Feature: Sensors
Optimising racing car I
n the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas took the record for the highest speed in a Formula 1 race, hitting 231.4mph. To reach these high speeds requires intensive testing before racers
even hit the track. So, is there room for remote monitoring in optimising a car for racing performance? In the highly competitive world of
Formula 1, it is crucial that a racing team’s pit crew be fully aware of any problems that may affect the car’s speed, performance and safety. One efficient way to achieve this is with telemetry, or remote monitoring technology, where sensors throughout the vehicle collect data and share it wirelessly with the pit crew via an on-board transmitter.
performance remotely By Robert Badcock, CEO, Mantracourt One such transmitter is part of
the
Mantracourt T24 series, with modules for inputs like strain, temperature, voltage, and more. For example, the strain gauge sensor transmitter module has a wireless range to 800m in the open, with up to 200 updates per second.
Maximising traction Te car’s traction also greatly affects racing performance, especially in turns, where stability is crucial. Positive or negative camber to a wheel will angle the tyre, even when the vehicle is going straight. When the car goes into a corner, the resulting forces push its entire weight onto the tyre, allowing higher speed around the corner without losing traction.
32 February 2023
www.electronicsworld.co.uk Many racing teams measure camber
manually, using different tools, but this can be time-consuming and unreliable. So, one racing team approached Mantracourt to provide a fast and precise solution for testing weight and incline. The result was a wireless solution that connects the car’s sensors with software. The team used inclinometer sensors and 0-10V voltage transmission modules to measure the incline at different angles. To find the weight each wheel could tolerate, Mantracourt used the T24 wireless strain gauge transmitter module. This module enables high accuracy wireless measurement of signals from bridge- based transducers like load cells and pressure sensors.
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