After a three-year hiatus, the Autosport International show returned to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre in the UK to kick off the 2023 motorsport season. Spread across five halls, ASI actually consists of three shows: the Engineering Show, the Performance and Tuning Car Show and the Racing Car Show. The first two days of ASI are for trade visitors only, and provide a more formal atmosphere for companies to showcase their latest technologies, network and do business. For the last two, Autosport opens its doors to fans who can enjoy the abundance of car displays and live action events. As in the past, RET made its way to the Engineering Show and its buzzing arena of technical displays and discussions. What was most encouraging was that among the established motorsport manufacturers there were some new companies who had emerged from the chaos of the pandemic and were already achieving great success.
The first component that caught our eye was a 3D-printed con rod from BDN Automotive. Its organic and exotic shape is a result of generative design that BDN has recently been working on as part of its new Race Engine Design services it launched to the public at the show. Generative design is where an engineer defines a set of constraints and design goals, and software uses AI to iterate through the possible permutations before establishing an optimised solution. “The process is fully automated, so an engineer can simply tell the software, for example, ‘There is a bolt, it moves in this orientation and I need to subject it to 1200 N of force’,” explained Nimrod Ludescher. “The software will then identify an optimised design based on those constraints.
“The benefit of generative design is that you can use it to remove material where it is not needed, leaving only the material that is integral to the strength and stiffness of the part, which reduces weight. For a part such as a con rod, that can mean a reduction of up to 35%.” The first stage in generative design is defining the relevant parameters. These can be spatial or performance requirements along with the materials, manufacturing methods and cost constraints. The idea is to describe the broad picture, then let the software fill in the detail. Once the base parameters have been defined, the software simulates the necessary load cases.
BDN Automotive showcased a generative-designed con rod that is 35% lighter than a conventional rod
For a con rod, that would involve radial load cases combined with a push load case to replicate the combustion gases forcing the piston down, and a pull case for when the piston is at top dead centre. The results from these simulations are then used by the software to design the next iteration, and the process is repeated until the optimum solution is found. Each optimisation run can consist of thousands of different designs and many more simulations. The final design is then validated using FEM analysis and prepared for 3D printing.
Lentus Composites, a part of the Polar Technology Group, was showcasing a new composite gear for motorsport, automotive and future aerospace applications. The main body of the gear has been replaced with a carbon composite cross-section, reducing its weight by 40% compared to a conventional steel gear of the same size. “The main aim with this technology is saving weight, which for larger gears in aerospace that typically weigh around 10 kg can make a big difference,” Kevin Lilla said. “A secondary benefit is the ability to increase the mechanical damping within the gear and reduce harmonics and vibrations that could have a detrimental effect on the tribological performance of the gears. “For electric racing applications such as Formula E, the gear can save a few hundred grams and allows us to modify its stiffness over conventional homogeneous materials. We can adjust the fibre direction and rotation as well as the number of plies and type of resins to achieve the stiffness required for the peak torque of the electric motor.”
Lentus Composites replaced the main body of a gear with carbon composite, achieving a weight saving of 40%
To manufacture the gear, Lentus produces a metallic ring gear of the desired size, an appropriate hub section and a carbon disc that is then assembled inside the gear. The composite is joined to the metallic gear teeth and centre hub using a patented mechanical technique. It’s also possible to integrate composite connection shafts to the gear, providing further scope to tune the weight and stiffness. “Our technology enables a purely mechanical interface, where the surface of the metallic parts are finished in such a way that they interact directly with the fibres of the composite,” Lilla said. “This type of joint is designed to operate over a wide range of temperatures and, owing to the nature of the interface, is extremely tolerant of fatigue.”
Once the gear has been assembled it is subjected to a finish-machining process to ensure that the final gear profile is to specification and that all the components are concentric. The final grinding operation ensures that the gear achieves the same level of accuracy as a machined gear.
A project Arrow Precision has been involved in over recent years is the development of a Kawasaki motorcycle engine for several English and Irish teams who compete in various road racing series as well as the Isle of Man TT. James Williams discussed the technical challenges of upgrading such an engine. He said, “We’ve helped develop the engine to the latest specification through two projects so far. The first was to replace the crankshaft and con rod with stronger, more reliable components. The second resulted from a rule change which allowed an increase in engine capacity, so we embarked on designing a long-stroke version of the engine.
Arrow redesigned the con rod and crank pin of a Kawasaki motorcycle engine for one of its customers
“Stroking engines to increase capacity is something we have to be aware of, because it means the engine’s internals travel further within the engine block than they were originally designed to. If we have access to the CAD models then it’s easy to check the clearances of the components early in the design stage. But if we don’t have the CAD, it becomes much more of a challenge.” In this instance, no CAD models were available and, having worked on this engine previously, Arrow knew it was limited for space. However, instead of spending the time, money and resources on machining new parts to send to the customer for trial fitting, Arrow decided to 3D-print the initial trial parts.
“As we suspected, we immediately had an issue with the con rod fouling the oil pump, so we had to redesign the rod,” Williams explains. “Without CAD we have to rely more on prototypes to establish the size and shapes of parts, and 3D printing is very beneficial for that. It’s quick and relatively low cost compared to fully machined and finished components.” Alongside redesigning the con rod, Arrow also modified the crank pin size to increase the stiffness and strength of the crank, which was failing in the original Kawasaki engine. The drive gear that drives the timing chain was also replaced, as the original gear suffered from high wear.
This more advanced gear was manufactured as a separate component so that it can be easily replaced in future instead of swapping out the complete crankshaft. To help solve the clearance issues, Arrow and ARP developed a new bolt that features a reduced head height of 6.5 mm compared to 8.84 mm, allowing for more swing clearance within the engine block. “One of the big concerns with the customer was that in order to sell the engine at a higher price point, all the issues of the original engine had to be eliminated, and we managed to engineer our way through that,” Williams said.
One new exhibitor at Autosport was Wire Train, a company set up to run workshops teaching engineers, mechanics and technicians the latest techniques in motorsport wiring and harness building. “Historically, a lot of wiring technicians have come into motorsport from the aviation industry,” John Wedlake said. “Most of them are now close to retirement though, and the aviation companies have minimal graduate training schemes to train new people. “So when race teams are looking for wiring staff, there are no new technicians coming through, and those from motorsport are not covering wiring in their courses.”
To solve this problem, Nigel Dow of Project DC, a wiring harness company that supports teams from WRC to Formula One, came together with Wedlake of Tech Engineering Systems, who has over 20 years of trackside experience as a freelance systems engineer, and Wire Train was born. “Our engineers and build technicians are currently working full-time in motorsport so we are real-world engineers who have realised that there is a major skills gap, which is set to get worse,” Wedlake said. “This is a problem not only for race teams, but electronics manufacturers as well.
“Speaking to ECU companies, they have experienced many issues where their products have not been wired up properly, which has led to faults and unhappy customers. At the same time, other companies who have found good overall technicians don’t have the time to train them specifically on wiring.” The course is a two-day workshop with 40% of the content focusing on theory, such as speccing wires and components. The other 60% is spent on loom building techniques.
“By going through the step-by-step process of designing, building and testing a harness using the same parts and materials you would find in a high-end motorsport team, students gain a solid understanding of the essential wiring skills. They can then take this forward into their careers,” Wedlake said. “Electronics is not going away; if anything the demand for skilled wiring engineers will only increase, so training people with these skills is essential. Exhibiting at Autosport has proved to us that there is a demand for this type of course, and at the moment there is nothing else like it out there.”
HCI Systems launched its new distributor partnership with McLaren Applied at Autosport this year. Accompanying this announcement was a display of the latest range of McLaren Applied motorsport sensors, which were on show for the first time in the UK. “Many people are familiar with McLaren Applied producing sensors and components for high levels of motorsport such as Formula One, LMP and WRC over the past 30 years,” said Robbie Durant at HCI. “With this latest range of sensors they have repackaged that technology into a more generic and therefore cost-effective solution. “Previously, it was very difficult for customers to access this type of technology unless they were a Formula One team. Now though, they can buy off-the-shelf products at a competitive price point and still benefit from all those years of developing this Formula One technology.”
The Sport Range on display featured speed sensors for camshaft, crankshaft, gear and wheel speed sensing; pressure sensors for measuring loads on aerodynamic devices such as floors; and several temperature sensors. There was also a flagship TAG-320B control unit on show, as well as the recently launched IGP5, silicon carbide 800 V Inverter. “If you’re developing a racecar, you can pretty much measure everything you need to on it using the McLaren Applied Sport Range,” Durant said. Interestingly, the sensors are now finding uses in hypercars, America’s Cup yachts and high-end robots as well.
McLaren Applied’s air temperature sensor (above) and channel barometric sensor
A theme that has become apparent over the last few trade shows has been the effect of microchip shortages and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the supply chain, which has hit electronics companies particularly hard. So how has HCI been able to get around this issue to keep supporting customers? “We’ve had to be smart,” Durant said. “Instead of manufacturing products with new components, we re-engineered them using components we had pre-bought and that are used across the board. “We’ve also held more inventory and tried to guide customers towards products that are available. Everyone has become used to the model of ‘Order today, receive tomorrow’ but that is just not possible in the current climate, so electronics companies have been forced to adopt this new way of working.”
On display at the Immico stand was a Caterham 420R car and a range of Immico’s thermal insulation products, including a heat-shielded 2023 BTCC turbocharger. “The heat shielding for this turbo is removable and consists of an inner layer of silicon needle matting, which has a low thermal conductivity, of around 0.1 W/mK,” Matt Ridout explained. “This is encased between two layers of stainless-steel dimpled foil that are spot-welded together and passivated to restore the material’s properties.” Immico is a technical partner of the Excelr8 Motorsport Team, which ran four Hyundai i30 Fastbacks in the 2022 BTCC season, claiming the driver’s title with Tom Ingram. The cars are powered by 2.0 litre direct injection turbocharged engines, developed by Swindon Powertrain, which were on display at the 2022 PMWE show (see RET 144, January/February 2023). To help manage exhaust temperatures, Immico provided welded metcap insulation for the downpipe, along with removable heat shielding for the manifold and turbo housing.
Immico’s heat shielding on a 2023 BTCC turbocharger
Reducing the surface temperature of the exhaust system through heat shielding can help cool engine bay and air intake temperatures as well as increase engine efficiency and protect surrounding components. This became particularly important with the introduction of the hybrid powertrain in 2022, where the addition of batteries, motors and control units alongside a turbocharged engine meant that packaging was extremely tight. “If the engine gets too hot, essentially you are losing power,” Ridout said. “The addition of the hybrid elements means the package is very compact, which has led to issues with heat soaking, particularly as the motor is integrated within the gearbox. “When you are on pole, it can take a minute for the last car to get into position on the start line, by which time your engine temperatures can increase by up to 30%. So every second you are sitting there, temperatures are increasing and your available engine power is decreasing.”
Immico’s heat shielding can achieve temperature reductions of 75 to 90% depending on the thickness of the needle matting. This was recently confirmed during a test on a Radical SR3 with a Simpson exhaust system, where thermal cameras were used to record the temperature reduction on each part of the exhaust system after each session. “In motorsport, we often use the thinnest material owing to packaging and weight constraints, so that’s 5 mm which can achieve around 75% temperature reduction,” Ridout said. “If you have the luxury of more space then we can use a thicker matting of 25 mm, and that can achieve temperature reductions of 90%.”
Another new company at Autosport was Sabe Fluid Dynamics. Founded in 2019 by a former Formula One aerodynamicist, Sabe provides CFD, aerodynamics and hydrodynamics consulting services, and has worked on projects ranging from WRC, LM P2 and the America’s Cup. “A lot of our competitors are very specialised and only provide specific simulation or test services,” said Gerson Garsed-Brand. “What makes us different is that we support customers with everything in the field of fluid dynamics, and focus on the big picture of delivering performance in real life, not just in simulation. “We also help customers with integrating simulations into a project, and so develop software tools to improve their data analysis and storage techniques.” Sabe has access to 13,000 computing cores on the cloud for its CFD activities, and to help customers use this capability it has developed a bespoke software package called Torpenhow. This provides a user-friendly interface between the user and their own Azure subscription, allowing customers to run entire simulation workflows on the cloud without having to upload and download files.
We talked with Online Resources at the show, which had previously exhibited at PRI in December 2022 (see RET 145, February/March 2023). A Suzuki Gen 3 Hayabusa drag bike was at the centre of its stand, and it appeared to be partially covered in white spots. They were in fact adhesive targets for a 3D-scanning demonstration showcasing Creaform’s latest HandySCAN Black Elite technology. 3D scanning has boomed in the past few decades. Instead of physically measuring parts using hand tools, which can lead to varying results when analysing errors and tolerances, it can be used to quickly create a complete surface profile of an object that can then be overlayed with the original CAD. That allows any deviations between the initial design and the final manufactured part to be quickly identified.
Scanning is also used in reverse engineering, particularly when the original CAD data no longer exists, such as in the rebuild of historic racecars. It can even be used to digitise assets to create renderings for virtual reality experiences. The first demonstration was of the MetraSCAN Black Elite scanner, which does not require positioning target dots on the part. Instead, it uses a mounted tracking system called a C-Track that projects infrared light across the entire measurement space to track the scanner itself, which acts as the origin. The scanner is a handheld polyhedron-shaped device that consists of reflective target dots spaced around rings at each corner. As the scanner moves across the object, 15 blue laser crosses are projected onto the object’s surface simultaneously while the camera uses their reflections to capture the surface profile of the part. In this way, MetraSCAN captures 1.8 million measurements a second and is capable of measuring small to large objects efficiently with a point-to-surface-accuracy of 0.025 mm (0.0009 in).
“For every additional volume you move with an optical handheld scanner, you will end up with error stack-up,” Cade Hill said. “Error stack-up is the increasing uncertainty of the scan caused by the travel of a scanning system. The scanner is relating one reference frame to the next, and the relationship between the first and the last becomes more uncertain with more reference frames in between. “Essentially, this is where stitching together the mesh to create the fullsurface profile adds uncertainty to the overall accuracy of the scan data. The tracking system of the MetraSCAN allows scanning of an initial volume of 16 m³ with a volumetric accuracy of 0.064 mm. Outside the initial volume, you can expect a minimal error stack-up per additional volume. However, the capabilities of such a large volume to work within make this scanner ideal for much larger objects, such as a chassis.”
The second demonstration was of the HandySCAN Black Elite, a handheld laser scanner. It has two cameras, one at the top and bottom, as well as 11 blue laser crosses at the centre. The lasers, alongside blue LEDs, act as the scanner’s light source that is projected onto the surface of an object. When the lasers hit the target, data is sent back to the cameras, which stitches the individual frames together, meshing them into a 3D object. The positioning targets are 6 mm reflective dots that are placed on the surface of an object. The scanning system is able to recognise the dots as it moves about in space and therefore understands the part’s position and orientation, even while the scanner or the part are moving.
The HandySCAN Black Elite uses positioning targets on an object to create a 3D profile of its surface
To achieve an accurate position model, it might be thought that the target stickers need to be applied to the object precisely and consistently. However, the more random the targets, the better. “If the targets are placed in a uniform pattern such as a square, the scanner will struggle to understand where it is in relation to those targets,” Hill explained. “You actually want the targets to be random and spread out in the x, y and z directions, as this strengthens the positioning model. “However, the targets do need to be positioned close enough together to ensure that four targets are always in the camera’s field of view. Otherwise, there is not enough information to triangulate the distances.” The HandySCAN Black Elite offers a point-to-surface accuracy of 0.025 mm which, alongside its versatility, regardless of the environment, makes it an ideal tool for acquiring accurate measurements of parts in a matter of seconds.