A-10 USB engine gauges

[DEChengst]

Already have an engine cluster from Simmeters and I'm quite happy with it. Would really love to have mechanical ADI and HSI as well. So yes, I'm very interested.

[JG14_Smil]

Outstanding looking renders!

 

I wish you all the best. Bring on those KA-50 gauges and you can count on my support.

[outlawal2]

Yes definitely.. KA50 gauges please... (Cash in hand!)

[edrom]

+1+1+1+1 for LOFC2 russian instrument.

[Manuel]

+1 for these a10 gauges!

[Silver_Dragon]

+1 to A-10 and others DCS modules (Ka-50, P-51, etc)

[hegykc]

Looking into Ka-50 gauges, ADI and HSI especially. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

Are the military specifications for Russian instruments available?

[linden]

When you make the ka-50 dont forget to make the ADI/HSI for the a-10c at the same time:)

[-Demon-]

great work...let us know when it is ready to release...I'll be a customer...

 

greets

 

Demon

[Gadroc]

These look really good. I'm assuming from the pictures you are gearing up servos 2:1. Have you tested this? If so how is the positional accuracy? Also are you laser cutting your own gears or are you buying them?

 

I'm debating on stepper vs servo for my engine cluster. I have about 20 or so 400 step nema 17 motors waiting to do it, but I have to get drivers for each of them ($10-$15 each). Servo's are attractive as I can do one board to drive them all, but looking into it each servo is going to be $8-15 for a digital servo and I'll need two gear for each which will run $10-15. The bonus of steppers is I can direct drive the needle with just a custom shaft coupler.

 

The arduino comes with a servo library which can drive 12 servos. Keep in mind you will need to supply the +5V directly through the power supply on the servos. If you try to draw that current through the teensy or arduino you'll blow it's power regulator. I have not attempted to set this up, but it should be a trivial circuit.

[Gadroc]

Also you should look at the Pololu Mini Maestro 12. It would run all twelve servos with just a 5v power source.

[TomDK]

+1

 

for A-10 stuff !!

 

 

Great work !! :thumbup:

[hegykc]

@Gadroc

 

I plan on using the cheapest analog rc servos with 180° of travel, and opencockpit cards control them with 10 bit accuracy, so 1024 positions over 180° travel. Geared up 2:1 it comes down to 0.7°, or 0.25 mm or 0.0098 inches in needle movement which I think is acceptable.

Accuracy would be a problem if they were under great load. I think they'll be just fine for this application. But if tests prove me wrong, I'll replace them with better ones.

 

All the gears will be custom cut with laser.

 

Steppers are better, but if these servos will do, then they're a bit overkill, needing more complex and expensive drivers.

 

Opencockpit cards can take 5V i think, I'll have to re-check this. But it would be no problem at all to serial connect the servos to a 5V adapter.

 

I've looked at the pololu boards, they're an option too. Although teensy seems to be the cheapest option since it can control up to 24 servos (and more as I'm told), or 4 steppers at 24$ per board.

I had 2 members contact me about programming between DCS/LUA and teensy/arduino boards so here's hoping they come up with something.

[kevdawg66]

Awesome I'll defiantly be getting the HSI and ADI when available

[acemark]

You are a Grate Pannel builder hegykc ,looking forward to your KA-50 guages. Mark

[scheffchen]

wow super nice.

definite buy for me when I return dcs flying!

[BlueIcaro]

Hi, one question, is know the power of each servo. I think a teensy can't move all 12 servos it's two much powers. I think the Servos, should be powered from a external power unit, USB can be a option, but only there is 500 mA.

For me, the best I put a external power for servos. Teensy powered from the usb.

 

/BlueIcaro

[Gadroc]

@BlueIcaro - That's what I was referring to with the 5V. A teensy or arduino will require a shield or other circuit board or some other wiring to supply power to the servos directly instead of through the arduino power regulator. Which is why I pointed out the Pololu. It's $30 to drive all twelve servos, where as the open cockpit is $30 for 6 servos. Once you add the power circuit board to deal with the arduino/teensy power distribution it's going to cost more than the pololu. If you build in bulk (at least 50 boards) you could build a custom ardunio board to match that cost albeit you'll have to solder.

 

@hegykc - Would you mind sharing your gear design? I'd like to try it out on my laser.

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

hegykc,

 

Your work looks very promising. I wonder, do you have a solution for gauges with two needles on one axis? Such as Engine RPM gauges on Russian airplanes.

[hegykc]

I'm no electrician but, I could just take the servos power wires, connect them in parallel to a 5V 6A power adapter? 1 servo is 5V and peaks at 500mA.

 

@Gadroc - I tried finding free quality templates for CAD gears but to no avail. Even standard solidworks gears do not fit nicely. These template programs are quite pricey, 1,200$. So I found a local company that cuts gears and can laser cut them for me, I just give them the ratio and number of teeth.

 

@Veljko . yes, I have designs for dual needles on one axis, and 3 needles on one axis, like the accelerometer. And much more, like the mechanical counter wheels on the altimeter, HSI an alike...

[danilop]

...

 

@Veljko . yes, I have designs for dual needles on one axis, and 3 needles on one axis, like the accelerometer. And much more, like the mechanical counter wheels on the altimeter, HSI an alike...

 

That's great news - market would be probably all yours for Russian gauges. :thumbup: With MiG21bis around the corner a lot of us would consider cockpit with mechanical gauges, if the price is reasonable.

 

Keep up the good work!

[agrasyuk]

..And much more, like the mechanical counter wheels on the altimeter...

doable but quite a few challenges interfacing mechanical wheels that i can think of. will be interesting to watch.

i'm planning to use seven segment digits for this on my fuel gauge.

[hegykc]

@danilop - yes, that's the main motivator behind doing Russian gauges, being there are no available ones out there. The price, in my mind, 50-60$ per gauge is acceptable, 30-40$ would be reasonable, and sub 30$ gauges are my goal, even less with DIY kits. It is within reach now.

 

Mig-21bis is the aircraft of my country's air force .I do believe there are still a couple left in flying condition after 2 collided and crashed last year (Yep, you can't touch us). So I'll definitely include gauges for it.

 

 

@agrasyuk - yes, many challenges. But being that I'm out of work, for at leas another 10 months, I have 24h a day to tackle them. Which is basically what I'm doing now :) I'm on this probably 16 hour a day on average, plus 1 or two times a week I'll go for 25-30 hours straight when I'm onto something and can't stop till I finish.

[metalnwood]

I bought this software some time ago, it works well and all gears produced on it are fine so far.

 

http://woodgears.ca/gear/index.html

 

Gadroc, if you give me the basics of what you need I can send you the dxf for it. You can download the free software, check it works and then send me the parameters?

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

@Veljko . yes, I have designs for dual needles on one axis, and 3 needles on one axis, like the accelerometer. And much more, like the mechanical counter wheels on the altimeter, HSI an alike...

WOW, almost too good to be true! :) I am eagerly waiting to see working models of those gauges.