Hey All - I wanted to give everyone a sneak peak at my latest project that I'm working on in my spare time. I'm very interested in feedback so I can get some new / good ideas and other constuctive criticism - note the key word "constructive"

In leiu of not wanting or being able to afford a nice electronic boost controller, i decided to build one. My original goal was to make it the biggest and baddest around - i later realized that such a project would never get finished. With the advent of World Electronic's boost controller, obiously i had stiff competition so i decided to forgo that plan.

I decided i would try to make a no-frills controller which would feature affordablity (rivaling a dual stage manual boost contoller in price) and ease of use. I didn't want to limit myself in terms of features so it still retains some complexity.

Features:
Adjustable boost control from two buttons (up button and down button)
Peak and hold boost display (push both buttons at same time)
Vacume / boost gauge display
A/F ratio input (0-5V from LM1 or other 0-5V linear output wideband controller)
A/F ratio display (can be cycled between boost display or A/F display)
*A/F monitoring and boost limiting (set a range of allowable A/F in relation to boost)
*Speed sensor input for Boost control by speed
*RPM input for boost control by RPM
*Gear based boost control using RPM and SPEED

The asterisk (*) denotes features only available using PC software and the communications cable due to the complexity of the feature and limited display and input (two buttons) capability.

So without futher adoo, adu, adue, whatever...

Picture before tinted plexiglass convering display....



Video with me as narrarator of basic functionality at 2am, note, i am simulating boost and vacume by pulling the Map sensor input close to ground for vacume or close to 5V for boost, thats what my finger's doing ...
http://www.zero-signal.org/~stizbob/boostctrl.avi

I would LOVE any comments, suggestions, etc!


Modified by stizzit at 10:49 AM 4/29/2005

 

what kind of microcontroller you use?

 

Atmel AVR

 

Nice package w/ nice features

 

ooohhh. i want one...

what kind of stepper motor or solenoid do you plan on using? have a price range for one of these? really interested

 

Wow, that's pretty cool. Do you plan on selling any?

 

pretty slick.

sell it as a diy with parts and instructions. you will make a killing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jappwr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice package w/ nice features</TD></TR></TABLE>
Thanks!! Thats what I was hoping to hear.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wantboost &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ooohhh. i want one...

what kind of stepper motor or solenoid do you plan on using? have a price range for one of these? really interested</TD></TR></TABLE>
To keep costs down I AM using the GM boost control solenoid and harness. If i do end up selling them, i will make the solenoid optional for those who already have one and to make it as cheap as possible for those that do.

For the map sensor i will probably be building my own pending tests next week. It will be cheaper than the GM 3bar and offer 1.8bar, 3 bar, and 5bar all in one and MAYBE a vacume only signal for those not running an aftermarket ecu solution (in lieu of a map limiter, or check valve).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rkeith &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Wow, that's pretty cool. Do you plan on selling any?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I may, depending on interest and what the final cost is. I need to become a honda-tech sponsor before i can mention anything regarding pricing. I plan on using Honda-tech.com as the testing grounds if all goes well.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Zer0DazE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">pretty slick.

sell it as a diy with parts and instructions. you will make a killing.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Unfortunatly it uses all surface mount parts and some very small pitch ones at that. I would consider it but people will probably track me down and torture me in retaliation for making them solder things they cannot see lol.

 

what kind of algorithm are you using?

Classical PID?

Asymmetrically weighted PID?

Other?

 

let me know when you have units for sale, depending on cost I'll buy one.

 

That's pretty cool... I sent you a PM...

 

Pretty neat.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blundar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what kind of algorithm are you using?
Classical PID?
Asymmetrically weighted PID?
Other?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Initially strictly proportional for testing and documentation thereby only providing convienence. Most likely I will not release it at that time.

I haven't decided officially but PD is fairly straight forward. We have also been discussing the merits of fuzzy logic and neural networks.

From what i've read, most EBC's out there are proportional only and if they are PD or PID, they don't do it very well. Same goes for fuzzy. Knowing this, it will not be difficult to match their performance or hopefully out perform.

if you have any suggestions im all ears

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boondock Saint &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">let me know when you have units for sale, depending on cost I'll buy one.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm sure i'll put up a website in a month or so. I will become a sponsor once i get closer to release and then begin taking orders on honda-tech.com. As long as you keep an eye on the FI forum you'll probably see updates now and again.

 

PID can work beautifully. The key is to get your Pk Pi Pd values appropriately sized and have a feedback loop to intelligently change them to suit conditions. The feedback and tuning of the PID algorithm is what most of the EBCs on the market sorely are lacking in.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blundar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">PID can work beautifully. The key is to get your Pk Pi Pd values appropriately sized and have a feedback loop to intelligently change them to suit conditions. The feedback and tuning of the PID algorithm is what most of the EBCs on the market sorely are lacking in.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, I agree. At my previous job i was required to tune PID controllers so i have that going for me. As for feedback, I had envisioned a system that required little to no user setting in regards to the control loop. That would require feedback in PID control or fuzzy logic control.

For now I have been developing the user interface, data formatting, and playing with the RTOS. Really the only thing i have left for basic functionality IS the control loop so it'll be interesting to see how that turns out.

Thanks for the comments

 

np, I've been working on something similar using a Phillips LPC2119 ARM... uses a couple of National LM1819 (I think?) VR sensor interfaces (also has logic level inputs) so that you can hook up ABS wheelspeed sensors. Controls boost level according to traction... The AVRs input capture stuff just isn't at the same level as the ARM. I kinda abandoned the project for lack of a test car... my 93 Ex w/ GSR brakes (and ABS) isn't running due to lack of funds...

Thought a lot about porting a lot of the boost controller code over to this Renesas demo board that I have to play with algorithms for boost control. A couple of the other PGMFIers are also working on using the ECU itself to control boost implementing PID in the ROM.

Should be an interesting year for boost controllers!

 

Very nice. Keep up the good work

 

Thanks for the kind words all...

Testing should commence in the next two weeks... I should be posting my results after that.

 

i want one! looks really nice. very interested so keep us all updated

 

Make it control boost rock solid and make it cheap and I wouldn't think twice about buying one once I get my turbo car rolling. AEM boost control is nice, but if I can get an EBC for cheap that is so much easier

 

very cool

 

impressive

 

Very impressive!!!

 

What's your degree? Where have you worked?

How do you manage to use SMD's? Do you etch your own Printed Circuit Boards? Did you design it on your own use circuits used in others as a model? Im just really impressed that's awesome. Not trying to be all snoopy or anything.