Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

Support for Arduino in combination with Air Manager and Air Player

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jph
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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#11 Post by jph »

marcel_felde wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 10:52 am
Ralph wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 6:51 am If you used named hardware then Air Manager will ask you for the pins you need to connect. The motor pins depend on the board you're using.
Thanks Ralph! It is only about the coding. I know the pins documentation. ;)

As mentioned, I do not want to use the UI of Air Manager to assign the pins. I want to be able to plug the Arduino into a Raspberry Pi and upload the instrument and things work. As this solution may never be used by someone else (who has a PA-42 sim too with the same hardware instruments and steppers with needles with the same values? ;) ) it is not necessary to use the UI. It just make things more complicated for me. ;)
Perhaps look up the term 'mutually exclusive'
It is NOT plug an play. you have to assign a few pins, the rest of the work is done for you - BUT you still would then have to add the coding to make it work. Otherwise ???? not possible.
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

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jph
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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#12 Post by jph »

marcel_felde wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:03 am
jph wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 7:51 am Have fun. :)
Joe
Thank you so much, Joe!

In fact, I have those circuit boards, the chips and all electrical components here. But I am not very good at soldering and got those boards of Propwash in Las Vegas some years ago at the FS conference. In fact I am not able to use Simvim because there is only one UNO board there for the steppers and I need a lot more of them. There are about 50 steppers to drive... so I was stuck with Ardsim. And this does not operate well together with Air Manager on the same computer...
You are welcome Marcel.
The Arduino in use is not important providing enough pins are available (2 per stepper). The soldering is not really too difficult at all. to drive 50 steppers you would need 100 pins across a few arduino megas. also, if using the parts I listed ... you would only need around13 IC's. This could be built on a single piece of Veroboard.
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

marcel_felde
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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#13 Post by marcel_felde »

jph wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:05 am It is NOT plug an play. you have to assign a few pins, the rest of the work is done for you - BUT you still would then have to add the coding to make it work. Otherwise ???? not possible.
I think you misunderstood me. I prefer coding instead of assigning things via the Air Manager UI. I have already done both ways. But when the hardware connections are coded into the instrument, I can then just plug it into my development computer, the simulator computer or into a Raspberry Pi without assigning the Pins. Just adding the instrument to the panel and everything works. Pretty comfortable. :)
MF_2102202_0009.jpg
Everything you see in this cockpit - all switches, levers, clocks, pwm gauges and lights, are coded directly in Air Manager instruments. Also the PFDs, NDs and the MFD are done in AM. Only the steppers are driven with ArdsimX and the control surfaces are done with software from Brunner for Force Feedback.

marcel_felde
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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#14 Post by marcel_felde »

jph wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:09 am The Arduino in use is not important providing enough pins are available (2 per stepper). The soldering is not really too difficult at all. to drive 50 steppers you would need 100 pins across a few arduino megas. also, if using the parts I listed ... you would only need around13 IC's. This could be built on a single piece of Veroboard.
ArdsimX and Simvim use only one pin per stepper. The direction pin is common for all, so you only need one for all steppers together. The problem with Simvim is - you can only use one UNO board. With ArdsimX you can use several Arduino boards. For example I have one MEGA and one UNO. If you have about 11 pins usable on one UNO board, minus the direction pin, you have not more than 10 needles. This is even not enough for one engine gauges in the Cheyenne. ;)

Place is not a problem here. I prefere larger electronics for maintenance in fact. So with Simvim you can have the electronics for an airliner on a tiny space. But I prefer to use large boards and large contacts. In a cockpit that moves and has vibration, small cables are never a good option too. :)

In fact, soldering the chip onto the circuit board is the real challenge for me. ;)

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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#15 Post by jph »

marcel_felde wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:34 am
jph wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 11:05 am It is NOT plug an play. you have to assign a few pins, the rest of the work is done for you - BUT you still would then have to add the coding to make it work. Otherwise ???? not possible.
I think you misunderstood me. I prefer coding instead of assigning things via the Air Manager UI. I have already done both ways. But when the hardware connections are coded into the instrument, I can then just plug it into my development computer, the simulator computer or into a Raspberry Pi without assigning the Pins. Just adding the instrument to the panel and everything works. Pretty comfortable. :)

MF_2102202_0009.jpg

Everything you see in this cockpit - all switches, levers, clocks, pwm gauges and lights, are coded directly in Air Manager instruments. Also the PFDs, NDs and the MFD are done in AM. Only the steppers are driven with ArdsimX and the control surfaces are done with software from Brunner for Force Feedback.
No worries then, you just need to code the stepper and drivers in AM... as I said. - you CAN assign specific pins to the steppers etc - see -
Bottom of page -
http://siminnovations.com/wiki/index.ph ... d#VID66-06
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

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Re: Vid6606 Stepper Driver with Air Manager

#16 Post by jph »

@marcel_felde
Just a thought Marcel,
For 'soldering' of SOP / TSOP etc. it is actually rather easy to use a normal iron along with copper de-solder braid. The key is FLUX. You cant really use too much flux, and, you always need to use flux... ;)
You can 'tin' the pads by wiping them with the iron (with flux added first). Then add MORE FLUX and use the de-solder braid to remove the excess and clear the gaps between the pads (far far easier than it sounds.)
Then add flux to the pad area and place the IC on the pads in the correct position. Use a small screwdriver or similar to gently press the IC and hold it in position. Then add FLUX to the pins and tin the iron and dab and wipe along the pads / pins either side. Dont worry at all if you get solder bridges. Ensure that the position is maintained by the gentle press from the screwdriver or similar.
Then simply add MORE FLUX !!! - important !!!. (you see a pattern here haha :D ). Now add more flux and use the de-solder braid again to remove and pin bridges.
Then use isopropyl alcohol to remove the flux with a toothbrush with a gentle action and check with a multi-meter for any hidden bridges.
Tips, always use LEADED solder - never use 'lead free' . Get a reasonable quality flux. you can get it in syringes etc for pennies. -

I have up to date fluxes, but I also have a tin of plumbers rosin flux that is nearly as old as me ! - seriously , it from about 1965 (it was my Dad's!).... I still use it... but, don't use 'modern' plumbers flux as it contains acids... but that's an aside. :o 8-)

You can also use a similar process but with a hot air rework gun.
I cant find my model anymore as it is quite old, but there are similar ones about. You don't need to spend a lot of money at all on a decent temperature controlled gun. Mine was around 100 dollars, but, I found this one on AliX that looks like it would do the job nicely and is from the same manufacturer.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... hweb201603_

You can always play as the stuff is so cheap (chips / boards etc etc) It takes less time to do it than to explain it. The iron method can be just as good as the hot air rework method. I often just use the iron, flux and solder wick / braid.. If I happen to move the chip on the pads, I then use the rework gun to heat up and gently move the chip.
The chips can withstand an amazing amount of heat (for short periods !) and I haven't destroyed any chip (yet) from heat.
If removing a chip, the ALWAYS use hot air re-work gun - no matter what some dubious you tube sites say. You can get a heat resistant miniature sucker to hold the chip, then simply heat around the pins until the chip moves a little then lift off with the sucker. *the sucker / pickup is also pennies -
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... hweb201603_

A HUGE mistake that people make (don't ask me how I know :lol: ) is to use a very fine soldering bit for this kind of work. This is simply not needed and can be detrimental, a 'normal' standard bit as fine as you ARE going to bridge the pins with an iron, just dont worry as the de-solder wick / brain will sort it. A VERY fine tip is only great for working on a specific pin or tiny area - ie - to add a link wire etc, but not for this kind of use.

As an example, my main soldering station is an OKI MFR1100 (you probably dont want to know the price :o ) - I also have a LIDL cheap and nasty iron that was about 15 Euro.... I often use the LIDL iron more than the OKI unless I am doing board modification. Go figure.. :) . the LIDL does the SMD job superbly with it's standard bit(s) .. just add LOADS OF FLUX, and LEADED (tin/lead) solder. and solder wick / braid.... flux flux flux and solder wick... :lol: you will be fine. you can be a bit of an animal and then 99% of the time sort it out after it is attached with braid and flux.
I tend to use an illuminated fluorescent ring lamp lens unit - the ones with the adjustable arm - quite cheap and about 3 or 4 times magnification. 'Blue tack' is used quite often to stick the board to the bench haha. :) I find those 'helping hands' etc only of limited use.
Give it a go ! . you will be amazed at how easy it is.
Joe.
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

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