How ISEL Formula Student Is Advancing Electric Racing Technology
As January draws to a close and the winter chill sets in, the ISEL Formula Student (IFS) team is heating up. We are officially entering the most critical phase of our calendar: the production season.
What is Formula Student?
For those new to the world of automotive engineering, Formula Student is a global competition where university students design, build, and race formula-style cars. It is a test of engineering, project management, and practical skills. Teams are judged not only on track speed but also on technical theory and cost-efficiency. At IFS, we represent our university throughout Europe competing countries like Portugal, Austria, Spain…
The Challenge: Evolving the IFS06
Our latest project, the IFS06, continues our tradition of electric cars. In the electrical department our main goal was to solidify our battery pack control systems. To achieve our goal, we focused on two critical electronic systems: Segment Reading (SR) and the Accumulator Management System (AMS).
The AMS is the main control unit of our Accumulator. As we utilize high-energy Li-ion cylindrical cells, safety is critical and reliability is a must. As such we must constantly monitor their voltage and temperature, to not pass thresholds, with precision.
Achieving such precision this year, we made a significant architectural leap. We transitioned from an Arduino-based MCU to an STM32 platform. This upgrade is a game-changer for our embedded systems team; it provides advanced debugging capabilities and higher processing power, allowing us to identify and resolve system bottlenecks that were previously hidden.
Solving the “Wiring Nightmare” with Integrated PCBs
One of our biggest hurdles in previous years was the physical connection between battery modules and the Battery Management System (BMS).
In the past, we relied on a complex web of manual wiring. This was not only a “cable management” nightmare that occupied space, but it also introduced reliability risks. Every wire required an inline fuse; these were often soldered manually between cables, creating weak points that were prone to vibration-induced failure.
The solution for this was designing a dedicated PCB that aligns perfectly with the module connectors we have achieved:
- Reliability: We eliminated fragile wire-to-fuse solder joints.
- Efficiency: Fuses are now integrated directly into the PCB traces.
- Optimization: This design reduces weight and saves vital space within the accumulator container, resulting in a much cleaner and more organized system.
Engineering Reality with Eurocircuits
These sophisticated electronic solutions would remain nothing more than design without the support of Eurocircuits.
Our cooperation with Eurocircuits has been fundamental to our progress. Their high-quality manufacturing of PCB allows us to iterate quickly and trust that our most sensitive safety systems are built on a reliable foundation. As we begin the production of the IFS06, we are proud to have Eurocircuits by our side once again, helping us transform our “electronic dreams” into a high-performance reality on the track.
Stay tuned as we prove our theory on racetrack!
For more information please visit the ISEL Formula Student website.
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