TECAT Introduces New Wireless Temperature Measurement and Monitoring System for Automotive Brake Rotors

today announced the first product in its new WISER TC family of temperature measurement and monitoring systems. Optimized for automotive brake rotors and ideal for mounting inside wheel hubs, the compact WISER TC2-K provides low power consumption and high accuracy in high-temperature environments. TECAT will demonstrate the WISER TC2-K at the Automotive Testing Expo, Oct. 25-27 in Novi, Michigan, in booth 6022I.

“Our WISER TC platform allows us to build temperature measurement products for specific applications, such as measuring brake rotor temperature — traditionally a challenging task for automotive test engineers,” said Don Keating, vice president, new business development, at TECAT Performance Systems. “Not only is a wireless system required due to the rotating environment, but the system must be small enough to mount in a wheel hub, provide low power consumption to maximize battery life, and withstand extremely high temperatures. Relying on feedback from our automotive customers, we built our WISER TC2-K system to provide a cost-effective solution that overcomes all of these issues.”

The WISER TC2-K is comprised of three subsystems: a remote unit, base unit, and software interface. The remote unit consists of the data capture electronics connected to two K-type thermocouples, a transceiver, and a long-life battery. A custom-designed mounting plate allows for installation in any specific wheel hub or application. The base unit, which houses an antenna and receiver, plugs directly into a PC USB port for use with the software interface, or into a power supply and data acquisition system via its four analog outputs. The WISER Data Viewer software is used for system configuration and calibration, live monitoring, and data logging.

TECAT’s WISER systems are the smallest, lightest, and most power-efficient solutions available. The WISER TC2-K’s remote unit measures only 89 mm by 42 mm and weighs 350 g. Low power consumption enables long battery life for uninterrupted testing, while a noninvasive design allows the unit to be removed without altering the unit under test. For extreme wheel hub environments, the system provides accuracy of ± 1 °C over an operating temperature range of – 40 °C to + 1000 °C.a