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

Pucis666 · Sep 7, 2019

diablo2112 I did several things today. Recalibrated all axis cause I noticed that the stuff I print ended up slightly bigger than it should. (Probably will have to sand down the first slider, but will see when I will receive profiles

) leveled my bed again, it was slightly out, so will re level every time before large prints. and looks like with 210 temp and with layer height of 0.2 the quality is awesome all around. So am I right thinking that I can use 0.2 height but just increase from 12 to 15 top and bottom?

metalnwood · Sep 8, 2019

@Hees There is no problem running hydraulics. I have used them and I am now using load cells.

Leaking can be an issue and the causes can be large or minor. In my experience if I got hydraulics again I would not get a set that I could not fix myself, i.e. was built from off the shelf components or could be fixed with off the shelf components.

GeniFx · Sep 8, 2019

I have ordered the New simucube 2 pro and it Will be delivered next week.
So my questions is have any one on of those up and Running with the sfx 100? Was thinking of going with one of the wireless wheels alitel later but are alitel afraid of the EMI on the sfx 100 making problems with the Bluetooth wheel.

Any one tryed it?

HugoB · Sep 8, 2019

GeniFx said:
I have ordered the New simucube 2 pro and it Will be delivered next week.
So my questions is have any one on of those up and Running with the sfx 100? Was thinking of going with one of the wireless wheels alitel later but are alitel afraid of the EMI on the sfx 100 making problems with the Bluetooth wheel.

Any one tryed it?

Would like to know this too!

Hees · Sep 8, 2019

Any idea what extra he is getting here?

metalnwood · Sep 8, 2019

If the seat is doing any roll/sway effects it looks like it's at a minimum so I am assuming this is mostly for the surge effect.

While I dont like the seat movers nearly as much as platform movers I know a lot of guys that have come from seat movers do quite like the surge effect that they get from them. So this could be trying to combine both.

Wild Bill · Sep 9, 2019

I’m new to this. I want to be able to source the extrusions before I proceed. Have read a ton but can’t find the link to Kinetik or any other for the extrusions. Am I missing something. Thanks.

diablo2112 · Sep 9, 2019

Link here. They're listed as out of stock. Current delivery times have been quite long. I ordered several sets in June, got them a week ago. FYI.

https://www.kinetikmsystem.de/en/pr...t-slot-10-100x100-l-aluminium-nature-anodized

Black_rat · Sep 9, 2019

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

Website for build

https://opensfx.com/shopping-list-and-sourcing-parts/#shopping

Shopping list with links

Steve D · Sep 9, 2019

Hees said:
Any idea what extra he is getting here?

As @metalnwood says, that'll predominantly be surge and sway. I run an NLRv3 seat mover in-situ with my SFX-100 and use those effects only, (and very small amounts of them) and it fully completes the motion experience for me. However I've been looking for a more robust alternative to the v3, (using actuators and additional controller support), because under hard braking, the seat isn't solid and flexes. You can work around that easily enough by modulating your braking but it's a compromise and it also introduces a weak point with the potential for mechanical failure. The above solution appears to overcome that.

Only issue for me is that his seat is mounted way too high. Community opinion is that you want to be seated as low in the cockpit as possible to get the most realistic experience out of SFX-100 motion. Otherwise it can feel like you are sitting on the car, rather than in it. I managed to drop my seat mover / seat as low as possible inside my rig and it made a very noticeable difference.

anton_Chez · Sep 9, 2019

I think that's an inherent issue with mounting a mechanism directly on top of another mechanism, Steve. We were pretty lucky with the V3 in that is was the perfect shape and size and had very accommodating mounting positions (with some clever work arounds from users) so we were able to get that thing nearly as low as the floor.

C64 · Sep 9, 2019

Wild Bill said:
I’m new to this. I want to be able to source the extrusions before I proceed. Have read a ton but can’t find the link to Kinetik or any other for the extrusions. Am I missing something. Thanks.

You can use the alternative 100x100 section from ITEM... details are here

https://opensfx.com/mods-item24-extrusion/

Martijn Wieling · Sep 9, 2019

I'm trying to build the SFX-100 and have ordered all parts. I've just received the shipment from NTL bearings and there are two issues with it. The first is that they did not specify a shipping cost on the invoice, which means that DHL assumes it's EUR 150 over which I had to pay taxes. So the taxes bill was about EUR 80, whereas I'd expected about EUR 40. So if you order with them it's good to mention that they need to specify the shipping cost separately.

Now my question: the hollow shafts are not all 270 mm long. One is 270 mm, one is 272 mm, and the remaining two are 274 mm. long. I hope they will send me new ones according to spec, but is this a problem if they don't do this? Is there a fix other than having to shorten them myself (for which I don't have the tools)?

Thanks for any insight!

GFJunky · Sep 9, 2019

For your legs just print the feet with different depth holes to take into account the length. 4mm isn't much in the scheme of things.

Martijn Wieling · Sep 9, 2019

GFJunky said:
For your legs just print the feet with different depth holes to take into account the length. 4mm isn't much in the scheme of things.

Thanks for the quick reply! Any suggestions how to do that easily? I do have a 3D printer, but no experience in modifying stl files.

Weber044 · Sep 9, 2019

@Martijn Wieling As long as all are longer than 270mm you can cut off the remaining extra material, all should be the same length which is 270mm otherwise your rig wont be leveled. Maybe try a metal workshop around you, it should not be expansive to shorten them.

GFJunky · Sep 9, 2019

Pm me your email address and I can send you some custom feet STLs tomorrow.

metalnwood · Sep 9, 2019

The other option is to just mount them at slightly different heights on your rig. If your floor is not dead flat they wont be mounted at exactly the same height anyway.

Prototype_ · Sep 9, 2019

Hey guys, started on this project over the weekend.

Problem is, today set about looking for the actuator t-slot profiles, and the only 100x100 t-slot extrusion I can get my hands on so far in South Africa looks like this (middle). Im in Johannesburg.

As you can see the internal extrusion design is not the same.

So pulled the profile into Fusion to see what the implications are, and as expected, the sliders wont fit into this profile.

Thats not a serious problem, as I could easily remodel the sliders, but as it turns out, the ball screw and nut specified wont fit either. Fouling by less than a mm. :-(

So, thats remedied by going down one size on ball screw and nut (this thing is nicely over engineered, and based on my calcs on suppliers specs, that wouldn't be a problem).

The issue is, this has a knock-on effect on the rest of the parts, and each component marked in blue would have to be replaced by a different size and a remodeled stl file.

So this seems like a lot of work, just because I cant find the right extrusion ...
Any ideas?
Anyone in South Africa building one of these?
Have you managed to source the correct profile?
I honestly don't mind ordering this internationally, but not sure what the best method would be.
Any help would be appreciated!
This is a really cool project.