For the current dynamometer the inner hole diameter was increased to 1.5 inches to reduce the octagon’s wall thickness. These thin walls help to amplify the signal read by the strain gauges by allowing the dynamometer to be flexible. The octagon’s faces are .7 inches long, which provides an excellent mounting surface for strain gauges. Like the prototype, we used a Bridgeport Mill to create the final product out of a solid block of 6061-T6 aluminum. Extreme care had to be taken when milling out the 1.5 inch diameter holes of the octagon. The faces of the octagon were filed and sanded to a smooth surface finish for proper mounting of the strain gauges. A mounting plate was made to firmly secure the base of the dynamometer to the mill. A plexiglass splashguard was then fashioned to shield the strain gauges and cables from the coolant of the mill.
