Computer says yes
One phrase often heard when a mistake is made in the high-pressure environment of motorsport is ‘we’re only human’. But this does little to justify and nothing to rectify the error. So, is there a way we can limit our mistakes in the first place?
People can, of course, improve themselves through practice, or they can improve the accuracy of the tools and equipment that they make use of. Or, alternatively, the human element can be removed all together.
Just like CFD is used to optimise aerodynamics, software tools are now used to improve the performance of a composite part
It’s this latter approach that modern simulation and machining techniques are now allowing within the composites industry, all of which is to do with what’s described as a fourth industrial revolution termed ‘Industry 4.0’. This is where technologies such as cyber-physical systems, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud based and cognitive computing, as well as automation, are completely transforming the way composites are designed and manufactured. These new methods are already proving their worth in industries such as aerospace and automotive, but the question is: how automated can motorsport get when each part is effectively a complex, constantly evolving prototype?
Finite and beyond
Unsurprisingly, the biggest steps over the last few years have been in simulation. Just like CFD is used to optimise aerodynamic performance, software tools are now used to optimise a composite part. This can include improving stiffness, strength to weight ratio, shape, as well as cost and manufacturability. But to improve these parameters they first need to be simulated, and this is where Finite Element Analysis (FEA) comes in.
FEA effectively simulates and predicts how a designed part would react to force, vibration, heat and many other physical effects. It does this by breaking down the part into hundreds of thousands of finite elements, often small cubes. Mathematical equations then predict how each element would react to the simulated inputs and these are all added together to predict the behaviour of the part as a whole. The results can