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The Aamgard Blog 2022
Who's the Boss?
All ducks in a row - neighbours cat on inspection tour...
Important Detail: Connector and Product Labels for Wires and Looms
What's the use of an electric harness if you do not know how to connect? For this, it needs appropriate labels at each plug and a meaningful designation of each single connector. In the past, mnemonics like 'TWAT' may have been clear and distinct for mostly male people working in motorsports - but even with native English speakers it could lead to some irritation. A designation like 'CoolantTemp' or 'WaterTemp' may be the less catchy and more reasonable naming for that particular connector.
And also: What is the use of the most nice label, if it has yellowed after short uptime? Or the lettering has become extincted by usual detergents or the sticker itself decomposed? For our wiring looms we use self-adhesive Nylon tapes or glass silk stickers with temperature resistances up to 120/150°C. They are marked with Dymo or Brother label printers or even with standard office laser printers. This can be done in multiline as well as coloured inscription. These materials adapt smoothly and easily even to waved surfaces. A standard transparent heatshrink gives the necessary further protection.
For sensors and high temperature harnesses we use thin metal foil stickers with Polyimid sheathing. These labels are not easy to build and not as smooth as the Nylon ones. But they shine by perfect pin sharp caption and and classy golden colour. And they are completely free from yellowing and enduring temperature resistant to more than 200°C.
On - Off - Blink: Active Blink Switch for Rain Lights
For backfitting of racing cars with standard fog lights or older FIA rain lights: Three-way switch Aamgard SU28 with integrated blink relay. In the middle position, all is switched off. Knob up and the lamp gets 12V and is continuously switched on. Knob down and the lamp gets controlled by the internal flasher and blinks. The max. load is 8A, so LED rear lights as well as two parallel bulb fog lamps (2x 21 Watt) can be operated. Given by the electronic flasher relay the blink frequency is not affected by the load.
More: Rain light blink switch SU28 from Aamgard Engineering.
Not Tasty: Cable Spaghetti Inside a Porsche 962
Cabling of a dashboard inside a Porsche 962 Le Mans racing sports prototype - forty years of organic growing... And in the dark, the electric sometimes talked to the driver:
Yes, it still was operable somehow. Our new wiring just looks a little bit more user fiendly.
And saved about 3kg of weight:
More about: Vehicle electrics.
Impressions from the Spa Classic Race 2022
organisers pages: www.Peterauto.fr event video: www.Youtube.de
Autosport Connectors from Deutsch and Souriau
Aamgard Engineering delivers worldwide
Autosport connectors
from Deutsch and Souriau
and belonging accessories and tools.
Proprietary Development: Aamgard Temperature Sensors
Here they are - the first Aamgard Engineering developed motorsport sensors:
- left ATRA: a fast response temperature sensor for air and gases
- right ATRF: a precision motorsport sensor for coolants, fuels, oil etc.
Both sensors provide a measurement range of -40°C to +250°C and very flexible temperature and wear resistant Viton/Teflon electric cables. Both sensor housings are made from anodised aviation grade AW7075 aluminium resp. aviation grade aluminium with PEEK test prod. The ATRA is based on an ultra-fast NTC sensor chip. The ATRF contain a PT100 or PT1000 sensing element, depending by customer requirement.
Variable o-rings (either Viton, Teflon or EPDM) do make both components to nearly all-purpose temperature sensors in motorsports, aerospace and demanding industrial environments.
Livin' in a Box - Powerbox for a Classic Le Mans Racing Sports Car
Electronic PDM inside an 80th Le Mans racing sports car? Rather not! Handmade electrics containing modern materials, battery cut-off relay, connectors and circuit breakers? Absolutely! So, the best of both worlds. That way a classic but also modern and reliable power distribution box is done.
Photos, each left to right:
- two interlocking half-shells made from special biopolymer, 3D printed and for improved temperature resistance thermal annealed
- half-shells, reinforced with GFC sheets, water proof glued, riveted and painted;
the component weight is below 50g - internal wiring: battery cut-off relay, fuel pump relays and ETA circuit breakers for each electric circuitry like lighting or engine harness, dashboard etc.
- finished powerbox: M8 screwed contacts for ground (blue), battery positive (red) and starter / alternator (yellow) plus Autosport connectors from Souriau for each individual sub-loom.
Aston Martin Steering Wheel
Racing steering wheel with
curly cord
and
Autosport connector
made by Aamgard Engineering.
Thermocouples / Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensors by Aamgard Engineering
- K-type exhaust gas temperature sensor up to 1150°C
- several lengths and diameter
- stainless steel flex cable up to 15m length
- thermocouple connector to DIN / IEC (green)
- gland nuts M8 or M10
More info could be found at our temperature sensor pages. Or simply send us an E-Mail.
Good Tools - Good Work - Reliable Wiring Looms
For doing good work, a needs good tools - don't mind if you work on a classic
Ford Escort or a high sophisticated Formula 1 car. This especially applies
when building electric harnesses. Not always only the most expensive is the best -
but for the most cheapest looming pliers one often pays three times: Once
on the first purchase. Next time, when buying a new tool with better quality,
after recognising, that the previous one does not operate satisfactory. And
probably
in-between once more, after that improper engineered cheap crimper has screwed up
the friggin' expensive connector, that also needs to be purchased again.
As time went by, at our workshop several wiring tools and crimp pliers piled up. A small selection, from left to right:
- Knipex electronic wire cutter - even after 15 years of duty, that one works immaculate
- DMC pliers for Autosport connectors and circular contacts - the genuine set the standard
- RS engineers pliers - universal, medium priced, perfect for all days work
- Cembre hex crimper for shielded RF wires - teamed-up only recently, but so far performs well
- Knipex crimper for bigger cable shoes - rarely used, but if needed, indispensable
- TE Tyco Ergocrimp with variable inserts - the standard for roll-crimp contacts
- CK ferrule crimper - there is no room for experiments at professional splicing
- Cembre crimper for insulated cable shoes - nearly since 15 years in enduring operation
Maybe worth considering: Instead agonising with bad tools at unpractised usage, a better way could be asking the professional about costs of some adequate connector assembly. Or drop by at your local loom builder and spending some bugs for the kitty. And if this does not work for you: Get in contact to us, to get your contacts sorted...
Sensor Loom for Operation Temperatures up to 180°C
Simple in construction, but demanding at the required materials: Electric sensor harness for a Le Mans prototype racing car, temperatures resistance up to 180°C, with 5YR aerospace spec wires, Viton heat shrink and Autosport connectors from Deutsch and Souriau.
© Aamgard Engineering 220502