So-called
‘small-part breakdowns’, a feared phenomenon in Formula 1, are becoming
increasingly rare. At the BMW WilliamsF1 team, a multistage quality
management programme guarantees the greatest possible reliability. Every one
of an F1 car’s 10,000 or so parts is subjected to these control checks.
High temperatures and humidity make the Brazilian Grand Prix a real
challenge – and not just for the drivers. What is more, unpleasant grooves
tend to form on the asphalt of the track in Sao Paulo; when each car races
over the uneven sections on the start/finish straight at 300kph, the driver
is not the only one given a good shaking. The car itself is also exposed to
enormous strains – on every one of the 71 laps.
Vibrations, high temperatures, incredible acceleration and braking forces:
in Formula 1, everything is pushed to the limit. That is why the basic
principle, ‘Trusting is good, but checking is better’ is rigorously applied
here; ultimately, checking can be a matter of life or death. “That is the
reason why we do not allow suppliers to construct safety-related parts: we
produce all of the critical parts ourselves,” says Alex Burns, General
Manager at WilliamsF1, who is responsible for quality control. |
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Striving for
quality defines the entire production process in every Formula 1 team. All
the sequences have to be co-ordinated perfectly by the 450 WilliamsF1 and
220 BMW team members. The safety net has an extremely fine and intricate
mesh; while the computers help quality management in the field of conception
and design, the following stage has to be carried out by hand. The designers
began working on the development of the chassis and engine for the current
WilliamsF1 BMW FW25 at the beginning of 2002 – the components were then
delivered in the summer. As a result, the team was able to test the engine
on the test bench in September, before taking it to the test track for the
first time in October.
‘Product Lifecycle Management’ or PLM, supervises the quality monitoring of
individual parts at BMW WilliamsF1 Team. In a workflow that is a true
logistical masterpiece, the lifecycle of every component is tracked and
constantly documented. Regardless of whether it is a seal, a shock absorber
or a wishbone, the quality engineers record all data, such as: the
production and processing date, the delivery deadline and the result of
quality checks. A record is kept of every single part of a Formula 1 car; if
a fault should occur, it can be identified and fixed immediately.
The art of troubleshooting and avoiding problems is perfected on the
racetrack. Over 200 sensors on the car detect the track’s features and also
deliver data on the engine, transmission and other units to the team’s
pit-lane control centre. Two BMW engineers constantly monitor the engine
online and the team can communicate with the driver by radio. This group of
measures makes it possible to react immediately to any possible problems
that may occur.
The detailed fault analysis takes place on the Monday after the race: the
cars are completely disassembled and subjected to over 200 diagnostic
checks. Minor defects can be remedied before the next grand prix, for
example: if there are problems with a milled metal part on the race Sunday,
the designer can redesign it on Tuesday, it is then produced on Wednesday
and it can be tested on Thursday. Even changes in the software can be made
from one day to the next by modifying the parameter settings. More
significant modifications, for instance to the aerodynamic components, can
be used after a number of weeks – once all the stages of the quality checks
have been completed.
Under the merciless conditions prevalent in Formula 1, perfection remains a
utopian goal. However, every single employee of a Formula 1 team keeps
working to get as close to perfection as possible.
Of course, this also applies to the production of passenger cars. In series
production, quality is a constant priority too; and this applies to both
suppliers and to final assembly. In principle, the quality control processes
are similar to those in Formula 1: every part is examined, checked and only
then installed. The real endurance test starts at the end of the conveyor
belt: all the functions are checked using special programs: for instance,
driving through a water trough to ensure there is not any leakage, or test
stations for the suspension alignment and driving dynamic tests. Finally,
after a comprehensive test programme and a final test drive, the
manufacturers generally decide whether the car can be authorised for road
traffic.
“A passenger car consists of a large number of complicated components from
several hundred different suppliers. Only an absolutely consistent quality
management system can guarantee constant quality levels. The car’s safety
not only depends on the individual components, but also on their combined
functioning in the car’s system under a wide range of varying conditions.
Truly ingrained quality management is the prerequisite to make sure that it
is not the customer who is put to the test. That is why the automobile
industry has always been a driving force in the development of management
systems,” states Dr. Christoph Lauterwasser from the Allianz Centre for
Technology.
So every passenger car is a product that fulfils the highest quality
standards. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the buyer is also
responsible for a considerable proportion of the car’s quality control: he
or she can only be sure that the car will function properly and safely for a
long time if it is given the recommended inspections at an authorised
garage. |
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