auto leveling, large drill rig

[Babbayega]

So, outside of trying to look for level spots, (usually where there is not ore, lol). is there a way to level a large drill rig? With pistons i assume.

I saw some examples on the workshop, but they used four outlying pistons, and one in the center. with a drill rig, i can't put one in the center. so i was wondering if there was a way to just use four pistons on the corners and still accomplish an auto level.

Ideas?

[DEADPOO]

Wuh? Even if the ground is uneven you start at the highest bump, and drill your way down. Eventually it will even up.

[Valen]

Technically you only need 3 points of contact with the surface for stable support. (Assuming the center of gravity is within the triangle of points.) One leg having a landinggear to attach to the surface. But this might not be locked level. You can build a (complex) gimbal with 2 rotors to adjust to levelness. And a piston further up this leg to provide height adjustment. The other end of the piston then connects to your drill rig arms/main structure. The 2 remaining arms could be solid block legs with wheels (suspension or not) at the end for soft contact. (perhaps aided by landinggears to lock down) The torque on the rotors and force in the piston would make them touch at some point and rotate it for levelness. A bit Clangy, but with low forces this shouldn't get out of hand. When leveled lock the rotors (and the landing gears at the wheels if implemented). Then activate the drill subgrid.

[Karmaterrorᵁᴷ]

Id go quick and easy for this. Just jump out and make a scaffold platrorm level with gravity, drive on, remove the blocks that obstruct the drill head while leaving the wheels on 4 small level platforms :)

EDIT -

Another idea is an auto leveling script for flyes. Then you add some atmo thrusters but only turn them on above the ore vein. Go up a few feet, auto level, then send pistons down with sensors stopping them 1m away from ground. Then lowwer the rig onto them and should be level. So it does a little levitate each time it wants to level out, not ment for actual flight :)

[Babbayega]

i like the idea of the leveling script and lowering pistons. i will tinker with that route.

I was hoping there was a script to land, then use the pistons to level. i will tinker and keep looking

this thing is big, and drills deep, so leveling is important.

[Babbayega]

and no, there is really not a point to a big deep drilling rig.. i just wanted to see if i could do it, and mess with Clang. but then, thats half the fun of the game.. lol

[Babbayega]

this is the one i was seeing that uses four outrigger landing gears and one in the middle.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638428643

would work for small modules, but not really practical for a large drilling rig. plus it takes over all landing gears and all. i have some gears dedicated to locking the drill rig from shaking while moving, so taking over everything instead of identified actual landing gears would be bad.

[Babbayega]

well, as a demonstration... when hitting 611M in a stable drill rig, leveling is important... lol 611m from ground level.

still gotta work on piston leveling. the ship leveling works, and its only a gear or two locking to the ground. no pistons yet.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1999845141

[Babbayega]

no automation yet either. baby steps and all.