Bellows Protects Simulator Components
A ballistic nylon bellows with internal wires protects the electronic and mechanical components in the base of a full motion simulator as it moves through a complex range of motions.BlueTiger, LLC, manufactures the sophisticated full-motion BlueTiger simulator, which gives riders a realistic experience by precisely duplicating the same sensations they would feel if they were in a race car or airplane. Racers feel the dynamic forces of acceleration, braking, and centrifugal force, and the physical sensation of driving up and down a hill. Pilots experience pitch and roll forces and other conditions of flying, including weather and rough air. The simulator also provides a variety of other special effects, including engine vibrations, road surface texture, and bumping.
The BlueTiger simulator’s base houses the power supply, control electronics, and motors that create these motions. To protect these components from dust and debris, BlueTiger uses a Gorframe bellows designed and manufactured by A & A Manufacturing (New Berlin, WI), a specialist in the design and manufacture of protective covers for a wide range of applications throughout industry. The bellows is made of a ballistic nylon material that meets regulatory approvals and accommodates an extreme range of complex motions that includes 40 degrees of pitch and roll with associated 20 inches of heave, 16 inches of surge and 16 inches of sway.
In use, the bellows protects the components against damage and harsh conditions they may encounter in arcades and other public access environments. Most bellows designs could not accommodate the complex combination of motions without distorting or incurring damage. The Gorframe bellows is constructed of materials that can handle the range of motion, and it incorporates internal wires that maintain the necessary shape of the bellows. Gorframe bellows work well in applications that require non-linear motion. In addition to flight simulators, these include air ducts for heavy-duty applications, medical lift tables, and amusement rides.
BlueTiger motion simulators incorporate patent-pending geometry and proprietary electronics that lets users feel dynamic forces like centrifugal force, physical position like tip on a high-banked oval, and details that include the texture of the road. They provide the strongest motion and visual cues because the seat, controls, and monitors all move with the user to create the perception of being in a moving vehicle. BlueTiger uses a combination of fast and slow frequency movements proportional to the action on the screen to allow the rider to perceive pitch and roll movement and position as acceleration, braking, and centrifugal force. Because they precisely match the motion of the simulator to the vehicle action on the screen, BlueTiger motion simulators are a technically correct trainer for pilots or racers. Yet their low-cost, high-performance design is also well-suited to applications from arcades to home theaters or game rooms.
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Posted by Bruce at 21 Sep 2011 
Categories: Entertainment Engineering
Tags: nylon bellows bellows full motion simulators BlueTiger Simulation race simulator Gorframe A and A Manufacturing
Categories: Entertainment Engineering
Tags: nylon bellows bellows full motion simulators BlueTiger Simulation race simulator Gorframe A and A Manufacturing
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