15 minutes ago, SergeyPe said:

1 hour ago, CarstenLP said:

 

Good decision, as the initial version is quite buggy (while very promising). The date of the first patch will be announced next Thursday, so you'll be able to get a more stable version (hopefully)😁.

Exactly 👍😁

1 hour ago, CarstenLP said:

I got these: https://www.ebay.de/itm/10PCS-AS5600-Absolute-Value-Encoder-PWM-I2C-Port-Brushless-Motors-12-Bit/174322866491?pageci=a277d645-3cb2-472f-b598-2bdda9287686

OK, these will be easy to mount. You'll need to remove both resistors (it looks like they are used to bootstrap some of the pins to +5V which shouldn't be done in analog mode)- it's done easily enough by heating them with a soldering iron and moving away. Then connect the pcb pin DIR to either GND or 5V depending on which direction (clockwise or counterclockwise in relation to the top of the chip) the magnet will rotate during calibration. To calibrate the working angle connect the PQO pin to GND, set the axis to the minimum position, apply power to the PCB and shortly (for about a second) connect the output (PWM pin) to the ground. Then move the axis to the maximum position and again shortly connect the output to the ground. To verify that the programming went well, check the output when moving the axis- the output should change respectively. If it's stuck at 0 or 5V repeat the programming from the start. Finally disconnect the PQO pin from the ground. After that you'll have a full voltage swing from 0 to 5V for your exact working angle. Please note that the programming can be done just once- after that the angle will be set permanently.

Edited August 22, 20205 yr by SergeyPe

Thank you so much for this information 👍. I’ll sacrifice one board as test and see how it goes 😉. Regarding the programming I actually found this video which shows the programming method you’re mentioning:

https://youtu.be/Dwc4hFgNP5I

Check option B in the video.

You are welcome😀.

31 minutes ago, CarstenLP said:

Check option B in the video.

Yes, exactly. Just make sure that the direction of magnet rotation from Start to Stop is matching the direction you've chosen by connecting the DIR pin either to GND or to 5V.

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I'm just waiting for parts primarily sensors to arrive before I can continue building. The sensors have arrived in my country 10 days ago but I don't know which distributor the parcel was handed off to. The VRinsight yoke handle hasn't arrived either so I think it's backordered. I've written a few mails to Wilco Publishing but so far they haven't answered my emails on when I can expect the yoke handle. Kind of disappointing customer service tbh.

I've already started thinking about a throttle. I've found the old Saitek throttle quadrant which haven't been used in like 10 years but it still works. Obviously this piece of gear won't match the level of my yoke so I'm going to look for some kind of upgrade. As much as I like building stuff I'm probably going to buy a throttle because of the complexity of this device. I would like quite a lot of buttons around the throttle so I'm currently leaning towards the Virpil CM2 Throttle.

At last something arrived today. I got the yoke handle from VRinsight:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wjkvss0qnhrvqog/VRinsight_yoke1.jpeg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3mcqfi3elc8j11g/VRinsight_yoke2.jpeg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lb7nwo4lqr4xy2q/VRinsight_yoke3.jpeg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/elpmbewd69cafnz/VRinsight_yoke4.jpeg?dl=0

This thing is really well made and I was surprised how heavy it actually is. The backside of the handles can be removed with a hex key so you can route wires properly in case you want to mount any switches on the top of the handles. There are plastic coverings over these holes and and the square hole measures 16 x 16mm (haven't removed the round cover yet). I'll be looking for some kind of trim switch for the square side. Not sure what I'll do for the left side yet but probably an autopilot disengage button.

That leaves just the sensors to arrive before I can continue. Still no sign of those.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Work has been and still is crazy so haven't had any time for this project for a while.

I've created a support piece and stud for the shaft in the carriage. The support piece will act as a stop when turning the yoke 90 degrees to each side (I'll put a bolt into each side) and the stud will go into the shaft holding the magnet. The stud will need to have a hole in the middle to allow wires from the yoke. Both of these were created on my CNC and the material used is HDPE. I also masked the vital components of the carriage before spraying the first layer of varnish.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rpbf768rnanyia/shaft_support_stud.jpeg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9gdwy1gd2dtgr7/carriage5.jpeg?dl=0

The AS5600 have finally arrived and they look like this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2nnopri2lk3286n/AS5600_1.jpeg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wkzrhcqllq3krsm/AS5600_2.jpeg?dl=0

I'm building a small jig to test the AS5600 next to my PC. So if I'm correct, by @SergeyPe instructions both resistors R1 and R2 need to go and then follow the rest of the guide. Hopefully I'll have time to do this in the weekend.

Hi CarstenLP,

I don't have the boards in question, so the advice to remove both R1 and R2 was a kind of safety recommendation. It's important that the output pin (PWM) is not bootstrapped to the power line (5V) by either R1 or R2. If they are connected to the different pins it will be OK to keep them, but you'll need a multimeter to check it (measuring the resistance between PWM pin and each of the leads of both resistors). If any of these is connected to PWM, then this resistor should go. 

50 minutes ago, SergeyPe said:

Hi CarstenLP,

I don't have the boards in question, so the advice to remove both R1 and R2 was a kind of safety recommendation. It's important that the output pin (PWM) is not bootstrapped to the power line (5V) by either R1 or R2. If they are connected to the different pins it will be OK to keep them, but you'll need a multimeter to check it (measuring the resistance between PWM pin and each of the leads of both resistors). If any of these is connected to PWM, then this resistor should go. 

Thanks for this. I've measured from the PWM pin to both resistors and I'm not getting any reading on the multimeter. I presume the resistors can stay then? I'm not into electronics at this level so sorry for asking 😉

2 hours ago, CarstenLP said:

Thanks for this. I've measured from the PWM pin to both resistors and I'm not getting any reading on the multimeter. I presume the resistors can stay then? I'm not into electronics at this level so sorry for asking 😉

Don't worry, I'm happy to help😀. Looks like the resistors are bootstrapping the digital output pins, so they will not influence the analog output- you can keep them.

Got the carriage sprayed with a few coates of varnish today. I won't do that again. It gets everywhere and it takes quite a while to dry so might as well do it with a brush. I created a few support plates for the rear ball bearing out of HDPE on the CNC. These plates has a dual purpose. One is to prevent the ball bearing leaving the plywood if I by accident push or pull the yoke with excessive force. The other is to create a platform for another support plate in the very back of the carriage which will house the AS5600 sensor for the roll axis. This will probably make more sense later with images 🙂.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r8s85ug6eu23n0p/carriage_bearing_supports1.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w459haf91mfobb8/carriage_bearing_supports2.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yth8af7n8rgj0gu/carriage_bearing_supports3.jpg?dl=0

I wired up one AS5600 sensor today but haven't tried the calibration process yet. I thought of creating a small jig for this but it will be more accurate when everything is mounted in the yoke. It's a pain to solder wires on those small terminals however I did get a small "helping hand" solder station with a magnifying glass and leds so that helps.

I've mounted the sensor to the back of the carriage and have tried to run the calibration process without success. I'm having issues getting anything other than either 5v or -5v depending where the DIR pin is mount (GND or 5v). I don't get any voltage in between. Here's the order in which I'm connecting everything:

PCB to breadboard
- GND on the PCB to GND on the breadboard
- 5V on the PCB to 5V on the breadboard
- DIR on the PCB to GND on the breadboard
- PQO on the PCB to GND on the breadboard

Breadboard to joystick controller
- GND to GND on the joystick controller
- 5V to 5V on the joystick controller

Programming
- Apply power to the joystick controller
- Turn the magnet to minimum position
- Connect the PWM on the PCB to GND on the breadboard for around a second
- Disconnect the PWM on the breadboard
- Turn the magnet to maximum position
- Connect the PWM on the PCB to GND on the breadboard for around a second
- Disconnect the PWM on the breadboard

What am I missing here?

Update1
I may have the wrong magnet. I have just a regular neodym magnet however it looks like I need a diametrical magnet instead. I'm going to try to source some of these.

Edited September 20, 20205 yr by CarstenLP

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I've ordered the proper magnets (I hope) and I'm just waiting for them to get here. So the project is currently on pause.

Just a quick update on the project.

Unfortunately I have a massive water leak in my house so this means this project is on hold indefinitely.