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  1. #21
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    Pneumatic

    Hi Kranky,

    I thought about pneumatic, and I just don't like the noise. I ran my CNC machine with a die grinder for awhile and the air compressor drove me nuts. Now I have a 2.25 HP router on there and it's as quiet as a mouse compared to what it was before. Also, the switches to control the air flow are quite expensive, so I'm not sure you will be saving much.

    A guy tried to make a 6DOF with pneumatics once and said it didn't work out for some reason. http://www.cadsoftusa.com/~kls/fltsim/

    Perhaps he just gave up, I'm not sure.

    I think I'll keep it simple with a 2DOF platform for now, and then move up to the 3DOF and 3-phase motors later on. Something like this:
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDtb8lePiys"]YouTube - Cal Poly Flight Motion Sim In-Action[/ame] or [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpdKQlT2o3o"]YouTube - Cal-Poly RV-7 Motion Simulator - InMotion Simulation[/ame]

    Regardless, I wish you luck in your pursuit. Either way, it's fun to tinker with the melding of man and machine.

    Dutchboy


    Quote Originally Posted by kranky View Post
    Not sure on the motors. I was looking into using some industrial sized motors for my 3 DOF i want to build. But I'm leaning more towards pneumatic now that I realize that I can run it off a normal shop compressor. I was worried about it running all the time and being loud, but I don't think it's gonna be too bad. Not to mention, the cylinders are way more affordable and able to withstand the loads i'll have.

    My problem now is understanding the control of it. It's a slow process, but I'm pecking away at it.

  2. #22
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    Fortunately for me it's not my money.

    But that too means I won't own it when it's done, but that's OK, i'll still be able to use it. My school is paying for it, and I have around $5000 for just the motion platform.

    Do you remember the vendor you got the switches to control the air flow from?

  3. #23
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    Switches

    I actually saw the switches at Princess Auto, which is a surplus retailer. They were around $200 for a single switch valve! I'm sure you could probably find them on ebay for cheaper than that, but I thought I should warn you about it!

    That's a lot of money to build a motion platform! If I had that kind of cash, I would probably go the 3-phase motor platform similar to the one in those videos I posted.

    Then you have all the power and then some for a 3-DOF system.

    That's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

    Good luck!

    Dutchboy

  4. #24
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    Big thanks to Jim

    It occured to me that I jumped into this project and have been so overcome with wanderlust that I forgot to say thanks to Jim for being a big inspiration to me and I'm sure a lot of other people on the forum.

    Please keep it up Jim. Your research and advice is definitely appreciated by everyone here!


    Dutchboy



    Quote Originally Posted by Jim NZ View Post
    I've been pretty quite the last few months as "bloody old Erich" and myself have been working on a plan to cater for cheap and easy motion for FSX. ... Well we found it !!!
    The concept is so simple and easy, it makes my original FS9 unit look super complicated.
    Take a look at the specs of the KT5198 ... It can be feed with DAC, RC or serial . Little ripper we thought. Now to just have inputs from the position pots and a few more outputs/inputs for "other things" ,, well, what better board than the K8055, a card that a lot of people will already have.
    Both of the above cards are cheap and can be purchased as a kit or already built up. (From different outlets)

    We have tossed together a "plan" on...

    http://www.jimspage.co.nz/plan.htm

    I am doing my own software and its getting near the "beta testing" stage, but I put forward a challenge to the software guru's out there to also make something to suit. We tend to think this "hardware" line up is so stupidly simple and easy, it will be around for quite some time and be a basis of simmers getting into cheap motion ,, and to have different "takes" on the software to drive it would be an added bonus. !!!

    Happy pondering ... Jim NZ (With a shove from "Bloody old Erich" )

  5. #25
    75+ Posting Member Jim NZ's Avatar
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    Thanks

    Thanks for your kind words Dutchboy .. It's comments like that that keep people going on what they are doing and it is always nice to get feedback about one's efforts, no matter what it is .

    Over the years I've had heaps of enjoyment out of other people's input (scenery, planes etc) and now I'm really happy to have something to give back.

    Watch out though ... this motion thing can (and has) end up an obsession !!!!
    Stay tuned ... it aint over yet !!!

    Thanks again ... Jim
    P.S. My website is very near it bandwidth limit, so may be off the air until the first of next month.
    www.jimspage.co.nz/intro.htm
    All this and Liz still loves me ! !

  6. #26
    300+ Forum Addict RobiD's Avatar
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    Hi Jim,

    Great work that your doing.

    Here is where I'm at, I have built a 2DOF sim based on the old Simcraft model. I was going to use the vacuum setup as suggested. I even built the digital valves and actuators.

    I came accross Thanos site detailing his Joyrider powered by wiper motors. Great idea. This will make motion happen quicker. Then I came across your site and your Plan.

    I won a K8055 kit on ebay for $40.00AUD inc postage so I am going to go down your road.

    I will obtain the KT5198 kit and then the big question..... where to I go from there.

    You said you were beta testing your program. How is it going. Im not a programmer, but I am happy to help in any way I can.

    David

  7. #27
    300+ Forum Addict RobiD's Avatar
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    Jim,

    Any closer to JimComm being completed?

    David

  8. #28
    75+ Posting Member Jim NZ's Avatar
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    Progress

    Hi guys,

    I have just uploaded to my site, the start of my "software" page.

    On it there is source code and wee programs that would suit people that are conversant with VB6 (Visual basic 6 ) to make their own programs to suit whatever they need.

    There is also a program to extract the general motion data out of FSX and shoot that data out of a serial port so they can develop anything they want from there, in a programming language of their choice, on the "other" computer.

    The data is extracted at framerate speed.
    There appears to be no framerate hit.

    As the name jimcom was in use elsewhere, I have used Link2fs as the name of a "group" of programs I am developing.

    All my work is freeware and you can do what you like with it.

    Enjoy !!

    Jim
    www.jimspage.co.nz/intro.htm
    All this and Liz still loves me ! !

  9. #29
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    Hey, thanks a lot for this Jim. I will be checking this out. Looks really good though. Thanks for sharing.

  10. #30
    150+ Forum Groupie Roland's Avatar
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    That's a neat looking utility Jim!
    Nice and flexible, and your use of VB makes it tweakable for some the less software capable like myself. (I still run my platform off the lines of GWbasic you provided!)
    Christmas (or the dutch version, Sint Nicolaas) is coming near , so maybe it's time I upgraded to FSX....
    RR

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