lCaterham F1 TeamCUSTOMER CASE STUDY

Winning Formula
MTS helps an F1 team maximize testing ingenuity through advanced software
variables calculation.
C US T OM E R CH A LLEN G E

Formula 1 test engineers face some of the most demanding test challenges in the world.
First, during the race season, time to create and complete tests is extremely limited
between events, so every second counts in the test lab as much as on the track. Second,
there are no spare parts to use as test specimens because the components being tested
will be used in the car during the next race. Both of these realities elevate the importanceof testing efficiency and accuracy.
For the U.K.-based Caterham F1 Team that debuted in 2010, conducting fast, flexible
mechanical testing from the outset has been essential to the team’s success thus far. In
just two short seasons, Caterham F1 has earned its place among the world’s best
Formula 1 teams.

“The test has to be right, the equipment has tobe reliable, and we have to turn things aroundquickly. With MTS, that is exactly what we areable to do.”— Matt Hill
Rig Test Team Leader
Caterham F1 Team

Caterham F1 Team had to quickly build an advanced test lab from the ground up.
According to Rig Test Team Leader Matt Hill, their testing expertise was abundant,
but he knew time would be in constant short supply.
“Formula 1 test labs are under continuous pressure to achieve the highest standards inthe least amount of time, and we knew there would be no quiet periods,” Hill said.
“During the season, we are directly involved in turning the car around from event toevent. We often have to go from creating a test from scratch to turning over the results
within a week, or even a few days.”
Every component that goes into a car is an ongoing candidate for design improvement,and Hill knew his team would be frequently tasked with developing new types of tests
that are virtually impossible to prepare for or predict. “We knew we needed to be agile
enough to test anything that comes our way, but we couldn’t afford to lose accuracy orproductivity from this flexibility,” Hill said. “From my history in mechanical testing, Iknew who our test solutions partner needed to be.”M T S S OL UT IO N

When the time came to select test systems for the brand-new Caterham F1 Team testlab, Hill chose MTS. He was already familiar with MTS controllers and load frames,
having worked with them for a number of years earlier in his career. He was confident
that MTS hardware would deliver the speed, accuracy and flexibility his test teamneeded to enable his Formula 1 team’s ongoing quest to be better.
On the software side, however, Hill had some initial hesitation. He had previously
managed a test lab equipped with MTS solutions that ran on MTS MultiPurpose

be certain.

CUSTOMER CASE STUDYTestWare® (MPT™) software. Because Hill
was so familiar with MPT, transitioning tothe new MTS TestSuite™ software was notan easy decision.
“People are naturally resistant to change,
and when we purchased an MTS Landmark™
load frame with TestSuite software, I was abit dubious,” Hill said. “But now that I’m used
to the new software, I would never go back.
MTS TestSuite software can do everything
MPT can do, only faster and better.”Hill finds the software’s advanced variables
calculation capabilities especially useful. “Ithink that the variables are a great strengthof the software, because the if/then statements
we add give us tremendous flexibility to try
new things and get creative,” he said. “Weeven get the software to calculate all the rates
for us from springs and the other different
parts we characterize. This is actually quite
simple, but it saves us so much time whencompared with other control software.”According to Hill, MTS TestSuite also
introduces new levels of automation that
greatly reduces the need for operator
intervention.
“We can now write tests that prompt the user
for some input, and then the operator justinstalls the specimen, presses ‘play’ and thesoftware takes over and does all the thinking,”
Hill said. “When you have numerous carbon
components to turn around immediately,for example, you can’t afford to put in thewrong loads or introduce human error, andthese variables prevent that from happening.”

lC US T OM E R B EN EFI TS

For Hill’s team, MTS TestSuite software
provides a clear competitive advantage
in the high-pressure, fast-turnaroundenvironment that defines Formula 1
testing. “I didn’t realize how much software
technology had advanced,” he said. “We are
now running MTS TestSuite software on
almost all of our tests, which is improving
our speed both in the lab and on race day.”Hill cites MTS expertise and ongoing
consultation as another key competitive

advantage for his team. “We have a strong
relationship with the people at MTS, and they
are always there when we need them,” hesaid. “However, since the MTS solutions are
so powerful and flexible, we have the tools
we need to do most of the work ourselves.
“At the end of the day, the test has to beright, the equipment has to be reliable, andwe have to turn things around quickly,” Hill
added. “With MTS, that is exactly what weare able to do.”

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