Linear Actuator Design

Detailed description of a home-build balanced linear actuator for six degree of freedom (6DoF) motion platform for flight simulator. Video shows step by step construction and some basic actuator test runs under load. The platform needs 6 of these actuators, and the electrical drive will be done via hardware servo electronics and the BFF 6DoF motion driver.
For more information, including the Google Sketchup CAD file, please visit my website: www.simprojects.nl

[@undrcoverlouky]

Not only is the design genius, the presentation couldn't be more clear. Thank you for posting.

[@argamesandtech6080]

I've watched this multiple times. It has to be one of my favorite design/build vids. Content and presentation are top notch! Inspirational for engineers and teachers alike.

[@shawnlund]

You Sir are brilliant. The design is simple yet seems extremely effective, the perfect engineering solution for a home hobbyist. Thanks for taking the time to share your work, I have spent a few hours at your website absorbing all I can.

[@the_blue_dot]

As I have myself started with designing and manufacturing mechanical systems, I can only imagine the work and experience that was put behind making the system work so flawlessly. Thanks for sharing.

[@reaper060670]

Only found ur channel after catching ur LATHE build. The Mill build to go with the Lathe was phenomenal too my friend. I'm attempting to build my own DIY CNC now. I tried about 18 months ago but didn't really understand the whole process and failed to get it right but now I'm going to have another go .. I haven't watched but 3 of ur videos so far but the ones I have are so interesting to watch. The information is brilliant pal. I hope ur still making these machines today. I will be looing through the channel to see more.. Keep up the great work man..

[@Paddington2000]

Great project, look forward to seeing the final build!

[@andrewtoth3517]

your craftsmanship is phenomenal and I enjoyed your thoroughness of design and explanation.

[@MrLimitlessME]

That's what I call superior skills. This video really is super hard to do too.

[@PiefacePete46]

Excellent! While I don't see a Flight-Sim in my future, this opens up a whole raft of possibilities. Thank you, John.

[@TheAmpsy]

Looks incredible Roland! I hope this project is still going strong!

[@the1realanalogman]

Kudos to your designing and engineering abilities and especially to your mental discipline and energy to follow through to completion. I truly envy your motivation! Had that once upon a time, but lately that spark has greatly diminished...

[@engineerdad64]

Very well done! Thanks for putting up a great video and more importantly, for sharing your knowledge. It is appreciated. By the way, don't let the envious trolls get to you.

[@grumich4084]

Wow! All I can say is ... "BRILLIANT!" Amazing job.

[@IAMAredditor]

Thank you for sharing your project. I will use this as an example of how to document a project for presentation. It is a skill that I need to practice at.

[@mspacone]

This is extremely cool. Way to go on the whole design!

[@bishnupanda8639]

Really hidden tallent with so much depth in science yet unrevealed in public. National geographic should approach.

[@heyongkun]

CCM offer belt-driven linear rails which is more efficient and economical, inquiry is welcome www.ccmrails.com

[@3space]

Very nice job. Thank you for sharing!

[@ramzeschannel5892]

You are really cool!!! Machines like you building cost a millions of $, but you make it by youself!!! Amazing!!!

[@danielhedu]

What a great job Sir. I'm amazed about the construction

[@davecorr4421]

Thanks for posting Richard.. We all appreciate it. Pretty cool..

[@RoboCNCnl]

Great project Roland ! Keep it up...

[@AviaScorp]

Thank you for the video Roland. Enjoyed it. I like your work, quite a lot.

impressive, beautifull, and AWESOME actuator. congrats !

[@5463280]

Your videos are like an open learning program.

[@instantjustice164]

Wonderful! Very helpful Waiting to see more from your awesome lab!!

[@checkdas24]

pure genius! very well done - thx for sharing.

[@gluino]

Thank you for sharing in such detail!

[@davidcircuity6473]

I like the use of bungee cords. Nice going!

[@kolaiktomi]

Pretty spiffy. I went ahead and downloaded the file and added a cross bracket to the motor mount to minimize the tilt issue. I will work on it a little more this evening and e-mail you a copy within the next few days. Brilliant configuration, especially for a wooden case as opposed to aluminium.

[@hectorguevara6069]

This is a wonderful, well explained and well thought out video.

[@RamjetX]

Fantastic video! Very informative. Very well designed.

[@rajendranisal8897]

Great thinking and most simplistic execution...Superb..!

[@kantrys]

Congratulations! Excellent work.

[@mattsmith8160]

I won't be building my own 6dof full motion flight simulator any time soon but it is on my bucket list so I'll definitely be filing this video away for future reference.

[@aaltan]

Thank you very much, very informative, verycomprehensive, very systematic.. bravo. thanks a lot... loved it..

[@XsimulatorNet]

Excellent Video and very understandable!

[@mauriliosimulador]

Amazing! I think that works like faster as Diadic acotuator but, with 10 times more power and course. Congratulations!

[@BigDaddyBulldozer]

Very Cool Project ! Thanks for Sharing !

[@TheMcdrewb]

I enjoyed seeing the current during testing ty!

[@xlucioflavio]

Awesome project!

[@Non-ya-business]

Dude this is amazing! 👏🏻

[@cocosloan3748]

Amazing project very well explained Thanks!

[@luisalbertovizarretagalici7678]

excelente you did a good job! most people must be like you....

[@shyleshsrinivasan5092]

Thanks a lot for this explicit video !

[@Matt2chee]

Nice job. Clean and Efficient.

[@danielmeireles1]

Nice project!!, thanks for share the idea.

[@djjoel1]

This is awesome! I hope to make myself something similar for a driving simulator. Great video! Thank you!!!

[@heyongkun]

CCM offer belt-driven linear rails which is more efficient and economical, inquiry is welcome www.ccmrails.com

[@jad51]

Man there are some clever buggers out there Nice Work

[@arifanwari3168]

Excellent amazing what you can do at home when you put your mind to it, thanks for the presentation.

[@tomatexelon]

Very Well, Built - Good Job from Chicago

[@MichaelChenP]

really love this tutorial, Thank you for sharing.

[@nielsverhaar2180]

Great work mate

[@victorsantillan704]

increíble, disfrute mucho de tu vídeo, saludos desde México!!

[@tahirkamboh147]

Wow, this was a very good quality video.

[@clivebrain1364]

Amazing design, the thing I really like is you can move it very fast or slow, and the materials used in its construction (thick plywood) is actually very strong and easily fabricated and it can move 40kg. This would be amazing in a six axis flight sim.

[@andreas3861]

great explanation and demo. thankyou for your time.

[@wpegley]

So much better than free to air news thx for sharing

[@axelcjensen]

awesome job!

[@vinolicam4140]

awesome! very good design/insight

[@alexandruoniga6990]

Amazing concept. Keep up the good work.

[@heyongkun]

CCM offer belt-driven linear rails which is more efficient and economical, inquiry is welcome www.ccmrails.com /[e-mail]

[@brentbennett6140]

EXCELLENT VIDEO - I ENVY YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

[@nethoncho]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing

[@nguyenhoang-vf8le]

you do it like a scientist. thanks

[@titanforming]

Thank you very much! Excellent video which was very helpful for me. Yours, Roman

[@leifrudd8934]

thanks. great idea. appreciate your video

[@dong-khwanyi1245]

Great work!

[@autobabies]

Thanks for sharing this video and welcome to Taiwan

[@catherineharris4746]

Simply outstanding!👍👍👍👍👍

[@Linkongreentech]

boss , I really like your idea. pls keep going & let us inform.

[@frothybeast7884]

Great video!

[@Jolinders108]

goed idee, vooral zo doorgaan ! :D

[@toberas2]

Beautifull job . I am just wating for the whole thing being built.

[@KAL00KI]

Great video...very informative.

[@sato4kaiba]

Nice work. You have put a whole lot into your design. Optical encoders can be used in place of the POT. You don't have a proportional feedback control on the shaft. You can add one just my printing it on your printer and an optical interrupter. Also, the groves in the timing belt is deep enough to be used as an encoder. The valleys of the timing belt can be painted white and a forward facing or reflective interrupter can be use. Nice work

[@Antoniostubeio]

very interesting video thanks for sharing good luck with your projects....

[@porkypine1888]

looks like a fun build

[@neogeo8267]

I suggest not using potentiometer unless cost saving is really important. Better to have optical absolute position sensor or simple optical cog-type sensors and zero index (which you already have with your end stop switches). Overshoot can be computed for over various loads if current sensor feedback is used to estimate inertia / mass of load so that servo rapidly slows as destination position is approached. Very cool project - thanks for sharing

[@OktoPutsch]

@Erich Kaltenbrunner, you can cheat by replacing potentiometers with pairs of LED+LDR (light detection resistors), it'll produce smoother controler inputs than those old crappy mechanical 'pots'. It's a nice and cheap alternative :)

[@Space-Industries]

Excellent presentation.

[@SciStarborne]

The use of bungie-cord to pre-load the system is an excellent idea to take strain off the motor. I'm surprised it's not used more in robotics for neutral-positioning.

[@TheS4114]

congratulations and great work.thanks for sharing.

[@Wyzwanie90dniPL]

You make great things! Subscribe already!

[@PuffyDonut365]

Great job. Why so many Dislikes - not cool. Never hesitate to share you work!

[@GLTWRK]

Thanks for choosing components from Taiwan

[@EcuTester]

This project is a brilliant ;-)

[@MnemonicHack]

That was very, very interesting. Thank you. Also, I commend you for not showing yourself screwing in every individual screw. Some people actually do that...

[@mikevanin1]

Very nice implementation, Roland! Isn't it funny how the "haters are gonna hate"? Apathetic spectators of life are full of "better" ideas - but no action. Keep up the excellent effort. I'm off to visit your website now.

[@diegomejia3169]

Great!! thanyou very much from Colombia Best regards

[@alessandr2012]

very great job man

[@MichaelEdlin542]

I don't understand any of this stuff, but it's just so ridiculously cool!

[@jdw7092]

It is important If you want to bend the position of a mobile device such as Ball joint of the car Made from ductile cast iron .. the manufacturer is a ductile iron casting factory. Produce a work piece for the furnace to be formed in the form of steel (meaning the order maker has a contract in accordance with the requirements). Step 1. The foundry itself test. Obtain the numerical value according to the requirements ... Step 2, the order maker can get the sample for the furnace steel to be tested by himself .. the test requires👉 the actuators, generally using the hydraulic test. Because it is very broadly defined To the level of frequency cycles caused by aircraft vibrations And three cars can count the number of times, for example, one hundred thousand times, so the yild point, etc.

[@scottwatson5767]

Very nice, would love to see the final simulator setup in action with these actuators in motion.

[@DrCureAging]

This is aka, a SUPER powerful printer-style linear actuator.

[@jorgecharca5103]

congratulations on the great work.from arequipa peru

[@HCI344]

Great job!

[@767ambu]

Roland, je blijft me verbazen. Knap werk!

[@jakemarcus9999]

Holy crap this dude is some sort of genius

[@Julis.]

PARABÉNS PELO PROJETO.

[@freddyrafaelsanchezsanchez9632]

excelente les felicito por el trabajo gracias freddy

[@gateway8833]

Excellent vedio, the highlight for me are the socks.

[@chemicalvamp]

Vintage mechanical keyboard, That's the AGE of keyboard that made me want the one I have today.

[@DMonZ1988]

hi Roland. this is amazing!!! after stumbling across the linear linear actuator design, which is what i was actually after, i couldn't help but binge watch so many other parts of your amazing flight simulator! my uncle would LOVE it- he is just in the process of getting his pilots license (only for very small planes i think). maybe one day i'll make him something like this! its incredibly inspirational. i was wondering; would you be willing to share your updated linear actuator design with me? i am hoping to downscale it and edit it for 3d printing, but my modelling skills are still very limited and it would be a really really useful starting point. i'd be very grateful. hope to hear from you soon. thanks and all the best. i've subscribed, so see you in the next one! :-)