# Sim Config

The **Sim Config** tab is where you tell DR Sim Manager what hardware makes up your motion rig. Each piece of hardware — a hexapod platform, a set of bass shakers, a wind simulator fan, a belt tensioner — is represented as a **Sim Component**. Sim Components define the physical geometry, degrees of freedom, and axis limits of your hardware so DRSM can translate telemetry data into the correct actuator commands.

## What Is a Sim Component?

A Sim Component is a self-contained description of one piece of motion hardware. It tells DRSM:

* **What axes it controls** — for example, a Linear Hexapod controls sway, surge, heave, pitch, roll, and yaw; a Quad Post controls heave, pitch, and roll; a Bass Shaker has no motion axes but generates audio haptic output.
* **Physical dimensions** — actuator lengths, pivot distances, travel distances. These let DRSM calculate how to move each actuator to achieve the desired platform position.
* **Travel limits** — maximum safe movement range for each axis, derived from the physical geometry of the hardware.

You can add **multiple Sim Components** to your rig. DRSM combines them so each component handles the axes it owns. This is how you build complex setups — for example, a hexapod for 6-DoF platform motion plus bass shakers for haptic feedback plus a wind simulator for speed-based fan control.

***

## Adding New Hardware

1. **Open the Add Hardware Dialog** — Click the **"+"** tab in the Sim Config window.
2. **Configure New Hardware** — In the dialog:
   * Enter a custom name (optional but recommended when running multiples of the same type).
   * Select the hardware type from the dropdown menu.
   * Click **Add** to complete the process.

> **Note**: The system prevents adding hardware that conflicts with existing axis configurations. For example, you cannot add two components that both claim the pitch axis — the second would be rejected. Non-conflicting components (like a hexapod and a bass shaker, or a hexapod and a belt tensioner) can coexist freely.

***

## Managing Sim Components

* **Tabs**: Each hardware component appears as a dedicated tab for easy access.
  * Close a tab by clicking the **"x"** button to remove that component from your configuration.
  * Settings persist until the tab is closed, allowing easy re-access without reconfiguration.
* **Automatic Saving**: Sim configuration is saved automatically whenever changes are made — no manual saving required.
* **Reordering**: Tabs appear in the order components were added.

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## Hardware Configuration Options

Each Sim Component has unique configuration options tailored to its capabilities. These may include:

* **Preset Configurations**: Quickly apply predefined settings for supported hardware (e.g., Departed Reality PS400/PS500/PS600 hexapod layouts, DOF Reality P6, single vs. dual belt tensioners).
* **Axis Limits & Travel Distances**: Customize movement boundaries per axis. These limits feed into the Travel Limits cue and the overallocation system.
* **Physical Dimensions**: Pivot distances, actuator lengths, cockpit dimensions — the measurements DRSM needs to accurately model your hardware.
* **Overallocation Factor**: A setting on actuator-based components that controls how aggressively DRSM uses the available travel when multiple axes move simultaneously. See [Overallocation Factor](/dr-sim-manager/general/sim-config/overallocation-factor.md).

***

## Using Presets

If your hardware component supports preset configurations:

1. **Select a Preset** — Choose from the dropdown menu. The interface will load all preset values (dimensions, actuator travel, axis limits) automatically.
2. **Switch to Custom Configuration** — Select **Custom** from the dropdown to enable manual editing of all parameters.

> **Tip**: Start with a preset if one matches your hardware, then switch to Custom only if you need to fine-tune specific dimensions.

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## Combining Multiple Components

Many rigs combine several types of hardware. DRSM handles this by letting you add one Sim Component per hardware device. Each component processes only the axes it owns — there is no interference between components.

### Common Multi-Component Setups

| Rig Type                    | Components to Add                                              | What Each Handles                                                                                                         |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Full-motion hexapod rig** | Linear Hexapod                                                 | Sway, surge, heave, pitch, roll, yaw                                                                                      |
| **Hexapod + haptics**       | Linear Hexapod + Bass Shaker                                   | Hexapod handles platform motion; bass shakers handle engine rumble, road texture, gear shifts, etc. via audio transducers |
| **Hexapod + wind**          | Linear Hexapod + Wind Simulator                                | Hexapod handles platform motion; wind fans scale with vehicle speed                                                       |
| **Hexapod + belt**          | Linear Hexapod + Belt Tensioner                                | Hexapod handles platform motion; belt tensioners simulate G-forces through harness tension                                |
| **Hexapod + traction loss** | Linear Hexapod + Traction Loss                                 | Hexapod handles 6-DoF; a separate traction loss actuator adds rear-end slide feel                                         |
| **Quad post + surge**       | Quad Post + Surge Layer                                        | Quad post handles heave, pitch, roll; surge layer adds forward/backward motion                                            |
| **Budget seat mover**       | Seat Mover (Linear or Rotating) + Belt Tensioner + Bass Shaker | 2-DoF pitch/roll with haptic feedback from belts and transducers                                                          |

You can mix and match freely — DRSM will reject combinations only when two components claim the same motion axis.

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## Supported Sim Components

DR Sim Manager supports the following hardware types:

### Motion Platforms

| Component                          | Degrees of Freedom | Axes                                 |
| ---------------------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| **Linear Hexapod**                 | 6 DoF              | Sway, Surge, Heave, Pitch, Roll, Yaw |
| **Rotary Hexapod**                 | 6 DoF              | Sway, Surge, Heave, Pitch, Roll, Yaw |
| **4-DoF, Linear Actuators**        | 4 DoF              | Heave, Pitch, Roll, Yaw              |
| **Quad Post**                      | 3 DoF              | Heave, Pitch, Roll                   |
| **3-DoF, Rotating Actuators**      | 3 DoF              | Heave, Pitch, Roll                   |
| **Double TL + Surge**              | 3 DoF              | Sway, Surge, Yaw                     |
| **YawVR**                          | 2–3 DoF            | Roll, Pitch, Yaw                     |
| **Seat Mover, Rotating Actuators** | 2 DoF              | Pitch, Roll                          |
| **Seat Mover, Linear Actuators**   | 2 DoF              | Pitch, Roll                          |
| **Double TL**                      | 2 DoF              | Sway, Yaw                            |
| **Surge Layer**                    | 1 DoF              | Surge                                |
| **Traction Loss**                  | 1 DoF              | Yaw                                  |

### Accessories

| Component          | Output Type         | Description                                                                     |
| ------------------ | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Belt Tensioner** | Single or Dual belt | Simulates G-forces through harness tension                                      |
| **Wind Simulator** | Single or Dual fan  | Speed-based fan output with optional yaw directional effect                     |
| **Bass Shaker**    | Audio transducers   | Generates low-frequency haptic effects (engine, road, impacts) via audio output |

***

## Verifying Your Setup

After configuring your Sim Components:

1. **Use Manual Control** — Select the "Manual Control" source and use the sliders to move each axis individually. Verify that your platform responds correctly to each axis command.
2. **Check axis directions** — Confirm that positive pitch tilts nose-up, positive roll tilts right, and positive sway moves right.
3. **Check travel limits** — Move each axis to its maximum range and verify the platform reaches the expected physical limits without binding or collision.
4. **Review the 3D Visualizer** — If available, the 3D dock shows a real-time model of your platform geometry. Compare it to your physical rig to verify dimensions are entered correctly.


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