Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[HoiHman]

Sorry to hear you are having issues with your brand new D-box Mark.

From personal experience i know that what ever solution you come up to move your rig, it needs to be quick and effortless.

If it's too much trouble and hassle to move and set it up, you will use it less, especially for a quick play.

A cart with large wheels is still the best option imho. I have been using this solution for years now.

Then you still have to deal with aligning the feet below the actuators, but i believe D-box also a have version which bolts on to the actuator.

In the end i combined the feet and the plates into one, saving me another minute or so.

Sliding plates may cause severe stress to the D-box actuators over time.

You are putting side way forces on them every time and they might not be designed for that.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I'm sure I'll get something figured out with regard to moving my rig. First I need to get it working

However I will say that the actuator housing looks EXTREMELY robust and with the actuators fully retracted I can't imagine any issues even long term.

I'm a little surprised by something that seems like an oversight with a simple remedy. Granted this is tiny and I love the form factor, but it would be nice if it bolted directly to 40 series profile.

Currently I've got my Haptic Bridge hanging by 2 bolts at the top which I do not like.

These bracket bolt holes are 90mm apart. Simply adding a second set of holes offset by 10mm would make them 80mm apart would allow bolting this on all 4 corners to my 40 series rig. Since these brackets are removable, drilling a couple more holes is a pretty simple task and is probably the right solution for this. Then M4-12 bolts into T-nuts on all 4 corners to make sure it doesn't come loose or vibrate.

Of course many people wouldn't want to drill holes in their new D-Box Haptic Bridge brackets.

What I have below allows using M4-16 bolts at the top to through bolt the Haptic Bridge and 3D-printed part into profile T-nuts. Then the bottom holes would use M4-8 bolts into threaded inserts and the bottom of the 3D printed part would secure to the profile with T-nuts using M5-16 bolts.

There are two orientations to consider.
I could also build in a support to zip tie the cables in place.

 

[Atak_Kat]

Of course many people wouldn't want to drill holes in their new D-Box Haptic Bridge brackets.

It looks from the pics that the brackets are simply removable? Maybe just remove the old brackets, and make new ones from simple alum channel?? Put the originals away. Or, 3d print new ones with the right hole pattern and just replace them?

 

[RCHeliguy]

It looks from the pics that the brackets are simply removable? Maybe just remove the old brackets, and make new ones from simple alum channel?? Put the originals away. Or, 3d print new ones with the right hole pattern and just replace them?

I thought about 3D printing something that just screwed into the sides, but I believe they are standard non-metric bolts in the sides. Two Philips head bolts on each side. Not that it would make it a problem. I backed one bolt out and put it right back.

The stock brackets are only 1.5mm or 1/16" thick, but drilling new ones would be doable. However if you turn this sideways, the brackets can't be made to work.

 

[RCHeliguy]

That should work well enough for now.

 

[NetLawMan]

There is also a simple solution, which has the added benefit of reducing high frequency vibration to peripherals like this control box.

3M Dual Lock is pretty amazing stuff. On my rig, it is what I use for attaching the following to the rig:
-dbox interface box
-ignition controls button box
-motionhouse wind control box
-Sim3D control box
-Huesinkveld control box
-Fanatec and other power supplies
-SRH gauges
-Schitt Audio mini DAC (suspended from the top)
-Schitt Audio mini headphone amp (mounted from bottom)

Of course all of that stuff is hidden within the frame of the rig, to keep things aesthetic (other than the button box, gauges, and audio stuff that are visible and accessible for obvious reasons).

The big thing is that is does reduce, but not fully eliminate rattles caused by intense use of the haptic system. I love this stuff.

 

[RCHeliguy]

This is rock solid. I think I'll stick with this.

I'm also printing the sideways orientation plate since I'm not sure which orientation I want to keep.

My thoughts on this subject is that it is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important to secure the cables going into this box so they don't move around where they are plugged in than it is to cushion the box itself. It has small solid state components wave soldered to a circuit board. Small components are the best for vibrating. If the box can move around and the cables are not moving perfectly along with it it will put stress on the mechanical connections and that is where the failure point will be.

 

[NetLawMan]

This is rock solid. I think I'll stick with this.

I'm also printing the sideways orientation plate since I'm not sure which orientation I want to keep.

My thoughts on this subject is that it is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important to secure the cables going into this box so they don't move around where they are plugged in than it is to cushion the box itself. It has small solid state components wave soldered to a circuit board. Small components are the best for vibrating. If the box can move around and the cables are not moving perfectly along with it it will put stress on the mechanical connections and that is where the failure point will be.

View attachment 593241

It probably depends on the connectors. Simxperience connectors are fragile. Rj45 - not really. Pcb, no issue. Solder points - potential issue. The only electronic devices that are secured on my rig they way you have it in the picture (I.e., bolted rather than 3M dual Locked) are the dbox g3 silver boxes and a star tech industrial usb hub. I also don’t have my simxperience boxes mounted to the rig.

Unfortunately, as a result, I can’t give you much insight into the effects of haptics on bolted-on accessories. Keep us posted over time. I look forward to your findings.

I want to highlight however, that keeping components functional, and keeping them from rattling are two different objectives (with lots of variables). Let us know how it goes on the latter point. More info is good info

 

[NetLawMan]

What SW do you use to design your 3d Parts?

 

[RCHeliguy]

Fusion 360

 

[RCHeliguy]

You realize if the D-Box is that dangerous to electronics, it will destroy my entire rig.

Seriously most of my rig wouldn't stand a chance! If thats the cost of Haptics, HARD Pass!

My take is that you are being a bit overly protective.

Seriously with all your bitching about tactile, doesn't this seem a bit extreme. Look at the overall cost of a rig. Suddenly an isolated tactile system seems like an insurance policy.

 

[Mr Latte]

This is rock solid. I think I'll stick with this.

I'm also printing the sideways orientation plate since I'm not sure which orientation I want to keep.

My thoughts on this subject is that it is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important to secure the cables going into this box so they don't move around where they are plugged in than it is to cushion the box itself. It has small solid state components wave soldered to a circuit board. Small components are the best for vibrating. If the box can move around and the cables are not moving perfectly along with it it will put stress on the mechanical connections and that is where the failure point will be.

View attachment 593241

Really gutted for you Mark that this delivered with some issues.
Hope they get you a quick working solution or replacement.

Hanks's trolley idea was cool, I kinda laughed as could see you making an RC-controlled trolley but I suppose that is not just as simple with the less travel the D-Box actuators have?

Furniture sliders under the actuators may work and then just remove them when the rig is in position.

Also, this perhaps for non-rattling cabling installation for motion rigs?

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[NetLawMan]

You realize if the D-Box is that dangerous to electronics, it will destroy my entire rig.

Seriously most of my rig wouldn't stand a chance! If thats the cost of Haptics, HARD Pass!

My take is that you are being a bit overly protective.

Seriously with all your bitching about tactile, doesn't this seem a bit extreme. Look at the overall cost of a rig. Suddenly an isolated tactile system seems like an insurance policy.

Must be the Illness messing with you . I don’t recall saying anything about danger and I highlighted the robustness of rj45. I have more useful things attached to my rig than I ever thought I would. My focus is noise reduction and ease of attachment/reattachment. Some things rattle and some things don’t. Same reason I got rid of my seat slider.

The 3M stuff helps with rattling. But I am in no way comparing it to bolting on to the rig - as either will suffice for that purpose of attachment.

Are they sending you another control box?

 

[RCHeliguy]

Must be the Illness messing with you .

I don't give a **** about your smileyface. Don't F with a man who is down.

I'm done responding to anything you have to say from now on. I've simply lost respect for you.

 

[NetLawMan]

I don't give a **** about your smileyface. Don't F with a man who is down.

I'm done responding to anything you have to say from now on. I've simply lost respect for you.

A little over the top, don’t you think?

 

[NetLawMan]

I don't give a **** about your smileyface. Don't F with a man who is down.

I'm done responding to anything you have to say from now on. I've simply lost respect for you.

With your comment above stating “With all your B******………”, I thought you were being light-hearted. Clearly not - should I have taken offense to that? Hopefully not, I thought you were being funny, not rude. Bummer as it was an interesting conversation.

 

[RCHeliguy]

STL files for Haptic Bridge shared here, both upright and sideways.

Printables

www.printables.com

 

[RCHeliguy]

Continuing to batten down the hatches.

I noticed that the USB plug to the HE Smart control had some wiggle in it, so I printed a support for it with zip tie slots to anchor it much more solidly.

Immediately realized I could do this better.
Now printing this unified solution.

 

[Benzaah]

I noticed that the USB plug to the HE Smart control had some wiggle in it, so I printed a support for it with zip tie slots to anchor it much more solidly.

Your rigs already at gold standard level but it's the little things you come up with that never cease to amaze me.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Really gutted for you Mark that this delivered with some issues.
Hope they get you a quick working solution or replacement.

Furniture sliders under the actuators may work and then just remove them when the rig is in position.

Also, this perhaps for non-rattling cabling installation for motion rigs?

I've gotten a good response both from ASR and D-Box and expect to hear something Monday.

I'm going from 4.5" round sliders to 5.5-9.75" sliders that I plan to reinforce with either aluminum or plywood so they stay flat. What I have now is just barely too much effort. If I can drop the effort by 25-50% I should be in business. I'm currently using my hand jack to lift the frame and attached actuators to remove the sliders when the rig is in position and then to put them back.

I've used a pile of split sleeving in different diameters that I use to neatly group cables together and then secure with either velcro straps or zip ties. I still have some room for improvement since this last rebuild.