Simulator Repair: Also Discussing Simulator Repair (From: Game Machine Repair Network)
Seeing my friend Wang Laowu's article "The Knowledge Structure Required for Repairing Simulators," I would also like to share my experience in repairing simulators based on my work. This article mainly teaches you how to apply what you've learned and steadily improve.
Since most simulators are in large video game entertainment venues, many repair friends may not have the opportunity to get hands-on experience, but don't be afraid. If you can swim in small streams and rivers, you won't sink in big rivers or seas. Let me take you to swim freely in the ocean.
1. The structure of a simulator is complex. When first encountering it, one should learn to make proper installation marks and keep written records of key parts. The purpose of doing this is: when restoring after repair, avoid losing things and feeling lost. For example, with fishing machines, the direction of threading the fishing line in the moving part is relatively complicated. Making notes with paper and pen will definitely help with restoration. For motor repairs with brakes, record the installation sequence of mechanical parts (installation and disassembly directions are opposite), and record the gap data of each mechanical fit. Check if the distance between the light-sensitive tube and the convex lens in the gun machine is near the focal point, and if the optical path and the gun body are aligned. For plugs and wires that need to be disconnected, mark their restoration positions to avoid polarity reversal and incorrect wiring. Record the chain tension for chain drives. Number plug-in components to avoid confusion. Doing so ensures that even if you cannot repair it, at least you can restore it as it was.
2. Break down the machine functions step by step according to the gaming process. Identify where the seat motion control, directional motion control, throttle, etc., are located. The purpose of doing this is: to locate the fault you need to repair, treating specific problems specifically.
For example, in dance and action games, follow the prompts on the game screen to perform corresponding actions with your hands and feet. In these games, only sounds, visual effects, and decorative lights accompany hand and foot movements. Racing games are no different from real driving. When manual mode is selected, there are gears, a throttle, and brakes. When the road is uneven or there are obstacles, the steering wheel gives a pushing sensation, the ears hear the roar of the engine, and the eyes see the fleeting scenery. Gun games have optical aiming systems, trigger-induced vibrations, and intense battle scenes. In short, through gameplay, machines have requirements for sound, perspective, and action. According to different game content, machines have various components.
3. Understand the game process to avoid blindly starting repairs. Some machine actions have interlinked effects with others, and they only execute when all conditions are met.
For instance, in Whac-a-Mole games, the machine uses an infrared matrix on the screen to locate the striking position and vibration pickup to judge whether forceful strikes occur. If you fix the infrared matrix but neglect the vibration input, the game will not respond accordingly, considering it invalid. They are interdependent conditions. Another example is the mechanically linked seats in International Car God games, which change the direction wheel under the seat via a steering lever, finally driving the seat in different directions with rollers. If the rollers are excessively worn, there will definitely be no dynamic sensation. In gun games, pulling the trigger generates corresponding light information on the screen, which enters the photoelectric tube and converts into electrical signals, causing the screen to change accordingly and tally scores. Based on this principle, we can easily determine that dim screens might cause no bullet impact points to display. Different game contents use different methods, depending on the machine type. It's best to play the game yourself to understand specific faults.
4. Start simple and then move to complex issues. Begin with visual and manual inspections before using instruments for quantitative testing.
This method is generally used by repair personnel. For example, check if component wires show signs of high current melting, if the computer board has cracks or corrosion (corrosion here mainly refers to corrosive gases and liquids; liquids are mostly rat urine). Manual inspection involves faults that can be directly judged by hand, such as coin slot jams in pusher machines, potentiometer shafts rotating 360 degrees, integrated circuit blocks being too hot to touch (above seventy-five degrees Celsius makes it hard to touch), motor shafts unable to be manually turned (except for motors with brakes), mechanical clearance fits, and secure screws. These situations can be judged directly by hand. Of course, quantitative testing requires the use of instruments.
Start simply from power voltage to the capacity of the voltage supplied to the computer board (start here only if necessary, following steps systematically could exhaust you, and I'm not responsible for that). Generally, except for wear-prone components, simulators are quite reliable. Aren't there still machines from the 90s running? Wear-prone components vary by machine. Potentiometers with mechanical contacts used frequently are prone to wear, poorly sealed optocouplers are easy to dirty, phototransistors have limited lifespans, and infrared tubes are easily affected by dust. After eliminating external suspicious components and still unable to solve the problem, consider the computer board.
Start with simple fault repairs. Attempting complex ones without success might discourage you.
5. Develop good habits for restoring unsolved faults, leaving reliable evidence for future repairs when conditions mature. I often encounter unresolved faults from previous repair technicians. When it’s my turn to repair, some components are missing entirely, making comparisons difficult. Components that can't be compared leave us without options.
When online testing of suspected components fails to confirm, you can remove them for testing. Replacing with new components and resolving the fault proves correct judgment, concluding the repair phase. If replacing new components doesn’t solve the fault, misjudgment might have occurred. If you decide to abandon the repair, please reinstall the original components you removed. This allows the next technician to find the original component types, sparing future efforts. Specifically, if mechanical parts aren't restored, it becomes even harder for others to repair since they might have to fabricate new machine parts.
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