Force Feedback controls taking shapes

[Guest SHORT360]

My control loading on pitch using a windscreen wiper motor is going to be a work in progress.I give you some first impressions (without the servo electronics on its way from Australia):Great feeling already without power. Counter acting on the reduction gear gives already a good feeling. An other good news is that the reduction gear can take the pressure on the column. Adding power it comes to be very impressive. There is an heavy torque one can counter by hand, not really effortlessly, as it is in a real plane.Other good news is that the motor seems to be resistant when countering. It does not heat to much.While building it up I had a tought for Airbus builders and must say that with a some smaller motors ( rear door wiper motors) it seems to be much easier to get both axises on force feedback as with a yoke and column.Some pictures - Close ups followhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/92153.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/92154.jpg

[Guest SHORT360]

Here the close-upshttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/92163.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/92164.jpg

[Guest MikePowell]

Wow! that's looking really good, Roger.Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.com

[Guest Stephan Haas]

Roger,Stunning!!I'm very interested, because it looks very neat and not that difficult to build. Still curious about the electronic part of all this.Keep on the good work.Kind regards,Stephan Haaswww.lemont.nl/b767flightdeckhttp://www.pic767flyingclub.com/images/sas544.jpg

[Guest SHORT360]

>>Still curious about the electronic part of all this.>>I ordered a the Jumbo Servo Kit from Oatley Electronics Australia which seems to be able to drive high torque motors like the windscreen wiper motor.Than I will use the IOCARD servo controller.Will let you know as soon as I get that linked.CheersRoger

[Guest Stephan Haas]

Roger,Yes please, because it looks very promising.Kind regards,Stephan Haaswww.lemont.nl/b767flightdeckhttp://www.pic767flyingclub.com/images/sas544.jpg

[Guest SHORT360]

I still do not have the servo motor driver but I made some heavier tests with a high amp power supply. The torque of the wiper motor is fabulous. One needs really two strong hands on the yoke to counter the pressure. Great feeling.Nevertheless I noticed that the power supply is suffering once the motor is stalled and I counteract on the controls.Here I have a lack in my knowledge. What happens exactly. The brushes may overheat, ok?? and so the current transformer??Question on electronic gurus: What may I have to do with the 12V power supply in order to protect it. GreetingsRoger

[Guest Bricklayer]

Hi Roger,Cool project!A friend and I are working on a similar project to provide force feedback(FF) to the control column of a Spitfire pit.http://simhardware.orghttp://www.bob-ma.org/modules.php?name=For...der=asc&start=0I have been pursuing a hydraulic actuator approach, but would prefer a "cleaner" electrical solution. http://www.bob-ma.org/modules.php?name=For...viewtopic&t=506I am currently putting together a test rig to try using a "variable frequency drive"(VFD) controlling a 3 phase AC motor. I've been told that a "vector" style VFD can run a zero speed and produce a static torque output to the hardware.My approach is to make a mechanical closed loop force actuator, an electrical version of this:http://simhardware.org//img/force_actuator.jpgA given force will compress(or stretch) the spring. This deflection is proportional to the force. The servo moves the set-point position and feeds back to the actuator via some control device: in the hydraulic example above this would be the spool valve. For the electrical version, I'm thinking of a potentiometer that would drive the VFD's 0-10 V(0-100%) input.I really like you're wiper motor/gear box design. Simple and inexpensive. I don't know much about DC motor controllers, but I do have a little experience with their use on variable speed drives for pumps. At slow speeds we sometimes had to add a self powered cooling fan to blow over the motor. The motor

[Guest SHORT360]

Hi,Thanks for your comments and links. What your are doing is absolutely fabulous, amazing. You have the professional approach.My approach is more modest and I know that I am in front of huge problems, but it worth to give a try.What would be flight simulation without force feedback feeling?? Switching knobs and setting Autopilot Fmc an so on, looking at some instruments doing the job, that's definitly not my cup of tea. Happy to know that there are some other crazy guys out there going the same direction. Great. Will keep in touch and learn from each other.CheersRoger

[Guest SHORT360]

That's should be the next step. I think it is the way to go. With brushless AC motors, gear and speed controller. But still very expensive and not that easy to link to a PC servo controler.http://www.servos.com/PDF/LCEDCL.PDFGreetingsRoger