News Measuring equipment for the development of efficient drive trains using sensor telemetry in the 200 C range Whether on the test stand or on the road MANNER Sensortelemetrie, the expert for contactless measurements with telemetry, offers solutions that support the development and testing of efficient drive trains. Today's high demands on the power density of the drive train create extremely tough requirements for the measuring equipment on rotating components. Ambient temperatures up to 200 C, high rotational speeds (> 28,000 rpm), robust electromagnetic compatibility for electric drives, and last but not least the form factor of the rotor electronics for very limited space. This is where the strengths of MANNER sensor telemetry take full effect. What is crucial is the reliability of the measuring electronics which can be used for the planning of successful test campaigns. Manner sensor telemetry guarantees your success. Here we present some interesting measuring devices that deliver reliable high-precision measuring results under extreme environmental conditions: It is hot in here: Piston temperature measurement under fire High speeds, temperature, and EMC: Measuring temperatures in the "heart" of the electric motor Reliable and accurate dynamic torque measurements despite parasitic forces: Flexplate/ZM torque sensors at the core of the drive train High speed like a turbo: High-speed test stand sensor for extended ambient temperature range for the e-mobility of the future It is hot in here: Piston telemetry under fire In order to verify the fatigue limit of a newly developed piston and to optimize the lubrication process, it is essential to measure the temperatures on the piston and their distribution for various load scenarios without restricting the piston itself in its functionality. The 8/16-channel piston telemetry by MANNER has been an important tool for the development of pistons for years, both with regard to fatigue limit and to optimized lubrication processes. But what is new is that the piston telemetry can now also be used at ambient temperatures up to 200 C and thus allows even more comprehensive testing. This means that it is not a problem if the firing at the piston head reaches 400-500 C at all operating points, which allows the test to cover real-life conditions This multi-channel system measures the temperatures online at important points within the piston. It uses robust thermocouple elements which effortlessly withstand high vibrations and are easy to install. Another important aspect is the ease of calibration. The sensor telemetry amplifier in the piston is
temperature-resistant up to 200 C and scans the temperature measurement points with each piston stroke. It then transfers the measurement values to the stationary evaluation unit. The contactless, battery-free method of transmitting the measured values point-by-point at the bottom dead centre makes component assembly very easy. The patented maintenance-free inductive sensor telemetry transmission technology ensures an unlimited system lifespan. The 8-channel temperature measurement amplifier is very compact (21 x 12 x 5 mm) and weighs only 3g. To expand the measuring channels, multiple cascading modules can be used. Fig. 2 X-ray of piston with thermocouple elements Fig. 1 Photos of pistons after 80 hours of firing in the motor at 400-500 C - still fully functional High speeds, temperature, and EMC: Measuring temperatures in the "heart" of the electric motor Modern electric drives are based on rare-earth magnets which are characterized by permanent magnetization. This magnetization must at no point be put at risk by exceeding the Curie point. In order to keep the unit volume as small as possible and achieve the highest power density, the motors are
operated near the limit range. To ensure that the critical parameters are not exceeded, the measuring equipment must verify the worst-case temperature load. Manner's temperature measurement equipment for electric motors is characterized by its temperature resistance up to 200 C, high electromagnetic robustness, oil-resistance, and a compact design. The MANNER detection unit and telemetry modules measure reliably and precisely within 1 C degree of accuracy under the toughest conditions. Using MANNER technologies for temperature measurements in electric drives gives you the choice between thermocouple elements and Pt100 temperature sensors. Even very small hole diameters prepared by eroding make it possible to use sheathed, flexible thermocouple elements with just 0.5 mm thickness that can be guided precisely to the desired Fig. 3 6-channel measurement amplifier in miniature housing with stator antenna measuring point. In combination with our assembly know-how (adhesion and welding), successful measurements are guaranteed. Fig. 4 6-channel rotor ring with induction loop and pins for the thermocouple connection The measurement signals of the thermocouple element are recorded contactless and transmitted to the stationary unit. The measured data can be passed to the data acquisition system as a classic analog signal with 0... ± 10 V or as a digital signal via the CAN interface. All MANNER telemetry modules are temperature resistant up to 200 C. MANNER's miniaturized modular flex technology provides broad form factor design flexibility. Creating space-saving designs and adapting rotor electronics to the available space is what we do every day. The miniature telemetry modules make efficient use of the available space. This allows us to realize almost any geometry that our customers may require. Reliable dynamic torque despite parasitic forces: Flexplate torque sensors at the core of the drive train For designing the drive train of passenger motor vehicles and for optimising the motor control system, knowing the dynamic torque curve is very important. The high-precision detection of the friction power in the drive train is indispensable for achieving the optimized consumption that is becoming more and more important today. MANNER has developed a special technique for refining series flexplates to create high-quality torque sensors for vehicles with an accuracy class of 0.05%.
The sensor does not require an extension of the drive train and it does not affect the drive train's dynamic properties. Its centrepiece is a specially designed sensor with extremely low crosstalk behaviour when faced with axial, bending, and lateral force loads. To ensure accuracy over a wide temperature range (from -40 C... +160 C), compensation is performed for zero-point drift and elastic modulus. The latter is done electronically with the aid of an additional temperature measurement channel and mechanical calibration with temperature. The new feature is a digital signal processor that corrects the detected torque in real time using the identified error polynomial. The result is a torque signal that is virtually independent of any temperature effects and that can be evaluated immediately. The high time resolution of the torque signal at 4000 measured values per second guarantees a true representation of the torque curve. This means that, for the first time, dynamic high-precision power flow measurements can be performed on the drive train. This tool is ideally suited to the optimisation of drive train components. The measured data from the strain-gauge transducer are transmitted contactless by MANNER's triedand-tested digital sensor telemetry equipment with 16-bit resolution. Another special feature is the high temperature resistance of +160 C, as well as the high fatigue limit in regular operation. Fig. 5 Flexplate sensor with temperature resistance of 160 C for capturing dynamic torque High speed like a turbo: High-speed test stand sensor for the e-mobility of the future Developments in e-mobility technology aim at using higher rotational speeds in order to significantly reduce the weight of the engine while maintaining the performance level, which reduces both cost and footprint. Even today, speed demands in the e-mobility industry of up to 22,000 rpm far exceed the speeds of combustion engines and are more in line with Formula 1 standards. While these levels are extremely high already, more savings can be achieved through even higher speeds. Initial design concepts for speeds of up to 35,000 rpm have already been developed. Long-standing partnerships in the aviation industry, and in particular the turbine sector, have provided MANNER Sensortelemetrie with extensive experience in the manufacture of suitable sensors. By continuously advancing the design and implementation of special sensors for turbine and turbocharger test stands, MANNER has acquired highly specialized expertise over the last 15 years, ranging from mechanical design to high-precision torque measurements at high ambient temperatures of up to 160 C and, of course, its contactless transmission technology sensor telemetry. Putting electric motors on the test stand requires high-precision measuring equipment. Today's standard accuracy class is 0.05, and this level of accuracy should extend beyond static calibration testing
at a standard temperature of 22 C and apply across the entire operating temperature range. A particular challenge with test stands for electric motors is the increased and continuously changing ambient temperature. We know that with a rise in temperature the elastic modulus changes by approximately 2.5%. That is quite significant. Another point worth noting is the speed-dependent zero point error. To overcome these challenges, MANNER has developed torque sensors with temperature and speed compensation that ensure consistent, high accuracy for the entire operating range. The acquired torque values are digitized within the rotor to allow contactless digital transmission to a signal pick-up device. An integrated signal processor in the processing unit converts, in real-time, the raw data for the measured profile into compensated values. This process is based on the temperature and speed that have been measured in parallel. In modern test stands, the acquired data are typically transmitted digitally via EtherCAT, CAN or Ethernet to the test stand data acquisition system. Fig. 6 HS-Torque with pick-up device and tube-design evaluation unit for installation in control cabinets MANNER s unique combination of benefits Maximum robustness for high temperatures and speeds. Optimal electromagnetic interference immunity. Experienced engineering team. With this unique combination of benefits, MANNER technologies are leading in industrial maturity. Our maintenance-free products with an unlimited service life provide developers and designers with reliable, precise measurement values. For over 25 years, MANNER Sensortelemetrie has been active in the field of contactless transmission of sensor signal data from assemblies and shafts. Our guiding principle is: We accept challenges that others reject. Finding solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems that is what we do best!