New Project: SCN5 vs other options: Total cost?

[TripRodriguez]

Hey guys, I've finally started working on my project and despite lots of reading was left with some questions. I read the "Why use scn5 linear actuators?" thread and despite wanting to keep the cost of my project to a minimum it made me tempted to put a pair of SCN5 actuators on a credit card.

My biggest question is in all, with everything included how much cost difference would you estimate between using two SCN5's vs. two wipers or similar? If the total difference is ~$500 USD or less (as sirnoname guessed) I'm tempted to do it. My tech level is very low, I work on antique cars and assemble my own gaming PC's but a lot of the terminology on this forum confuses me a bit.

If I'm understanding things correctly the SCN5's are much more self contained and require a lot less fabrication etc. correct? Then in the end they work better? Also they are easier to set up in the software?

My sim is for both driving and flying so I'd like a good range of motion and it will also be a little on the heavy side because of the need to swap flight controls and racing controls back and forth.

With the SCN5's I can make the motion platform fairly heavy correct? Right now I'm very concerned about minimizing weight but it would be much easier if weight wasn't such a big issue!

What about powering the SCN5's? It seems to me that a 24V power supply will cost a lot more than a 12V power supply so make sure this is included in the total cost difference estimate!

Also some of the talk about SCN5's left me a bit confused, are SCN5's superior in pretty much every way or do other setups have some advantages beyond cost?

Thanks for any help and advice! I will start a build thread once I've got things past the crude mock-up stage I'm in *

Trip

[TripRodriguez]

My budget limitations pretty much limit me to the 50mm stroke SCN5's.

I don't feel I need huge range of motion and if I use the SCN5's I will just work within the limitations of those.

[sirnoname]

SCN5 from factory with our shop link + electronic + power supply -> around 700€ + import
Wiper engine from junk jard or spare part + electronic + power supply -> below 150€ (XPID firmware for arduino from here)

rig in wood -> 300€
rig weldet in metal -> ?

Difference: we did a test on gamescom (335000 Visitors, 400 have tested). No big difference, only some more vibrations which I had to reduce because they did not like it.

[TripRodriguez]

Awesome thanks, my credit cards really didn't need to be racked up any more! It sounds like wiper motors to me.

I'm looking for a good step-by-step guide to follow but it must be in english. Currently I'm trying to go off of RacingMat's project thread. Floriske's is beautiful but it is hard to extract details on exact components etc. Any other good suggestions for stuff to use as a guide?

Trip

[sirnoname]

This one was on gamescom, also english or top right button for translation:
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1435
Wiper motors with XPID control, with X-Sim support and graphical interface. All open source for your ideas ...
The instruction is very detailed because of the motor modifications.

[TripRodriguez]

Thanks Sirnoname!

My setup is going to be something halfway between Floriske's build and RacingMat's build. In addition I use my system for both racing and flying (Star Citizen, EVE: Valkyrie, and Elite Dangerous mostly but also some War Thunder and who knows what else).

I'm building the platform in such a way as to facilitate quickly and easily switching out the controllers without any tools.

Today I built the new platform which is MUCH lighter than the previous version which I think would have been too heavy and was pretty messy looking.

I should also mention that I'm building this for use with the Oculus Rift. For now I'm counting on the platform not using a lot of travel to keep from having head tracking problems but I'm hoping later on I can ramp up the motion when there is a way to have the Rift compensate for the movement of the platform.

[TripRodriguez]

SCN5 from factory with our shop link + electronic + power supply -> around 700€ + import
Wiper engine from junk jard or spare part + electronic + power supply -> below 150€ (XPID firmware for arduino from here)

rig in wood -> 300€
rig weldet in metal -> ?

Difference: we did a test on gamescom (335000 Visitors, 400 have tested). No big difference, only some more vibrations which I had to reduce because they did not like it.

Sirnoname, what motors were in the motion sim people were testing at Gamescom?

I've got all my major components ordered except the motors =)

Thanks again,

Trip

[sirnoname]

Ask the thread owners.
But this motors are not designed for platforms! Only seats.

[TripRodriguez]

Ask the thread owners.
But this motors are not designed for platforms! Only seats.

Thanks Sirnoname, my platform is very much like RacingMat's so using the same motors should be fine =)

[ReannaPitre]

thanks, this is a wonderful post, it help me a lot