Barrel Stabilization

[Robert Reid]

Just wondering how this is going? Because these beer mugs need a home

I have faith in you guys!

RPR

[Robert Reid]

So did you guys ever solve this?

Because I still have the mugs here waiting!

One of the greatest projects ever... hope it didn't stall!

Cheers,

RPR

[Youngjae Bae]

viewtopic.php?t=9592

I would like to continue the topic here because I think it would be better to share information about the process of completing the stabilization of the main gun, which I delayed 4 years ago, rather than the above topic.

SGS Electronics advised me to put a power compensation unit (UBEC) on the GSU output for big scale (1/4~1/6) tanks using inspirational photos, instruction manuals and additionally high capacity servo motors.

I ordered the necessary parts through AliExpress.
In addition, I purchased TVC-GSU12 from SGS Electronics and am currently waiting for the parts to arrive.
I have confirmed that I can control the main gun by applying a strong servo to 1/5 SCALE K2, so I will keep the news as I apply it to my Black Panther tank.

Youngjae

[Jerry Carducci]

I've often thought about main gun stabilization in a model tank. Have never done anything about it but I have to say the variables
and complexity I've read about via this thread are rather eye-opening. I quickly lost the old perception that all that was required was to
attach a gyro somewhere and allow that to control the elevation mechanism...

I began smiling when I read there's code involved, wasn't sure of the languages involved. For a time just before and just after I retired
I began 'fiddling' with Raspberry Pi processors and 'mini' Arduinos. For the Arduinos I even loaded a tailored verion of eclipse that supported relevant plugins... however after staying up too many nights compiling code and testing strange little projects I began to feel it was too close to work to be fun and stopped it; after all how many mini video displays, mini games and other odd little apps can one use?? Most all of the code work I did is archived somewhere on my NAS units and the hardware somewhere in a box..

It seems Vince and Youngjae made the most promising inroads on this project and after everything I remain interested. I am curious however, besides modern post WWII tanks in which other tanks would gun stabilization be a 'scale' feature?? Or is this simple a performance- appearance enhancing item? Also as part of the system development was there a built -in facility to switch off stabilization when it was desired while the model was in operation??

I'd love to give this a go myself...sometime.

Jerry

[Mark Heaps]

The first tank to have stabilisation that I am aware of were the British M3 Grants in the second world war but I believe it was only in elevation.
STAB (elevation channel only ) could on Chieftain and Challenger 1 be selected by flicking a switch, kept the sight picture for the gunner relatively stable no matter how the tank was moving cross-country. STAB (Traverse ) was then enabled if selected when a gripswitch was actuated by the commander or gunner, so for Chieftain stabalised in elevation but not traverse, quite realistic until normally gunner started engaging a target. Stabalised traverse but not in elevation, fault on tank,or very bad drills by gunner.

[Youngjae Bae]

In the aftermath of the Russian war, the TVC-GSU12 that I bought in Germany last week did not arrive, so I am learning how to install and set it up in advance.
The setting is divided into the calibration that must be done all the time, and the parameter 1 process to remember the location of the main gun and the recoil when it is first installed, and the parameter 2 that selects a double function that includes a trigger function on a stick that moves the location or direction of the GSU or fires the main gun, and each process can be skipped if unnecessary.
The picture is a flow chart of the settings.
The process seems complicated in the picture, but surprisingly simple.

Youngjae

[David Merritt]

Hi there,
Unfortunately I am not into electronics and by now am far to old to start learning how to design and work them, so I have to resort to what I know about and using commercially available equipment.
I have built servo operated microswitch unit that when connected to an aircraft gyro unit will currently operate the switches within apparantly 3 degrees of movement of the aircraft gyro unit. With a little more adjustment to the position of the microswitches I should be able to fine tune the movement required by the gyro to operate these switches. A second option to improve the sensitivity would be to move from 180deg servos to 270 deg servos, which would provide 33% more angular movement for a given signal thereby operating the switches sooner.
The operation of the gyro can be turned on and off via the transmitter and the operation of the gyro can be selected to provide stabilisation at the position it is when it is switched on.
This should give a reasonable representation of gun stabilisation.
I have built the relay system that will take the signal from the microswitches and provide directional switching of the relevant drive motors.
I have the design for a microswitch operated system that will automatically lift the gun barrel as the turret rotates to prevent it from hitting the rear deck which will have to be adapted to fit the internals of the turret and gun elevation system when known.
The next problem to overcome is the rate of movement of the gun elevation, this will have to take less than 1 second for full elevation of the gun from -5 to +20 degrees to enable the stabilisation to operate successfully and keep up with the posible rate of change in attitude of the tank.

Problems, problems, but none that can't be overcome.

I am certain that the electronic gun stabilisation system being worked on will be better that my system but you have to work with the knowledge that you have to devise the best solution that you can with the equipment you understand.

Best wishes to you all this Christmas and New Year.
David.

[Richard Goodwin]

Gents,

Have I missed something? Whatever happened to the BN0055? Was it found to be unsuitable?

[Youngjae Bae]

Gents,

Have I missed something? Whatever happened to the BN0055? Was it found to be unsuitable?

BNO055 is a very good sensor.
There is no problem at all.
However, various problems occurred in the process of writing the logic of the signal received from the sensor with PID control, and I am not passionate enough to enjoy my hobby while solving it.
So this time, I am just going to replace the vertical actuator with servo and apply the control module with SGS Electronics' TVC-GSU-12.
It is a module with a built-in MEMS sensor.
I'm sure BNO055 is the best MENS sensor.

[Richard Goodwin]

Hi Youngjae,

Many thanks for the update.

Are you saying you had software issues implementing the PID values or driving the motors perhaps? Any info you could give may help someone else to solve the problems you found.

Regards
Richard

[Robert Reid]

The Beer Mugs await and this is still one of the best threads on the entire Internet.

The things you guys are doing with electronics amazes me! I do analog machining (twisting two knobs at the same time is the closest I'll ever get to CNC.)

In awe of your knowledge and capability!

The beer mugs remain in safekeeping and whoever earns them will have accomplished something grand!!!

Cheers,

RPR

[Youngjae Bae]

Finally, the GSU (TVC-GSU12) that I ordered from Germany came out today.
More importantly, the work that connected servo to self-made Arduino substrate and BNO055 is also working well. This time, I will apply both and release it.

Regards,
Youngjae

[Youngjae Bae]

I would like to share some facts that I found out while testing the GSU of SGS Electronics.

1. GSU output side (servo port for main gun, X20) must be installed with proper capacity BEC. Without the help of BEC, no matter how small capacity the servo motor will operate. When you buy a product, UBEC for 5V and 3A branch from the main power source and provide it in the form of applying power to X17. If necessary, I remove this BEC and install UBEC for 8.4V and 3A here, and Y branch to two large servos for the main gun, and install a reverse switch on one side and supply it at the same time. To practice GSU setting, I brought this part home separately to remove the BEC and try to operate the servo for the main gun, so I thought the board was broken, so I finally found out that the BEC was absolutely necessary when I made a bypass on the receiver side and tested it.

2. Only X17 can be applied to the power controlled by the BEC, and it is recommended to bypass the large servo high voltage (e.g., 8.4V, 5A) to the saboteur line for protection of the board.

Although there is a slight difference I will soon be able to show you a large tank with GSU running.
Youngjae

[Youngjae Bae]

I constantly practiced how to set up the GSU written in German by translating it into Korean for a few days and finally confirmed today that all the actions of the GSU operate perfectly and accurately in manual and automatic mode.
Sooner or later, I will test it by installing it in my K2 Black Panther tank.
I hope it works well against the noise that may occur in my engine tank.

Youngjae

[Youngjae Bae]

I'll tell you the interim results.
GSU's behavior is very perfect.
I'll replace the result video with the new servo I ordered and take it and share it with you.

Youngjae