Sensor Technology’s Transducers Used for Sustainable Vehicles by AVID Technology

Wireless rotary torque transducers from Sensor Technology Ltd. are being used by AVID Technology Ltd. in a test rig to develop next-generation technologies for electric and hybrid vehicle powertrains.

The devices are being used as part of an automated approach to motor characterization. The company develops powertrain improvement solutions for a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicle applications including high-performance passenger cars, heavy-duty buses and trucks, motorsports vehicles, and off-highway machinery. Its high-efficiency electric motor and power electronics technology delivers class-leading electrified powertrains and propulsion systems.

To test and characterize the high-performance electric motors used in electric and hybrid powertrains, AVID Technology designed and built a special purpose test rig. Central to the design of the test rig is the wireless rotary torque measurement device from Sensor Technology. These noncontact surface wave acoustic (SAW) transducers offer significant advantages compared with strain gauges, magnetic torque sensors, and optical devices that might be fitted to a conventional dynamometer for motor characterization.

The U.K. government’s draft clean-air policy, along with the announcement that sales of petrol-only and diesel-only vehicles will be banned beginning in 2040, are bringing the role of hybrid and electric vehicles to the fore. AVID Technology’s systems aim to improve conventional internal combustion engine efficiency through parasitic loss reduction, efficient thermal management, lubrication, electrified ancillary systems, and waste heat recovery.

Sensor Technology is a manufacturer of piezoelectric ceramic materials, custom acoustic transducers, and custom hydrophones. AVID Technology is a manufacturer of electrified powertrain components and systems for electric and hybrid vehicles.