EMS enters final stages of optimisation

With the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) ready and assembled, the graphical user interface is being finalised.

The Engine Monitoring System (EMS) is coming together ahead of schedule and our Electronics team has calibrated and tested all sensors. The EMS consists of 10 sensors that will be continuously monitoring and logging vital performance data of the model while testing, including air pressure & speed, shaft speed and temperature.

To enable wind tunnel and remote testing, the X-Plorer will be able to transmit the real-time data wirelessly. It comes with a built-in APU to eliminate the need for a wired power supply and two 100MHz ARM micro-controllers are employed to process the data.

Design 90% complete

Progress across all teams has been significant with the design being just over 90% complete. We have now prototyped 80 parts for sub-assemblies, using over 320 meters of plastic filament.

Trials continue for more components, including the pneumatic assembly of the propulsion chamber and the fastening features for the inner casing. Stay tuned for more news from all aspects of the project, as the project enters the final stages of the design.