Technology & Racing: F1's New Contender

 http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/force-india-vjm04-unveiled/

 The Force India VJM04 is the first car created by the team under its new technical director Andrew Green, who exactly 20 years ago was one of the men behind the original Jordan 191. Green and rest of the Silverstone-based team faced major challenges created by the changes in the 2011 FIA Technical Regulations, with a cut in downforce and the movable rear wing chief among them. In addition Pirelli has become the new tyre supplier, and the teams have agreed to allow the use of KERS again. The result is a car that is very different from its predecessor.


‘Everything is different, but visually a lot of it is subtle,’ says Green, who re-joined the team in July 2010. ‘The most obvious visual change is that we’ve gone away from a conventional roll-hoop to a blade. This gives us a small packaging improvement compared to a more conventional style. The engine cover is different, in-line with the abolition of the F-duct system. But there are a lot of differences under the skin that people won’t necessarily notice.’

The ban on double diffusers and other changes in the rules created a drastic cut in downforce at the rear of the car. Getting it back has been one of the major challenges of the winter.

‘We’ve recovered a lot of the aerodynamic performance, we believe. We still have a little bit to go, but we are still in the process of the realignment after the end of last season, because it does take a long time to move aerodynamically from one position to another. The movable wing is a whole new game, and we’ll be trying to exploit its performance to the max.

‘We’ve also put in a lot of work trying to maximise the potential performance of the new Pirelli tyre compounds. To this end we’ve recruited a new senior tyre engineer, Jun Matsusaki, to guide us through the development process. The test we recently conducted in Valencia was a good learning exercise.

‘Exhaust management will also be a big area of development this year.  There will be an upgrade for the first race, so there are some changes that will come into effect at the Bahrain test. Further down the line there are some big updates for the front of the car coming in for the first European race.’
Significantly the team has done far more than simply address the new rules. It has also gone back to basics by taking a close look at the fundamentals of last year’s package, and attempted to address key areas of concern.

‘Towards the end of last season there was a drop-off in our relative performance,’ says Green. ‘In theory we were adding performance to the car, but it wasn’t getting translated to the track. We decided to have a very close look at what was happening on the car, and what could be causing this. The bottom line is we didn’t extract the most from the blown diffuser, thus over the winter we’ve taken a reasonable philosophy chance on the aerodynamics of the car in order to try and prevent the sort of drop-off in performance that we saw at the end of last year.’

In addition the team has focussed on improving its performance in high downforce spec.
‘Looking back over the years the cars we have produced here have always struggled at the high downforce tracks – they always been ‘slippery’ cars. We’ve identified a problem, and now we have to fix it, and it means that potentially there’s another strategic aero change coming as well.’
Underlining the team’s renewed focus on aerodynamic development, there will extra emphasis on gathering data on the Fridays of race weekends.

‘We are going to be using the real car at the track as a validation tool for the aerodynamics, which is something that we haven’t done effectively before. There’s a lot more focus on what’s actually happening on the car aerodynamically. To measure it at the fidelity that we need to measure it at is a huge task.
‘We understand how important it is, and we’re in that game now as well. That will start to feed back into the aerodynamic development of the car. When we get positive results it backs up our development tools, and when we don’t, we’ll investigate why. Fridays will be a lot more about understanding the car we have as well as understanding the track at the time and the tyres you’re running.’

The change requires more accurate sensors and different procedures for gathering data, better analysis tools, and dedicated people at the trackside focussing on the aerodynamic performance.
Force India is not entirely new to KERS. The 2009 car was designed to utilise the Mercedes system and the team ran it in testing, although it was never raced.

‘The Mercedes KERS system looks very strong, and we’re really happy with it. We’ve done a lot of running in the simulator, so the drivers are well up to speed with how to use it. We’re well developed with what we have to do for harvesting and deployment. It’s smaller and lighter than in 2009, and packaging required very few vehicle compromises.’

Summing up, Green says the intention is to build momentum over the course of the year as developments come on stream, and the aero work pays dividends.
‘There are some big developments in the pipeline, probably bigger than this team has seen for quite a while. I think we’re looking for a much stronger finish to the season, and we do recognise the fact that there’s an Indian GP on the calendar, and we are an Indian team. The plan is to be putting stronger performance on the car through the year that will lift us up the ranks.’

Technology & Racing: GE's Racing Involvement

http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/ge-technology-is-on-the-race-track-with-highcroft-car-racing/

GE Technology is on the Race Track with Highcroft Racing

Here at GE Global Research, we are continually developing the next generation of technology. While we work very closely with our businesses to ensure that what we create can make it into a real product, often we have to be clever in finding suitable venues or platforms to actually validate that the technology delivers the functionality in the chosen product environment. At times, we need to find test platforms that suitably mimic the true application in areas such as shock, vibration and temperature.
To help do this, several of the technologist at Global Research, are working with an external partner, Highcroft Racing.  Highcroft Racing participates in the American Le Mans Series, where they run what is called an LMP car or Le Mans Prototype.  The prototypes contain the latest racing technology and can travel in excess of 200 mph.  The great aspect of this class of vehicles in the ALMS is that while there are specifications or rules for safety and competition, the racing series allows participants to utilize new technology advances.   Therefore, Global Research  and Highcroft Racing can derive mutual benefits: Global Research can test several of our latest advances and Highcroft can race a better car.   GE is not in the race car business, but the types of technology that we are testing have broad applications for a number of our businesses.
The technologies, such as new materials, coatings, sensors, and control algorithms will help enhance the performance of everything from aviation systems to wind turbines and more.  Other areas are being defined as this partnership progresses.  One current example is an advanced optical sensor technology that Global Research has been developing for several years.  The sensors could give Highcroft new information to help fine tune their vehicle dynamics for the specific track.  For GE, the opportunity to demonstrate and collect system performance in the challenging shock and vibrational environment of Highcroft’s race car would give much needed information for potential applications in GE’s gas turbine or aircraft engine products.
How cool is it to be able to develop game-changing technology for GE and work with a cool application such as the racing in the American Le Mans Series.

Technology & Racing: One Robust 4G63 Engine

http://www.grandprixforums.net/sometimes-some-builds-just-beyond-amazing-post-sweet-ass-build-threads-40008.html

This is the most robust 4G63 build that I have ever seen; very innovative.  The full article is available at the URL address above.  The photos below are serving as a quick glance.

Technology & Racing: Engine Valves - From Carbon Fiber?

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/composite-engine-valves

In auto racing, less mass means greater speed. Engineers have perpetually sought ways to reduce mass in race car components for better performance, and composites have been an enabling material in those efforts, particularly in  race car body and frame components. At the Motorsport Engineering Research Center at Colorado State University (CSU, Ft. Collins, Colo.), however, mass-reduction research has focused on a composite solution in a very unlikely area: Investigators Donald Radford, Richard Buckley and a cadre of CSU engineering students are molding composite, one-piece engine valves that are a fraction of the weight of metallic versions.
Targeting engine valves not only reduces weight, but more importantly for racing purposes, also opens up the opportunity to increase practical engine speed. “The rpm [revolutions per minute] limit of most modern engines is governed by the speed at which the valve train becomes unstable,” explains Radford. “Since valve ‘jump’ and ‘bounce’ are governed by the mass and stiffness of the valve train components, decreasing valve mass should increase the operating speed of the engine.” The team has spent several years demonstrating the potential performance of resin transfer molded (RTM’d), fiber-reinforced, high-temperature matrix valves to replace materials currently in use.

Materials vs. harsh conditions

Steel is still the predominant material for mass-produced engine valves, and stainless steel is not uncommon because it provides better wear resistance and heat transfer than steel at nearly the same mass. In racing applications, titanium valves often are used because their mass is 60 percent of that of steel valves, but primarily for intake valves. “Typically, valves see temperatures of 400°C/752°F on the intake valve face and 900°C/1652°F on the exhaust valve face,” says Radford. Titanium cannot take the heat as an exhaust valve. Further, titanium does not have the high-cycle fatigue performance of steel and, therefore, requires hardening treatments, which increase process complexity and cost. Ceramic and ceramic-head valves have been demonstrated for use as exhaust valves, at only 40 percent the mass of steel valves, but the brittle failure mode of ceramic versions can have devastating consequences on the engine. Formula 1 racing teams have used titanium aluminide intermetallic valves, which weigh half as much as their steel counterparts. They are produced in a very complex manufacturing process that requires several materials, but today F1 teams typically employ titanium alloy valves. The CSU team’s goal is to mitigate all the negatives: Says Radford, “We want to reduce mass, increase stiffness, overcome brittle failure and simplify manufacture with a fiber-reinforced composite.”
The concept of composite valves has been around for a while. In the early 1980s, Polimotor Research Inc. (Fairlawn, N.J.) attempted an entire carbon-reinforced polymer engine concept, based on a Ford engine, which used high-temperature carbon-reinforced polyamide-imide (PAI) for valve stems and ceramic for valve heads. The inline, 4-cylinder engine weighed only 168 lb/76 kg, notes Radford. In the 1980s, NASA’s Langley Research Center (Virginia) undertook a carbon/carbon engine project in which carbon composite valves were produced and tested. These previous efforts used multipart concepts to address the varying temperatures seen throughout the valve, and the bonded joint between the valve head and valve stem was often a point of structural failure. Radford’s team believes the potential is there for lightweight valves made in one piece, scalable to production volumes, although considerable design and manufacturing challenges remain.

One-piece preform, high-temperature resin

The valves Radford and his team designed have the same size and shape as conventional internal combustion engine valves. Total length is about 100 mm/4 inches, and weight, in steel, is approximately 38g. Finite element analysis (FEA) modeling showed that very little carbon fiber was required along the length of a composite valve stem — two 12K tows were sufficient when strength alone was considered. But, significantly greater reinforcement was indicated in the transition region, at the intersection of the stem and the head, where peak stress occurred, and in the valve head itself, due to the bending loads imposed by the valve seat area.
The selected composite design comprised a two-layer braided carbon fiber tube 6.4 mm/0.25 inch in diameter that incorporates 60 percent axial unidirectional tow for additional axial bending resistance. Two small discs of plain-weave fabric were added to the valve face (more on these below) to resist the imposed bending loads. The matrix is a high-temperature PETI-RFI polyimide resin from Langley Research Center.
The PETI-RFI resin behaves as a thermoplastic below 280°C/536°F, but crosslinks and converts to a thermoset resin above the cure temperature of 300°C/572°F. Because of this unique characteristic, Radford’s team devised a plan to inject the resin into the mold at elevated temperature, but below the cure temperature. Once injection was complete, the mold was removed from the injection machine, unvented mold caps were fixed in the port and vents, and the mold was placed in an oven for complete cure and crosslinking.
Because the valve was to be made in one piece, the team initially designed and prototyped a single-cavity aluminum mold. But problems arose: nonuniform filling, difficulty with preform retention and fiber wash as well as part lock in the mold. Worse, the aluminum mold distorted over time due to the high cure temperatures, which led to sealing problems and ultimately void formation in parts. Ultimately, a modular, multipiece, split-cavity stainless steel mold was developed to improve filling and wetout, provide for greater clamp pressures and permit easier part removal, reports Radford.
One of the more significant challenges was how to maintain the tiny braid in the correct position within the mold during injection. The ultimate solution was a two-piece preform retention bushing that clamps the braided sleeve at the valve tip end. The bushing keeps the fibers from washing down the mold and acts to “open” the braid to force resin inside, so that preform wetout, according to Radford, occurs from the inside out.
Another challenge was how to add local fiber reinforcement at the valve face. The initial thought was to “spiral” the end of the braid over the flat face, but placement was uncertain because of resin flow during injection. The answer was to “prepreg” dry carbon plain-weave fabric by melting the PETI-RFI, in its thermoplastic state, onto the fabric. Small discs, the same diameter as the valve face, were then cut or punched from the resin-impregnated fabric to form the discs mentioned above. The discs were easily pressed into the face of the valve mold during mold assembly and provided the needed extra fiber volume in the head area, says Radford. “When the hot resin is injected into the mold, the resin in the discs melts together with it,” he explains. “We removed the injection end cap to confirm disc wetout before oven cure. It gives us flexibility to accomplish additive manufacture for local loads and could transition to adding functional features like heat transfer materials.”

Test results, future directions

Valves were successfully produced with the carbon preform and PETI-RFI resin in the modular steel mold.
They weighed a mere 7.3g, only 19 percent of the stock steel valve (solid titanium would weigh 22g). Static tensile, motored dynamic and fired running engine tests were undertaken. The valves performed well in the static and motored dynamic tests, reports Radford. Tensile failure occurred in the valve spring keeper region due to shear, but at a load an order of magnitude greater than the valve load predicted for an actual engine. In the motored dynamic test, the valves were installed in a test engine connected to an electric motor, which operated the valves for more than 15 minutes in excess of 5,000 rpm with no damage.
The real test came with installation of the valves in an actual Junior Dragster-style, side-valve, air-cooled race engine, with manual throttle control. Valves operated well at idle, but when they were taken to near full load, they failed within 10 minutes. Upon examination, erosion and material loss was observed on the valve face near the seat. It was apparent, and this observation was subsequently confirmed with thermocouple data, that the air-cooled racing engine had developed intake valve temperatures greater than 425°C/797°F — much higher than expected.  “We achieved our goal of a one-piece composite valve that is structurally able to perform as an intake valve, but thermal performance of the composites material itself turns out to be the real challenge,” states Radford.
Since the initial experiments, the group has refined its work based on the lessons learned. For example, all of the initial valve articles had slight surface porosity, which may have affected thermal performance. Radford reports that vacuum degassing of the melt prior to injection as well as a well-sealed mold is now considered critical to avoid void formation. Other measures include trying to boost the polyimide’s thermal performance with nanoscale additives. New inorganic polymers also are being investigated, including “geopolymers” based on alumina silicate, like those offered by Pyromeral (Pont Sainte Maxence, France and Dallas, Texas). These handle like a two-part epoxy, can be processed by RTM and offer very high temperature performance (~750°C/1382°F), but toughness is a challenge, he notes. Valves made with the same reinforcements but infused with the ceramic matrix are white in color, rather than black.
Also under investigation as high-temperature matrix alternatives are various sol gels and colloidal silica particle suspensions. Additionally, the team is seeking ways to make its original carbon fiber/polyimide design more heat- and erosion-resistant. “We are looking at various thermal barriers, including spray-on coatings or metal facings on the valve face, but still need to address the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) issues there,” adds Radford.
Given the current economic downturn and resulting auto industry slowdown, OEMs preoccupied with reinventing themselves and designing “greener” vehicles that will define transportation’s future are unlikely to see composite valves as a priority. Yet, the research is promising. In auto racing, where speed still trumps green, composite valves — and (who knows?) even an all-composite engine — could be the next competitive breakthrough. 

Technology & Racing: Phenolics Take Their Place

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/phenolic-delivers-more-torque




The penetration of polymer-based components in automotive engines tends to be evolutionary. After extensive testing and development, a plastic or composite component is introduced on a single model, and after a few years of successful application, it begins to be adopted by more engineers within the same company, and eventually by engine designers at other automakers. Accelerating the growth of plastics and composites underhood is the drive for better fuel economy, reduced emissions and lower weight, while trying to satisfy consumer demand for engines with more size and power.
Most of the easy substitution of plastics for metals in engine compartments has already been completed. New opportunities for replacement have increasing mechanical and thermal demands, requiring high-strength, glass-reinforced polymers with excellent mechanical performance at temperatures of 140°C/284°F and above. One class of materials rapidly gaining acceptance in these difficult applications is glass-reinforced phenolic.
Automakers often introduce new technology into their premium vehicle lines. In the 2002 model year, BMW introduced new models in its high-end 7 series, including the 735i and 745i, which have completely new aluminum-block V8 powerplants containing a host of new technologies. BMW's major objective with these 3.6L and 4.4L gasoline engines was to increase the torque level substantially over the previous series of engine designs without increasing engine weight. Working in conjunction with molder Baumgarten GmbH (Neunkirchen, Germany) and engineering grade phenolic molding compound supplier Vyncolit N.V. (Gent, Belgium), Tier 1 system supplier Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG (Düsseldorf, Germany) designed, developed and produced the world's first continuously variable air intake manifold for the new BMW engines. Key to the performance of this manifold at all engine speeds is the dimensional stability of its phenolic composite components.
UNIQUE DESIGN, UNIQUE PERFORMANCE
Pierburg has many years of experience in designing and producing high-tech manifolds with adjustable air intake capability. Setting the intake runners, which distribute the air from the filter to each individual cylinder, to a specific length optimizes efficiency for a given engine speed. Adjustable manifolds alter the length in discrete stages (a number of engines have two stages and a few have three), but this gives peaks and dips in the engine's power curve (a graph of torque produced vs. engine rpm, shown at lower right).
For BMW, Pierburg was challenged to develop a manifold without these limitations — one whose runner lengths could automatically be continuously varied according to engine speed, and therefore provide smoother torque performance. In the first stage of development, Pierburg designed the complex inner workings of the manifold to achieve the objective, using three-dimensional flow calculations. Due to the difficult shape of the components, Pierburg decided to manufacture the manifold in plastic to save weight and reduce secondary machining operations associated with an all-metal system. The company also elected to mount the manifold in a sealed magnesium external housing which is bolted on top of the engine between the cylinder heads, where temperatures can reach 150°C/300°F. Magnesium was chosen for its stiffness (compared to injection molded plastic), impact resistance and weight savings over aluminum, which is 50 percent higher in density.
The plastic air intake manifold unit consists of eight specially shaped rotors inside a housing, which forms the air inlets to each of the eight engine cylinders. Four rotors are mounted on each of two rotating shafts, one for each half of the V8 engine. The central, internal area around the rotors serves as a plenum for the incoming air. During operation, the length of the airflow path is defined by the rotation of the shafts, which are synchronized to turn in opposite directions to provide equal intake length to the left and right sides of the engine, ranging from 230 mm to 670 mm/9.05 inches to 26.4 inches. Achieving this range requires a rotation of 236 degrees, which is accomplished through the use of an electronically controlled servo motor in under one second. Up to 3,500 rpm, the longest intake manifold setting of 670 mm/26.4 inches is maintained. Above this point, the manifold path is continuously shortened to maintain engine torque, providing improved acceleration at both low and high vehicle speeds.
Pierburg began development of the plastic rotors and housing by evaluating high temperature thermoplastics such as glass fiber-reinforced polyphthalamide (PPA) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). However, when the complex parts, which have wall thicknesses ranging from 2.2 mm to 3 mm/0.087 inch to 0.12 inch, were injection molded, excessive warpage occurred in the parts, due largely to variable mold shrinkage and fiber orientation issues. This prohibited accurate assembly of the rotors onto the shafts and caused misalignment of the housing segments. The finished manifolds also exhibited poor dimensional stability when subjected to engine temperatures of 140°C/ 284°F, above the glass transition temperatures of PPS (90°C/194°F) and PPA (127°C/261°F).
GLASS-REINFORCED PHENOLIC SAVES PROJECT
In June 1999, Pierburg turned to Vyncolit and Baumgarten to assist with the redesign and manufacture of the manifold components using engineering grade phenolics. Reinforced with chopped glass and minerals, these are distinguished from general-purpose grades of phenolics by their significantly higher mechanical strengths, impact resistance and dimensional stability, especially at elevated temperatures. Pierburg had previous success with these thermosetting materials in fuel and cooling system components due to their high glass transition temperature, low coefficient of thermal expansion (similar to aluminum) and low warpage in molding.
Given the late start on the program, Vyncolit had to work fast, says Willem Lossy, Vyncolit's European marketing manager. Pierburg required molded parts for testing in three months (by September 1999) to meet BMW's engine development schedule. Tooling had to be built and the molding process debugged during this time frame.
For the internal housing, the partners selected Vyncolit X7250, a glass fiber- and glass bead-reinforced phenolic compound. The choice of material was based on its ability to be molded into highly isotropic parts with wall dimensions as thin as 2.2 mm/0.087 inch, with long flow paths in the mold (some of which reach 170 mm/6.7 inches) and the material's high dimensional stability at elevated temperatures (to 160°C/320°F).
For the rotors, which have a combination of dynamic mechanical and thermal requirements, a newly developed grade, Vyncolit X6952, was selected. This material, with 55 percent glass reinforcement and optimized coupling between the phenolic matrix and the surface of the reinforcement, provides a higher level of mechanical performance and fatigue resistance. Both X7250 and X6952 have glass transition temperatures of 170 to 200°C/338 to 392°F upon molding. This can be further elevated with postcure, but this was deemed unnecessary for the intake manifold, explains Lossy. Additionally, both materials retain more than 80 percent of their room temperature flexural modulus when tested at the performance requirement of 140°C/284°F.
Vyncolit assisted Baum- garten in the design of the steel injection molds for the phenolic manifold component. Each mold was specially coated to resist wear from the glass-filled compounds. They also collaborated in developing the parameters of the molding process to ensure reproducible and dimensionally accurate parts with the smooth surfaces that improve manifold performance. The manifold assembly consists of 17 injection molded pieces: eight identical rotors, seven identical housing segments and two distinct end plates (one of which includes the eighth housing segment). These parts, many of which include metal inserts, are produced in cycle times ranging from 90 to 120 seconds (including loading of inserts), with the parts robotically removed from the press. Tolerances are tight — the hot, molded components are placed into cooling fixtures at the press to ensure flatness. Removal of the gates and flash also is performed automatically by Baumgarten prior to shipment to Pierburg for assembly.
The manifolds are robotically assembled on a dedicated line at the Pierburg facility in Düsseldorf. After installing the rotors on the shafts, the housing segments are put together using silicone adhesive and four long bolts. This composite subassembly, which weighs only 5.4 kg/11.9 lb, including inserts, is subsequently mounted into the magnesium external housing and secured using bolts and additional silicone.
Prior to successful durability and performance testing by BMW, Pierburg satisfactorily completed rigorous dimensional analysis of the molded parts, demonstrating the capabilities of the selected materials and the molding technique. Assembled manifolds were put through demanding tests on engines at Pierburg, meeting design objectives.
A TECHNICAL AND MARKET SUCCESS
The new engines produce considerably more power than their predecessors — 245 kw/333 hp versus 210 kw/286 hp in the 4.4L version, an increase of 14 percent. Torque has been increased to 450 N-m/330 ft-lb, significantly above the previous engine. With an estimated top speed of 250 kph/155 mph, the 745i goes from zero to 100 kph/60 mph in just under six seconds. The new engines are more fuel-efficient as well. A combination of the variable intake manifold, adjustable valve lift and variable valve timing results in 14 percent less fuel consumption compared to the old engine, according to BMW. The new 735i and 745i have been in production since November 2001, with BMW reporting 52,000 deliveries of 7-series vehicles in 2002 and a higher forecast for 2003. BMW is also planning to install the new engine and manifold on the redesigned 5-series sedan, starting in late 2003.
The innovative lightweight design and material selection earned the manifold the 2002 Innovation Award from AVK-TV, Germany's national composites association. Vyncolit's Lossy believes overcoming the challenges of tight tolerances and dimensional stability posed by the project will open the door for the use of phenolic composites in additional air management system applications, such as throttle bodies. Other continuously variable intake manifolds are not out of the question, but their complexity and associated high cost will likely limit them to higher performance vehicles for some time.

Technology & Racing: FARO Metrology Products in Racing Environments

The advanced technology of metrology meets racing.
http://www.faro.com/mediacenter.aspx?id=1318
http://www.faro.com/mediacenter.aspx?id=1360

"The FARO family of premium, portable measurement and imaging solutions encompasses point-to-point contact instruments, non-contact imaging scanners, and computer-aided measurement software. All are designed to provide easy workflows for your inspection, alignment, surface modeling, asset management, and documentation needs."