The call to make Formula One racing more exciting has certainly put even more emphasis on the R & D teams to ensure best performance under enforced constraints.
Although the ban on tyres being changed during the race will be lifted for the 2006 season, the continuing need to predict the thermal performance of tyres is still of vital importance.
Indeed it was the driving force behind FLIR Systems latest order from the Formula One sector for a ThermaCAM(r) A20 infrared camera. During a Grand Prix race a tyre rotates about 150,000 times with a vertical load in the region of 500 kilos.
Infrared technology is the ideal method of showing the thermal performance of tyres under race conditions and in different weathers. As FLIR Systems' cameras operate in real-time at 50Hz dynamic changes in the thermal pattern can be easily monitored.
In addition to providing thermal information on tyres FLIR Systems' cameras are used for a range of Formula One applications. In addition to fault finding on electronic systems, ThermaCAM(r) A-Series, S-Series and Phoenix infrared cameras are being used in the performance testing of sub-components and assemblies both on and off the car.
They are providing a detailed understanding of how the complex materials used in disc brakes react under load and how heat is dissipated in exhaust systems. Damage assessment of composite structures is another important application.FLIR Systems' ThermaCAM(r) fixed mounted and portable cameras are now used by more than a third of the Formula One teams to ensure critical components provide the competitive edge whilst ensuring driver safety.
They are also widely employed in the automotive industry at large. Many of the common auto features such as heated windscreens and car seats were introduced as a result of R & D work using FLIR Systems infrared cameras. Recently the company also secured an agreement with Autoliv to provide sensors for the BMW 7-Series night vision system.