Simucube – Definitive Guide

As I write these lines Simucube 1 on the second-hand market is cheaper than ever. Meanwhile this version has taken the progress of Direct Drive steering wheels to a state of absolute near perfection.

What is SimuCube?

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SimuCube is the board on which sits the IONI controller which, as its name suggests, controls the industrial engine used mostly in OSWs. It contains all the external elements that were needed to run an OSW but optimized and brought to a minimum. It has several improvements and features that make it impossible to use certain type of hardware without it and therefore its feeling is better than the OSWs based on the closed MMOS software.

In summary, internally in your OSW box there are two main pieces, IONI and SimuCube. What you feel depends on their configuration and their integration with your favorite simulator.

IONI Settings

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Some manufacturers send their OSWs correctly configured, but low in power to avoid shocks and injuries. The basic configuration of the controller parameters can be done through the Granity software, although right now you only need to have the .drc in the same folder as the SimuCube firmware. Most of the parameters accessible in Granity are not of interest to us, and it is simply better to load one of the profiles that correspond to our configuration and check before adjusting the steering wheel that the engine does not act strangely. Keep in mind that we are talking about industrial material capable of doing a lot of damage, so take all kinds of precautions. These files are provided by Brion Sohn and are tested by many iRacing users.

The naming convention for .drc files is:
Servo Model _ MMC Setting _ Wattage Limit _ Power Supply Voltage _ Encoder Type and Setting

If you have a SimuCube with SinCOS as encoder you have to select the option 2048(256x)

Small Mige .drc NOTE – Use unlimited voltage if you have the SDR-480 source (or greater than 480W)
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_320w_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_480w_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 10010_MAX_unlimited_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc

Large_Mige_drc.zip contains:
Large Mige .drc NOTE – Use the unlimited voltage if you have the SDR-480 source (or higher than 480W)
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_320w_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_480w_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_1024(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_2048(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_3600(64x).drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_3600(256x).drc
– 15015_MAX_unlimited_48v_BiSSc(22bit).drc

Kollmorgen_drc.zip contains:
Kollmorgen_drc NOTE – Use the unlimited voltage if you have the SDR-480 source (or higher than 480W)
– 52G_MAX_320w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 52G_MAX_480w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 52G_MAX_unlimited_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53G_MAX_320w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53G_MAX_480w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53G_MAX_unlimited_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53K_MAX_320w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53K_MAX_480w_48v_10Kppr.drc
– 53K_MAX_unlimited_48v_10Kppr.drc

At this point I would continue to explain, as Brion does in his original post, the whole issue of the 1:1 power ratio, clipping, amperage etc. But it’s maybe a too dense topic that I don’t want to get into and probably not interested enough. So here you have some of the values that this same user is using according to the engine and the chosen configuration.

Small Mige w/ standard 40K encoder – 12.86A MMC

Overall Strength = 100%.
Reconstruction Filter = 5
TBW = unlimited
Notch = 8.0Hz, -5.5db. 0.1 Q
Dampening = 2.25%
Friction = 2.25%
Inertia = 0.0%

iRacing Strength Slider = 33Nm

Large Mige w/ standard 40K encoder – 25A MMC

Overall Strength = 100%.
Reconstruction Filter = 5
TBW = unlimited
Notch = 8.0Hz, -5.5db. 0.1 Q
Dampening = 2.25%
Friction = 0.0%
Inertia = 4.25%

iRacing Strength Slider = 47Nm

Small Mige w/ SinCOS encoder – 12.86A MMC

Overall Strength = 100%.
Reconstruction Filter = 5
TBW = unlimited
Notch = 8.0Hz, -5.5db. 0.1 Q
Dampening = 2.25%
Friction = .75%
Inertia = 0.0%

iRacing Strength Slider = 33Nm

Large Mige w/ standard SinCOS encoder – 25A MMC

Overall Strength = 100%.
Reconstruction Filter = 5
TBW = unlimited
Notch = Disabled
Dampening = 3.25%
Friction = 0.0%
Inertia = .5%

iRacing Strength Slider = 47Nm

NOTE: When using the DW12 with these settings, use the 6-tooth sprocket for steering on the road tracks. The default 8-tooth sprocket is too rough and causes oscillation.

Settings Description

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These settings are designed to achieve 0.6 to 1 of the output and combined with lower amperage and more Nm in iRacing can feel vague and boring as the detail is obtained at the higher output forces. They seek a natural feel where driving the car does not permanently wear the driver out after the first 45 minutes or more. With the MX5 you can go up to 1 to 1 (using 27.9 Nm on the iRacing meter for the Large Mige) and feel what the car really does while still being easy to turn and counter-steer.

You can find more information here.