Yet, despite the global challenges of 2020, racing companies have continued to do what they do best; innovating new ways to maximise racecar performance. As the shows are not going ahead this year, we thought it apt to highlight some of the new products that would have been on display.
From composites and simulation to sensors and manufacturing, there are a whole host of new technologies out there. Here are some that caught Racecar’s eye.
AVL
Bearing friction rig
With regulations continuing to restrict the amount of fuel or battery capacity, the more energy you can effectively transfer from the ICE or battery to the wheels, the further and faster your racecar will go. This is why maximising the efficiency of the powertrain and all its individual components is an essential part of racecar design.
Aside from the gearbox, wheel bearings have the highest losses within the driveline, and so minimising these is essential. One way to optimise this is to utilise a friction rig, which essentially spins the bearing and replicates the loads it would experience within the racecar. AVL’s solution utilises two dynamic actuators that simultaneously apply wheel loads in two axes. There is also a temperature enclosure to simulate accurate operating conditions.
‘Wheel bearings are a spec part in most race series, but there are still ways in which you can optimise their performance,’ says Martin Monschein, global business segment manager at AVL. ‘For example, you can use friction rigs to investigate pre-loads, the amount and type of grease used, as well as to identify the optimal run-in procedures for your particular application.’
Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av Racecar Engineering.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av Racecar Engineering.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Talk the torque
More thoughts on in-wheel motors and their effects on twisting force
Rolling about
An explanation of the limitations of a previous load transfer article, bringing jacking forces into the mix
F1 breaks schedule records
The FIA has confirmed no fewer than 23 races on the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship schedule, the highest number of grands prix ever to be held in a single season, and that has led to criticism from some teams that will be on the road for eight months.
Under pressure
Toyota may have finished first and second at Le Mans this year, but the effort required to overcome a fuel delivery problem and finish with both cars was Herculean
Physics at work
Dutch company, Intrax, offers Racecar Engineering an insight into the technologies it employs to optimise its suspension products
Williams' 2030 ambition
Williams Racing has committed to becoming climate positive by 2030 as part of an all-new sustainability strategy.
Diff'rent strokes
Racecar looks at the different types of mechanical differential, their benefits and limitations
Das Boot
A curious Twitter exchange fired up a unique, hydrogen-powered, cross-country project that will contest the Baja 1000 in November 2022
Air born
Every racecar engineer's dream is a blank sheet of paper design. When Hoonigan and Subaru approached Vermont Sportscars about building the next generation of Gymkhana racer, that's just what the company was given
Remote control
Called variously ‘virtual garages’, ‘mission control’ or ‘race support rooms’ is the future of race engineering sitting in the warm back at HQ?