Real Cessna Throttle and Mixture ...

Thanks to Martin Feist giving the right pointers and guidance, Vansaircraft for the HW and Lars for the assembling!

I'm using follow components:

- Throttle & Mixture including the long cables from a real Cessna.

- There I'm using 10k Ohms potentiometers sliders like they are used in sound mixers

- Joystick Board: http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=94

1. The long cables have a screw thread at the end --> Simple to connect with the potentiometers

2. Connect the potentiometers to one of the analog inputs with true 12-bit resolution from the Joystick Board. Check here: http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=94&products_id=180

--> After that, your mixture and throttle appear like a regular joystick

Enhancing Cockpit

Made pretty good progress with PID tuning, can be set now to be really smooth like in a plane. Currently embedding the learning into a little tool allowing to configure and auto-tune directly the board from Thanos.
Added finally my dream: Fully working G1000! (entire Cockpit mounting can be done with 4 screws). Using HW from Emuteq and SW from Flight1tech.

Created HOTAS console mounting kit for play seat, allowing to swap from Car to HOTAS within 1 minute:

... and testing after tuning....

Schneidy in an F/A 18 around the Matterhorn...

Testing rudders (with BFF)

Dirt-3 with x-Sim

Dirt-3 in Snow with x-Sim.... early in the morning... 

Controller Fine tuning with Schneidy and Hägi

With help from my friend Schneidy we've optimized the parameters to have smoother and more dynamic moves:

• VDF's (Optidrive P2) we've ended up with Acceleration and Deceleration ramp time from 0.5 seconds each (P1-03 and P1-04)
• Thanos board:
• P = 30
• I = 150
• D = 30
• Motor Max = 100 %
• Motor Min = 1 % 

--> See config steps around 5:22 in this video Step by step explanation of features, functions and connections for AMC1280USB

Note: Older firmware from the Thanos-board hat less resolution of the PID (e.g. in the Video from the link above). Recent firmware (the one I'm using) has another digit to the values. So P=30 now was a 3 on the old firmware, I=150 (15) and D=30 (3).  On Thanos's blog you will find step-by-step guide how to upgrade the firmware.

***

After many other testing and troubleshooting session with a wonderful expert and friend Hägi, we've managed to get the right PID settings. If AMC1280USB would measure and print out the oscillation period, we could make auto-tuning using it in addition with my motion tester:

***

Since Thanos added in l-release CLI access to the board, I've started to extend the motion tester with it:

Some Cabin Modifications...

- Changed Monitor position (20 cm more away from the driver)
- Added extension boxes for foot pedals (kids ready... :-) )

Installed x-Sim with Race 07....

... finally testing and tuning has started!

The youngest test pilot goes "aerobatic":

First take-off on grass-runway:

Construction Engineer 2 gets challenged by crosswind and gusts:

... and the teenager already manages a perfect landing at "Gruyere" aerodrome:

Special thanks to:

• Thanos Kontogiannis - 6 DOF Motion Simulator Electronics
• Ian Hopper - BFF BuiltForFun
• Miguel Nunez und Sandro Keller - EMZ
• Andy and Lars - Schlosserei Preisig
• Lukas Meister - Elektro Meister
• My kids, especially Lars with his patient and endurance
• My fantastic wife, allowing us to extend our living room with "six additional degrees of freedom" ;-)

The making of:

... and some interesting dimensions:

.... and last but not least the corresponding xSIM config:

Rods completet...

         

  

Fine tuning VDF Setup

• Added PTC to the entire wiring allowing to switch of the motor if overheatened.
• Added plugs for each connection and cable-lock allowing to "pack" entire setup into the box for transportation:
  
• Test setup with one Motor using BFF software (still waiting for the other 5 motors). BFF is great! It also allows to control each actor directly manually (very nice to adjustments):

VDF configuration

VDF user guide is here...
The motors have built-in PTC as well the VDF's do have a thermal overload protection port.  Based on that, I will use "Digital Input Configuration Parameter P1‐13 == 16.
For now I don't have the PTC's connected, using therefore P1‐13 == 15:

Emegency-Stop Button is connected to "STO" wiring, whereas I'm using the same 24 V source like for the Thanos board.

Based on recommendation from the VDF account manager (EMZ-Unitec AG) I've also boutgh an "OptiStick", fantastic toy from which I can fetch entire config into the stick, and push it from the stick to a VDF (what makes it very smooth to configure all 6 VDF's).
In addtion the stick also acts as a Bluethooth device, which allows to connect from the PC to the VDF and back up the config, push-config as well doing a firmware upgrade (Latter I've just successfully did as one of the VDF was running an old firmware):

Wiring.....

Wired entire setup and created the remaning 5 position sensor mounting with fantastic help from the kids :-)

Testing....

Cabling and testing Thanos's Board...

Received yesterday the board from Thanos.... a great start into the weekend :-)

What a great board! Real plug-in and play! And I'm amazing impressed about the huge feature set built into it that toy! Looks like years of professional engineering with all the needed details.

Tested x-Sim and also BFF from Ian. Works like a charm. Ready now to proceed with the next project steps...

Short impression from the first test (Sensor position isn't correct yet on the video):

Cockpit dimension

Cockpit dimension from a C-172 from our flight club fgzo.ch:

Joint heads and Cables

Found super quality and cheap "joint head" from http://luv-engineering.de/ (up to 30 degrees tilt angle).

For the 3 phase & PE & shield, using now cable plugs which are normally used for "vertical slat motors" (Meeting electrical requirements and because widle used not so expensive)

Arms and Poti-Connectors are completed now...

Project steps:

1. Wood modle to get an idea of the dimensions [completed]
2. Testing 1 Motor with VDF [completed]
3. 6 x Arms for the motors [completed]
4. 6 x Poti connection to the motors [completed]
5. Testing 1 Motor with Board from Thanos and BBF and xSIM [completed]
6. Buying the 5 other motors [Ordered, VDF's"Optidrive P2" recieved]
7. Wiring the setup [completed]
8. Building 6 rods with joint head [rods material ordered]
9. Fix all motors on wood blocks (easy to adjust and tune) to figure out best dimensions for the platform base, using the wood triangle. [Woodblocks produced]
10. Building the platform base and triangle
11. Collecting seat/window/throttle/yoke positions dimension from the C-172 [Completet]
12. Building the seat and montior construction

Testing Motor and VDF inverter

Manually tested VDF inverter with Switches and Poti using local power from VDF:

... seems to work...

Docu for the VDF

Playing with dimensions...

A rudimentary but simple, fast and cheap approach to get hold of the good dimensions...

For the ball and socket head I just made a large whole that the screw can move.

Project start ...

After fantastic guidance from Thanos I've ordered:

The AMC1280USB Controller board and 1 (out of 6) driver unit:

• CANTONI Motor, Type Sh 80-4B  0,75 kW (1 HP), 1390 rpm, 400VY
• Gear (70 : 1) --> Brings ~19 RPM
• VDF Inverter (0,75 kW (1HP), Current max. 4,3 A)

Driver unit just arrived today...