Microlease Backs the University of Bath’s Bid to Win European Electric Motorsport Competition
Microlease Backs the University of Bath’s Bid to Win European Electric Motorsport Competition Harrow, UK, Tuesday, 21st February 2017 - Test equipment sourcing specialist Microlease continues to support academia with the announcement that it has provided advanced instrumentation and technical assistance to the Team Bath Racing Electric (TBRe) project - as they prepare for Formula Student 2017.
Held at Silverstone each summer, this event (which is staged in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers) looks to inspire the engineering professionals of the future, by setting them the challenge of designing and developing their own race cars then competing against each other. It has 130 different universities from over 30 countries participating every year, featuring both electrically-powered and petrol-driven race categories. The TBRe team comprises 10 master’s students and 30 third year students from the University of Bath. Each of them are responsible for different aspects of this project, thereby forming the basis for their respective degree theses. In addition, there are another 20-30 first and second year students involved.
To help them in this project, Microlease has supplied the team with various pieces of equipment. They have been using a Keysight U5857A thermal imager for monitoring the temperature levels around the exterior of the battery pack to identity hotspots. This item has also been employed for an investigation of potential energy scavenging sources in the brake callipers, and next there are intentions for it to be included in motor control testing procedures. A 34972A data acquisition unit from Keysight (with built-in thermocouple junction reference) is likewise being utilised in this project, for vehicle diagnostic purposes. This incorporates a pair of 20-channel 34901A multiplexing modules plus the multi-faceted BenchVue software package. Via the unit, data from a series of thermocouple-based sensors, located at different points throughout the battery pack, can be captured for subsequent analysis, so as to ensure that operational effectiveness of the vehicle’s battery/powertrain is maintained. For the next stages of the project’s development Microlease will be providing a Keysight N6705B DC power analyser, along with associated software. This will enable comprehensive studying of the DC loads that the vehicle has to deal with during races, so that full optimisation of the battery resource can be achieved.
The team are currently completing sub-system testing. They will be starting on system level testing and rolling road tests this spring, ahead of race day which takes place in July. “This event is a unique opportunity for university undergraduates to gain real hands-on experience of taking an engineering project all the way from the drawing board right through to completion,” states Glenn Howard, Field Sales Engineer at Microlease. “By collaborating with TBRe on their Formula Student electric car, we are helping to nurture the next generation of engineers.”
“Microlease’s contribution has proved to be invaluable to the team over the last 8 months,” explains Sean Thompson, a senior member of TBRe. “As well as the kit they have given us access to, there is also the ongoing technical advice that has been provided. With their help, we have been able to make improvements to our design that have resulted in a clear competitive edge being derived.”
About TBRe
Team Bath Racing Electric (TBRe) is an engineering team run by students at the University of Bath. The team has a range of engineering students working together to design and build an electric high-performance vehicle for the Formula Student competition. We want to inspire students from all engineering disciplines to collaborate on a challenging and motivating project. For more information visit: www.teambathracingelectric.com
About Microlease
Microlease is the market leader in electronic test equipment, offering a range of solutions to help organisations globally use test equipment efficiently. Its services help minimise the costs of acquiring test equipment, optimise its use and maximise return at end of life without stretching capital expenditure, and include rental, leasing, sale of new and used equipment and buy-back as well as full asset management. Microlease supports its global customer base with over 57,000 test equipment assets worth over $430 million. A team of 370 specialists serves Microlease customers in over 150 countries from offices across Europe, the US and Asia. Microlease currently provides equipment from leading manufacturers, including Anritsu, Keithley, Keysight Technologies, Rohde & Schwarz, Tektronix and Viavi. Founded in 1979, Microlease is the number one test and measurement rental company in Europe. It is Keysight’s Authorised Technology Partner (ATP) for the UK, Ireland, and Italy, Authorised Premium Distributor for the UK and Italy, as well as a Premier Rental Partner (PRP) for Europe, USA and Asia. Microlease is an Authorised Rental Partner for Rohde & Schwarz, Tektronix and Viavi and a Viavi Premier Solutions Partner in the UK and Germany. The Microlease group includes Livingston. Microlease was awarded the 2013, 2014, and 2015 Global Company of the Year Award in Test and Measurement Rental and Leasing Services by leading research organization Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit www.microlease.com.
Contact: George Acris, Microlease plc, Unit 1, Waverley Industrial Park, Hailsham Drive, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 4TR, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0) 20 84 200 200
Media Contact: Peter van der Sluijs Neesham PR Tel: 01296 628180 Email: [email protected]