737 Throttle Conversion OC + ProSim

[sobsidian]

[UPDATE 7/22/2014 -- Added SIOC Script]

Hey Everyone,

I have converted a real 737 TQ and motorized it along with interfacing it for OpenCockpits DC Motor Plus card, and ProSim. I can attach the SIOC script later once I remember to grab it next time on the sim.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with some videos and more or less a bill of materials on what I used to convert it. I'll also be creating a detailed blog post about some of the thought process and "brick walls' along the way.

I'll be getting a bunch of photos in the coming weeks also once I finalize everything as to provide some references for anyone else going down this road.

Lastly...huge Thanks to FredK! I stole most of his ideas and saved me a lot of time.

Bill Of Materials:
Various:
1 - Opencockpits DC Motor Plus Card
2 - String Pots (PA-LX-10)  You'll need to call Unimeasure directly to place the order
2 Slip clutches (S98CA6MMOC320838 from SDP-SI.com) A7Z32MPB008MP 8mm Bore, Pillow-Mounted with PTFE
2 6mm to 8mm Couplers (connects the motors to the slip clutch) DumpsterCNC.com  // Coupler Size "A" // SAC1: Side 1: 6mm bore, Side 2: 8mm bore
2 Pillow Blocks (connects free end of slip clutch to base)
1 Car door actuator for parking brake & probably a switch (this may work for someone, but I was not happy with this approach, in the process of changing it using magnetic latches...check back for updates)
1- Steel cable for pulleys - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YDLX3I/ref=oh_details_o09_s03_i09?ie=UTF8&psc=1
1 - Steel cable cramps - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038YY25Y/ref=oh_details_o09_s03_i04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
1 Servo for Speed Brake, Hitec HS-815BB (could not use DC motor card with this, had to use standalone Opencockpit servo card)
1- HS-322HD Servo for trim guage
1 - GHM-12 Gear Head Motor 12VDC 30:1 253rpm -- Lynxmotion.com
2 - Alps RSAON1119A02 10K ohm thin B taper (linear) (for Flaps and Spoiler position)
1 - Sprocket for trim motor. Martin Roller Chain Sprocket, Bored-to-Size, Type B Hub, Single Strand, 35 Chain Size, 0.375" Pitch, 11 Teeth, 0.5" Bore Dia., 1.502" OD, 1.0625" Hub Dia., 0.168" Width -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045JJVRU/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

From Grainger online:
1 - Item no: 2W092 #35 chain roller (from trim wheels)
1 - Item no: 2W092 #35 master chain link

Hardware Store:
Stainless Steel plates from local hardware store to build brackets and braces
various nuts, bolts, metal and wood screws

ServoCity List:
2 -  634184 8mm shafts for sprocket & clutch mount (connected from 6 to 8mm coupler to clutch. 3 inch is too big, buy a few 1-2 inch versions)
3 -  MM-250 precision motor mounts (2  for throttle, 1 for trim wheel)
2 - (634182) (17.04.03) 5/16 inch x2 inch Precision Shaft (this shaft connects the sprocket/clutch portion to the pillow block)
2 - 98847A005 4-40x12 inch Stainless Steel Threaded Rod (may want 2 additional incase you cut one inncorrectly)
10 -  (10756) (09.04.02) 4-40 Linkage
6 - (C250) .250 inch  Metal Chain (12 inch) and 1 connecting link (to link attach throttle cable to sprockets)
1 - (CHB475) .250 inch Chain Breaker to get chain length precise
1 - (545576) (06.12.03) 6mm Bore Set Screw Hub (0.770 inch) (attached to trim wheel motor, and then attached to hub sprocket below)
2 - PG12-200P 15rpm precision gear motor
2 - RHS-250-24 24 teeth #25 plastic sprocket gear (had to drill holes in them to attach to the clutch plate)

sourcingmap.com: (for parking brake magetic catch. Have not figured out which one to use yet, but ordered all 3)
a14010700ux0238         DC 12V 5mm 560g 1.2lb Push Pull Intermittent Electromagnet Solenoid      1
a13122300ux0016         DC12V 0.2A 2.4W Open Frame Push Pull Solenoid Electromagnet 0mm 500g 6mm 30g      1
a13121700ux0045         12V 7.5W Pull Type Open Frame Holding Force Solenoid Electromagnet


Lastly, here are the videos

This first video is pre-fab and walks through the basics of how the throttle operates.
http://youtu.be/a5m1Nvz_pMQ

This video is after I've gotten about 90% of the conversion done.
http://youtu.be/fcwC_Qei7rs

Cheers!
- Shawn

[Aerosim Solutions]

Nice work, thanks for sharing! Gwyn

[quid246]

Nice work!

[Karl737]

Great work!

[FredK]

Great documentary!

[Sam Franklin]

Amazing! I'm very jealous...

[kattz]

I apologize for making this into a zombie thread. (rising from the grave)  I used to drool over these posts and pics before starting my own sim.

Kudos to Fred and Shawn for their pioneering work on this process.

Tech has changed somewhat, and I'm considering this project using stepper motors for both the throttle and trim wheel.

Call me crazy or stupid, but I want the sim to be fully functional, which means to be able to hand-trim the stab by cranking the wheel, or running it off of the trim output from Pro-Sim.

Ian at BFF Simulations is producing a STPDRV-2 card that can run the trim wheels, provide servo output to drive the indicator servo, etc. from one card.

The card uses a 10-turn pot for position feedback. 

The stab trim requires 250 turns of the wheel full nose-down to full nose-up trim. 

Using an ovoid gearbox (McLennan or similar), I can directly drive the 25:1 gearbox from the stab wheel driveshaft and 10 turns gives me full travel.  I would use a timing belt for this.

The stepper motor would use a 320:1 gearbox to drive the stab driveshaft, and again I would use timing pulleys to quiet the #&^$ system down.

The stepper is driven from the yoke switches or from the Pro-Sim ref tag.  Card does it automatically.  But I can't do the four speeds for the wheel.

Thoughts?  You can see the card in question at BFF Simulations.com  Input welcome.

[mickc]

Are you using a real TQ? That's a pretty overcomplicated way to do it if you do have one.

Might be a different story if you are building a TQ from scratch, but with modern DC gear motors that have internal encoders, you can do it all with one motor and and Arduino & Shield. (including manual trim wheel operation and the 4 different trim wheel speeds)

[kattz]

Hi, Mick,

I have a real TQ.  And am open to all suggestions.

One person I spoke to recently is planning on using ARINC data to run his next throttle conversion.

[mickc]

I replied to your PM.
Also Arinc data is only a possibility with an NG TQ, earlier classic ones are completely analog.

[kurt-olsson]

I would really gladly take a link for a dC motor with internal read position

[kattz]

DC stepper with incremental or absolute encoder will do this perfectly.