Magracing under new management

Here we post news from MAGracing.
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HeliumFrog
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by HeliumFrog »

Here is the gap lane change. The diagram below shows a 50mm gap, which also works as well as the new cars track very straight (and can be adjusted). The car drives from the top right and over the gap. With no steering input the car follows the top route and exits top left. Steer downwards (left) and the car picks up the alternate route wire 12mm away and exits on the white wire. We are finding 12mm is about right. Any closer and the car sometimes is drawn to the alternate route when crossing the gap. You can go wider, but then the cars can exit between the wires on the left side oof the image. The parallel section just after the lane change of about 50mm does work well to prevent this.

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Ned
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Ned »

Thanks for the diagram. Apparently you have eliminated frontend shimmy. If not, I don't see how this design would work. With the front wheels dancing left and right while crossing the 50mm gap, sometimes the car would change lanes with no steering input from the driver. In the past, virtually every stock magracer exhibited frontend shimmy at high speeds, especially if the track were just a little rough or bumpy at seams near the lane change.

Have you given any consideration to designing a lane change which would work for cars going in either direction, clockwise or counter-clockwise?
goatdope
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by goatdope »

Hello Helium Frog, Been very busy this summer, Sorry for not keeping abreast of the new developments. Yes ,I believe detailed body shells are more attractive to potential customers. Many have not the time nor the skill to finish their bodies. However, unfinished shells should still be offered, at a reduced price. Maybe increase the variety. The plastic wheels are just right. you can doctor the track surface to increase grip when it gets too slick. (A good cleaning works wonders.) A few passes with some automotive spray flat grey primer puts some bite on the racing line for awhile. Too much speed lessens the realism. The track itself is the biggest hurdle. There isn't much realism in a 4 X 8 road racing course but they could be easily built and handled. A handful of courses could be offered and they could be expanded if desired. On the other hand, a scale 1/4 mile 5deg. banked oval is very realistic. It's made with 4 modules and sets up in 90 minutes. since the cantilevered construction is very rigid, it can be set up on saw horses, tables, the floor, anywhere. The 16 X 8 size will fit nicely in a basic 2 car garage with plenty of room for drivers. When this catches on, look out ! I hope I live long enough to see it happen. Ken
kiklo
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by kiklo »

Ned wrote:Keld, I like your idea of 2 buttons instead of a steering wheel. Buttons may be more durable. I twisted a steering wheel off a controller one time in the heat of a race.! :hmm
Hi.

As for 2 buttons controllers for steering I'd say no.

No doubt is less expensive to produce - I think that is less important.

But 2 button is less intuitive, that very important if you want new drivers to enjoy.

-

If found an interesting feature with my steering wheel fix. It slips if you use to much force, saving the mechanism.
See Pic.
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Kim K.
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HeliumFrog
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by HeliumFrog »

I have tired a hand controller with two small push to make switches and I think its much better than a steering wheel for non proportional steering. The only thing you have to watch out for is operating both at the same time. I'm not sure how the magracing electronics would react. My guess would be there would be no damage (as its microcontroller based). Just one would take priority.

Incidentally here at Magracing HQ we are making progress on the new electronics. We have had an awful time in the past few months with customs and couriers losing parcels and delaying shipment. However last week we made significant progress. The system is now completely designed and we are getting our first boards built up. Hopefully we should receive something early in the New Year which I will be happy to show you.

We are still not sure if it will be viable to produce complete cars at a reasonable price. I think Wes was actually selling them at near cost or at a loss. When we get the prices together a decision will have to be made if we can sell this stuff in complete form, kit build or just individual components. In any case I certainly will be making complete cars for myself, so will be able to produce some for others to buy.
steellynx
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by steellynx »

kiklo wrote:Timing system is crucial for me - good racing is hard without.
Make sure you have a strategy at place at once. Go with an existing one or easy adapted.
We got it quite nicely with Race Coordinator as it has an open interface.
(Sorry for the late post, I just haven't looked at this forum in ages)

Yes, kiklo has put in a lot of hard work making it possible to use Race Coordinator to work with magracing. I think this might be a good way to go as RC is free software and the components needed to build sensors are really cheap so it should be possible to put together small DIY kits or maybe even build one into a pre-made track if that will be made.
The downside to RC is that it's not as big as some of the commercial solutions but for me, personally, I like the hobbyist/modeling aspect of magracing and think free software and affordable lap sensors make sense.

Just my €0.02 :)
Ned
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Ned »

HeliumFrog wrote:@vmibert
Yes the cars will run on the old track. My test track has lane changes with plates, without plates and and some with gaps. It works on all of them, however we are finding that with the slightly stronger magnets the lane change plates can drag the wire follower down to the track as there is much more force. This means that you have to set up the magnet a little higher on the car and then this gives you slightly less adhesion elsewhere.
Martin,
Apparently you are planning to use stronger magnets in the guide arm. Are they still 4mm diameter x 3mm thick? If not, what size do you plan to use?
Ned
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HeliumFrog
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by HeliumFrog »

I just thought I would update everyone on the status of Magracing.
As you probably know the buildings we make are for sale and selling well.

We have also had some good news on the cars. I have been informed that the first sample of the electronic boards are complete and we should recieve them soon.
This is the last major part of the puzzle so we should be able to make more rapid progress on the design when these arrive. These boards are also suitable for small radio control cars and boats, so we may opt to sell these to the radio control community. This way we can get the sale volume higher which enables them to be cheaper for Magracers.

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Jeee
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Jeee »

Looking at your previous projects I have hopes that you will create a more flexible system.

Maybe one where the wire is followed by calculation in the car and steering is done in a relative way to the wire.

I like the central box idea,I remember you describing it in one of your post as well since it gives tons of options. You can detect false starts, limit driver speeds etc.

I think 2 things are needed:
1) a flexible chassis that everyone can adapt to fit an existing body on it
2) ready to run cars with detail (and a ready to run track as well)

Also agree that using standard 1/32 parts is helpful.

Consider a crowd funding campaign.....
Jeee
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Jeee »

some more ideas

Control
You can also have a base station that transmits to all the cars as well. Then you can connect wired controllers to that or do it wireless directly (with a software option that overrides the wireless controller so you can limit speed etc). It makes it possible to monitor everything that is done. I suggest changing to a raspberry pi and writing some very basic open race management system for it. That way you have your base station and RMS in one for a price everybody can affort and you only need to hook up an (existing) tv or monitor.

Track
Not sure if it interferes but you could use magnets to hold track parts together.

Guiding
If not switching to some calculation in the car why not try to swap the magnet for a coil system. That way you can change lanes everywhere on the track.

Power
Not sure if it is technically possible but it is; have a super capacitor as the main power supply (maybe alongside a small battery) and then have a wireless charge station in the pit to have frequent real fuelling pit stops.
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