Enclosures
(2022-2023)
Enclosure for the new brake system plausibility device (BPD). There are three connectors in the front that have hexagonal nuts to secure its connection. The mount fits around the nuts to ensure that vibrations from the car do not loosen the connection. In addition, there are two holes on the left side of the case to allow for the LEDs to shine and be viewed by users for debugging purposes. Gaskets and o-rings are placed to enhance sealing of openings as well as the o-rings acting as a vibration dampener for the PCB. The top and bottom plates are secured by screws and nuts, which are hand tightened.
(2022-2023)
The power distribution board (PDM) is a central hub for powering all the electronics on the car, able to power anything that requires less than 12 Volts. As such, the enclosure I designed requires a low level of water proofing and vibration control for the PCB.
The enclosure features a seamless design around all corners, with tight openings for the front connectors and a hole for the 12 Volt screw that is inserted through the top hole. The enclosure will feature rubber crush washers and screw hole covers to account for water at certain entrances and to lower vibrations from the car floor.
In addition, the four mounting screws and nuts have no openings from the top, reducing the number of external holes on the enclosure.
(2021-2022)
The old brake system plausibility device (BPD) featured openings for four connectors, and was projected to be mounted on a chassis tube. The base had a lip to slide the PCB in, with a small snap fit so the the board cannot slide out. the cover featured another snap fit with the base to secure the board in the z-axis while focusing on a design request for the PCB to be easily removed for testing.
The enclosure saw successful use in the 2022 car, however some notes I would look out for in the future is the quality of the snap fit. While the enclosure showed no problems during usage, my tolerance for the snap fit between the cover and the base was slightly too large, allowing for the cover to vibrate and shake. It posed no problems for the BPD or the car, however improvements could have been made.