I am designing a flight simulator. This simulator will be powered by 2 hp battery powered DC motors. The software for the sim is X-plane. The motors (3) for the sim are controlled by roll, pitch and yaw inputs from the pilot. These movements are translated to the computer screen via USB ports, then translated via electronics, (pots, variable resistors or pulsing transistors) to the DC motors that will rotate, spin and pitch the cockpit. I need help in designing the control system to the DC motors.

Sheldon

 

My suggestion is to find some servomotor controllers. You might have issues getting them with the wattage you want (2hp is no trivial wattage!), but making the controllers yourself would be a hot mess. After all that, you're still looking at a micro-something circuit to interface the hardware with your software.

 

This looks to be a really interesting project. As the motors are to be DC and will reverse abruptly, some form of PWM will probably be the best form of control.

Keep us posted as you make progress.

 

Honestly, from my background in aerospace, more specifically in flight training devices and full flight sims, you'd probably find it easier going to use pneumatics or hydraulics. The amount of movement that occurs in an FFS would probably destroy motors fairly fast, especially constant reversing. All the FFS's I've been around are hydraulically motivated.

 

Actually, the trend is towards all-electric nowadays.

Hydraulic actuators create a huge mess when they fail. Pneumatic actuators would require quite a large compressor.

 

A hardy thank you for all of you that replied to my quest to build a state- of - art flight simulator. Each and everyone of you contributed to the advancement of this project.

Thank you for your input.

Sheldon