Williams FW33

[hardingfv32]

What is clamped to the axles? Torque measuring?

Brian

[marcush.]

isn´t that measured with the ABB devices which are a lot more compact?

[drunkmunky]

What is clamped to the axles? Torque measuring?

Brian

Yes. Supposedly they are sensors to measure the twisting of the driveshaft.

[hardingfv32]

I agree, the torque units are usually more compact and near to the ends so you can use some form of contactless sensor.

Could this unit have accelerometers and they are testing for some type of harmonic issue? Funny it would not be accomplished on the transmission dyno, but that might lack the dynamics of hub/wheel movement.

Brian

[zgred]

[747heavy]

What is clamped to the axles? Torque measuring?

Brian

I would say they are torque sensors.
similar to this one:



Yes, the ABB sensors are widely used, but afaik they need a ferrous (steel) base
material for their measurement principle to work.
As the drive shafts are most likely titanium alloy, there is the possibility that the ABB measurement method does not work with them.
(but I could be wrong, it´s a while since I used them, so the technology maybe has developed since).

As with most things, there is more then one way to do it, and more then one company producing such sensors.
the shown sensors are contact less, the telemetry transmitter will rotate with the shaft.

On a more pragmatic level, PI is owned by Cosworth now, so why pay for sensors (ABB), when you can have them most likely for free.

[horse]

Is this the same wing as Canada or is it an evolution of that. It's pretty funky, anyhow, with it's swept leading edges. Any guesses on what the swept leading edge on the top element provides?

[roadie]

It's the old wing. The wing in the photo of the man carrying the wing/nose is the new one I think.

[horse]

Williams co-founder Patrick Head 'not retiring'

"When we get on top of why the car has been so unstable in slow-speed corners relative to high-speed, which we're making progress on, I think we'll be revisiting the top 10 quite often in the last part of the year."

Any thoughts on helping them out?

[roadie]

I'm confused at that comment, as Monaco was where the car has looked at its best all year.

[PlatinumZealot]

It's going to be tops in Hungary then.

[ringo]

Williams co-founder Patrick Head 'not retiring'

"When we get on top of why the car has been so unstable in slow-speed corners relative to high-speed, which we're making progress on, I think we'll be revisiting the top 10 quite often in the last part of the year."

Any thoughts on helping them out?

Interesting problem. Never heard of it before, and i guess we can't just throw out wild guesses on this one, becuase those guesses wont sound too logical.
It's gonna take some thinking on the factors in play on this one.

How is a car unstable in slow speed, how does it behave in that such a case?

I can more understand the high speed instability, as the aero stability is more of a factor.

What is the slow speed case, mid corner,corner exit, braking to a really low speed?

[JMN]

Interestingly, they state they are getting on top of it, suggesting they know what causes the problem and are capable of doing something about it (and allowed to do it).
I imagine (yes, potentially unwanted guesswork) it may be related to the somewhat unorthodox suspension setup or possibly the truncated rear bodywork causing the airflow to become turbulent at certain speeds. The low pressure zone may be stable and supply additional air flow at high speeds, but at lower speeds this effect might not be dependable. See Formula None's illustration viewtopic.php?p=227244#p227244

[ringo]

That doesn't seem happen in this case. It's too easy for a team to spot that if it were happening. Especially at low speeds.

Instability at low speeds may suggest the front or rear wings.



Front and rear wing could be out of sync in terms of the required balance at certain speeds?

[horse]

Front and rear wing could be out of sync in terms of the required balance at certain speeds?

Well, this could simply be a headache of running the Cosworth in that it's not blowing off throttle. So through high speed corners they have the blown diffuser nicely balanced by the front wing, but on entering low speed corners, due to the deficiencies in the Cosworth, they have relatively less rear downforce (for a given speed) than on the front. That's logical, isnt it? Perhaps the weirdy swept wings are to solve this issue, in that at low speed the spanwise flow reduces the efficiency of the wing and thus returns balance to the car.

it may be related to the somewhat unorthodox suspension

I've got to say this might be true, also (remembering I know nothing about the merits of suspension geometry [yet]), given that mechanical grip becomes more important at lower speeds. I would have thought that the mandatory weight distribution would have evened this out a bit across the field, but with these tyres, I guess it could have a significant impact - by not working the rears hard enough, for instance.

I guess that's another reason that you might desire a front wing which is less powerful at low speeds.