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

papasqueeze · Nov 9, 2019

I had exactly the same and it was the usb cable to arduino

Are you UK based maybe someone is near by so you can swap bits

o Tiger Feet o · Nov 9, 2019

@Ekay_Jay Are you sending telemetry to the rig? ie running the SIM you have the just activated the profile for ?

HoiHman · Nov 9, 2019

Reïntroducing the SimFeedback service mode, for unknown reasons it does seem to be working fine on the latest simfeedback release.

I have been using it all week when i was working on my rig, having it raised in its highest position. It still amazes me how much clearance you actually need with a 49" monitor especially with roll left and right.

Use with caution, links can be found in the SimFeedback discord channel. Leave a comment if it works for you or not.

Steve D · Nov 9, 2019

@Ekay_Jay

1.Ensure that you route the USB cable as far from the motor controllers and servos as possible.

2. Try different USB ports and / or use a good quality powered USB hub. If you have a lot of USB devices to accommodate, consider installing a dedicated PCI card to help spread the load.

Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - Interface USB 3.0 4-Port Express Card Desktop with 15 pin SATA Power Connector, [ Include with A 4pin to 2x15pin Cable + A 15pin to 2x 15pin SATA Y-Cable ]: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

3. Properly balancing all USB devices across different USB controllers is also considered good practice. This can be down to trial and error or you can use USB View for a more scientific approach. It's cumbersome but useful once you understand what you are looking at!

Universal Serial Bus Viewer in Windows - Windows drivers

Universal Serial Bus Viewer is a Windows graphical UI app that you can use to browse all USB controllers and connected USB devices on your computer.

docs.microsoft.com

4. Look at your USB Power Management settings. (Device Manager / Universal Serial Bus Controllers) Look for Root Hubs and Host Controllers and select Properties / Power Management. Untick 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' if enabled. You can always switch back if you experience any issues.

4. Add a large ferrite core around the USB cable. A good few of us have used them successfully to overcome EMI issues that were affecting our HMDs where base stations are used for tracking. (I.e. Vive, Pimax, Index) However I've known builders to wrap their Arduino USB cables through them, (four or five winds), as a 'belt and braces' approach to avoid potentially random disconnects caused by EMI. Might be worth a try.

https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?keywords=1934-1176-ND

Good luck.

o Tiger Feet o · Nov 9, 2019

HoiHman said:
It still amazes me how much clearance you actually need with a 49" monitor especially with roll left and right.

Have you measured or worked out the minimum space required? I'm guessing it must be around 5ft? I'm wondering if I can squeeze one in.

Cheers

HoiHman · Nov 9, 2019

o Tiger Feet o said:
Have you measured or worked out the minimum space required? I'm guessing it must be around 5ft? I'm wondering if I can squeeze one in.

Cheers

My rig is mobile, so i always place it in the center of the office. Never did any measurements, but it's somewhere close to 5ft i imagine

SungMin Park · Nov 9, 2019

I want to make a profile purchased from AliExpress.
The appearance is almost similar to the item profile.
What do you think?

Moxley6969 · Nov 9, 2019

SungMin Park said:
I want to make a profile purchased from AliExpress.
The appearance is almost similar to the item profile.
What do you think?

Nope, Wont work without Lots of Mods you likely wont want to do.

Ask me how i know.

Ekay_Jay · Nov 9, 2019

Steve D said:
@Ekay_Jay

1.Ensure that you route the USB cable as far from the motor controllers and servos as possible.

2. Try different USB ports and / or use a good quality powered USB hub. If you have a lot of USB devices to accommodate, consider installing a dedicated PCI card to help spread the load.

Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - Interface USB 3.0 4-Port Express Card Desktop with 15 pin SATA Power Connector, [ Include with A 4pin to 2x15pin Cable + A 15pin to 2x 15pin SATA Y-Cable ]: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

3. Properly balancing all USB devices across different USB controllers is also considered good practice. This can be down to trial and error or you can use USB View for a more scientific approach. It's cumbersome but useful once you understand what you are looking at!

Universal Serial Bus Viewer in Windows - Windows drivers

Universal Serial Bus Viewer is a Windows graphical UI app that you can use to browse all USB controllers and connected USB devices on your computer.

docs.microsoft.com

4. Look at your USB Power Management settings. (Device Manager / Universal Serial Bus Controllers) Look for Root Hubs and Host Controllers and select Properties / Power Management. Untick 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' if enabled. You can always switch back if you experience any issues.

4. Add a large ferrite core around the USB cable. A good few of us have used them successfully to overcome EMI issues that were affecting our HMDs where base stations are used for tracking. (I.e. Vive, Pimax, Index) However I've known builders to wrap their Arduino USB cables through them, (four or five winds), as a 'belt and braces' approach to avoid potentially random disconnects caused by EMI. Might be worth a try.

https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?keywords=1934-1176-ND

Good luck.

So I disconnected everything. Started from scratch on all my wiring. Rehooked everything back up and viola, everything works.

Michael Roitman · Nov 9, 2019

Steve D said:
@Ekay_Jay

1.Ensure that you route the USB cable as far from the motor controllers and servos as possible.

2. Try different USB ports and / or use a good quality powered USB hub. If you have a lot of USB devices to accommodate, consider installing a dedicated PCI card to help spread the load.

Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - Interface USB 3.0 4-Port Express Card Desktop with 15 pin SATA Power Connector, [ Include with A 4pin to 2x15pin Cable + A 15pin to 2x 15pin SATA Y-Cable ]: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Buy

www.amazon.co.uk

3. Properly balancing all USB devices across different USB controllers is also considered good practice. This can be down to trial and error or you can use USB View for a more scientific approach. It's cumbersome but useful once you understand what you are looking at!

Universal Serial Bus Viewer in Windows - Windows drivers

Universal Serial Bus Viewer is a Windows graphical UI app that you can use to browse all USB controllers and connected USB devices on your computer.

docs.microsoft.com

4. Look at your USB Power Management settings. (Device Manager / Universal Serial Bus Controllers) Look for Root Hubs and Host Controllers and select Properties / Power Management. Untick 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' if enabled. You can always switch back if you experience any issues.

4. Add a large ferrite core around the USB cable. A good few of us have used them successfully to overcome EMI issues that were affecting our HMDs where base stations are used for tracking. (I.e. Vive, Pimax, Index) However I've known builders to wrap their Arduino USB cables through them, (four or five winds), as a 'belt and braces' approach to avoid potentially random disconnects caused by EMI. Might be worth a try.

https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?keywords=1934-1176-ND

Good luck.

I saw this post of yours and noticed the ferrite core. I've tried smaller ferrites and it hasn't seemed to help with my rig. I have the Valve Index and I only get gray-outs when I touch the front of the HMD where the sensors are. It's rare but I may occassionally see a random gray-out for a second and if I touch the cable, it goes away also.

I've shielded 3 of the 5 motor cables from my actuators so far, but it still hasn't helped (i ran out of shielding tape but I finished the actuators on the side where my Index's cable is).

I've noticed that if I move further away from the rig, i won't get gray-outs, and this only happens if my drivers are turned on... When the motion rig is completely off, it doesn't happen at all.

I also noticed that if I stand next to my rig, put a foot on the Traction Loss platform, i'll get a gray-out as well... as if the entire platform is emitting EMI or something.

I ordered the large/thick ferrites as well, and I'll try those when they come, but I'm not sure it'll help. Do you know anyone with a Valve Index that had this issue completely fixed (or at least made it less sensitive to the gray-outs)?

Tronicgr_6DOF · Nov 10, 2019

Michael Roitman said:
I saw this post of yours and noticed the ferrite core. I've tried smaller ferrites and it hasn't seemed to help with my rig. I have the Valve Index and I only get gray-outs when I touch the front of the HMD where the sensors are. It's rare but I may occassionally see a random gray-out for a second and if I touch the cable, it goes away also.

I've shielded 3 of the 5 motor cables from my actuators so far, but it still hasn't helped (i ran out of shielding tape but I finished the actuators on the side where my Index's cable is).

I've noticed that if I move further away from the rig, i won't get gray-outs, and this only happens if my drivers are turned on... When the motion rig is completely off, it doesn't happen at all.

I also noticed that if I stand next to my rig, put a foot on the Traction Loss platform, i'll get a gray-out as well... as if the entire platform is emitting EMI or something.

I ordered the large/thick ferrites as well, and I'll try those when they come, but I'm not sure it'll help. Do you know anyone with a Valve Index that had this issue completely fixed (or at least made it less sensitive to the gray-outs)?

Have you thought to use ferrite on the servo power cable? Its recommended in many servo manuals...

Steve D · Nov 10, 2019

Michael Roitman said:
I saw this post of yours and noticed the ferrite core. I've tried smaller ferrites and it hasn't seemed to help with my rig. I have the Valve Index and I only get gray-outs when I touch the front of the HMD where the sensors are. It's rare but I may occassionally see a random gray-out for a second and if I touch the cable, it goes away also.

I've shielded 3 of the 5 motor cables from my actuators so far, but it still hasn't helped (i ran out of shielding tape but I finished the actuators on the side where my Index's cable is).

I've noticed that if I move further away from the rig, i won't get gray-outs, and this only happens if my drivers are turned on... When the motion rig is completely off, it doesn't happen at all.

I also noticed that if I stand next to my rig, put a foot on the Traction Loss platform, i'll get a gray-out as well... as if the entire platform is emitting EMI or something.

I ordered the large/thick ferrites as well, and I'll try those when they come, but I'm not sure it'll help. Do you know anyone with a Valve Index that had this issue completely fixed (or at least made it less sensitive to the gray-outs)?

Hi Michael,

Yep, I'm a Valve Index user and experienced grey outs when touching the sides / top and sometimes even a temporary black screen mid-race. Same applied when I had the Pimax.

Winding the HMD cable five times around the large ferrite core, (see pic below), completely sorted the issue for me and it's proven successful for others as well. Not in all cases though so it isn't a guaranteed fix. To do that you'd probably need to go the grounding route but I've not had to.

Also make sure that the HMD cable is as far away from the servos / servo cables etc as possible. I actually suspend mine away from the rig.

Spikar · Nov 10, 2019

What's everyone using for Cura settings for printing the parts?
I've set a profile I'm happy with for my prints... but having a look at the instructions I can't add the extras that it advises.

Cura doesn't allow for a solid layer every x ("include solid diaphragm every __ layers")

Also where to find settings in cura to to allow top "20" layers for example be solid.

Michael Roitman · Nov 10, 2019

Tronicgr_6DOF said:
Have you thought to use ferrite on the servo power cable? Its recommended in many servo manuals...

Hey Thanos - yes i did but i need larger ones probably. I also shielded 3 out of the 5 cables so far

Michael Roitman · Nov 10, 2019

Steve D said:
Hi Michael,

Yep, I'm a Valve Index user and experienced grey outs when touching the sides / top and sometimes even a temporary black screen mid-race. Same applied when I had the Pimax.

Winding the HMD cable five times around the large ferrite core, (see pic below), completely sorted the issue for me and it's proven successful for others as well. Not in all cases though so it isn't a guaranteed fix. To do that you'd probably need to go the grounding route but I've not had to.

Also make sure that the HMD cable is as far away from the servos / servo cables etc as possible. I actually suspend mine away from the rig.

View attachment 333911

Thank you. I put about 7 or 8 small ones on mine and looped thru a larger ferrite core twice. Ill try the big ferrite when i get it. Thank you

MattDignam · Nov 10, 2019

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here has the means to help me out with printing SFX100 parts. I don't have the means or budget to set up my own 3d printer but am happy to help pay for materials and time if someone more experienced in here is happy to offer. I could also help with designing custom parts for rigs in CAD if that is of interest.

I'm located in Australia. Thank you!

diablo2112 · Nov 10, 2019

Send me a PM. I can work with you to ship to Australia if you can't find someone local.

Spikar · Nov 10, 2019

MattDignam said:
Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here has the means to help me out with printing SFX100 parts. I don't have the means or budget to set up my own 3d printer but am happy to help pay for materials and time if someone more experienced in here is happy to offer. I could also help with designing custom parts for rigs in CAD if that is of interest.

I'm located in Australia. Thank you!

PM me dude.
I'm in Aus.
Happy to help out.
Currently going to start printing my parts too.