The SimFeedback-AC DIY Motion Simulator thread

sjb266 · Sep 17, 2018

Hey guys. Thought I’d create a thread for those taking the plunge into this brilliant DIY project..
I will be starting mine soon and I know there are others thinking about it.. so feel free to share your knowledge and experiences so we can all enjoy this platform to its full potential. A huge thanks to the developers who have really knocked this one out of the park!

Website: https://opensfx.com/2019/02/20/welcome-to-our-new-site/

Github: https://github.com/SimFeedback/SimFeedback-AC-Servo/wiki

For all the internals for the actuator contact Amy - skye@ntl-bearing.com
She can supply everything you need. Just remind her you want the ends of the shafts chamfered and make sure she sends the right sized ball screw - we have had a couple of issues reported. She is very helpful though and the cost is pretty good.

Huge thanks to @RowanH for writing a comprehensive user guide which can be accessed here - https://www.rowanhick.com/sfx-100-build-and-running-guide

In addition, @anton_Chez has contributed a list of post numbers for some of the important settings etc..
Post #320 SFX-100 thread
Post #327 SFX-100 thread for Discord correlation
Post #339 SFX-100 thread
Post #418 SFX-100 thread
Post #424 SFX-100 thread
Post #439 SFX-100 thread
Post #449 SFX-100 thread
Post #517 SFX-100 thread
Post #554 SFX-100 thread
Post #580 SFX-100 thread
Post #826 SFX-100 thread
Post #837 SFX-100 thread
Post #864,866,867,868,870,887,889,897 SFX-100 thread
Post #911,914 SFX-100 thread
Post #988,992,998 SFX-100 thread
Post #1147 SFX-100 thread
Post #1492 SFX-100 thread
Post #1511,1517 SFX-100 thread

I will try to keep this page updated with links to source the parts in other parts of the world. Just post whatever links you have and i'll add them here.

Please note: Not all the parts listed below are essential for the project. For the essential parts refer to the original shopping list.

Australia:

Thanks to @AussieSim for the following links:

10A power lead(s) * 4
https://www.jaycar.com.au/2m-black-mains-extension-lead/p/PS4152

Top quality wire stripper
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/boxo-cutws205-multifunction-wire-stripper

RCD/safety switch power block
https://www.bunnings.com.au/arlec-4-outlet-heavy-duty-portable-safety-switch_p4420028

WD-40 lithium grease for the ball screws
https://www.bunnings.com.au/wd-40-specialist-300g-high-performance-white-lithium-grease_p6100408

Vibration pads
https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-on-site-100-x-12-5mm-rubber-anti-vibration-mat-4-pack_p3961547

WD-40 Dry PTFE spray for the slider (free shipping)
https://au.rs-online.com/mobile/p/lubricants/7577134/

Arduino Leonardo (free shipping + frequent 10-15% off discount)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/a000057/arduino-corporation

DB25 cables * 4 (free shipping)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/ak401-2/assmann-wsw-components-inc

PETG * 3 (free shipping)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/petg17bk1/mg-chemicals

WAGO-like connectors to avoid a breadboard (perhaps use genuine ones if you are doing 240V AC)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32906719488.html

D-Sub breakout boards * 4
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32297675967.html

3D printer Creality Ender-3 Pro
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32918302452.html

Wires from Arduino to D-Sub breakout (remove black plastic from the WAGO end)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32887680826.html

Crimp connectors for AC wire leads
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32813550981.html

diablo2112 · Aug 18, 2019

Saxon, if you provide your paypal address to me, I'll be happy to remit a portion of each sale to you as gesture of my support for all the efforts you and others have provided for this project. I intend no disrespect.

metalnwood · Aug 18, 2019

I do see that there is a subtle difference here.

If I took my prints to company XYZ printing they have probably never printed the SFX parts before. They are certainly not in business to do it and their printing service in no way depends on printing SFX parts to operate.

In the past some members have printed the parts for others. From memory they have provided the costs of the plastic or sent the plastic directly. I have not seen additional costs and as expected these guys didn't print too many sets as you can only do this through the goodness of your heart so many times!!

When you start charging so that it's not just the 'goodness of your heart' but you have an incentive to do the job over and over because it is worthwhile for you to do so then I think we can agree that you are commercially doing it and here lies the problem that Saxxon has with it.

I know some people want a service and depending how you look at it paying someone that will charge you more to give you parts that work is worthwhile. It's just not in the spirit (or in the contract) for someone to do it commercially for others.

To some of you it may seem that Saxxon takes a hardline on it, if you don't want to do it yourself it may not be the project for you is basically what I read from him over the last 10 months. Yet the guys who have done it themselves understand the system inside out and have been able to contribute more because they did their own printing and shared other STL files useful for the system.

There is value in a system where everyone has the tools and knowledge to do it all and no one has ever given up the project because they lacked the help to get it done.

Kenny Paton · Aug 18, 2019

diablo2112 saxxon66
Gentlemen, I really think this should be discussed privately.

Wmacky · Aug 18, 2019

Bump

Lets talk about building SFX Rigs again

Wmacky said:
Ready to buy a seat for the P-1 - Hoping for some input from fellow P-1 / SFX builders..

Looking to buy a Corbeau FX1, either the standard or wide. I'm unfortunately a bigger guy at the moment, and leaning toward the wide version. I'm worried that it may be too wide for the P-1 and interfere with the rear actuators. Even with the outer seat dimensions listed it's hard to know not having the seat at hand. Making maters worse, my house / Sim room remodel is still 2 weeks from being finished, so the P-1 has not been assembled yet.

This makes it difficult to imagine how the various outer parts of the seat will interact with both the actuators and side mounted accessory's such as the shifter profile.mounts

I know the outside rear width of the P1 is 22". The regular FX1 is 22" at the widest, and the "Wide Fx1" is 24" at the lower widest. Now the bottom of the seat that attaches to the P-1 will be somewhat narrower, but it does not list that width?

Here are the seat ( outer) dimensions for both the regular, and wide FX-1 ( scroll to bottom) https://www.racing-seats-usa.com/corbeau-fx1.html?Wsm-section-filter=undefined#dimen

Any suggestions? If the wide seat if to big for the P-1, it would be very expensive to return, but it could be quite a while before the standard size FX1 would be usable for me. (dieting is slowwwwww)

metalnwood · Aug 18, 2019

@Wmacky Looking at my rig I think you will be fine if you are looking to do standard, more or less upright , seat position.

My seat is really, really low and the wide shoulder supports are only just getting low enough to interfere so I would suggest that on other rigs the actuators can be mounted behind the widest parts and wont be tall enough to interfere.

I would really suggest if you can get out and try the seats then do it. I nice snug but not uncomfortable fit will be nicer with the sfx than one where you can move around in your seat. All the movements will be transmitted better to you and imo feel better.

anton_Chez · Aug 18, 2019

So close to un-watching the thread...

Wmacky · Aug 18, 2019

metalnwood said:
@Wmacky Looking at my rig I think you will be fine if you are looking to do standard, more or less upright , seat position.

My seat is really, really low and the wide shoulder supports are only just getting low enough to interfere so I would suggest that on other rigs the actuators can be mounted behind the widest parts and wont be tall enough to interfere.

I would really suggest if you can get out and try the seats then do it. I nice snug but not uncomfortable fit will be nicer with the sfx than one where you can move around in your seat. All the movements will be transmitted better to you and imo feel better.

Thanks for the reply metalnwood

Hey

Wmacky · Aug 18, 2019

GeniFx said:
Wireing done. Just need to build A box around it alitel later on. Need this up and going

View attachment 320741

Good looking job. Nice a neat.

Specialist68 · Aug 18, 2019

GeniFx said:
Wireing done. Just need to build A box around it alitel later on. Need this up and going

View attachment 320741

nice, with a schaffner filter good work!

GeniFx · Aug 19, 2019

Thanks for the Nice words wmacky and specialist68 got it hooked up now and did A test run with the ai in assetto corsa, the 10k sound was Realy lound from mine but seems like i can mute it with headphones Just hope my girlfriend cant heat it on the floor abow since shes sensitive to sound

But i have alot of squiking from my actuators Will the addapt or do i have to take EM out and sand them down abit? Think its only my rear ones. I have sanded the front so the fit perfekt but the rear i fitted with A hammer

metalnwood · Aug 19, 2019

Yes, a hammer should not be required

Carefully sand them so they move reasonably easily but cannot rotate.

A number of us also sprayed some PTFE on them to help as well.

GeniFx · Aug 19, 2019

metalnwood said:
Yes, a hammer should not be required Carefully sand them so they move reasonably easily but cannot rotate.

A number of us also sprayed some PTFE on them to help as well.

Thank you for answering me.
I have used ptfe on mine aswell. O well maby i have to take them out again then.

What safety distence do People use for monitors and stuff?
Cant waite to turné them up to 3000rpm and get A real go on this

DJ_Psymon · Aug 19, 2019

O-Rings?

Thanks.

metalnwood · Aug 19, 2019

@DJ_Psymon Thats basically it, a buffer. I dont think I got the exact one, just take some measurements and go to your local bearing shop to find something that fits.

I never glued mine in place and wouldnt surprise me if all four are no longer where they should be but I always lower the actuators with the software so i am not expecting any damage.

DJ_Psymon · Aug 19, 2019

Got it. Thank you!

Michal Burisin · Aug 19, 2019

I have been experimenting with SimFeedback for a while, currently I have 1 servo.

Initially when powering it on I could hear distinctly high PWM noise starting once powered. This was like week ago, when I first started testing.

Yesterday after like 2 hours of the servo running I turned it off. After a while I had to check that I really turned it off, because I could still hear the noise, but as I checked it, it was turned off. I tried to turn it on again but I didn't hear that distinctive start of the noise as before, it got little bit louder, but not that much difference.

It seems I have developed this high pitched tinnitus and even this next morning it doesn't go away. Anybody noticed this, that being around this high pitched noise could trigger tinnitus?

Or maybe I always had this tinnitus and just started noticing it more when I got more focused on it? But it seems weird as before I could hear big change when powering on servo (going from silence to servo PWM noise).

I hope it will go away, because I never noticed this.

Also with more servos, does the PWM noise get louder? Any help putting them in box with isolation or is there no help?

Specialist68 · Aug 19, 2019

DJ_Psymon said:
O-Rings?

Hi all,

Can someone explain the key function / purpose of this rubber o-ring, apart from being a little bumper when the slider hits the fixed bearing?

I couldn’t find one from my local store with the exact spec show on the shopping list. So am thinking of just taking the bumpstop part below it to the shop and find an o-ring that fits into the groove. But just wanted to make sure.

It also looks like it can fall off pretty easier as it's not secured with anything?
View attachment 320813

Thanks.

Take the thickest you can find cut it and glue it together that it fits
This thing is used as bumper when you turn the rig of and the last 5 mm is bumped

Mascot · Aug 19, 2019

Michal Burisin said:
I have been experimenting with SimFeedback for a while, currently I have 1 servo.

Initially when powering it on I could hear distinctly high PWM noise starting once powered. This was like week ago, when I first started testing.

Yesterday after like 2 hours of the servo running I turned it off. After a while I had to check that I really turned it off, because I could still hear the noise, but as I checked it, it was turned off. I tried to turn it on again but I didn't hear that distinctive start of the noise as before, it got little bit louder, but not that much difference.

It seems I have developed this high pitched tinnitus and even this next morning it doesn't go away. Anybody noticed this, that being around this high pitched noise could trigger tinnitus?

Or maybe I always had this tinnitus and just started noticing it more when I got more focused on it? But it seems weird as before I could hear big change when powering on servo (going from silence to servo PWM noise).

I hope it will go away, because I never noticed this.

Also with more servos, does the PWM noise get louder? Any help putting them in box with isolation or is there no help?

You have my sympathy. I find the coil whine unbearable at times but it never persists for more than a few minutes afterwards.
I tried sealing the drivers in an insulated cooler box but it made no difference, which seemed to suggest that the noise wan't coming from the servo drivers. If I played a 10kHz signal on my phone at approximately the same volume and sealed it in the box the volume reduced dramatically, but not so with the drivers.
There's a potential issue with over-heating if the drivers are sealed in an insulated box too. I did some monitoring of this at the time. I think the results are in this thread somewhere.

To summarise: the coil whine is a pain in the ass. And ears.
I'm still waiting for more feedback from people running their SFXes at 110v, as this apparently reduces EMI interference AND reduces the coil whine. It needs careful and considered investigation, though.

Michal Burisin · Aug 19, 2019

It will be now more difficult for me to test anything as I get the noise permanently

When I first powered the servo, I could hear the PWM noise from the servo controller, but it was like 3 times louder going from the speakers when they were powered on. If I turned them off, the noise got much better.

Now when I hear it constantly, the noise when speakers are on gets only like 25 % worse which is much better than before, that's the upside of it

It's not like the PWM is unbearable for me, but it's there. As you say you hear it only couple of minutes afterwards, that's good.

I suspect that listening to this noise made me more sensitive to it, I think I possible had it before, but never noticed it, now the brain got the extra impulse and got more focused on this sound frequency, even when I'm not around this noise. I hope it will get settled in time.

Before, I saw some info that power supply / controller for charging electric cars made similar noise in the whole house, I think it made all the electric circuits resonate at this frequency, so the noise didn't come only from the device, but from everywhere (even other plugged in devices to the same electric network). Maybe this could be similar problem, although the power draw is not as extreme as with this car recharger.

Is there some recommendation for powering the servos? Should they be on another circuit than computer / audio system? I haven't tried that yet. I'll try to dig out that article, maybe some useful information might be there.

sjb266 · Aug 19, 2019

I hate the coil whine and I was noticing I was getting high frequency fatigue after driving for an hour or so - losing the ability to hear high frequencies (like after a loud concert).

I now use headphones every time I race and I cant hear anything other than game audio... it’s been a great solution for me and is now my preference.