Mr Paddle.Shift
03-24-2005, 11:38 AM
Hey all,
Haven't posted for a while. Hope you guys don't mind reading this. :)
Some of you may recall in my last track report that I posted a graph-like picture of the boost line taken from my project. Since then, I have received a number of emails/PMs regarding this so-called "special project". A handful of people have seen it but never really know what it is. The boys at Technik Engineering have certainly seen it and even interacted with it.
I'd like to call this project, the Monitoring and Data Acquisition Control System, MDACs for short. Here's one picture:
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS1.gif
The idea is quite simple: Build a device that allows me to visually monitor all sensors, datalog them and control other devices. All these at the same time. So far most of the equipment (mostly used in racing) in the market can do two of the three, but not all three at the same time.
Why this? The frustration came about when I realized I needed to monitor more parameters on the track. I had 3 Greddy gauges and 1 intercooler temperature display. But installing additional 52mm gauges proves to be quite a challenge in our E46s. Not to mention, I need to control my water injection and intercooler spray intervals. Last but not least, it will be nice to log some data to plot on Excel for post-track analysis.
MDACs includes a fully programmable/touchable panel display and a control box with digital and analog inputs. The display is not your regular Sony or Panasonic LCDs. But it is built to withstand the toughest industrial chemicals. Let's just say that if I splash a pint of Zinc Chloride or Xylene on the screen, it will still function as normal.
This project conceptualized sometime in October 2004. First hardware/software testing started in early December 2004. The system has been in full working condition in the car since mid December 2004. The first official track test was performed on January 19th 2005 at Willow Springs (Big track).
So far, I have the following sensors:
dual-axis accelerometer (longitudinal, lateral, pitch, roll). [this is an extremely cool sensor]
gyroscope for yaw-rate.
heart rate sensor
2 EGT sensors
engine oil temperature
transmission fluid temperature [installing soon]
boost
Pressure sensors from pre-supercharger to pre-intercooler to post-intercooler (pre-intake manifold).
RPM
4 I/R t/c to monitor temperatures of tires or brakes rotors. [installing soon]
ECT, IAT, ignition timing, STFT and LTFT 1 and 2, load and TP from the factory sensors.
Some folks might think that it's crazy to monitor all these on the track. But the beauty of this system is that I can monitor a pre-selected set of parameters and allow the rest to be logged in the background.
Here are more pictures taken off the screen.
Digital gauges.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS2.gif
A simple schematic of the supercharged system. Nuclear powerplant represents my engine.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS3.gif
Alarm history.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS4.gif
All the good info.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS5.gif
That being said, the system isn't quite completed yet. I am still track-testing the system and finalizing the programming code. Future extensions include telemetric datalogging and BT related sensors.
[i]Lastly I am extending a special token of appreciation to the boys at Technik Engineering. They have given me valuable feedback and have been a wonderful bunch who are patient enough to listen to my blabberings every single day (sometimes on weekends too) about this project.
Thanks for reading! :thumbup:
PS: This system is not compatible with DVD, CD, MD, MP3, IPod, PlayStation, Nintendo or GameBoy.
Haven't posted for a while. Hope you guys don't mind reading this. :)
Some of you may recall in my last track report that I posted a graph-like picture of the boost line taken from my project. Since then, I have received a number of emails/PMs regarding this so-called "special project". A handful of people have seen it but never really know what it is. The boys at Technik Engineering have certainly seen it and even interacted with it.
I'd like to call this project, the Monitoring and Data Acquisition Control System, MDACs for short. Here's one picture:
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS1.gif
The idea is quite simple: Build a device that allows me to visually monitor all sensors, datalog them and control other devices. All these at the same time. So far most of the equipment (mostly used in racing) in the market can do two of the three, but not all three at the same time.
Why this? The frustration came about when I realized I needed to monitor more parameters on the track. I had 3 Greddy gauges and 1 intercooler temperature display. But installing additional 52mm gauges proves to be quite a challenge in our E46s. Not to mention, I need to control my water injection and intercooler spray intervals. Last but not least, it will be nice to log some data to plot on Excel for post-track analysis.
MDACs includes a fully programmable/touchable panel display and a control box with digital and analog inputs. The display is not your regular Sony or Panasonic LCDs. But it is built to withstand the toughest industrial chemicals. Let's just say that if I splash a pint of Zinc Chloride or Xylene on the screen, it will still function as normal.
This project conceptualized sometime in October 2004. First hardware/software testing started in early December 2004. The system has been in full working condition in the car since mid December 2004. The first official track test was performed on January 19th 2005 at Willow Springs (Big track).
So far, I have the following sensors:
dual-axis accelerometer (longitudinal, lateral, pitch, roll). [this is an extremely cool sensor]
gyroscope for yaw-rate.
heart rate sensor
2 EGT sensors
engine oil temperature
transmission fluid temperature [installing soon]
boost
Pressure sensors from pre-supercharger to pre-intercooler to post-intercooler (pre-intake manifold).
RPM
4 I/R t/c to monitor temperatures of tires or brakes rotors. [installing soon]
ECT, IAT, ignition timing, STFT and LTFT 1 and 2, load and TP from the factory sensors.
Some folks might think that it's crazy to monitor all these on the track. But the beauty of this system is that I can monitor a pre-selected set of parameters and allow the rest to be logged in the background.
Here are more pictures taken off the screen.
Digital gauges.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS2.gif
A simple schematic of the supercharged system. Nuclear powerplant represents my engine.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS3.gif
Alarm history.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS4.gif
All the good info.
http://home.comcast.net/~vsengineering/MDACS/MDACS5.gif
That being said, the system isn't quite completed yet. I am still track-testing the system and finalizing the programming code. Future extensions include telemetric datalogging and BT related sensors.
[i]Lastly I am extending a special token of appreciation to the boys at Technik Engineering. They have given me valuable feedback and have been a wonderful bunch who are patient enough to listen to my blabberings every single day (sometimes on weekends too) about this project.
Thanks for reading! :thumbup:
PS: This system is not compatible with DVD, CD, MD, MP3, IPod, PlayStation, Nintendo or GameBoy.