Automotive & motorsport


connectors in an EV compared with a traditional vehicle, due to the added complexities involved to regulate the temperature of batteries, electric motors, power electronics and other subsystems. Therefore, there are challenges at the design stage - EVs require connectors that can fit in tight spaces and can withstand the temperature and pressure conditions. To solve this, manufacturers, such as ARaymond, have developed wide ranges of connectors in different materials, configurations and sizes. What this has not overcome, until recently, is the manufacturing challenges.


Manufacturability of EVs


Producing a vehicle using more connectors has a knock-on impact on production staff, who will be required to connect more fluid lines. This greatly increases the amount of force they are required to use during the day, increasing the risk of musculoskeletal conditions and injury. To improve working conditions on the assembly


line, the EV manufacturing industry can opt for more ergonomic connector technology that reduces insertion force. Specifying such components during the design phase can create a healthier, happier workforce with lower sickness rates, all while speeding up production. One exciting development is the launch of VDA LOW PUSH Quick Connectors, which reduce the insertion force required by 45 per cent, compared with other industry standard components for NW16. Consequently, only around half the daily effort is required by staff - six tonnes rather than twelve for 1,500 connections a day. The need for more connections and different


connector types also increases the risk of misassembly. Because fluid lines perform essential functions like carrying fuel or coolant, they are safety- critical and must be connected reliably. To ensure that connections are secure, manufacturers can use connectors that offer audio/visual confirmation of this. ARaymond’s new product comes with an optional Verifier tab that confirms proper connection and displays a customisable QR code that can be detected and read to prevent misassembly. As manufacturers upscale the number of


connectors they use daily, supply chain management becomes a growing consideration. Just-in-time delivery as part of a vendor managed inventory (VMI) partnership can help manufacturers save both time and money when managing C-class component supply - a particularly compelling value proposition in a market where demand is changing so rapidly. As well as solving inventory management


problems, working with an experienced partner that assesses each connector’s suitability for the environment and application, provides an additional safety net for manufacturers and designers. Scaling-up EV production introduces several


new challenges for automotive manufacturers. For help selecting, managing and sourcing fasteners and connectors for electric or hybrid vehicles, get in touch with TFC.


TFC www.tfc.eu.com Instrumentation Monthly February 2022


Mass Market electric vehicles getting revved up for launch


vehicle (EV) propulsion. The company’s latest innovation is the ‘S-AC’ which is an ultra-efficient brushless axial-flux AC motor. It boasts extreme efficiency levels at high torques from low speed onwards. S-AC is designed for mass manufacture


S


and is optimised for light-weight electric vehicles such as scooters, motorbikes, quadbikes, rickshaws, small cars and marine applications. The primary target market is Asia where Governments are mandating the rapid transition for all forms of transport to electric propulsion to combat chronic pollution. The unique motor architecture was


designed by Saietta’s engineering team, based on Saietta’s DC axial-flux motor, which was originally developed by Cedric Lynch (Saietta’s Chief Scientist) who is internationally recognised as a pioneer in electric motor design. Saietta motors have been used to achieve multiple world-firsts on land, sea and air, including winning the first Isle of Man TT Zero all electric motorcycle race. Saietta works with vehicle


manufacturers to firstly understand in detail the specific motor requirements for individual EV applications and then engineers the S-AC technology to deliver tailored solutions. Saietta also provides engineering and integration consultancy for entire electric drivetrains. Saietta’s Applications Engineering team is


heavily reliant upon a set of test rigs that it has developed in conjunction with its Oxfordshire neighbour Sensor Technology. A lot of Saietta’s work is based on


constantly refining and testing motor designs, moving toward an optimum solution


aietta Group is a UK based research and development company which designs motors for light-weight electric


for each application field. As engineer Chris Lines explains: “The switch from DC motors to AC means we are able to improve efficiency still further and reduce maintenance requirements because there will be zero brush-wear.” The test rigs at the heart of Saietta’s


development work are based on the principle of running two motors back to back, adding power to counter the losses and measuring efficiency. For this the engineers selected a TorqSense transducer from Sensor Technology, which operates wirelessly so that setting up between test runs is minimal because there is no need to reset delicate slip rings. The operating principle of TorqSense is


based on bouncing a radio signal off the rotating shaft of the motor under test and measuring the distortion in the return wave. To do this two tiny piezo electric combs are glued onto the shaft at right angles to one another. These are pulled slightly out of shape as the shaft rotates and thus disrupt the radio waves as they are reflected back. “The amount of twist in the shaft is


proportional to the torque of the moment,” says Lines, “so we get a direct reading. The fact that we do not have to hardwire the transducer to the shaft through slip rings means we can set up a test very quickly and reset everything just as quickly. If we had to adjust slip rings every time, our test programme would take far, far, longer to complete.” TorqSense offers CANbus output options


for in-vehicle applications, so is popular with many organisations developing drive trains for electric vehicles and also in other low carbon developments such as wind turbines and tidal flow energy.


Sensor Technology www.sensors.co.uk 25


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