By Andrew Lambrecht / Clemson University
The Clemson University & Greenville Technical College’s BattChallenge team is pushing the boundaries of EV battery development, and MathWorks’ software tools play a crucial role in making that happen. MathWorks makes both MATLAB and Simulink, two software tools that are extensively used by the team. The Clemson University & Greenville Technical College team lives, breathes and eats everything MATLAB.
MathWorks software is vital for running simulations and programs when developing the battery pack. Using it in school has been a fantastic opportunity to gain experience using the software. While it has been great for the Battery Workforce Challenge, it will be even better for these BattChallengers’ future careers in the EV space.
For Evan Linke, a senior Clemson University electrical and computer engineering student, accessing MathWorks’ products has allowed his team to make significant traction.
“During my time in the Battery Workforce Challenge, I used MATLAB with my team to make battery voltage simulation models in MATLAB to monitor things like battery cell balancing and voltage sensing,” Linke said. “We also ran overcurrent protection simulations and internal resistance effects.”
Linke also said that using MathWorks was key to getting his work done promptly, allowing him to finish deliverables.
“MATLAB and Simulink helped me create, model and test software,” said Jason Lin, a Clemson University computer engineering undergrad. “MathWorks and its proprietary libraries have helped me streamline testing and development.”
Lin is the current software lead for the Clemson University & Greenville Technical Callege BattChallenge team. He has been working on various projects with MathWorks software for the past three semesters. From the battery cells to the overall communication protocols, MathWorks has been integral in accelerating the program’s progress rate.
These skills won’t just stay with the team for this project — they lay the framework for future success. Proficiency with MathWorks tools is highly sought after in the automotive industry, and the team’s experience with modeling, simulation and analysis is key for a successful automotive career. The students’ experience with MathWorks will help members tackle battery development and electric vehicle innovation long after this three-year competition.
“I started learning how to use MATLAB in class, and I’m so glad I did because I was able to apply it to real-world engineering problems,” said Nick Minieri, a Clemson University senior electrical engineering student. “From simulations to data analysis, it made complex tasks way more manageable and gave me a deeper understanding of how things actually work.”
