Document Type

Honors Thesis

Abstract

This project explores the feasibility of creating a cost-effective data acquisition (DAQ) system for high-speed, real-time brake performance testing of Formula SAE racecars. The research addresses the limitations of the current MoTeC DAQ system currently employed by the team, which is costly and time-consuming to set up for on-car testing. The team will use a brake dynamometer for steady-state comparisons of different brake pad compounds (senior design project), but evaluating real-world performance requires on-car testing. By systematically comparing various hardware platforms, sensors, communication protocols, and storage solutions, this project aims to balance cost-efficiency with reliability and performance. The research evaluates multiple processing platforms, ultimately selecting the Raspberry Pi 4 (RPi) due to its proven capability as a racecar DAQ, its high processing capability, and robust community support. Sensor choices include an IR sensor for brake temperature measurement, a pressure transducer for brake pressure, and UTA Racing's accelerometer. Communication protocols used include CAN and I2C. Analog measurements are made with a 12-bit Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). The finalized design employs Python scripts for parsing and storing data on the RPi's SD card, with additional storage options via USB. The findings confirm that an RPi-based DAQ system can serve as a viable, low-cost alternative for on-car brake testing. This significantly benefits the UTA Racing team through reduced costs and increased testing flexibility, provided sensor outputs are properly conditioned and validated against established systems.

Disciplines

Automotive Engineering | Data Storage Systems | Electrical and Electronics | Electro-Mechanical Systems | Engineering | Hardware Systems | Signal Processing | Systems and Communications | Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization | VLSI and Circuits, Embedded and Hardware Systems

Publication Date

5-2025

Language

English

Faculty Mentor of Honors Project

Dr. Robert L. Woods

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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