We do a variety of work that helps team achieve their goals. This has generally fallen into two catagories: electrical system design and data based vehicle development.
Electrical System Design
The approach to harness design is as varied as our customers: Le Mans Prototype teams to weekend warriors. For our most typical semi-pro, endurance customer, the goals include: the reliablity to minimize distraction on a race weekend, the data tools to maximize what is learned during every session and the tools for economic success.
Reliability
Poor reliabilty may show up during a race with obvious consequences: failure of a fuel pump connection could result in a DNF. But a glich early in a race weekend can cause loose the team a place or two during the race by reducing the amount of time available for practice. We would address this in the design process in a few ways: proven components, proven techniques and a design approach based on years of vehicle engineering and avionics experience.
The components we specify may not be the flashiest but they have stood the test of time on the track.
Before being tested on the track, most of the harnessing techniques have been tested in isolation. Our rack of dumbells has gotten more use applying a reproducable load in a product test than than they have building muscles. We understand the major causes of crimp failure. We understand how to create a flexible harness that will be trouble free without blowing the budget.
Even the best of harnesses is not likely to prevent things like fuel cell deterioration due to aggressive modern fuels. Our goal is to minimize the impact on your race weekend. This is where things like Power Distribution Modules, data and creative software come into play. A fuel pump that is stalling will draw more current than normal. A fuel pump that is freewheeling will draw less current than normal. A PDM allows us to monitor that. A data system allows us to analyze that. And PDM configuration allows us to automatically switch to a different pump or warn the driver before low fuel pressure and engine damage occur. The data can help pinpoint which of the pumps and the likely issue even before the team opens the fuel cell.
