I read an interview of Mark Gillan , Jaguar’s Head of vehicle performance about changing some rules, so f1 will become more interesting and a balance between the teams is found.
From this interview Mark pointed out few but interesting points that I think f1 will benefit from them but only if FIA legalise them.
1. Legalisation of aero-elastic and active flow control devices.
2. MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical-sytems).
Aero-elastic components deflect at high speed, reducing drag and increasing straight line speed. They return to their normal shape at lower speeds when you will need downforce.
Nowadays some people accuse others of using this kind of technology although it isn’t used and for this Mark and I (i think that always you agree with this decision) agree that should be legalized. This will be an advantage to those teams who want to play with the rules.
MEMS is used in aerospace industry already. It’s a small-scale mechanical device controlled electrically that deforms to provide a control surface.
Mark says that it should be used on wishbones , brake ducts etc.
I want someone to explain those ideas in more detail because they may be part of the future technology used in F1.
What kind of material should be used so wings can deflect without break ?
This is one of many other questions that I have on these suggestions
I agree with those suggestions they look promising and very interesting to see them in practice and by the way thanks to everyone who corresponds back to the “Active Suspensions” article I found the information very useful.
About the elasticity,I think it might be in use by several teams.This topic was already disscussed here,when someone mention that there are legal limit of how much the wing can bend without breaking the rule.
But to make it legal would be very great.It would enhance the technology involved,I think it is definitely composite material.It has been used widely now,but they are the rigid one.In terms of flexibility,carbon fibre composite is enough for the job .If you learned about composite you'll know that the curvature of the wing can be change easily by applying the force at the right place,here in F1,surely somewhere between mid point to trailing edge will do.In terms of appliation,for a thin laminates ( 0.5mm) composed of [0,90] ply angle with 100mm x 100 mm size,it can deformed at force less than 10N.For F1,the downward pressure is almost 2000kg,so definitely thicker and bigger laminates arrangement is required as well as different stacking sequences.But I think,it is more than possible to apply it to F1.But the main problem at the moment is,this field is not widely investigate,I mean the relationship between the force required and the deformation as a results of it.If you look through composites journals,there are very little of this.
About the MEMS,I believe this is SMART-STRUCTURE that is in used and still under study.In aerospace,this is used as a structure that can change shape without the need of putting another component in it.The change in shape is done by applying electric current through piezzo electric which creates strain energy,enough to apply sufficient force to make the structure change its shape.
About the possible use in suspension wishbone,it would need a greater research in designing a wishbone that is stiff in transverse direction but less stiff in longitudinal direction.It is a research that is currently in-progressed in my uni.But speaking of MEMS,it is feasible to implement,as the piezzo component can be embedded into the laminates that make up the wishbone.But the electric current needed to activate is another story.If this is allowed,it would be great because the contact patch of the tyre can be always maximise due to flexibility of the suspension,something similar in concept with OCP maybe.
These two ideas that you brought up is more or less the same,it is complementing each other.The final objective is achieves by two means , electrical and aero-elasticity using force-method.
I can see it as a next step in aerodynamic technology.With multistable state composites laminates with piezzoelectric strain method to apply the force,the bodywork can be made to be active aero device,i.e active flow control.There would be no need to make a compromised between high speed and low speed efficiency anymore,as the bodywork can be optimised for both speed.This is basically high downforce in high speed and low speed corner and low downforce at the straight. This doesnt need to be strictly speed dependent,since the MEMS method is there it can be controlled by the driver or the car itself.
But,even with high level of benefit that can be achieve,I believed FIA won't allow this to happen.They are trying to make this series as low-tech as possible,ie..no traction control,launch control,active suspension bla bla bla.But it would be great if this can be implemented for F1 to justify its place as pinacle in technology and the most prestigious sport in the world where only 22 out of billions of human in this universe can take part.I'm totally behind high-tech in F1 and really ashamed by several new rules.This is the sports for rich.If teams can afforf it,go to race F2 or F3000 instead!!!!
