eCCPM setup guide, 14MZ

[Jerry]

Will and I talked about this at Birmingham. Hopefully someone can make this into a sticky for all to reference. The 14MZ's ccpm software is really capable of making your CCPM heli perfect. Some folks are still programming the 14MZ's ccpm corrections as if it were a 9Z or 9C.

Ben Minor wrote this document to effectively walk everyone through proper 14MZ eCCPM setup.

Hope everyone finds it useful. It is also posted on Futaba's website, under the 14MZ FAQ. On the site there is a minor typo, which can lead to confusion, but it is corrected here. So keep that in mind when referring to the site. An ELE to PIT was mistakenly described as PIT to ELE.

eCCPM/Swash Detail Set Up with the 14 MZ - Step by step guide
Courtesy of Ben Minor

Preface: Before any of the advantages that the 14MZ radio affords the modeler with an eCCPM model can be realized, a sound mechanical set up must first be obtained. The radii of all servo wheels must be identical. All servos driving the swashplate must be of the same type. It is preferable to start with either new servos or at least a set with relatively low and equal time on them. This practice ensures a reasonable degree of matching between each of the servos driving the swashplate and thus helps to minimize control interactions.

Set Up Steps:

1. Enter the SERVO MONITOR menu under LINKAGE. Select NEUTRAL TEST and turn it on. This locks the model's servo in exact neutral, which is vital to eCCPM set up. Under the ATV and Subtrim menus, all values for the servos/channels driving the swashplate should be set to 100% (ATV), 155% (LIMIT for ATV), and ZERO for Subtrim.

2. Locate the mounting point for each ball link on the servo driving the swashplate at EXACTLY ninety degrees relatively to horizontal. Theoretically, this should be ninety degrees to the long axis of the servo's case. In achieving this geometry, the use of subtrim should be avoided if at all possible.
3. Adjust the pushrods going from the swashplate control servos to the bellcranks (if present on the model) so that the bellcranks are exactly square and perpendicular.

4. Adjust the pushrods going from the bellcranks to the swashplate so the swashplate is EXACTLY level and square to the models mainshaft from all orientations. At this point, set the desired half stick collective pitch in the rotor blades. For a 3D model, this will be ZERO degrees. For a contest model, the center stick position may be plus a few degrees depending on pilot preference.

5. Going back to the SERVO MONITOR menu, turn off the NEUTRAL test function. Within LINKAGE screen, enter the SWASH menu. There you will see NEUTRAL POINT and SWASH AFR.

Under usual circumstances, the NEUTRAL POINT menu will not need to be manipulated. Per your model manufacturer's recommendations or your own preferences, set the AILERON SWASH AFR for the MAXIMUM desired amount of aileron cyclic (roll) pitch. 6-7 degrees is a good starting point. Repeat this for the ELEVATOR SWASH AFR. 6-7 degrees is a good starting point here as well. The PITCH AFR sets the TOTAL number of degrees of collective pitch range that the model has. For most models, the total range should be between 20-22 degrees of total pitch.

6. Touch the SWASH DETAIL button in the top right hand corner of the screen. Move the collective stick up and down and note how the boxes on the various mixing function alternately become highlighted. When a box goes white, it is open for adjustment.

7. Place the collective stick at maximum pitch. Adjust the highlighted box under PIT to AIL until the swash sits level WHEN VIEWED FROM THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE MODEL. Lower the collective stick fully. Using the now highlighted box next to the one that you just adjusted, repeat the procedure once again viewing the model from either the front or rear.

8. Return the collective stick to maximum. Adjust the highlighted PIT to ELE box until the swash sits perfectly level WHEN VIEWED FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE MODEL. Lower the collective stick fully as before and repeat this procedure for the now highlighted box, once again adjusting for a level swash when viewed from the side of the model.

9. Position the collective stick to half. Move the elevator back and forth and watch as the ELE to PIT adjustment boxes in the MIXING RATE area flash back and forth. Also note the center pivot ball of the swashplate is likely moving up and down a bit as you apply the fore and aft elevator command. Adjust the highlighted box in the ELE to PIT menu so the fore and aft elevator commands do NOT cause the swashplate's center pivot ball to move up and down.

The AIL to PIT adjustments can be found to flash back and forth as left or right aileron commands are input. The collective stick should still be at half. Similar to the way the swashplate's center pivot ball moved up and down with elevator commands, left and right aileron commands may cause the same movement. After determining which adjustment box corresponds to left and right, adjust each as needed until the swashplate's center pivot ball no long rises and/or falls with an aileron command.

After adjusting the ELE to PIT and AIL to PIT functions, the swashplate's center ball should remain more or less still when aileron or elevator commands are input at the half collective stick position.

10. The final MIXING RATE function to adjust is the ELE to AIL. With the collective stick still at half, move the elevator stick back and forth while viewing the model from the front or rear. The goal here is to have the swash remain level as to tilts back and forth with the elevator command. By nature, it is more difficult to tell if the swash is tilting left or right with the elevator commands. Here is a tip to help make the tilt, if present, more visible. Rotate your model's rotorhead so the flybar is oriented EXACTLY parallel to the tail boom. Repeat the up and down elevator commands. If you note the flybar paddles moving as the elevator commands are input, then the swashplate is also tilting left and right. Adjust either one or both of the ELE to AIL adjustment boxes until the flybar paddles remain more or less motionless while elevator commands are input. Again, it is VERY important that the flybar be oriented exactly parallel to the tail boom for procedure to be accurate.

In simplest terms, the LINKAGE COMPENSATION functions are used to adjust out interactions that occur at high and low collective ranges. Place the collective stick at maximum. Move the aileron control left and right and note the way the swashplate's center pivot ball moves up and down. Adjust the boxes corresponding to left and right aileron commands under AILERON until the swashplate's center pivot ball sits more or less motionless when left and right aileron commands are input. Repeat this same procedure for the aileron commands when the collective stick is at full low. You may need to play around with the values in multiples greater than one until you get things close, then go one percent at a time until you get it just right. The radio will allow you to get things just about perfect, so be patient.

The ELEVATOR adjustments under LINKAGE COMPENSATION work exactly as they did for aileron, except here you adjust the highlighted boxes as needed until your swashplate's center pivot ball sits more or less motionless at full high or low collective stick positions when elevator commands are input. When the AILERON and ELEVATOR commands under LINKAGE COMPENSATION are correctly adjusted, your swashplate's center pivot ball will remain basically still at high or low collective positions as you apply aileron and/or elevator commands.

The last swashplate tuning feature to adjust is the SPEED COMPENSATION. This feature adjusts out interactions inherent to 120 degree eCCPM when RAPID elevator commands are input. A good starting value is 15%. Adjust this percentage up or down until your swashplate's center pivot ball stays more or less still as you cycle the elevator stick back and forth. Try to move the stick back and forth at some reasonably realistic and consistent rate to most accurately fine tune this adjustment.

[mevigavant]

Good to know. thanks Jerry.

[WillJames]

Thanks for posting Jerry!! VERY good info Ben!!

Thanks guys!!

[marcelino]

Thank you guys for writing and posting this!

i don`t know why instructions like this do not come from the futaba guys when i buy a Tx like this, as a part of the Manual.
or at least by a newsletter...

i would say: if i build a fine product like 14MZ, i will have to teach people how to use it correct...



:?

Marcel

[RCfan]

As Jerry mentioned, it's been in the FAQ section of the 14MZ site for quite some time now. Very good info written by Ben and provided by Futaba (and now Jerry).

[Clintstone]

thanks Jerry and BEN.

[mevigavant]

I actually never knew about this until I was bored one day and decided to check out the Futaba site for servo info. I came across this by mistake. My manual doesn't have this nor does it have a color quick set-up guide like my friends mz.

[Knud Pedersen DENMARK]

Hi

First of all: great writing

I have just setup my Fury Extreme together with a 14mz – using the Step by Step guide from Ben Minor.

Regarding point 2:
Does anybody use the subtrim to get the swash plate level?

Regarding 10 – Linkage compensation.
When doing this (on the aileron) I looked on the screw on the swash plate for the “Auto-rotation” unit.
But I noticed that I have to use + (positive values) at one pitch end (lets say +10° pitch),
and – (negative values) at the other pitch end (-10° Pitch)

But this is not possible.
If changing the values from + to – it also change at the other pitch end……

What am I doing wrong.

My values in the swash detail are:
---------------------------------
Mixing Rate:
PIT to AIL 99%-90%
PIT to ELE 97%-96%
AIL to PIT 90-120%
ELE to AIL 41%-59
ELE to PIT 40%-65%
---------------------------------
Linkage Compensation
Low Pitch
Ail - 0% 30%
Ele - 30% 30%
HighPitch
Ail - 20% 20%
Ele - 30% 30%
---------------------------------

ChopperKnud

[Chuckie]

Your doing nothing wrong. Its a limitation of the radio. Maybe Futaba could allow the values to be different as you pointed out. I noticed the same issue when first programming my models.

Chuckie

[Chuckie]

I use a different method when setting Link Compensation. I posted my findings on RR April last year but didn't get anyone to confirm my method and observations. I think people didn't have a clue or didn't understand why my method seems more appropriate than Ben's. Regarding Ben's procedure I found it comparable to mine. I especially like the little trick where you look for movement in the flybar paddles.

Last night I installed a new 9255 in my Tempest 3D, one died for some reason, and when programming the Detailed Swash I had to use large values to get interactions to a minimum. It still not very good after spending two hours. One of my older servos, before on Elevator, is so off from the other two. I might move the position of the servos around in attempt to match the roll and pitch servos as they seem to be most critical to be matched for ccpm. The end points of the elevator servo is different from my other older servo and newer servo. Next time I'll get 4 9255s and have one on throttle in case one on ccpm dies.

Alternative Method for adjusting Link Compensation: At mid stick give full right roll and note angle of swashplate relative to the main shaft then move to min and max pitch and set Link Compensation Low and High Ail so the swashplate stays at a constant angle toward the end points. Do the same for Elevator. I say toward the end points as a high value, say 30 or 50 will not have an affect and could cause the swash angle to reverse. It will look like the angle changes a lot toward min and and max pitch as you move collective. The reason the angle changes in the swashplate is due to the round servo wheels and the less movement (relative to the rod link) you have the further the servo moves towards its end point.

Chuckie

[Chuckie]

I also find as a necessary step after programming out interactions that I need to adjust Ail, Ele, and Pitch (collective) AFRs so I have the same pitch amounts on the main blades at the end points. I'm not talking about the Swash AFR, though that may need adjusting as well. The Swash Detail is nice but it causes the individual end points to change. For example, the higher the link compensation values you enter the more the end points get out of sync. I use a pitch gauge on the blades and check for the same max degree in full right and left ail, full up and down elevator, and min and max collective. If I need to adjust I use the individual AFR settings under the Model menu.

I know there are people who advise setting roll rate right and left based on what the heli is doing in the air. A clockwise rotating rotor disk will require more pitch to roll left than right but I like to set max blade angle the same as a starting point.

Chuckie

[MrMel]

I have one issue which I cant get correct.

If I go from min to max pitch swash is level in both elevator (forth to back) & aileron (side to side).

But if I input full elevator in one direction and then go from min to max pitch, the aileron wont be level through out the move.
Same thing for if I have full aileron and do the same procedure, elevator wont kebe level.

Any way to fix that or is that something that cant be fixed?

[Chuckie]

The Link Compensations is designed to correct your problems but it only fixes the end points. Along the pitch travel it probably uses some interpolation to determine compensation and this is not user adjustable so there is no fix.

Try my alternative method:
Alternative Method for adjusting Link Compensation: At mid stick give full right roll and note angle of swashplate relative to the main shaft then move to min and max pitch and set Link Compensation Low and High Ail so the swashplate stays at a constant angle toward the end points. Do the same for Elevator. I say toward the end points as a high value, say 30 or 50 will not have an affect and could cause the swash angle to reverse. It will look like the angle changes a lot toward min and max pitch as you move collective. The reason the angle changes in the swashplate is due to the round servo wheels and the less movement (relative to the rod link) you have the further the servo moves towards its end point.


My only other suggestion would be to set link compensation to values were you see as little motion as possible through out the pitch travel. It’s not critical to have min or max pitch set the best because you will rarely be flying full pitch AND full cyclic.

Chuckie

[MrMel]

I managed to get my 100%:
What I did was before I started I used the Endpoints on the each servo to make them work as close to 100% equal as I could.

After that I followed this guide, result was perfect.

[Chuckie]

Originally Posted by MrMel

I managed to get my 100%:
What I did was before I started I used the Endpoints on the each servo to make them work as close to 100% equal as I could.

After that I followed this guide, result was perfect.

MrMel,

Would you explain how you did this, by eye or used some guide.

Thanks

Chuckie

[MrMel]

I use a Swash leveling tool which I have fixed with double-sided tape on the swash.

I then try to get the swash as level as it can be low-mid-high ranges without any mixes.

After that I go through this guide to setup all mixing and linkage compensation, with that I got 100% level swash at all setups + perfect elevator and aileron control at all pitch ranges. (no interaction between the two)

[hookmaker]

5. Going back to the SERVO MONITOR menu, turn off the NEUTRAL test function. Within LINKAGE screen, enter the SWASH menu. There you will see NEUTRAL POINT and SWASH AFR.

Under usual circumstances, the NEUTRAL POINT menu will not need to be manipulated. Per your model manufacturer's recommendations or your own preferences, set the AILERON SWASH AFR for the MAXIMUM desired amount of aileron cyclic (roll) pitch. 6-7 degrees is a good starting point. Repeat this for the ELEVATOR SWASH AFR. 6-7 degrees is a good starting point here as well. The PITCH AFR sets the TOTAL number of degrees of collective pitch range that the model has. For most models, the total range should be between 20-22 degrees of total pitch.

I don't understand this part at all. Maybe I'm quite defft, but what is it exactly I have to do - I have three values expressed in percentage + or - , as I understand these values control the movement range of the swash up and down (giving collective pitch) and they have to be identical all three?

KR/Henrik

[derelict]

don't wanted to hijack this thread.... but could please someone who has good knowledge with mixing on futaba have a look at this thread:

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread...709#post667709

Thanks Marcel

[scorpion140]

I have just registered on this site and the 14MZ info is very usefull thankyou.
I have just built my first eCCPM heli, a Sylphide50. I like the fact that you can display the pitch settings on the home screen for each flight mode.
Also that you can see all the pitch or throttle curves at the same time to compare their set up.

Phil.

[papatango72]

This is a great thread! I'm really impressed by the amount of info and positive attitude of all the members on this forum. Thanks for the help fellas, it's a lifesaver.

PT