USF1 -- F1's All-American Challenger

[ringo]

There seem to be 2 drop links on the rockers, not coil springs. The drop link goes down to the torsion bar. The yellow area looks like the torsion bar and there is a feint grey rod, which is the drop link i mentioned; the bell-crank pulling the link.

What I notice, is that there is no picture of the diffuser, i guess that is where some of their surprises lie.

[xpensive]

Sorry ringo, but I can only see dark-blue coils, not yellow torsion bars, but that's ok when I love retro like the
solidpiece-machined 6000-Alu birdcage holding the rockers, beautiful thing that!

[FW17]

How come they are not using anything like the J-damper. Is it not being used by the current teams?

[ringo]

Sorry ringo, but I can only see dark-blue coils, not yellow torsion bars, but that's ok when I love retro like the
solidpiece-machined 6000-Alu birdcage holding the rockers, beautiful thing that!

here is a closer look, i think i see the blue coil. but i still can make out the grey link. The yellow is something else.



I don't see why they would use a coil spring over the torsional spring though. The coil takes up a lot of volume.

[WhiteBlue]

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... -role//P1/

looks like they continue to deliver.

[Pandamasque]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suhCBcKhbis[/youtube]

[PlatinumZealot]

Nice..

Two things got my attention: The metal fittings in the flange of the mold, first time i'm seeing that, and then... the honeycomb core.. why is it so shiny? is it nomex or aluminium?

[The FOZ]

Definitely aluminum. Nomex is a brownish color, typically. I would guess it's so shiny because it's either a) shipped airtight to reduce oxidation or b) chemically cleaned prior to bonding to ensure strong bond.

[simplefan]

Sorry ringo, but I can only see dark-blue coils, not yellow torsion bars, but that's ok when I love retro like the
solidpiece-machined 6000-Alu birdcage holding the rockers, beautiful thing that!

here is a closer look, i think i see the blue coil. but i still can make out the grey link. The yellow is something else.



I don't see why they would use a coil spring over the torsional spring though. The coil takes up a lot of volume.

Hello........first time posting here but I have followed the forum for sometime.
My take on the blue piece is that it is one end of the power steering unit which is generally mounted in that area. Last years Brawn had it mounted low and in line with the lower A arm, BMW was the opposite and had it high and in line with the upper A arm. USF1 has, at least in this drawing, chosen to mount it and the steering arms in line with the upper A arm. Best example I can find is the Renault although the view is somewhat cluttered by the frame used to support the car. In all the black on the nose there is a goldish oval the width of the car that holds the steering.

[Jersey Tom]

Sure looks like Solidworks

[xpensive]

Sorry ringo, but I can only see dark-blue coils, not yellow torsion bars, but that's ok when I love retro like the
solidpiece-machined 6000-Alu birdcage holding the rockers, beautiful thing that!

here is a closer look, i think i see the blue coil. but i still can make out the grey link. The yellow is something else.



I don't see why they would use a coil spring over the torsional spring though. The coil takes up a lot of volume.

It's definetely a conventional coil-spring/damper unit operated by the top-rocker, while I guess the vertical link and the yellow thing is part of the anti-roll device?
Why? Well, as a decision-making engineer, at the end of the day you tend to stick to what you know, just like parts machined from solid 6000-Alu rather than Ti-investment castings, where the benefit is rather limited but the cost is not.
I always wondered what Anderson wanted with those CNC's, but when you're trying to build an F1 car with a staff of 40-some, you have to work with methods and means you have xperience from.

In all honesty, I'm beginning to change here, starting to admire the man for doing what he does with resources at hand.

[madtown77]

In all honesty, I'm beginning to change here, starting to admire the man for doing what he does with resources at hand.

Xpensive being nice to USF1 and a Republican winning a senate seat in Massachusetts?

I'm very, very scared right now.

I really do hope they turn up in Bahrain. Seems like a great group of engineers giving it their all, when no one else gave them a chance.

[The FOZ]

Sure looks like Solidworks

Think so? My guess would be Catia...from what I understand, it's strength is the multi-user environment, whereas Solidworks (from experience) is rather weak there...

I'm sure Solidworks would be just fine for designing a full car...I've thought about it myself from time to time...just...having shared assemblies with a single other user, I can certify that the multi-user capabilities of SW just aren't where they need to be for any large-scale operation. USF1 would certainly qualify as that.

[madtown77]

Then again, with that small a group it becomes more manageable.

It does look VERY much like Solidworks. I have no real experience with Catia so I can't tell if it could be that. Any hints from those more familiar? Earlier pics also might provide some clues as the picture of the cockpit before looked like it wasn't from Solidworks.

Doing those kinds of surface models in SW would be very difficult as well, since it does not lend itself to organic modeling very easily.

[xpensive]

In all honesty, I'm beginning to change here, starting to admire the man for doing what he does with resources at hand.

Xpensive being nice to USF1 and a Republican winning a senate seat in Massachusetts?

I'm very, very scared right now.

I really do hope they turn up in Bahrain. Seems like a great group of engineers giving it their all, when no one else gave them a chance.

Or perhaps like Strom Thurmond ever leaving the same Senate?
Let's not go overboard here, but if Anderson is seriously making an F1 effort from the kind of engineering parameters that I'm used to be content with, a staff of 40 and good-old machined Alu-components, I will be there.

Not that they will ever hold a candle to the grandees, but for giving it a try, good resource benchmarking indeed.
If they can be within 107% of pole-time with this level of technology, corporations might just start to wonder if ten times the staff is worth it?