Connections across all racing, including hybrid and electric

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Lane Motorsports

8STA Souriau connectors for EV and hybrid racing applications

It’s hard to avoid todays green electric vehicle (EV) revolution since it’s all over the front pages right now as manufacturers announce new vehicles as well as their plans to replace the current polluting models in time for the deadlines set by various countries. In the UK that’s as soon as 2030 but, before that deadline, many areas of autosport will have migrated to fully electric only power

“At Lane Motorsport, we have been supplying connector solutions to support the EV revolution in motorsport for several years now.” Says Lane’s Peter Costin “And these connector systems are finding their way into all types of motorsport platforms including all levels of racing cars, bikes and boats. We also support several Formula Student teams currently developing their own electric racing cars incorporating some very innovative ideas.” Adds Peter Costin.

As the move to electric vehicles in racing gathers pace – there are new Formula “E” categories being announced on a regular basis across many autosport sectors – every serious autosport team is currently moving towards a fully electric platform while currently adding more “hybridisation” to their offerings.

Designers working on these new platforms are requesting ever more complex cable assemblies and harnesses that not only have smaller and lighter connectors but also have more contacts, a higher current capability and much faster signal and data speeds to cope with the developments in communications and the new high-power motors.

“We have ranges of connector systems designed specifically for autosport that are currently being specified for many on-board applications across petrol, hybrid and fully electric racing platforms. In addition to the traditional connector applications found in today’s racing cars, we expect to see an increase in the need for smaller and lighter sensor connectors that are equally resistant to demanding environments. These will be located around the power packs and the power pack cooling systems as well the motors and their control and monitoring systems.” Peter says.

Many of these EV connector applications are suited to the latest 8STA connector systems manufactured by Souriau-Sunbank by Eaton for whom Lane Motorsport is a value-add distributor. Designed and made to meet the requirements of MIL-DTL-38999, these tiny circular connectors are the preferred connector solutions across the world of competitive motorsport for sensors and electronics systems in applications such as engine management, data acquisition, steering wheel systems, telemetry, fuel tanks and hybrid energy recovery systems.

Souriau’s 8STA circular connectors are based around a rugged aluminium body plated as standard with conductive black zinc. The 8STA range includes high density connectors which provide up to 68 size 26 contacts compatible with 24 to 30 AWG wire as well as high-power connectors capable of handling up to 200A.

Operating temperature is – 55ºC to +175ºC and, when mated, the connector meets the requirements of IP67 making it able to withstand the demanding environments found across motorsport platforms.

Souriau’s 8STA range also includes an ultra-miniature size 01 connectors which offer a significant 20 percent saving in size and weight over the popular size 02 series yet it maintains all the larger connector’s performance advantages – including its anti-vibration design and the high resistance to the motorsport environment. These size 01 connectors accommodate three removable size 26 contacts.

In addition to the connectors themselves, Lane Motorsport’s 8STA connector solutions package features a comprehensive range of connector accessories made by HellermannTyton and Weald Electronics. These include protective caps, gaskets and nut plates, heat shrink boots as well as all the assembly tools needed to complete the application.

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HyTech Racing’s 2021 car is coming together

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Lane Motorsports

HyTech Racing car with Lane Motorsport 8STA connectors

One of the student racing car teams we sponsor is making great progress with the production of its fifth platform HT05 – the car HyTech Racing will race in 2021. Regular readers will be aware that in pre-Covid times, HyTech won first place for the second year in a row with its HT04 at Formula Hybrid, placing first in the Design, Autocross, and Endurance events, and setting a record as the fastest electric team to ever finish the 44 km Endurance course.

Souriau 8STA connectors installed in HyTech Racing car

As well as developing their next competition car, HyTech has been working hard to integrate new team members into its racing programme with a Covid-safe series of virtual sessions covering all aspects of student racing.

The team is well into the design and build of HT05 and has been validating its latest engineering decisions via extensive testing and tuning of its very successful HT04. For our part, we are supplying HyTech with the latest Souriau 8STA connectors and HellermannTyton heatshrink boots.

Let’s hope the racing goes ahead!!

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New Lightweight Connectors and Accessories for Autosport / Motorsport Applications

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Lane Motorsports

As a company providing high performance electric connector solutions where the environment places huge demands on the integrity of the connection, we are very happy to announce that we have added new connectors and connector accessories to our motorsport product portfolio.

Lane Motorsport, bases its product offering around four manufacturers: Souriau-Sunbank and Nicomatic for the connectors, Weald Electronics for accessories including ultra-lightweight protective caps, gaskets and nut plates, and HellermannTyton for the all-important protective heat shrink boots and tubing.

Souriau Sunbank 8STA and Nicomatic EMM motorsport / autosport circular connectors

We are a leading assembling, value adding distributor for Souriau, who are a leader in the manufacture of interconnection products used throughout motorsport. Souriau’s 8STA circular connectors find wide application connecting communications equipment, engine control units, data acquisition systems, fuel pumps, starters, alternators and batteries throughout all levels of motorsport.

Connectors for autosport, like those used in the military/aero industry, need to operate across a huge range of environments. Extremes of temperature, vibration and many unpleasant liquids come together to provide the ultimate integrity test for connectors. These environmental demands are just one area that makes the motorsport sector a unique challenge for electrical connector manufacturers.

Designers developing next generation autosport platforms are always requesting ever more complex cable assemblies and harnesses that not only have lighter and smaller connectors, but also have more contacts, a higher current capability and much faster signal and data speeds to cope with the developments in communications and hybrid power.

Nicomatic EMM motorsport / autosport rectangular lightweight miniature connectors

We also offer Nicomatic’s popular 2mm pitch CMM series rectangular connectors and have just added the even smaller and lighter 1.27mm pitch Nicomatic EMM series which offers as much as 20% space saving when compared to standard MicroD connector systems.

Along with these connectors from Souriau and Nicomatic, Weald Electronics produces a new range of ultra-lightweight 8STA compatible accessories, including protective caps, gaskets, nut plates and all the assembly tools required. Weald also provides a custom connector modification service that takes a standard product and alters its weight and size as required.

Dust protective caps and nut plates for motorsport / autosport circular 8STA Souriau and Deutsch AS connectors

Good examples include the increasingly popular single flange receptacle which has a single hole fixing making box mounting simple or tiny nut plate designed to make installation easier. These are made by Weald in the UK.

Many of HellermannTyton’s heat shrink boots are made specifically for autosport. We stock standard boots, glue lined boots, high temperature boots for fuel tank applications, both straight and right-angled variants and the very popular VG9500 twin pack epoxy used to glue standard boots, mostly for next day delivery.

Alongside these, we also stock a comprehensive range of HellermannTyton heat shrink moulded shapes and transitions as well as their heat shrink tubing in the same high temperature and fuel-resistant materials for complete harness protection.

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After a great 2019, LU Motorsport goes electric for 2020!

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Lane Motorsports

LU Motorsport goes electric for 2020

As we said here last year, Loughborough University Motorsport had a great season in 2019 finishing no less than 4th out of 81 student teams at Formula Student UK which took place at Silverstone. For the second year running, LUM’s driver Monty Jeacock-Fewtrell was the top individual driver.

The challenge to improve on last year has begun, but with a difference. The 2020 racing car will be electric instead of a combustion one for the first time. According to LUM, switching to an electric platform has become an affordable option as well as an important one for the future since the automotive industry is moving quickly to electric vehicles. By switching to electric, LUM team members will gain “hands on” experience of the technologies that will drive and shape the future of cars.

LUM has chosen to create a simple, single motor car in the hope the vehicle can pass all aspects of electric scrutineering. The team is also looking to provide future teams with a good vehicle foundation that can be used and improved in future years.

The design process for the car has been taking place since the team returned from FS Austria last and the manufacture of LFS20 is underway now. We support LUM by providing the latest Souriau 8STA connectors as well as connector accessories, all designed specifically for all types of motorsport.

The team are in the process of deciding which European event they will attend  during summer 2020. They are already certain of a place in Formula Student UK and the team will be competing here between 23rd and 26th July.

Qualification events for the other European events take place on 31st January and the team are aiming to meet the conditions for Formula Student Germany, East, Netherlands or Spain.

Watch this space to see which event LUM will compete in this summer.

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Electronic connectors and accessories at Autosport Engineering 2020

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Lane Motorsports

Lane Motorsport at Autosport Engineering 2020 show

A comprehensive electronic connector and connector accessories package is to be showcased by Lane Motorsport at the Autosport Engineering show in January 2020.

Visitors to our stand E760 at the NEC Birmingham can see and discuss the very latest  connectors from Souriau and Nicomatic and connector accessories from HellermannTyton and Weald Electronics. These connector systems can handle anything the motorsport environment throws at them while the accessory package is designed to save time and money during development, installation and replacement.

Lane Motorsport is a leading assembling distributor for Souriau, a leader in the manufacture of interconnection products used throughout the motorsport sector. The company’s 8STA circular connectors find wide application connecting engine control units, communications equipment, data acquisition systems, fuel pumps, starters, alternators and batteries throughout all levels of motorsport.

Souriau also manufactures the microComp® series of high-density rectangular connectors. These are lighter than micro-D and standard D-subminiature connectors which makes them ideal for  applications where space and weight considerations are paramount.

Also part of Lane Motorsport’s interconnection package is the Nicomatic EMM series. Featuring a 1.27mm pitch, the EMM series achieves more than a 40% space reduction when compared to Nicomatic’s established CMM series or as much as 20% when compared to standard MicroD connector systems. Designed to meet the performance requirements of MIL 83513, the connectors integrate features including reversed contacts, 90° back protection and interchangeable hardware.

Along with these connectors, Weald Electronics produces a range of ultra-lightweight 8STA compatible accessories like protective caps, nut plates and gaskets, and all the assembly tools required. Weald also  provides a custom connector modification service that takes a standard product and alters its size and weight as required.

Many of HellermannTyton’s heat shrink moulded boots are made specifically for motorsport.  Lane will display standard boots, glue lined boots, high temperature boots for fuel tank applications, both straight and right-angled variants and the very popular VG9500 twin pack epoxy used to glue standard boots.

Recognising the “special” needs of motorsport in all its forms, Lane Motorsport, can respond rapidly to requests for product regardless of quantity or how “unusual” the specification. Lane Motorsport  has at its disposal an almost limitless stock of the multitude of parts needed to build the connector as well as the facilities to assemble the finished product on demand.

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Lane Motorsport to make the right connections at PMW 2019

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Lane Motorsports

Lane Motorsport at Professional Motorsport World Expo 2019

Once again, we are exhibiting at Professional Motorsport World Expo which takes place in Cologne from November 13 to 15. It’s the leading event for motorsport teams, racing car engineers, designers and drivers.

On booth 6066, we will showcase the industry and technology leading Souriau 8STA series of connectors as well as a broad and comprehensive range of 8STA accessories produced by HellermannTyton and Weald Electronics. Also on display and available for discussion will be Nicomatic’s CMM Series of high reliability 2mm pitch connectors, the Nicomatic EMM Series of 1.27 mm pitch connectors which feature a much smaller footprint than rival systems and the Souriau microComp® high density connector series that offers designers a lightweight alternative to high density D-Sub and micro-D connector systems.

Souriau’s 8STA connectors reliably connect technology across platforms in all forms of motorsport. These space and weight saving, high performance connectors can be found connecting engine management systems and sensors, batteries, starters, alternators, fuel pumps and control and data carrying harnesses.

Our broad and comprehensive portfolio of 8STA compatible accessories manufactured by Weald Electronics includes nut plates, protective caps and gaskets and are complemented by heatshrink boots and tubing from HellermannTyton. We have large stocks of standard boots, glue lined boots and high temperature boots for applications in areas like fuel tanks as well as heat-shrinkable SE28 2:1 series tubing which is a direct replacement of Raychem DR-25 tubing.

For applications that need non-standard connector systems, we can modify and remodel Souriau’s 8STA connectors and accessories  to suit a customer’s specific application.

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Great year for LUMotorsport – Hard work does pay!

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Lane Motorsports

LuMotorsport Season Review - sponsored by Lane Motorsport

All the hard work put in by the Loughborough University Formula Student team has certainly paid off this year. As we have said here before, the team’s first event was at Silverstone for Formula Student UK. After what the team described as a “strong” weekend, LUM achieved its best ever finishing position of fourth overall.

The team then travelled to Spielberg, Austria for FSAustria. After some initial and slight issues during scrutineering, the team managed to compete in all the dynamic events. Not only that, but a great performance in the static events allowed LUM to secure 20th overall and the all-important best UK team.

LuMotorsport Season Review - sponsored by Lane Motorsport

Congratulations from Lane Motorsport who are pleased to sponsor the team with electronic connector systems based around the industry leading Souriau 8STA series and accessories from Weald Electronics and HellermannTyton.

But there is more to a season than the racing events themselves.

The seven week build process of transforming a newly welded chassis into a full spec race car started during the height of exam season to ensure the team got enough time to test the car.
Here are some of the tasks the team had to undertake:
• Rebuilding the race engine and fitting to chassis.
• Wiring the car with the new loom.
• Assembling uprights and suspension system and fitting.
• Plumbing in the brake system.
• Adding the eye catching pink livery

LuMotorsport Season Review - sponsored by Lane Motorsport
With great timing, the team finished the build a few days before the car was launched in the University’s Desmond Penrose* Atrium in front of sponsors and department staff.
Once built, the team completed six days of testing – racking up 301.5 km in the 2019 car. The days were split between Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Tattershall Karting Centre where this year’s drivers took the chance to gain experience in the new vehicle.

* Desmond Penrose, B.Sc F.R.Ae.S – a World renowned RAF and Commercial Test Pilot.

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Souriau 8STA motorsport circular connectors provide the lead in high-reliability, weight reduction and miniaturization.

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Lane Motorsports

Souriau 8STA High Density and Power Connectors

In the motorsport market electronics are increasingly being used, while at the same time space and weight constraints are becoming more and more important, with dependability an additional must. It’s for this reason that the Souriau 8STA series are so highly coveted. The 8STA series are miniature circular connectors designed to be smaller and lighter with high-reliability features that ensure race performance and driver safety.

According to Pete Costin, our Business Development Manager, they are among the lightest and smallest circular connectors of their type currently available and as such they are the preferred connectors across the world of competitive autosport for sensors and electronics systems in applications such as engine management, data acquisition, steering wheels, telemetry, fuel tanks and hybrid energy recovery systems.

Featuring a rugged aluminium body plated with ROHS compliant conductive black zinc as standard, the 8STA connectors are derived from international military specifications MIL-DTL-38999 and Eurofighter JN1003. Consequently, they are designed to withstand the high levels of shock and vibration that are also found in autosport.

The 8STA series features a smooth, quick and secure 1/3 turn bayonet coupling and different key orientations are colour-coded for ease of identification when space and time is at a premium. Integral backshells on the cable plugs and special oval flanges on the panel-mount receptacles combine to further reduce the weight and connector size.

When mated, the connector meets the requirements of IP67 and can withstand salt spray and many types of fluids including those found across autosport platforms. Glass-to-metal sealed hermetic receptacles and feedthroughs complete the range with specific fuel tank versions for long-term fuel immersion.

We offer standard connectors including high density (HD) 8STA connectors and high power versions from stock with next-day delivery and no MOQ. Also, as an assembling Souriau distributor, customer specific connectors can be assembled and tested to order on short lead times.

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Best ever result for LUMotorsport at Silverstone

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Lane Motorsports

LuMotorsport Formula Student Team sponsored by Lane Motorsport

Our sponsored student racing car team, Loughborough University Motorsport, better known as LUMotorsport, left Formula Student Silverstone back in July thinking they had come a very creditable 9th out of 81 entrants. Next stop Austria.

Then came some exciting news. A recalculation of the points for the endurance event saw LUMotorsport move up to fourth – their best ever result. It’s interesting to note that the winning university was the Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia which just happens to include the Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering!! Modena of course is best known as the city that gave birth to Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. Not a bad pedigree to have in Formula Student.

LuMotorsport Formula Student Team sponsored by Lane Motorsport

In Austria, LUMotorsport achieved 20th place but, importantly, they were the best UK team. This after some issues with the car during scrutineering all of which were resolved in time for the competition. Highlight of the event was LUM’s fastest ever skidpan time.

LuMotorsport Formula Student Team sponsored by Lane Motorsport

Lane Motorsport is delighted to continue its sponsorship with the supply of Souriau’s industry leading 8STA connector products and assembly tools.

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Another of our sponsored student motor racing teams gets ready for the new season

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Lane Motorsports

LuMotorsport gets ready for 2019 season with Lane Motorsport

Here at Lane Motorsport, we can’t wait for July 10th when Loughborough University Motorsport (LUMotorsport) unveils this year’s racing car – the LFS19. We have been really happy to supply LUMotorsport with Souriau 8STA connector products and assembly tools and have been amply “rewarded” by watching the team make huge progress each year.

Since the last update, the team has been working hard to design and build LFS19. This year’s car comes with a scientifically proven aerodynamic profile to greatly improve the car’s on-track handling and performance. The aerodynamic kit comprises of a front wing, rear wing and underbody floor designed using a combination of 2D and 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Motorsport is a sector that makes massive use of CFD to analyse and assist in the final design of the most aerodynamically efficient vehicle profile possible.

LuMotorsport LFS2019 Student Formula Car

The engine chosen for LFS19 is the Triumph Daytona 675 because it offers excellent mid-range performance, low cost and ready availability when compared to other engines.   In addition, LUM selected the Mitsubishi TD03 turbocharger as it was found to provide the best performance, with the highest power and torque figures, over the largest operating range (5000 to 10000rpm).

Suspension setup for LFS19 is designed to provide the car with predictable handling, making it easy to drive quickly around tight Formula Student tracks. According to the LUMotorsport design team, the main change has been to reduce the steering weight by increasing the front caster adjustment and revising the steering points to minimise driver fatigue during the endurance event.

The setup has double wishbone suspension with pushrod activated springs and dampers, connected via a rising rate rocker system to help reduce body roll in high speed corners.

Another area of development for this year’s car was the driver controls and, in particular, the steering wheel. LUMotorsport worked closely with Graphite Additive Manufacturing to develop and manufacture the new steering wheel which has resulted in a design that is 33% lighter. The steering wheel itself has been manufactured from graphite SLS and uses selective laser sintering to produce a wheel with adequate strength whilst also providing design and packaging freedom.

Lane Motorsport is a key supplier of electrical and electronic connector solutions for all types of motorsport platforms. Lane Motorsport can supply a comprehensive package of Souriau 8STA connectors alongside 8STA compatible accessories made by HellermannTyton and Weald Electronics. Standard products include heat shrink boots, nut plates and gaskets, and ultra-lightweight protective caps and Lane Motorsport can provide connector and accessories machined and profiled to offer even greater space and weight saving connector solutions.

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