Sim racing piqued my interest in 2019. My very first setup was a wheel mounted to a desk and a pedal set. This was a huge upgrade from a controller, but it left me wanting more. While I initially considered static rigs, a full-package rig was really the goal. Thus began the search for motion simulators. I quickly found that the few 6DOF options that were available, were equivalent to a down payment on a house. Unfortunately, the options within my budget only offered 2-3DOF. A compromise in motion simulation wasn’t an option, as a driver needs to feel pitch, roll, heave, sway, surge, and yaw—, throughout every lap. All of these sensations are vital for an immersive experience. So, without any options just shy of the cost of a new truck, I decided to utilize my engineering skills to build my own 6DOF motion simulator.
Initial Design Challenges
There is no simple way to design and build a motion simulator. To transform a static rig to a motion simulator, it takes some form of fabrication or fabricated parts. I discovered that off-the-shelf linear actuators that are available to purchase, don’t have the correct combination of power and actuation distance, on top of being much too expensive. All of this takes time to not only design the necessary parts, but also source and procure the parts. Fortunately, I had those skills at my disposal thanks to my career as an Engineer. I immediately began designing and started to solidifying the concept in CAD.
Understanding motion dynamics was another bite to digest. Through my work as a Suspension Design Engineer, and studying several research papers, I was able to apply new methods and ideas to initial chassis design.
At the time building the first concept was a learning process and shed light on my fabrication skills (or lack thereof). With limited access to tools, welding aluminum became a hurdle. My Co-Founder Anthony can attest to that Let’s just say, with my skills, the initial joints did not inspire a lot of confidence.
Needed for improvement
As we’ve continued to develop and modify, the modularity of our simulator started to become more important. With the old design, any future updates or additions to the chassis would require fabrication and welding of parts—. Something that I wasn’t looking forward to whenever I upgraded wheels, pedals, shifters, or handbrakes. Thinking back to the initial motion tests, actuator and chassis interference was observed. We found that this limited motion translation, falling far below the intended performance. The actuator design was structurally sound, but we needed to reduce run noise as well as unavoidable friction contacts. Unfortunately, these are all qualities that can not be revealed without a physical machine.
The pedal assembly was found to be a weak point in the chassis. Load cell pedals simulate brake feel and pedal pressure of a real car. Thus, they require a significant amount of force to be applied. We first learned this in real time when Anthony was trying the rig out for the first time. As he was approaching turn one at Zandvoort, a few of those beautiful welds popped and the pedal assembly was yeeted to the floor.
It turned out that the chassis had too much flex, and the structure was not stiff enough. Subsequently, additional aluminum tubes were attached at critical points. The structure was finally reinforced, but the fix was not aesthetically pleasing. This provided great food for thought in our development process.
Ultimately, even with some of the shortcomings of the initial design, it provided me with a clearer picture of what the ultimate sim should be. Don’t get me wrong—overall, I was pleased with the initial chassis. It functioned exactly as intended, and was a hit with all the friends!. It felt good to see that they were left speechless from the immersiveness of the motion simulator. We’re excited to share more of our development process, and we’re sure that you will be, too. If you haven’t already, sign up for email alerts so you guarantee to get behind-the-scenes action and news before the rest of the public.
