Published October 8, 2020 © CC BY-NC-SA

Throttle Quadrant and Trim Wheel

A modular 3D printed throttle quadrant and trim wheel for use with flight simulators.

BeginnerFull instructions provided20,715

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Leonardo

A Leonardo or Micro will be suitable for this project, up to 6 controls possible on each Arduino

Wire, Hook Up

3 wires per module

Rotary potentiometer 50k, details in story section

1 per module

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

3D Printer (generic)

Story

Introduction

Having recently upgraded my PC to enable it to run MS FS2020, I was inspired to improve the controls I was using. A keyboard does not really have the right feel for flying and I wanted to upgrade the experience to something better. I am not a full-time flight simmer and cannot afford the space or money to dedicate a lot to making a full cockpit or even a purchased set of controls.

Trim wheel, throttle and flaps modules

Design

I set about designing a set of controls in CAD that could be made with the tools I have and give a reasonable experience of what I imagine a real plane would feel like, I have never touched the controls on a plane so it is based on what I think they would be like.

I decided that the controls I would like are some single levers for throttle, flaps, landing gear and an elevator trim wheel. I mostly fly the small light single engine planes in the sim so that is what I was focusing on.

The trim wheel was the most challenging to design and it took several sketched ideas over many days to come up with a design that I thought would provide the look and feel that I wanted.

CAD view of the wheel assembly showing the neutral alignment position.

Drawing of the potentiometer used, bought off eBay so no manufacturers details are known

Potentiometer

Build

All the parts were 3D printed in ABS on my UP! printer, they were then painted and wired up to an Arduino, a Leonardo to start with then swapped over to a Micro. To end up with a plug and play unit which can be stored away easily when not in use.

Video of build and configuration

Parts

3D Printed Part List

Each lever module will require

1 x Body left

1 x Body right

1 x Lever with x detents, 5 variants available with 2-6 detents

1 x Lever end

1 x Knob, 6 variants available

1 x Friction plate, 3 variants available

1 x Potentiometer holder

Each wheel module will require

1 x Trim wheel body left

1 x Trim wheel body right

1 x Trim wheel gear

1 x Trim wheel hub

1 x Trim wheel wheel, if making the assembled wheel

8 x Trim wheel nodules, if making the assembled wheel

1 x Trim wheel single piece, if making the single piece wheel

1 x Trim wheel quadrant

1 x Trim wheel quadrant drive

1 x Potentiometer holder

Back box parts can be used to house the Arduino and wiring.

Conclusion

A very enjoyable build, very easy from a coding point ofview, the real challenge in this build was the design, especially the trim wheel and getting the feel right.

Custom parts and enclosures

Sketchfab still processing.

Schematics

Code

Quadrant.ino

#include <Joystick.h>

Joystick_ Joystick;

// put the max and min values from the analogRead in these arrays
// these are translated to a range of 0 - 1023
int axisLimits0[] = {686, 338};
int axisLimits1[] = {345, 695};
int axisLimits2[] = {327, 678};
int axisLimits3[] = {342, 692};
int axisLimits4[] = {0, 1023};
int axisLimits5[] = {0, 1023};

// turn axes on or off by setting these variables
bool a0Used = true;
bool a1Used = true;
bool a2Used = true;
bool a3Used = true;
bool a4Used = false;
bool a5Used = false;

// setting mode prints the pin value and translated value to the serial monitor
// int setting = -1; // no printing to the serial monitor
// int setting = 2; // values 0 - 5, print the pin values to the serial monitor
int setting = -1;

void setup() {
  if(a0Used) pinMode(A0, INPUT);
  if(a1Used) pinMode(A1, INPUT);
  if(a2Used) pinMode(A2, INPUT);
  if(a3Used) pinMode(A3, INPUT);
  if(a4Used) pinMode(A4, INPUT);
  if(a5Used) pinMode(A5, INPUT);
  Joystick.begin();
  if(setting >= 0) Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  int value = 0;
  int pos = 0;

  if(a0Used){
    value = analogRead(A0);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits0[0], axisLimits0[1]);
    Joystick.setThrottle(pos);
    if(setting == 0) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }
  
  if(a1Used){
    value = analogRead(A1);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits1[0], axisLimits1[1]);
    Joystick.setRxAxis(pos);
    if(setting == 1) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }
  
  if(a2Used){
    value = analogRead(A2);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits2[0], axisLimits2[1]);
    Joystick.setRyAxis(pos);
    if(setting == 2) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }
  
  if(a3Used){
    value = analogRead(A3);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits3[0], axisLimits3[1]);
    Joystick.setRzAxis(pos);
    if(setting == 3) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }
  
  if(a4Used){
    value = analogRead(A4);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits4[0], axisLimits4[1]);
    Joystick.setXAxis(pos);
    if(setting == 4) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }
  
  if(a5Used){
    value = analogRead(A5);
    pos = translateValue(value, axisLimits5[0], axisLimits5[1]);
    Joystick.setYAxis(pos);
    if(setting == 5) settingPrint(value, pos);
  }

  delay(5);
}

int translateValue(int v, int f1, int f2){
  // translates values to a 0 - 1023 range
  int result = 0;
  int start = 0;
  float range = 0;
  
  if(f1 < f2){
    start = f1;
    range = f2 - f1;
  }
  else{
    start = f2;
    range = f1 - f2;
  }
  
  result = (v - start) * (1023 / range);

  if(result < 0) result = 0;
  if(result > 1023) result = 1023;
  
  return result;
}

void settingPrint(int value, int pos){
  Serial.print(value); 
  Serial.print(" "); 
  Serial.println(pos);
}

Credits

markbennettuk

4 projects • 19 followers

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Throttle Quadrant and Trim Wheel

Throttle Quadrant and Trim Wheel

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Introduction

Design

Build

Parts

Conclusion

Custom parts and enclosures

Body left

Body Right

End Cap Left

End Cap Plain (Optional)

End Cap Right

Friction Plate Option 1 (Least friction)

Friction Plate Option 2 (Middle friction)

Friction Plate Option 3 (Most friction)

Knob for Flaps

Knob for Landing Gear

Knob for Fuel Mixture

Knob for Propeller Pitch

Knob for Throttle (Type 1)

Knob for Throttle (Type 2)

Lever with 0 Detents

Lever with 2 Detents

Lever with 3 Detents

Lever with 4 Detents

Lever with 5 Detents

Lever with 6 Detents

Lever End

Potentiometer Holder

Trim Wheel Body Left

Trim Wheel Body Right

Trim Wheel Gear

Trim Wheel Hub

Trim Wheel Nodule

Trim Wheel Quadrant Drive

Trim Wheel Quadrant

Trim Wheel Single Piece (Option)

Trim Wheel Wheel

Back Box Narrow Centre

Back Box Narrow End Right

Back Box Narrow End Left

Back Box Wide End Left

Back Box Wide Centre

Complete STEP File

Schematics

Single potentiometer diagram

Code

Quadrant.ino

Credits

markbennettuk

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