[WIP] DIY Rudder pedals - design input wanted

Autodesk inventor has a mode for linear cam design. However, me being a decidedly non engineer I wasn't really sure how to fine tune the output, and it also hust output a one sided cam. For the other side I took note of the rotation values of the main arm rotation as well as the cam follower arm rotation in five degree increments and just drew the profile accordingly.

For the pedal those are 8mm steel axles, I really doubt it will bend.

Just sent out my drawing to request a quote for cutting up the parts - let's see.

Attached a picture of the the pedals with both sides assembled. Not the most elegant nor compact design, but I think this ticks most boxes: cam centering, hydraulic damping, all axis of motion are supported by ball bearings, toe brakes.

Your pedals looks small to me or will you put your feet on floor?

These will essentially be toes on pedal and heels on the ground, but one could substitute the pedal unit for a foot on pedal variant.

I apologise if this question is based on ignorance, but I can't seem to find a provision for the senors to be mounted on.

What do you have in mind when it comes to the electronics side of this project?

I apologise if this question is based on ignorance, but I can't seem to find a provision for the senors to be mounted on.

What do you have in mind when it comes to the electronics side of this project?

For the main axis, I plan to have a nut with one or two neodymium magnets glued on (alternatively if the nut gives interference a piece of plywood with a hole in the middle) and the hall sensor in a shaft of sorts in the bottom of the wooden mounting plate. I might use a melexis 3d hall sensor instead of a regular A1302 sensor IF I can get it to work.

The picture shows the idea I guess. As for the braxe axis the middle space between the two bearing holders would be the ideal place to mount a hall sensor. I will have to experiment with the setup to see what works best. I am still missing some electronics components I have ordered.

Still haven't heard from the machining shop what the cutting of my parts would cost.

a steel nut is definitely going to interfere with your magnetic field lines, my idea around it is to use plastic in a similar manner to what you have in mind.

the magnet clip is mounted on the front pivot and rotates around the A1302

That's a very good solution - very easy to 3d print too. Too bad I dont have access to a 3d printer - but that can be fixed, of course.

I have it done like that (magnet glued to the nut) and I haven't noticed any issues. I didn't test it in any scientific way, but as far as I can tell it works linearly throughout whole movement.

IMO stand alone sensor mechanical with a leg would be better instead of gluing. I have done this and future disassembly will be hard in case of a new idea implementation. Some images of my implementation which is working very good. It is very easy to adjust the sensor range

Sorry for the blur images. As I took it at night.

In the last image you can see the magnet and sensor.

usually stainless steel is not very magnetic. So it is very unlikely that a nut will interfere with with anything. Baur pedals also has magnet set up like that

I didn't mean complete interference, sure the magnetic field will still be there, the magnetic field lines though will not be straight which is going to affect the linearity of the axis. given this might not be that bad I would still avoid it completely, as a personal preference.

IMO stand alone sensor mechanical with a leg would be better instead of gluing. I have done this and future disassembly will be hard in case of a new idea implementation. Some images of my implementation which is working very good. It is very easy to adjust the sensor range

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the blur images. As I took it at night.

That looks interesting, I need to build some toque pedals also.

Aand last picture before the weekend, the cam profile looks pretty nuts but it gives the same rotation value for the follower arm on both sides = equal spring force on both sides??

The "weight" of spring is slight more in the side of CAM arm near the pivot, this effect is noticeable in VKB T-Rudder - if you pay much attention. Seems inherent to the system. No big issue.

hall sensor instead of a regular A1302

A1324 bigger sensitivity (mVG) make more easy "tune" the magnet/sensor/angle placement.

But that assembly in PCB Melexis MLX90333 (eBay) can be used with serial or analog interface in Arduino+MMjoy2.

a steel nut is definitely going to interfere with your magnetic field lines, my idea around it is to use plastic in a similar manner to what you have in mind.

 

the magnet clip is mounted on the front pivot and rotates around the A1302

 

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Yes, but Baur, Slaw, VKB, VirPil place the magnet over the pivot bolt and no issues.

Or, instead add complication with plastic parts, get a non magnetic bolt. ;)

https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/non--magnetic-bolts.html

Hey guys!

Finally got all the parts and have assembled, I am still essentially prototyping the best setup of sensors and pedals. Mechanically they work good but I still need to tweak the cam profile. Of course I have discovered some issues too, and I had to rethink the pedal setup. Also, the machine shop only gave me two bearing holders for the pedals instead of the four on the drawing, don't know what's up with that. So temporarily I had to make some wooden ones.

Here is a imgur gallery that I will be updating

https://imgur.com/a/HZ2jx

Hey guys!

 

Finally got all the parts and have assembled, I am still essentially prototyping the best setup of sensors and pedals. Mechanically they work good but I still need to tweak the cam profile. Of course I have discovered some issues too, and I had to rethink the pedal setup. Also, the machine shop only gave me two bearing holders for the pedals instead of the four on the drawing, don't know what's up with that. So temporarily I had to make some wooden ones.

 

Here is a imgur gallery that I will be updating

 

https://imgur.com/a/HZ2jx

Nice design! Did you ask the machine shop to press fit the bearings in for you? How did you install them? Any updates on your project so far? Also, do you separate your aluminum parts with washers?