The SimFeedback-AC DIY Motion Simulator thread

[sjb266]

Hey guys. Thought I’d create a thread for those taking the plunge into this brilliant DIY project..
I will be starting mine soon and I know there are others thinking about it.. so feel free to share your knowledge and experiences so we can all enjoy this platform to its full potential. A huge thanks to the developers who have really knocked this one out of the park!

Website: https://opensfx.com/2019/02/20/welcome-to-our-new-site/

Github: https://github.com/SimFeedback/SimFeedback-AC-Servo/wiki

For all the internals for the actuator contact Amy - skye@ntl-bearing.com
She can supply everything you need. Just remind her you want the ends of the shafts chamfered and make sure she sends the right sized ball screw - we have had a couple of issues reported. She is very helpful though and the cost is pretty good.


Huge thanks to @RowanH for writing a comprehensive user guide which can be accessed here - https://www.rowanhick.com/sfx-100-build-and-running-guide

In addition, @anton_Chez has contributed a list of post numbers for some of the important settings etc..
Post #320 SFX-100 thread
Post #327 SFX-100 thread for Discord correlation
Post #339 SFX-100 thread
Post #418 SFX-100 thread
Post #424 SFX-100 thread
Post #439 SFX-100 thread
Post #449 SFX-100 thread
Post #517 SFX-100 thread
Post #554 SFX-100 thread
Post #580 SFX-100 thread
Post #826 SFX-100 thread
Post #837 SFX-100 thread
Post #864,866,867,868,870,887,889,897 SFX-100 thread
Post #911,914 SFX-100 thread
Post #988,992,998 SFX-100 thread
Post #1147 SFX-100 thread
Post #1492 SFX-100 thread
Post #1511,1517 SFX-100 thread

I will try to keep this page updated with links to source the parts in other parts of the world. Just post whatever links you have and i'll add them here.

Please note: Not all the parts listed below are essential for the project. For the essential parts refer to the original shopping list.

Australia:

• O-Ring - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Kit-419Pcs-O-Ring-O-Ring-Black-Rubber-32-Sizes-With-Case-3-50mm-W8D7/223152697816?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
• D-Sub breakout board - DB25 25pin Female Adapter RS-232 Serial Terminal Module Breakout Board Connector
• Emergency Stop - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Reliable-Emergency-Stop-Push-Button-Box-600V-Switch-for-Elevator/192115082001?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
• Arduino Wiring - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/40-pcs-Dupont-Cable-20cm-Jumper-Wire-for-Arduino-RPi-breadboard-AU-Stock/202436863098?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&var=502467628096&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
• Breadboard - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-Solderless-Breadboard-400-Contacts-Tie-points-Universal-Available-New-lemon/123145741183?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
• D-Dub Cable - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Black-D...h=item3f6ace6403:g:038AAOSw9mpaSsU2:rk:1:pf:0
• Screw Shield for Arduino Leonardo - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Scr...h=item25a9d471a4:g:5BgAAOSwraJbc9rC:rk:1:pf:0
• Arduino Leonardo Replica - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DIY-Eduino-Leonardo-Module-with-USB-Cable-for-Arduino-ATMEGA32U4-Blue-Black/132719951279?epid=916281063&hash=item1ee6b9bdaf:g:2QUAAOSw5iNbWv6b:rk:123f:

Thanks to @AussieSim for the following links:

10A power lead(s) * 4
https://www.jaycar.com.au/2m-black-mains-extension-lead/p/PS4152

Top quality wire stripper
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/boxo-cutws205-multifunction-wire-stripper

RCD/safety switch power block
https://www.bunnings.com.au/arlec-4-outlet-heavy-duty-portable-safety-switch_p4420028

WD-40 lithium grease for the ball screws
https://www.bunnings.com.au/wd-40-specialist-300g-high-performance-white-lithium-grease_p6100408

Vibration pads
https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-on-site-100-x-12-5mm-rubber-anti-vibration-mat-4-pack_p3961547

WD-40 Dry PTFE spray for the slider (free shipping)
https://au.rs-online.com/mobile/p/lubricants/7577134/

Arduino Leonardo (free shipping + frequent 10-15% off discount)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/a000057/arduino-corporation

DB25 cables * 4 (free shipping)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/ak401-2/assmann-wsw-components-inc

PETG * 3 (free shipping)
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/petg17bk1/mg-chemicals

WAGO-like connectors to avoid a breadboard (perhaps use genuine ones if you are doing 240V AC)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32906719488.html

D-Sub breakout boards * 4
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32297675967.html

3D printer Creality Ender-3 Pro
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32918302452.html

Wires from Arduino to D-Sub breakout (remove black plastic from the WAGO end)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32887680826.html

Crimp connectors for AC wire leads
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32813550981.html

 

[metalnwood]

I'm out for today and maybe done for good guys, sorry guys, but stress got to me.
I tried fitting 3 more to 2nd 100mmx100mm and got 1 straight, 1 not straight and 3rd I just split open the insert that's half way into the 100x100mm part. So that's 2 x 100mmx100mm wasted parts. I told you I'm useless. Again really sorry guys.

Those 100x100 profile parts are not wasted, even if you have to pay someone a dozen beers to get them fixed they will work no problem.

The holes in the profile are the same size for M10 to be tapped from memory. This means worst case if one is screwed up well beyond use the insert can be taken out and/or destroyed in the process and a tap can be used to create a thread in m10 lower down. You would then use an m10 bolt a bit longer on that one.

OK, you may have to get someone to do it but the point is nothing has to be thrown away, all the stuff you have is still good

 

[ScottSonder]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback.. will update the docs.

Please be aware it is a volunteer effort on the docs, so maybe go easy on the expectation levels By all means constructive feedback is welcomed and will be incorporated. However it won't be at ikea levels of hand-holding due to the nature of things like the high voltage wiring, and servo power.

Yeah sorry mate, just tried to keep tabs on the good stuff. Very much appreciate your contributions, would be a lot harder without you!

 

[ScottSonder]

All of mine were fine. I just used a long bit in my drill. I did strip 2 out by rushing. Luckily i had ordered a few extra

Hey Jimmy, what do you mean by rushing, compared to what you did in your YT video?

 

[ScottSonder]

This is DIY!

We do not want to make the instructions a no brainer.
You are in charge, you are responsible for your work and you have to think about what you are going to do and do your homework first.
So read all manuals (arduino, servo driver, servo specs), search the forums and educate yourself or ask for help if you are not comfortable with something.

Can we do better, sure.
But everybody is different, on a different level.

We do have a layer of abstraction in the instruction and in the shopping list. We do not include anything somebody may need.
For example you need a M4 screw, m4 hex driver, 6.6 mm hex driver (or 1/2"), ...
Most things regarding the Servo driver are in the manual (its chinese english but understandable).

The docs enabled 100 people to build their own actuators, so we are listening for feedback and will update if more people struggle with certain instructions.

This is on a weird level of gate-keeping. Calm down, man. This project is CREATING new DIY'ers. Stop trying to make this some elite back-room lounge. It's open to all, and if the information can be provided, it should be, or the access to.

 

[Mascot]

It lives!

Cable management is tomorrow's job.
Very glad I tapped the ends of the side rails to set the rear actuators back by ~100mm, it's worked a treat for more elbow room. Looks funky, too.

I set the chassis one channel lower on the brackets too. Feels good.

Thanks very much for everyone's help in getting here!

 

[Mascot]

I'm out for today and maybe done for good guys, sorry guys, but stress got to me.
I tried fitting 3 more to 2nd 100mmx100mm and got 1 straight, 1 not straight and 3rd I just split open the insert that's half way into the 100x100mm part. So that's 2 x 100mmx100mm wasted parts. I told you I'm useless. Again really sorry guys.

Don't worry dude, tomorrow's another day. I had my ups and downs with the build but it's all absolutely worth it in the end. The inserts can be bought here in the UK so if you need to drill a few out and replace them it's not the end of the world. Your extrusion isn't ruined. Even if you mangled the holes beyond accepting an insert you can still put a long length of cheap M8 threaded bar ('studding') through the hole and put a nut on either end to clamp everything in place. Fitting the inserts was the hardest part of my build too, it took bloody ages. Other people just had to ask them nicely and they slid in by themselves.
*shrugs*.
Chin up!

 

[saxxon66]

This is on a weird level of gate-keeping. Calm down, man. This project is CREATING new DIY'ers. Stop trying to make this some elite back-room lounge. It's open to all, and if the information can be provided, it should be, or the access to.

So, why do you think this project is here and open for all?

And why are you getting personal?
Because you don't like how I am thinking about my project?

Where is the "gate keeping" or "elite back-room lounge"?
You are telling me to calm down, because I want people to read the manuals and to find out about the things they do?

The info and data is all there and people are all other the place to help each other (me too).

 

[sjb266]

This is on a weird level of gate-keeping. Calm down, man. This project is CREATING new DIY'ers. Stop trying to make this some elite back-room lounge. It's open to all, and if the information can be provided, it should be, or the access to.

Have some respect man.. if you cant build it with the instructions given then don’t build it.... or go buy a d-box...

Any DIY project assumes a certain level of proficiency at DIY..

Don’t come in to this thread and start pissing and moaning at the systems creator who has given us the opportunity and means to build this system for next to.nothing...

There’s a fine line between community support and entitlement and you’ve crossed it..

Don’t get bitter.. get better...

 

[anton_Chez]

In the hopes of settling everything down, I think there needs to be a clearer line of thinking here. There's one viewpoint that this is DIY and clearly not every situation and personal level of competence (or incompetence) can be accounted for. For instance, some have a drill to put the inserts in, others do not. Not the project's fault, simply different ways of doing things that can be either easier or harder. The other viewpoint is that we know a lot of this stuff already yet people keep seeming to repeat the same mistakes here and there. This information, while handy to have, shouldn't be required to complete the build, so therefore the instructions as is are fine, many people have completed builds therefore, move along.

I think we need to settle somewhere in the middle, to be honest. The project has seen massive success and a huge thank you needs to go to saxxon for the ability to create something as amazing as his SFX-100 system yet allow ALL of us here to enjoy it with him. This is something that could create a business and be life changing for someone, yet here we are complaining that the threaded inserts are breaking, or the bloody Chinese motors aren't perfectly able to be understood or that Kinetic is MIA for months at a time.....

Any potential builder who comes in here needs to understand who saxxon is and what he has achieved, for us all. Constructive criticism should always be welcomed but it needs to be helpful and respectful. Otherwise we all just end up hostile at each other and the 100 or so people that have already built are the only ones that will experience this. Rowan has been ever so kind to put his time and effort into creating a very streamlined, focused walk-through for newer builders that hopefully guides people around the pitfalls that some of us have already faced. However, he'd need another guide just based on ME ALONE to show people how you could do things wrong and then how to correct them. Who knows how many people are going to make mistakes that aren't accounted for previously? I can't imagine that with the instructions given here about how to install the threaded inserts how ANYBODY could struggle with that from here onward. Yet it seems there are still cases of people being stubborn and not following the guidance of others before them, videos and all. Get a cordless driver, some lube, A LONG HEX SHANK and you'll be up and running in no time. Point is, Rowan did not have to do that, yet the resource is there, ready for all to use and not a penny is required. Is EVERYTHING in there? No. Did everyone put their linear bearings on upside down, WITHOUT KNOWING, spill their ball bearings everywhere after being told to NOT GO TOO FAR with the ball screw, completely omit the grease because the caption says OPTIONAL relating to a grease gun? No.

Point is, if you've had problems and are frustrated with them, yet have since fixed them and NOT created a dedicated thread to your own experiences and issues and how to solve them, well, really, you'd be contributing more to the problem than anything saxxon has or hasn't done. It's very easy to get upset or frustrated with instructions that seemingly are unclear or vague. But it's also very likely that even if they were perfect, people would still mess up, miss parts, not read something correctly, interpret something differently to how it's meant to be, etc. How can we solve this? Experience. If you're completely new at DIY and are not confident in your own ability, yet start the project anyway WITHOUT READING the 147 pages on this thread in their entirety, you need to stop building and go and do so. With a pen an paper or notepad open. Copy and paste every bit of info that's been reported by anyone else previously and add that to your wiki.

We're all here to help. I've created threads on a number of topics relating to my experiences and products I own or have owned. I've made people's lives better by warning them of potential issues with vendors in the hope that they somehow avoid what I went through. I've tinkered and tweaked with settings for days on end only to pass them over to other users just for the satisfaction of knowing someone else has improved their experience. I've also had people rush to my rescue when needing support, provide me services that you couldn't find better anywhere else and for peanuts in return. And I have a state of the art motion platform that took me a weekend to build and is cheaper than my out of the box, best bang for the buck seat mover.

I've been frustrated too, but I've always taken it as a chance to get better and further understand things. It's the only way to improve. You'll thank this project not only for the result it gives you but also for the experience in not knowing how to do something but trying it out and completing it anyway, no matter what you face in between.

 

[MeNoMoney]

Thankyou to everyone on here for everything and trying your best to help me and a big apology from me being useless, nothing wrong with the DIY instructions, its just me.
I wish I could take back what I posted because I can see I have brought abit of bad feeling and darkness and anger to this thread and between the great people on here, which is wrong and I should not of done.
Again I am truly Sorry to everyone.

 

[metalnwood]

Thankyou to everyone on here for everything and trying your best to help me and a big apology from me being useless, nothing wrong with the DIY instructions, its just me.
I wish I could take back what I posted because I can see I have brought abit of bad feeling and darkness and anger to this thread and between the great people on here, which is wrong and I should not of done.
Again I am truly Sorry to everyone.

No apology needed here, we are all at different levels and TBH, I dont think some of the recent posts you are referring to have anything to do with your posts.

 

[Wmacky]

Thankyou to everyone on here for everything and trying your best to help me and a big apology from me being useless, nothing wrong with the DIY instructions, its just me.
I wish I could take back what I posted because I can see I have brought abit of bad feeling and darkness and anger to this thread and between the great people on here, which is wrong and I should not of done.
Again I am truly Sorry to everyone.

Yep, Not about your posts. Hang in there. DIY is something you can get better at as you gain knowledge and tools! I've found the key to DIY is good tools, and "youtube" how to videos!

 

[Wmacky]

double post

 

[Mascot]

In the hopes of settling everything down, I think there needs to be a clearer line of thinking here. There's one viewpoint that this is DIY and clearly not every situation and personal level of competence (or incompetence) can be accounted for. For instance, some have a drill to put the inserts in, others do not. Not the project's fault, simply different ways of doing things that can be either easier or harder. The other viewpoint is that we know a lot of this stuff already yet people keep seeming to repeat the same mistakes here and there. This information, while handy to have, shouldn't be required to complete the build, so therefore the instructions as is are fine, many people have completed builds therefore, move along.

I think we need to settle somewhere in the middle, to be honest. The project has seen massive success and a huge thank you needs to go to saxxon for the ability to create something as amazing as his SFX-100 system yet allow ALL of us here to enjoy it with him. This is something that could create a business and be life changing for someone, yet here we are complaining that the threaded inserts are breaking, or the bloody Chinese motors aren't perfectly able to be understood or that Kinetic is MIA for months at a time.....

Any potential builder who comes in here needs to understand who saxxon is and what he has achieved, for us all. Constructive criticism should always be welcomed but it needs to be helpful and respectful. Otherwise we all just end up hostile at each other and the 100 or so people that have already built are the only ones that will experience this. Rowan has been ever so kind to put his time and effort into creating a very streamlined, focused walk-through for newer builders that hopefully guides people around the pitfalls that some of us have already faced. However, he'd need another guide just based on ME ALONE to show people how you could do things wrong and then how to correct them. Who knows how many people are going to make mistakes that aren't accounted for previously? I can't imagine that with the instructions given here about how to install the threaded inserts how ANYBODY could struggle with that from here onward. Yet it seems there are still cases of people being stubborn and not following the guidance of others before them, videos and all. Get a cordless driver, some lube, A LONG HEX SHANK and you'll be up and running in no time. Point is, Rowan did not have to do that, yet the resource is there, ready for all to use and not a penny is required. Is EVERYTHING in there? No. Did everyone put their linear bearings on upside down, WITHOUT KNOWING, spill their ball bearings everywhere after being told to NOT GO TOO FAR with the ball screw, completely omit the grease because the caption says OPTIONAL relating to a grease gun? No.

Point is, if you've had problems and are frustrated with them, yet have since fixed them and NOT created a dedicated thread to your own experiences and issues and how to solve them, well, really, you'd be contributing more to the problem than anything saxxon has or hasn't done. It's very easy to get upset or frustrated with instructions that seemingly are unclear or vague. But it's also very likely that even if they were perfect, people would still mess up, miss parts, not read something correctly, interpret something differently to how it's meant to be, etc. How can we solve this? Experience. If you're completely new at DIY and are not confident in your own ability, yet start the project anyway WITHOUT READING the 147 pages on this thread in their entirety, you need to stop building and go and do so. With a pen an paper or notepad open. Copy and paste every bit of info that's been reported by anyone else previously and add that to your wiki.

We're all here to help. I've created threads on a number of topics relating to my experiences and products I own or have owned. I've made people's lives better by warning them of potential issues with vendors in the hope that they somehow avoid what I went through. I've tinkered and tweaked with settings for days on end only to pass them over to other users just for the satisfaction of knowing someone else has improved their experience. I've also had people rush to my rescue when needing support, provide me services that you couldn't find better anywhere else and for peanuts in return. And I have a state of the art motion platform that took me a weekend to build and is cheaper than my out of the box, best bang for the buck seat mover.

I've been frustrated too, but I've always taken it as a chance to get better and further understand things. It's the only way to improve. You'll thank this project not only for the result it gives you but also for the experience in not knowing how to do something but trying it out and completing it anyway, no matter what you face in between.

I don't know mate... I strongly believe that the guide should contain a distillation of the pertinent dos and don'ts from these 150 pages (and from countless other threads and discords elsewhere) so that it evolves into a single point of reference for the virgin builder, the one document you need open on your laptop when putting everything together. It would also mean that the info in the guide has been vetted, whereas a random tip from Joe Builder on a forum somewhere might be misleading or downright incorrect, and that's assuming you can find it or vaguely remember reading something about it in the past. I really do think that expecting someone who's balls-deep into their build (and with brains already foggy from a problem they've encountered) to search and find what they think might be the best solution in a random forum post is the wrong way to approach this. If it's an issue that warrants a forum post to pre-warn others, then why not cover it in the guide?

Rowan is doing sterling work on this front but he needs help from all of us to pass on the benefit of our own experiences. You just said you didn't grease your bearings (which could shorten the life of your ball screws considerably, or at the very least make them get noisier and noisier as the machine oil burns away) because you misinterpreted the note about grease guns being optional. A short note added to that stage about the importance of greasing the bearings by a different method would make it very unlikely that anybody else makes the same mistake. If one person can misinterpret an instruction, then anyone can. Little refinements can go a long way to improving the guide immeasurably - it's a fluid document that's 95% of the way there, it just needs a little TLC to correct a couple of errors, remove any ambiguity, and add some detail and alerts. There's no reason why it can't (and shouldn't, IMO) evolve into a bible that is all every new builder needs to complete the project. .

I'm not sure why things got a little heated here yesterday - we all want the same thing, don't we? A trouble-free experience for all so this incredible project can continue to grow, develop and improve.

 

[metalnwood]

I think the documenters would be willing to accept contributions (ducks because I have not asked). They may be edited or taken as is to be inserted in the appropriate areas but it is hard to ask people that have volunteered to put in more effort than they are already doing.

So sometimes a solution would be more contributors than asking the current ones to do more.

Re the no grease on the ballscrews. The chinese ballscrews are cheaper than good grease, perhaps this is the most economical solution

 

[RowanH]

Don't have to duck @metalnwood - yes willing and do take contributions. However please just keep them to notes/bullet points - I'd feel bad if someone spent a lot of time writing something that we elected not to use. I keep one eye on the forum and keep a little mental list of things (largely based on patterns emerging as opposed to one-offs) to update/change. Changelog is at the bottom of the documentation page.

The https://opensfx.com/troubleshooting/ section is largely a result of those observations - which can probably be summed up in one sentence "stuff's not working ? check your wiring"

Also what might be getting lost is there's some really great videos from the community walking through the build process, so I'll make an effort to make these clearer to people.

Moving this thread along, for my next batch of updates I want to put more photos in the showcase section, so if you've got photos of your rig you want to share can you send me a PM. Ta

Can't wait for my alloy to turn up now, and find out if there really is a difference in feeling between MDF and alloy..... let you fellas know in a few days

 

[Stevie_007]

I wish I could do it all again I loved the build process, and I still can’t stop 3d printing things

 

[Ringorian]

Again, people should be aware that just because something is written in a manual getting familiar with the task is another thing. Just because i have watched videos of how to solder or how to weld i can´t do it without training before i do the task. And averytime a but and a it would be better and and .. like kids ..
I sometimes wondered why people which posted on DIY Forums their wonderful projects don´t publish more then some fotos , some parts lists and never show up again ..

 

[Mr Latte]

@Mascot looking nice, glad to see you take the step and make progress.
Can you or others report on the "operational vibration noise" to other adjacent rooms and in particular those beneath. For say a typical wooden joist based UK home. IIRC this was one concern you had?

What is the max weight limits this motion can support?
My rig, is going to be much heavier than the typical build. With its steel tubing, isolation and tactile mounted, it could easily come in at 150KG or more, without a user being seated.

 

[anton_Chez]

You can definitely hear it in rooms above and below (I am below the main room of the house, on timber down here as well and the sound travels) depending on how you run it. That's the main thing. In a normal day where people are watching TV, cooking, talking, it almost certainly won't be a problem. It's when the house is dead quiet except for the subtle thumps of the actuators driving into the floor that's the biggest concern.

In these cases, we can tune a profile to suit, run a normal profile but at very low overall Intensity, or use our V3's inste........

Oh.

Never mind.