I can see your beaming smile from here. There is no bigger thrill than motion with FS.
Just goes to prove that Kiwi ingenuity works and you dont need to spend megabucks just to make something move.
Video's are great and tell the whole story.!!!
Just some fine tuning and tinkering to get the speed right etc etc and thats a really fun bit because it is already going.

Marvelous Craig.

Had a wee chuckle at Rodneys comment ... hehehehee .. yea its like a bloody desease (motion) ,, it first starts off as a curiousity ,, then an interest, then a bloody obsession !!!! Rodneys at the curious stage ,, give him a few months and all **** will break loose !!! hehehe

Anyway, congradulations Craig .. marvelous ,, thrilled for ya.

Jim NZ
www.jimspage.co.nz

[Rodney]

CWFlightsim wrote;

Hey, Rodney, why do you need to stay out of this forum, I am intrigued!

Because I'm afraid that I will stop doing other things on my project and do what you have done. Remarkable by the way. And affordable too.

[CWFlightsim]

Yeah Rodney, I actually did the same thing, I had no intention of building motion, due to the lack of programming skills, and then I read Jims page and everything else got put on hold, however, the platform is complete and running now and I am continuing on with the other stuff. I am glad I did it that way in the end! Keep up the good work, great website by the way!

[wannabeaflyer]

HI Cw
been looking at Ebayand the loacal DIY stores for Pulleys and cables along the lines of your mechanical assembly . did you have any preferance ref size of pulley / Cable used for your project . been to the Local DIY store and found that they had Nylon sleeved 3mm & 4mm Steel braided cables and fittings to secure the ends eye bolts etc . the breaking strain was listed as in excess of 300Kg which would seem to meet our needs , they also had Pulleys but the quality did not seem to me to be up to the job seeing as the breaking strain of the Cable was so high.. anyways the Pulleys were 50mm diameter but not running on bearing s just pivot pin where did you source you bits regarding these items any specs or pictures would be great. Also looking at mounting my Steering racks at 90° to each other mounted under the centerling of the Universal joint to try to remove the need for pulley change of direction. and maybe using both end of the steering rack in a sort of Push Pull arrangment. Any thoughts on this idea ? Cheers guys

[CWFlightsim]

Gidday,
I have 4 mm stainless cable with an eye hook on one end. The pulleys started out as 38 mm die cast from the local hardware store and I just replaced the pin with a bolt, however the mounting point was weak and I replaced them all with 50mm steel ones and secured everything firmer.
Good idea about the 90 degrees, I mounted mine as I did because I thought that the width of the rack compared to the platform may have been and issue. I cant (in hindsight) see any disadvantages and several advantage to mounting the racks 90 degrees and should of probably carried on with that plan. I also only used cables because I was lacking in ideas to send the motion from the horizontal rack to the vertical platform, I was originally going to mount the whole lot in a cradle and raise the COG but cost and time got in the way. But as it happens the extra pulleys dont affect the performance at all and it works fine.
The push pull may be OK. I only used one end of the rack and made a plate with a hole in it which fitted in where the inner tie rod end is and cut off the tie rods.
My only comment is that the strain on all the mechanical parts, cable, mounts, pulleys etc, is very high and took me by surprise, please over-engineer everything connected to the motion to avoid not only breakages but everything stretching and moving.
Happy building!

[wannabeaflyer]

Hi CW . Just to say thanks for the info its been a major help still trying to source more bits but before long my assembly kit will be ready between your ideas and Jims Great information website and pictures i am even more confident i can get this done , Was never gonna be easy but you guys have put this type of project into the reach of the Average Joe, so just my way of saying BIG Up Thanks and Appreciation for all the help and feedback and just hope soon i'll be in a position to give some Back ..Cheers Guys

[bishoff7]

Hi to all
Great Job craig you should be most proud of that simm it is a credit to you
Iwas wondering how you got away with no soft starting
Regards. Bish

[CWFlightsim]

Gidday, I think it may be due to the hydrualics softening the start, however it is early days, and to be honest I may still have to go down that road, I am using resistors at the minute for washout, with a few issues, but generally I have a reasonable feel so far and I am in the software/hardware tweaking and tuning stage now, will keep you updated!
Happy motions!