By Brodie Baillie & Thomas Bennett
January 01 2022
Established in 2004, Sourceman International is home to a team of innovative, talented and highly experienced engineering and industrial professionals, who strive to provide leading edge manufacturing services.
Working in tandem with Team Swinburne (TS) for over 6 years, Sourceman has been providing some of the most high-quality Printed Circuit Boards (PCB’s) for our team members year after year, along with the provision of invaluable industry-based knowledge and experience, ensuring a competitive edge and an unparalleled level of career readiness for Team Swinburne students.
Sourceman is a Diamond sponsor for Team Swinburne, providing up to $15,000 in circuit boards and technical advice and thus have been of paramount importance to the team over the years. Sourceman’s notable contributions include Printed Circuit Boards (PCB’s), technical schematic layout advice, PCB design advice and PCB stack feedback.
PCB’s supplied by Sourceman typically undergo standardised testing procedures upon request, such as a Flying Probe Test, Microsection Analysis and a 120x High Magnification Inspection, thereby ensuring superior quality and efficiency, allowing for a level of yearly innovation and advancement in relation to the overall design and efficiency of the Team Swinburne vehicles.
In relation to Team Swinburne’s custom designed PCBs that were kindly manufactured by Sourceman, they possess a range of features such as lights and indicators, data acquisition and telemetry and control of the high voltage systems and safety systems, thus ensuring the vehicle is safe for students and reliable at the yearly FSAE-A competition.
Additionally, Sourceman has been of vital importance in ensuring the safety of the car, particularly regarding the high-voltage safety systems. As student safety is of paramount importance, the PCBs provided by Sourceman allow for guaranteed quality and reliable operational confidence, particularly during the manufacturing process, thereby mitigating potential high voltage safety concerns and unsafe electronic components within the vehicle.
Furthermore, the electric battery of our TS_19 vehicle recently had its accumulator improved to increase the safety of the vehicle, helping to refine the reliability of the overall design and associated components.
Furthermore, Sourceman have provided in-depth and useful information regarding new Flex Circuit Boards, that will be tested by Team Swinburne in the coming months. Currently, our Autonomous vehicle makes use of a rigid base layer that cannot bend, while a flexible PCB, also called a flex circuit, has been considered, time and budgetary restraints permitting, as a potential upgrade. Flex PCBs are built on a flexible base capable of bending, twisting and folding, allowing for easier assembly and servicing, and also resulting in a more improved and reliable overall accumulator design.
Team Swinburne would like to give thanks to Sourceman for their continued provision of high-quality parts and industry knowledge, empowering Swinburne SAE students to be career ready. Swinburne SAE looks forward to continuously working side-by-side with Sourceman and expanding on our current relationship, so as to ensure students are well equipped and confident upon graduation and entering the workforce; one of the most defining stages of their early careers.
