The team from the University of Padova, Italy, push its car down to the judges

As the workers still clear away the stands and hospitality marquees from the previous weekend’s British Grand Prix, teams of students from across the world descended into the famous Silverstone pitlane for the annual Formula Student event.

Despite struggling through the blustery conditions, temperamental rain showers, and the fact that most of the teams had been up most of the night still finishing adjustments to their cars, the cheery bunch all seemed to be looking forward to getting their creations onto the hallowed track following a year of design and engineering.

Most of the British entrants are final year students, in some cases graduating days before the event, proudly displaying their final projects and getting the chance to work from the pitlanes still marked with F1 team liveries, logos and even tyre marks.

All the cars were modeled in 3D CAD, with some more comprehensively than others. With many of the teams made of pure automotive and motorsport degree classes, their proficiency for strength testing, FEA analysis, and component design in CAD was pretty impressive.

The team from Delft University, Holland, show off their finished car, and its Catia model

Most teams seemed to have worked with Catia for the chassis, although others modeled the full thing in SolidWorks, while a sparse few were using sponsor Autodesk’s Inventor, or the really professional were really going for it in Pro/Engineer. It was interesting to see that even between the teams with the greater budgets (a lot of the European universities spend a full year traveling to the various international versions and racing) and those without, a lot of the emphasis for modern track-car building was put on the initial 3D CAD model.

Some F1 heavyweights were on hand to offer advice and add to the pressure

And it wasn’t just students at the opening day; on hand were some big guns from the world of F1 racing. Renault F1 managing director Bob Bell; Mercedes (and Michael Schumacer’s personal) race engineer Andrew Shovlin; Virgin Racing technical director Nick Wirth; and even square-jawed, taller-than-you-expect, former-F1 driver David Coulthard were all on site to give a motivational talk, some pearls of wisdom, and kick some tyres in the garages.

With over 2,500 students taking part, and the majority wanting to progress into the automotive and motorsport industry, there was some serious competition to be had even before the cars take to the track for individual time trials, handling and breaking tests over the next three days.

www.formulastudent.com

Dassault Systemes has announced that BMW has signed a strategic 5-year global agreement to “pave the way to meet the automotive market’s new challenges.” According to the press release, “Through this agreement, the companies will establish a close link between their research & development centers that will not only improve the DS automotive product offering but also the BMW development and production process. Dassault Systemes software solutions support BMW in core areas for design and manufacturing process planning with Catia as the backbone for product development.”

The necessity to reduce C02 emission levels has forced automotive manufacturers to reshape their business processes to deliver greener cars. Fully embracing the cause of leaving a minimum carbon footprint on the planet, the implementation of the DS solutions will help automakers conceive, analyze and simulate eco-friendly low-emission vehicles like the Project I, a new Megacity vehicle, optimized for better performance and low energy consumption.

The BMW Concept ActiveE is powered by a new synchronous electric motor specially developed for this vehicle. Its maximum output is 125 kW/170 bhp, the maximum torque of 250 Nm / 184 lb-ft is available from standing as is typical for electric motors and remains available over an unusually broad load range.

The release also gave details of what BMW would be using:

By consolidating design in a single PLM software platform BMW can tap into “proven design” concepts and re-use them across all product lines achieving time savings in the design and manufacturing of new cars. The single platform also enables all designers, including development partners in the supply chain, to collaborate, which is another factor in streamlining the design process. Simulia realistic simulation solutions combined with Catia further allow BMW to virtually test their vehicle’s real-world performance early in the development cycle which helps improve product quality, while reducing time and cost of physical testing.

What’s also a small note in the press release is that:

“The agreement also defines a set of strategic projects where BMW will evaluate possible migration paths that ensure a smooth transition to Dassault Systèmes V6 PLM solutions for all its vehicle development programs.”

BMW already use Catia V5 and have been a flagship user for many years. This Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) that’s integrated in exhaust gas recirculation systems is typical.

There are many rumours and tales of unhappiness amongst many Dassault customers with the introduction of V6 - in both the small and very large account, with some major customers allegedly looking at a shift in platform for their product development. This shows that for some, and BMW have been a key account for DS for decades, the decision has already been made and the transition is a part of their long term strategy. Interesting that there’s no mention of Enovia.

IBM and Dassault, just sent out a press release that highlights BMW’s use of a “single digital software environment for the design of all BMW engines across its fuel and diesel-powered cars, motorcycles, and its newest line of eco-friendly, hybrid cars including the industry’s first hydrogen-powered vehicle.”

According to the release: With the use of Catia software, a 3D virtual design platform, engineers can consolidate design environments and create a single reference model for the design of all future BMW engines. IBM and Dassault Systemes PLM experts have helped the automaker to harmonize and consolidate all mechanical design initiatives into a single digital infrastructure that provides the latest technologies to aid in the software simulation, calculation and testing of new engine models. As industrial sector companies intensify efforts to deliver increased value to customers, they are using smart technology to help deliver a new class of products. For example, working with IBM and Dassault Systemes, BMW has developed a series of software design initiatives aimed at equipping new cars with fuel-saving technologies. From designing smaller engines to increasing piston and cylinder performance for better ignition and fuel performance, product lifecycle management software continues to play a key role in the intelligent design of new products. In the past, aerodynamicists, physicists, and product engineers relied on CAD geometry and manual changes to create new design models. With Catia, product designers can create multiple engineering applications that significantly enhance a manufacturer’s ability to digitally share master versions of an engine or a gear-box design. The use of one digital reference model that can be updated and shared instantly across the globe helps BMW respond quickly to consumer changes prior to signing off on production and shipment plans. The time span required for designing and shipping new cars has been cut in half through the use of these new digital technologies.

BMW is an interesting organization, but a quick look at their line of products, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s less likely to push the environmentally conscious nature of its products too heavily, but the release also reveals that BMW has shipped 22 new cars with engines that produce less than 140grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels per kilometer, an achievement that meets the goals set by Kyoto Protocol participants in 1992 as part of an international treaty on climate change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally. It’s use of Catia dates back many years.

In recent years, I’ve seen numerous presentations from BMW executives at Dassault events, where they discuss the potential for the generative car, where a complete master vehicle is created and used to generate all subsequent variations – an interesting prospect I’m sure you’ll agree.

But when you then look at the BMW’s marque and indeed, investigate their media web-site, you’ll quickly find that very traditional tools are still in use at the front end of the process (as you’ll see from these pics above), so for now, until technology catches up with these artisan led practices, the use of generative model to develop products will perhaps remain at the component or certain sub-system engineering level (of which engine development is a prime example).

According to Applied, UK Dassault Systemes Partner, the Healey 3000 Sports Car is to be re-born and built in the UK with the help of CATIA V5. HFI Automotive, an Anglo-American Consortium of engineers and investors has purchased the Dassault Systemes Catia V5 for use in the design and development of their new Healey 3000 sports car.

News on the latest developments with this seems to stop in late 2007, but according Applied, Healey Automobile Consultants (HAC), owners of the British sports cars brand “Healey”, was purchased by HFI back in 2006. HAC was originally founded in 1955 by Donald and Geoffrey Healey. HFI’s development of the new Healey 3000 is advancing with plans for their manufacturing base to be in the UK.

More details at AutoExpress and AutoCognition.

Siemens PLM Software came up with some interesting news, that it recieved a major order from Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft for Teamcenter and its implementation. VW will use Teamcenter throughout its vehicle design and manufacturing process to “create transparency in its processes, so that obligatory information on product maturity, productivity and cost will be available at any and every point in the process.”

The product data management project (known as K-PDM ) at Volkswagen is laid out over several years and will include up to 45,000 users in the final implementation stage. According to the press release, the essential goals are to establish “efficient and consistent processes within the global development and planning network through the entire product development process – with K—PDM as central point for the product process within the Volkswagen group.”

Contributing to the success of the program are several elements – accurate data and a synchronous supply for all brands, locations, individual sectors and levels, including suppliers and development partners. The K—PDM project also encompasses the existing IT landscape, which will be consolidated and the costs optimized. The goals will be achieved through a specific Volkswagen change project that is based on a unified company wide product data management solution.

VW states that “The decision to standardize on the Teamcenter portfolio was based on the software’s ability to integrate and provide a consistent solution beyond PLM, the market maturity of the software and Siemens PLM Software’s experience in the market.”

The project will be executed over the next few years in committed car projects and different levels throughout the entire Volkswagen group. Following the successful completion of phase 0 and the “Go Live” decision in November 2007, Teamcenter will be used in production for future vehicle projects at Volkswagen and Audi.

This is an interesting insight into the work that organisations like VW and Audi are going through – while many still don’t understand the concept of PLM, this is changing and changing at a rapid rate. Call it PLM, call it PDM – what matters is that organisation are using the wealth of tools avialable (from Siemens and its competition) to drive out inefficiencies and costs from their processes, by working more intelligently – something we can all learn from.