Hi my name is Vivian Lu and I'm Cornell Formula FSAE's suspension sub-team leader.
Hi my name is Jennifer Boyd and I'm the drive-train sub-team leader, Cornell Formula FSAE team.
Hi I'm Chris McPherson I'm the electrical team leader here at Cornell FSAE.
Using Transducer Techniques' MLP 1k load cells we were able to instrument all four push links and take data on the forces seen on each corner of the car.
With some trigonometric calculations we were able to find the actual link loads which we previously only had rough estimates of. This allowed us to refine our analysis of all suspension and unsprung parts as well as many zones of our composite monocoque. Resulting in optimization and weight loss in all three subsystems.
I've used the CSP 3K load cell to determine forces in our drive train subsystem. We calibrated the load cell to determine torque at the wheels which is easily converted to torque at the sprocket. This information was incredibly helpful during our design process.
I used that information to determine the maximum force at the sprocket and bearing carriers as well as a detailed fatigue analysis to determine the fatigue life of our drive train components.
This information was also useful because it told us the forces that we only estimated in the past. Including those provided by heavy downshifting and when we launch the car to start the car.
Thanks to the Transducer Techniques CSP 3k load cell we lost three quarters of a pound on the entire drive train subsystem.
So one of our over action goals for this year was the added increased use of instrumentation and hard data from driving cams.
A number of Transducer Techniques load cells were placed across suspension links and drive train components on last years car R13. These were then wired into the TM0-1 Amplifier and conditioner also supplied by Transducer Techniques. The amplifier itself is simple and easy to use it has two separate potentiometers one for offset one for gain.
These were set according to a spec sheet also provided by Transducer Techniques for each of the load cells. So, for example when you place load cells across all the four suspension links in the car and then you measure the tension and compression in those links using the loadcells.
The amplifier itself produced a negative 8 to 8 volt output swing and then was logged using our adl3 dash logger from load tech. The actual logging rate was about 500hz for each of the components which gave us plenty of data to design this years car.