Customer Meeting - U.W. Formula SAE - Will Chan

We met with Will Chan (3B Mech) from the U.W. Formula SAE team today at 5:30 pm in DC. I don't think that the meeting went well. Will is a mechanical guy, so he couldn't tell me anything that I needed to know. That's fine; I don't expect much from first meetings. They are mostly so that I can find a technical contact to elicit requirements from.

I don't think Will saw the value to his team that we were offering. He was mostly of the mind-set of "how can we help you?" He didn't seem to see how what we were offering could help him. I think we can offer huge advantages to them by adopting our technology. We can streamline their existing workflow, and exponentially increase their abilities by allowing them to gather data and make adjustments to the vehicle on-course. Hopefully speaking to someone more involved in the systems will yield better results.

NOTES:

Current System:

• have data acquisition system: Pi Research's Pi System 1 (reseller, PDF)
  • captures
    • linear potentiometers
    • velocity
    • RPM
  • self contained / dash interface
  • completely embedded system with proprietary interface and software
  • looking to upgrade to Aim Evo 3
• engine control system: Advanced Engine Management's Wolf 3D Version 4
  • can adjust engine controls via pendent (fuel injection, timing etc)
  • completely embedded system with proprietary interface and software

Course characteristics:

• 20 minute runs
• 1 km length
• speeds: top: 100 kph, avg: 40 kph

Application Ideas:

• telemetry past access point
• monitor fuel consumption
• record lap data / split times
• would like bi-directional for driver communication
• pit crew must make judgement on vehicle changes

Durability testing for us:

• high vibration
• high noise

We have another meeting scheduled with them for Tuesday, July 27 @ 5:30 pm in E3 2107.