The cooperation with AIM the Italian electronics company started for me in 1995. Next to my work at the Fiat group I started systematically to build up my own company. In May 2000 I gave up my job as manager of the test centre and technical hotline at Fiat and became self-employed.
During 2001 I hired three employees and at the end of 2001 in Eppingen-Elsenz Ulrich Mesch Motorsporttechnik turned into memotec GmbH. In the meanwhile the old office became too small and so we started in 2002 to realize the new modern building as fast as possible.
1995
Telechron - the telemetry system, specially developed for kart sport
With this rpm, speed, lateral acceleration, exhaust gas temperature and two other, from the user defined parameters (for example rotation angle positions, pressure, temperatures) can be recorded and can be read and displayed graphically via PC. The lap time is recorded automatically.
The system creates graphically the course of the route and splits the course into segments. Through the segments the split times and the lap times are being calculated and displayed. Thereby all the fastest split times are highlighted and it is determined how fast the driver could be if he would have been driving optimal in all segments.
The other values are being displayed as well graphically based on the segments so that changes at the kart or the style of driving can be seen immediately. Depending on the sampling frequency of the signals the parameters from more than 100 laps can be saved and are hereby historically filed on the hard disk and can be recalled at any time.
By adding a transmitter the values can be transferred in real time via radio to the handheld device with receiver and the PC. This gives the pitman’s the chance to inform the driver about any situation that occurs while driving. This saves time and money as many piston seizures can be recognized in advance through the exhaust gas temperature. The use of radio transmission is not permitted in Germany.
MyChron 1 This system records via an IR barrier automatically the driven lap time and displays it for the next 5 seconds on the display and saves it. After these 5 seconds the rpm value is displayed again on the display and the peak values are saved. Furthermore the number of laps covered is displayed.
The IR Transmitter has to be placed at the roadside and when passing its IR barrier it activates in the onboard device the entry of the lap time and the number of laps and on the display the number of laps and the lap times are displayed and the peak value of rpm is saved. In total the amount of 40 laps can be saved and read. The system can also simply just function as a rpm counter or an automatic stopwatch, but with data storage. Or sequentially changing as both. The saving is not deleted when switching of the device.
1996 - 1997
The MyChron of the first generation obtained in March 1996, just 3 months after its release, a new, not that angular display housing (top left). Through this modification the multiple channels disappeared as well because of the new IR frequency, which was not adjustable anymore now and from now on there was only one uniform IR signal available.
1996 the data recording box from the one year before released telemetry system Telechron was developed into the stand alone data logger Drack and it was sold from the beginning of 1997 on (Below left).
In spring 1997 the Display T-Drack was released as an option for the new Drack, which already had a shift light or a temperature alarm (top).
Meanwhile the transmitter was revised again and got a grey housing (downright). For 1997 the MyChron was revised extremely: firstly the additional box got a new, more round housing, the ON/OFF button was gone, because this now works over the keyboard. In this context also the design was made a bit more colourful und some new versions were developed (rightmost).
Even though no one was thinking about car and bike sport, it suddenly became necessary to deliver these markets as well. So in 1997 the following versions emerged:
- MCL - a pure Laptimer, in two versions (with internal battery or with 12 V board power supply)
- MCR - the famous MyChron but now with an additional 12 V version for car and bike. From this moment on all MCR-versions had a shift light.
- MCT - the well known MyChron/now MCR) but with an additional temperature gauge or shift light.
1998
Just in time for the kart fair 1998 we were able to present the new Drack generation: smaller and lighter, clearly cheaper and increasingly powerful – this had to be a bestseller (top right).
And it became a bestseller as not only in kart sport but also in car and bike sport AIM suddenly was a serious competitor of the established brands like 2D, Bosch, Magneti Marelli, PI and Stack. Not only that the AIM systems were obviously cheaper, they partly were even better:
- 12 Bit resolution (others only resolved ¼ of it)
- Professional plug connections instead of lamp-wire connectors
- Free configurable analogue inputs instead of fixed selections
- Free configurable sampling frequency until 200 Hz per channel
- Royalty-free and free of charge Software and Updates
The at this time offered display T-Drack (left) was perfect for kart and bike but not for car equally like the in autumn 1998 released M2-Dash (below). This only changed as one year later the DashChron came on the market (bottom left).
1998 was also a year of breakthrough concerning MyChron. Many new ideas and improvements were present. Too many changes for a facelift. So a new model was created: MyChron 2. It marks with its elaborated components structure what meant a minimum of tooling costs for boards and housing production. This also influenced the design of the transmitter (bottom right). With MyChron 2 the triumphal march of AIM over all competitors in the USA began.
MyChron 2 was available in the versions MCR (top right, rpm and lap time) and MCV (right, two additional temperatures and speed) for kart when it came on the market. A bit later the versions for car and bike followed and in the year 2000 the version PRO came on the market.
These units were already able to display the saved data dynamically; meaning not only single values but the whole lap just like it was shown during driving. The transmission of the data to the PC was possible as well but only via the very delicate infrared technique with the IR-code pen (below).
The technique of the MyChron 2 – four blocks of numbers in a LCD module – was 1998 very advanced as the competitors were mounting at this time one single LCD module what inevitable reflected in the price. After this principle production was only made until 2001 after 2001 modern units with first graphics displays in pixel technique followed.
Yet even after 2001 one stubborn competitor still used the antiquated LCD technique and another one still sold the antique and susceptible IR data transmission.
1999
In the year 1999 there were again some interesting new publications from AIM. One of them was the best selling AIM product ever: MyChron Light. Especially in a bike cockpit there is not much space for mounting a Laptimer of the size of the MyChron 2. Therefore a smaller brother was needed. Yet also in the kart sector the unit was very popular as it only had a weight off 85 gr.
In total there were 5 different versions:
- MRP – rpm
- MCL – lap time
- MRT – rpm, temperature
- MCR – rpm, lap time
- MCT – rpm, lap time, temperature
Even ten years later the MCL is still a best seller.
In smaller quantity compared to the MyChron Light but with the same continuity the second new development from 1999 is a long runner too: Multichron – the first stopwatch for 4 drivers.
Multichron has some very interesting features which yet did not satisfy all clients: because of the many possibilities the handling was very complex and only real freaks were able to handle the Multichron. People with less knowledge set accidentally alarms, countdowns or any other beeper and were woken from this in the middle of the night and did not know how to switch it off.
For this reason Multichron was completely revised in 2005 and one did without all the knickknacks. Since than it has been a stopwatch that people need.
The next development was the DashChron first as display for Drack and later on as the independent system ST1. This unit had its authorization in bike and racing car as it had all functions that are important: rpm, lap time, temperatures, pressure, warning and shift lights. For many drivers the DashChron was the non Plus Ultra because of the analogue rpm indicator.
2000 - 2001
With the new millennium new products came: above all the MyChron Pro, a cross between MyChron 2 and Drack. Additionally to the MyChron 2 it had an internal lateral acceleration sensor and the data was read equally to the Drack serial and not via IR. This unit shines by its gigantic price-quality ratio.
By taking a view on it afterwards one has to assume that the persons responsible at AIM have set the cornerstone of this catastrophe during a visit in a bar including a Barolo-Flat rate night – because this thing was really not it. MyChron Pro really taught us a lot as all the problems that we never had before were all suddenly there. We never before in life learned as much about electromagnetic interference and at the same time earned that much less money than before. Through this we also lost many clients. Unfortunately.
Yet time did not stand still and the development continued, sometimes in smaller steps but always constantly. The next innovation was a new designed transmitter. Not really relevant but of resistance as this version has been up to date for 10 years now. His college in the red robe came one year later and is only for split times of the MyChron TG responsible.
The rectification for the disaster with the MyChron Pro was called Drack evo3 the third generation of Drack. Everybody was enthused because this was a real burner: perfectly processed, super quality, fair price and gigantic performance. An absolutely state of the art: big memory, very fast data transmission via USB, Flash-technology for re-programming of the Firmware by the client, CAN bus for the communication with the display, internal battery to bridge the so called micro interruptions and many more. A typical AIM product.
Evo3 was perfect for every racing driver. Some of them like Andre Lange did not even have an engine. He was several times German champion, European champion, World champion and Olympic champion yet not only because he had an evo3 in his bob. Let’s see what he will achieve with it at Olympia.
There were different evo3 versions available which primarily differed in the amount of analogue channels and secondarily in the connectors. Next to the loggers with
- 2 (top left)
- 4 (below)
- 8 (bottom left)
or 13 analogue channels there were as well different displays:
- Light-Dash (totally top right)
- M2-Dash (top right)
- M3-Dash (right middle)
- Dash ST1 (bottom right)
Fact is that the evo3 was very successful as nearly 1000 Formula Renault all over the world were equipped with an evo3! And FR2000 was not all also many other series, teams and drivers have chosen the evo3. The spectrum started at the vehicle operator and found an end in the big motorsport just under the Moto GP and Formula 1. In the kart sport everything was covered as there were no requirements that the evo3 was not able to full fill. It does not matter if Bambini-kart or super kart.
We have now arrived at the end of the year 2001. The good old German D-Mark will not exist much longer as soon the Euro will come. We do not care we will convert 1:1,95583 not as many other do with 1:1,0.
By now the flat is really getting too small with 5 employees and we have planned to build a new building next year.
2002
2002 was MyChron 3. A totally new era. It was gigantic. With this we have sold our clients something very good:
- Basic for everybody
- Plus Kart for hobby drivers
- Gold Kart for professional racers
MyChron 3 was much better than its precursors as it has a very good readable analogue bar graph as rpm counter and it was through its logical structured menu (in 6 different languages) very easy to handle. Especially the fast data transmission via USB cable was path breaking at this time.
MyChron 3 was much better than its predecessors and competitors as it has a very good readable analogue bar graph as rpm counter and it was in its handling, because of its logically structured menu (in 6 different languages), practically self-explanatory. Especially the fast data transmission via USB cable was path breaking at this time.
New was as well the possibility to power the MyChron 3 via the board supply network and at the same time one was able to control the integrated voltmeter function. The calculated gear indicator was not available before.
In summer 2002 the versions plus and gold for car and bike followed. These versions had everything on the display as the connection box was missing because these units were not intended for mounting them on the steering wheel. And than we drove AIM crazy until finally the plug & play kids for the most common bikes were available. A huge market was suddenly opened. As there were so many Fireblades, Ninjas, GSX-R’s and R1/R6 etc.
Yet it did not work out the way we expected as these cheap bikes from Japan were common but their owners mostly did not even have the money for the rate, not to mention for a MyChron 3. Forget that. The most of them were not able to buy but wanted to scrounge: Do you want to sponsor us?
This made certain:
- for engineer: it works
- for traders: it does not work
2003 - 2004
After that further versions of the MyChron 3 came on the market: for kart in 2003 the extreme which had compared to the gold two additional, free configurable analogue channels. Through this feature the super kart driver was able to see his third and maybe even fourth temperature and the young talented driver was able to record accelerator pedal position and brake pressure. Those with four stroke engines with Biland, Suter und Oral were able to see next to exhaust gas and water temperature as well oil pressure and oil temperature.
From the automotive circle the wish arose to be able to mount MyChron 3 as well on the steering wheel. AIM’s answer came quickly and had the name MyChron 3 gold XG. The unit consists out of two parts, just like plus, gold and extreme for kart, as the lateral acceleration sensor can not be in the display when this is mounted on the steering wheel.
Meanwhile at AIM the communication via CAN bus was ready to go into production and was first included in the MyChron 3 gold XG. The device was called MyChron 3 XG-Log and was mounted between 2004 and 2009 inter alia in all new Cup vehicles from Volkswagen: Polo Cup in Germany, Jetta TDI-Cup in the USA, Scirocco-Cup in China. Yet as well in many other manufacture’s cup and formula series and of course many, many individual clients bought the MyChron 3 XG-Log. All appreciate the perfectly readable, functional display, the excellent cost-effectiveness and the incredible quality and reliability.
In summer 2004 the last MyChron 3 version, the Club, came on the market and replaced the not anymore produced MyChron Light MCT.
This device was mainly just as its predecessor for hobby drivers who do not want to analyse data. Therefore one was able to use a smaller and more inexpensive memory than in the MyChron 3 and to leave the USB interface out. It is a very robust and reliable device for a small price.
Furthermore the kart steering wheels for mounting the MyChron 3 were very popular.
2004 a new era started as with the new MXL AIM had established itself among the absolutely top producers. The MXL was developed on the basis of the MyChron 3 gold car and got a wonderful housing made of noble aircraft aluminium and all features hat were state of the art at that time.
In May 3 different versions were released on the market:
- MXL Strada – as a pure display
- MXL Pista – for "normal" racing car and bike
- MXL PRO – for the technically demanding driver
Technical data AIM MXL Pista
| | Strada | Pista | Pro | Pro05 |
|---|
| Analogue channels |
8 |
8 |
8 |
12 |
| Digital inputs |
2 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
| Switching inputs |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
| Max. sampling rate (channel) |
10 |
500 |
500 |
500 |
| Memory |
128 kB |
8 MB |
8 MB |
16 MB |
After 8 months of construction period in January 2005 the Pro was replaced by the Pro 05. A bit later another version with colourful LED’s and a changed silkscreen for the application in traffic came on the market. Meanwhile it has a die cast housing and is only available with a fine blue light.
Another product came in summer 2004: MyChron TG – the Laptimer for people over 40 with very big figures and more possibilities for playing. This device has much more features than its little brother MCL as it can display and save more. It can furthermore transmit the data to the PC and the 12 V versions can be powered via the board system. In this version its display has a blue background.
2005 - 2006
In the following year there were besides DAVID not many new products from AIM as they were already working on the news for 2006. This took partly so long because of the complexity and partly because there were harsh backstrokes.
DAVID (data video system) was AIM’s first step in the area of video in the motor sport sector. DAVID is available as stand alone with integrated data logger that comes from the MyChron 3 XG-LOG and as slave for connection to a MXL or an evo3. DAVID is a vision mixer that fits together the pictures from two finger cams with a virtual instrument cluster to a new video picture. This picture is send to an external recording device and is saved there as video. Because of the relatively high price it never was a banger, but those clients that have DAVID are very satisfied with it.
In 2006 a whole series of products was finished – above all in January the MyChron 4.
After that the long overdue GPS System came on the market. The reasons for the delay of almost 2 years were tragically: the developer of the GPS at AIM came to his boss after he had finished developing the GPS for almost 60% and resigned. The reason was that he had too much stress and he now has a better job in a post office. What ever…
His successor was a real man of action as he had everything under control very fast and the system was almost completed for 85% when he died during a test drive. He took all his knowledge about the system into grave as there was no documentation over his work. And again one had to start from the beginning. It was simply tragically.
2006 the Lambda system LCU 1 was finished as well. Technically not pioneering but very helpful as with LCU 1 the lies and the guessing came to an end. Furthermore some charlatans were found guilty because their carburettors had wrong labels: g and s were mixed up.
Who really wants to know if his engine has the right mixture can not do without LCU as the system shows the exact measured value even two digits after the comma. Therefore a Bosch broadband lambda sensor LSU 4.9 is included in the system which in contrast the old unheated discrete level probe does not only measure if the mixture is rich or lean, but measures an exact value how rich or lean the mixture is. The statement “rich” or “lean” that comes from the discrete level probe is just like “warm” or “cold”. Ask an Eskimo when there is 0°C if it is warm and than ask a Senegalese at the same temperature if it is cold. Both will answer with yes and both are right. So far to the electrical dowsing rod of the discrete level probe – or why we are now using the broadband lambda probe.
2007 - 2008
2007 was the hour of birth of the evo3 PRO and Pista. Modelled after the technique of the MXL systems their insides were implemented in the famous rectangular AIM housings. The PRO was placed into the noble aluminium housing of the evo3 and the Pista in the plastic box of the MyChron 3. Placing the Pista into a plastic box is a shame as we are talking about excellent measurement technology for people who do not need a MXL display but a Formula Steering Wheel.
The colleagues south of the Alps justify the plastic box with “it is lighter” and “is not necessary”. Yet this is just the same as if one stands somewhere and drinks a 15 year old Barolo out of the bottle. Just like beer. That is not acceptable!
At the beginning our protest was not heard but in summer 2009 at least the evo4 got the status-accordantly aluminium housing back.
Everybody who does not have a roof over his head (Formula, sports car and super kart drivers and so on) is looking for the Formula Steering Wheel. It is a very nice and functional part that sits very comfortably in the hand and is very save as Freddie Hunt did not get injured in one of his 15 accidents in the Formula ADAC 2009. We are happy that we are able to sell it.
2009
2009 MyTach was invented. MyTach is a GPS watch for racers, bikers, riders, surfers, hikers, runners, joggers and all the others that move or get moved by something. Racers can also use the watch as Laptimer. Besides it shows on the PC where one was, how fast one was and so on. The watch is our smallest data logger.
In May 2009 something absolutely useful will come on the market. I will not write anything about this as it is a must-see. There is no faster possibility than a MyChron 4 with SmartyCam to see with in seconds where one can gain a few hundredths.