Open 6DOF - iRacing - Daytona - Testing my physical limits... Happy New Year!!!!

Project is open sourced and available on Github
github.com/kna...
Build Album
www.xsimulator...
I try to get to subscriber requests made as soon as I can,.. you guys are looking up to me,.. need to show you that in these dark times that someone out there has your back... because,... I think I will be breaking mine soon......

[@treejerk]

I have searched youtube for 10 years a build like this. Thanks Chris. I just so happen to have a spare 5 grand for just such a project :>)

[@Christopherknauf]

Let me know if you have questions.. !!! It's been a world expanding project! Highly recommended!

[@treejerk]

Thank you very much!

[@treejerk]

@@Christopherknauf Got my board built and flashed tonight! Im on my way....

[@dukeman5691]

Amazing work Christopher! Im bust planning my first 6 DOF platform. I have 6 beefy burshless motors lying around that would work well for the 6 actuators. But Im hooked on your design an wil be following it in my build (or trying to) Cheers Bud!

[@Christopherknauf]

hell yea, feel free to take design cues for your own project, and if ya have questions.. let me know!

[@sky173]

Dude! Nice! This is exactly was I was hoping for! Thanks for sharing! I hope your back recovers lol. Time to break out the welding gloves and mask.

[@Christopherknauf]

Glad you like it, I try to add some Sense of danger to each tune for my fans!... Lol

[@sky173]

@@Christopherknauf I've watched a bunch of your videos a few times (each) and I'm getting more and more pumped. I have not checked but how does it calculate the rate of motion for each motor? Is that covered in a video? How accurate does it have to be so the motors aren't fighting each other and how do you test? Possibly current draw when in a neutral state? I haven't seen all the videos yet so forgive me if it's something you covered and I have not seen yet.

[@Christopherknauf]

@@sky173 the rate is not really important in the end,,. the computer send the PCB/ESP32 the location it should try to get to in 3d space, the PCB does the calculation, of what position the arms need to be in ,.. in order to get to that position. internally each motor keeps a record of where it needs to be and where it is. then just sends to the AC motors .. the difference, the ac motors then take it from there,.. using their own onboard rate and PID calculations,.. that can and should be tuned to your specific chassis so it does not self destruct. at least on mine the PID tuning was fine with the default settings... if your platform oscillates these are where you look to correct... the rate/smoothing function is also on the AC controllers, you set the max travel/time with a few variables,.. those should be documented at the bottom of the github project,.. if not just shoot me a text and I can help you tune each AC motor. .. there are not any combinations of arm travel that is in its allowed arm travel min/max.. that will cause binding of the arms,..... if there are you can tune the axis inputs so they wont bind with things... I had to reduce a few axis so the bottom of my seat would not clip with the back arms. .. no biggy .. YRMV .. I did a current draw test early on as I was also curious - kzbin.info/www/bejne/foSogYWpaNd6itk 1 amp draw @220v average just sitting there holding a human in the air. and it hit around 21 amps under full heave load,... when all arms are acting together to lift me quickly,.. and since then,... there has been an increase in speed of ~1/3 due to optimizing the code... so the full current usage will prolly increase a smidge more. I used a 50 amp 220v breaker feeding the ac controller box... plenty of headroom

[@sky173]

@@Christopherknauf Very cool. I'll keep researching the goldmine you put up on GitHub. I subbed to you there also. I appreciate what you have done. One person questioned 'Is your rig banking right when you're taking a banked left turn? ' I completely understand your setup and the forces involved. Maybe put up a video showing how the chair reacts to entering turn one at full speed and slowing to a stop long before (while still in the bank) the end of turn two. If I'm understanding correctly, the chair should slowly sway to the other side as you slow due to gravity. ...just don't get hit by other cars if you do this. It might hurt a bit ;P lol

[@Christopherknauf]

That's exactly what will happen

[@griptopia]

happy new year chris.... love this ... ok next challenge.. make a cocktail holder for the cocktail shaker. attach to the machine and when you finish driving you can have a nice relaxing drink :) hehe. whats next excited cannot wait.

[@Christopherknauf]

Omg, I was so thirsty during this !... There is a speed controlled fan above the monitor... And it was just making it worse!

[@Runxa]

Your project is amazing!

[@Christopherknauf]

Thanks!

[@PittysGarage]

I think we should see you run sprint cars in this rig!!

[@Christopherknauf]

Deal!

[@Christopherknauf]

just tested the rig out for the first time with Dirt Sprint cars in iRacing,... its going to kill me!!! I just added another camera to the mix, this time I have one right above my shoulder to see things from my perspective,.. I will do some tuning (so I dont die) and try to get a vid out this week!

[@RE-zz7tr]

Were there any resources you leaned on for information during the build, user builder groups etc? I do have a degree in mechanical engineering, but school was many years ago, although while digging though my schools books the other day and found my copy of Matlab ;)

[@Christopherknauf]

I used an excel file example of the reverse kinematic 6DOF algorithm. I have it placed on the github site as well, under the "Technical" folder. This was my seed or inspiration. I reverse engineered this algorithm, and converted it to c++ in microcode... the microcode follows this to the T, it gives and shows how the arms move in a pseudo 3d visualization and allows you to tune all the dimensions and standard orientations for the motors/swing arm that are possible.. xsimulator.net is a good community, and there are many DIY builds posted here if you need inspiration. I was not active in the forum until I finished it. www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/compact-ac-servo-6dof-rotary-stewart-platform.14769/

[@Christopherknauf]

That bottom xsimulator link has my build album,.. that answers allot of questions.

[@peacemakermotion3949]

Happy New Year! Looks like a fun time. I don't know why but I definitely wasn't expecting an American accent haha. Is your rig banking right when you're taking a banked left turn?

[@Christopherknauf]

yeah by rolling right i use gravity to apply a constant force in a direction,... This motion cue acts as the centrifugal force feeling that i feel pinning me to the right of the car when turning left especially at high speeds, at least that's how I like it. The banking/ roll value is muted compared to the acceleration force. I don't use actual world roll much in the tune, only a small percentage .. and you would only see it if I was moving slow, as the acceleration force is tuned to be much more significant than roll/pitch of the world. Early on I use to tune it with more emphasis on roll/pitching of the world.... But I don't anymore on the rig.. I think it was beaten out of me by flipping the car to often... And my sim trying to keep up the the roll/pitch of the car was murdering me....

[@peacemakermotion3949]

@@Christopherknauf Thanks for the reply, understood! It's such a personal preference i find. i've tried doing it like yourself somewhat but its like i can't trick my inner ear/eyes as it likes the rig to mimic when i'm banking etc haha. I might have to invest in a g-seat in the future to help with those sustained g forces.. Maybe in VR i could use the gravity for sustained g's like yourself and trick it that way. I just dont use VR enough at the moment as i'm always fiddling with tuning and what not.

[@Christopherknauf]

Agreed motion cues are very personal preference,.. also note that in this video I increased the forces just to show how violent this thing can be.. and I would not normally have it so exaggerated...

[@RE-zz7tr]

I’m thinking about building my own 6DOF and I’m curious how you decided on the orientation of the servo motors? In the research Ive done there seems to be many different layouts, some circular but most triangular and what was your design criteria for selecting the motor size? Thanks

[@Christopherknauf]

it is in a triangle shape, just with the motors pulled into their tightest configuration possible/allowable with the inverse kinematic equations.. it just so happens to be a fully symmetrical layout.., my goal was to get that platform as small as possible. I roughed some equations over a period that I felt was representative of its expected load. bought one motor gear to perform tests and ensured it would be able to lift the weight. .. my earlier videos show me lifting weights, with the motor/gear.. that was the verification, .. for me to buy more.

[@moschidreamer]

Immernoch keine VR Brille?! Wirklich, ein Gamechanger. Probier mal... ich spiele seit dem nicht mehr 2D. Leider...

[@Christopherknauf]

Ich warte immer noch auf jemanden, der mir VR spendet !!

[@moschidreamer]

@@Christopherknauf hat du was zum spenden? Können Spender Infos How To bekommen? Ich denke ich werde im Frühjahr soweit sein alles für meine 6DOF zu verknispeln. Aber PC firm bin ich nicht so...

[@Christopherknauf]

@@moschidreamer Leute können für mein Paypay spenden - [e-mail]. Ich versuche, jedem bei seinen Builds zu helfen, so gut ich kann. Es gibt viele aktive Builds, die auf meinem Open Source-Design basieren. Wenn Sie eine Anleitung wünschen, können Sie gerne fragen! Es ist ein lustiger DIY-Build!

[@jayweezy3264]

can you set this to recline to zero gravity n just chill? also is there a rocking chair sim?

[@Christopherknauf]

Sure can!, .. the rocking could be emulated by the XBOX360 controller that I can use to control the platform.... though,... we would need to place a filter on that controller,... else you could rock yourself till your back splits open

[@jayweezy3264]

@@Christopherknauf brooo.... thanks for the prompt reply!

[@nicholaslarosa8427]

Did you ever do the G testing? Curious how many G’s this can generate.

[@Christopherknauf]

I have a handful of videos that do use a g Meter overlay, hits 2g in dirt 2.0 going over a cliff into the trees... It hurt me, and I don't like doing that anymore and I've limited my use of the rig in general now.. due to back issues...the rig is tuned down from what it can do significantly on both the AC driver side as well filtering in the simtools application that feeds the sim..., raw data would disintegrate the rig..... Sometime... After the rider...there are 2 forms of estop, one pause button... One power kill....

[@nicholaslarosa8427]

@@Christopherknauf Did you write the controls using simulink? Im in my senior year of my MEE degree and im absolutely obsessed with after a class I just finished. your project has encapsulated me over the last two days lmao. I 100% will be building this in the future

[@Christopherknauf]

@@nicholaslarosa8427 The control is written in c++ , I have used simulink for simulation related things though at work.... also motion simulator related...

[@technoglitch4237]

custom plugin? Can you get ultrawings going again...

[@Christopherknauf]

" Requires a virtual reality headset"!!!!! i dont have one!!!

[@Christopherknauf]

looks dope though

[@technoglitch4237]

why? don't you have one?

[@Christopherknauf]

I really want to spend allot of money Makin a race car and i don't want to spend the money on more motion sim stuff after spending so much money on it... I will get VR.. but.. I was hoping someone would just donate it.....

[@technoglitch4237]

I tried the Hpg2 I hated it...controller are horrible...resolution.. best I've seen ..so far...I like the Q2 the best...controller are fantastic!! paired with Virtual Desktop and a AX router...Works awesome..the Pass-through effect work so well ..when sitting in the sim chair..just double tap the headset you see everything....I don't even need to take the headset off...to get in and out of my sim rig...lol...Hope someone richer than me..kicks one your way!!maybe make a link..or a go fund me page so People can donate!!Love the video's keep up the awesome work....