Lotus Active Suspension

    Lotus Active Suspension

By Kiyoshi

With competitive price and timely delivery, huaneng sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Those that are familiar with the Formula One series of know how dominate a single team with a lead driver was. I am refer to the Williams Renault car driven by Nigel Mansell. With four races remaining in the season Mansell clinched the driver's championship, shattered records, as the Williams team finish 1-2 for an unprecedent number of victories. Why? Was it the superiority of Mansell and Patrese? One suspects the truth was stated by Mansell prior to the Japanese Grand Prix where he stated to the press with reference to Alain Prost (who replaces Mansell at Williams) that, "Even a puppet could win in a Williams". Clearly it was apparent all season that the Williams Renault was a far superior package than even the once mighty McLaren Hondas driven by Ayrton Senna. Mansell was simply stating the obvious, and what every team on the GP circuit had known since the opener in Brazil.

What was it about the Williams that made so invincible? Aerodynamics? Re-active Suspension? The Renault engine? Traction control? Semi-Automatic gearbox? It is easily argued all of the above factored into a total dominating package.

Something else happened this F1 season. The lowly (just look at the state of the team at the end of ) Lotus Team came from cars that were in jeaprody of not qualifying to cars that were challenging the more powerful Benettons and McLarens at the last few races.

It is no surprise then to find both Lotus and Williams using some form of hydraulically controlled computer monitored suspension control system - Active, Semi-active or Re-active suspension.

HISTORY
In FISA (all knowing and god-like) introduced a rule which forced cars to run 6 cm above the ground. The rule was created in an effort to drasticallly reduce the downforce created by the tunnels of the side pods (ground-effects). The rule was enforced by stewards in the pit lane measuring ground clearance. It was impossible to accurately monitor the cars while they were at speed on the track. Racers being the worlds best and most efficient loop hole locators quickly found a huge one. Gordon Murray of Brabham quickly put a smal hydro-pneumatic jacking device in the Brabhams so that when the car entered the pit lane the driver flipped a switch and instantly the car was raised to the mandatory 6cm clearance. Once out of the pit lane the driver flipped the switch in the opposite direction and the car dropped to the ultra low stance that allowed the side skirts to seal out air to the ground effects tunnels.

Chapman at Lotus followed suit but, saw that much more could be gained if ride height and the attack angle of the tunnels could be kept at their optimum. Thus Chapman outlined his thoughts concerning active suspension. By the first serious work on active suspension emerged from the Lotus garage, the Lotus 92. The components were commonly called hydraulic suspension and electronically controlled anti-roll bars. Peter Wright of Lotus Engineering was the chief behind these developments. Wright recalls, "We started with active suspension in the early s, and we first raced the system in at the Brazilian and Long Beach Grand Prixs. That was a fully active system. It was fairly crude and heavy. It was really and experiment - to see what was involved in running active."

It is interesting to note that this first system was first driven in competition at the '83 Long Beach race by the first driver to clinch a world championship in a semi-active suspended car, that being Nigel Mansell. At the time when Lotus decided to set aside the system for further development, Mansell was quoted, "I still believe in the long-term possiblities, but it needs more development."

WHAT IS IT?
According to Lotus' Wright, "The system is able to change the attitude and ride height of the car according to certain control laws." The benefit is that at any given moment an active suspension system can optimize the suspension. To do this an active system can control three major areas: 1) The system can control ride height according to changes in weight and in aerodynamic loading. The system can react to internal loading, such as roll and be made to create roll or no roll. 2) The system can stop the car from pitching under braking or acceleration. 3) You can actually control the springing/damping and the hub motions of the car.

So called Re-active systems can perform only the first function. A Semi-active system performs the first and second functions, but only a fully active system actually achieves all three. Controlling the springing, damping and hub motion is obviously requires the most sophistication and is the most difficult to achieve. If it does not work there is no suspension at all! Wright, " With a semi-active system, if the computer says: 'I will do nothing at all,' you still have suspension." Wright continues by saying, "Those are great differences. There ar others, but these are really in the control laws - what you are asking the system to do. That is an area where it is impossible to know what other people are doing. You can only look at videos and guess."

What Wright is saying is that with a semi-active system there is a conventional passive suspension, springs and dampers. Whereas a fully active suspension, the system is capable of sensing bumps and nearly instanteously reacts. It does this so quickly that it's almost as if the suspension anticipates the bump. Compare this to a conventional spring/shock system and you'll find the conventional system extremely retarded, reacting with seeming casualness.

MORE HISTORY
Between and , the Lotus active suspension disappeared (from F1). According to Wright, "The system was being developed for road car use by Lotus Engineering." Many GGLC members may recall seeing videos of an active suspended Excel actually 'banking' into corners and running a slalom virtually flat.

In December Williams tested an active system developed by Automotie Products. The car was tested by Mansell, Piquet and Jean-Louis Schlesser.

In Lotus had again embarked upon using an active system in F1. Ayrton Senna scored and victory at Monaco, the first for a fully active car. Senna backed his victory with another at Detroit. At the Italian GP Williams introduced a semi-active car driven by Piquet, developed by Frank Dernie, Piquet won.

Again Wright, "The Lotus was again fully active and relied on computers to simulate the spring/dampers units. The Williams was semi-active - or re-active - as it is now."

However Lotus returned to without active suspension. "In , Lotus Engineering put the system on the car and funded it," explains Wright. "It was the decision of Lotus Engineering not to continue funding it in . Although we were prepared to supply it to Team Lotus, we were using a lot of key people who were also needed to support quite a big active suspension business at Lotus Engineering, working for customers. Therefore, we could not justify the expenditure as well as the resources. If Team Lotus had wished to go on with it, and had been prepared to fund it, we would have continued. It was a Team Lotus decision."

By halfway into the season other teams were experimenting with semi-active. Both Ferrari and Benetton tested systems. But, then Williams pulled the plug on their system. Having lost Honda turbo engines and switching to much lowered powered atmospheric Judd V8s, the cars did not have the extra power needed to be competitive and drive the system.

Which brings us to the beginning of the season where Williams brought their updated re-active system and by SPA Belgium Lotus was running and semi-active system. "The system on the 107 is not a fully active system," says Wright. "We are using a conventional spring/damper unit, whereas Williams is using a hydro=pneumatic spring with an integral damping system. Otherwise, I believe the two systems are functionally similar although, obviouly the control laws are probably different in may ways." It should be noted the 'control laws' to which Wright refers are the algorithms or programing for the computer controlling the system.

Wright continues, "The Lotus system is quite simple and small. We really have gone for the simplest and most economical system we can devise in terms of weight and power consumption. It is as simple as we can make it, so that it is quick to develop and to achieve good reliability with. It uses many of the components and the knowledge that was learned on fully active systems, but simplified to be semi-active."

"The system we are using now is no more complex than a fuel injection system. It uses high-pressure feeds, control valves, sensors and a computer. The computer is reasonably sophisticated, but not sgnificantly more complex than any of the other computers in the car. The hydraulic/mechanical side is s technology in concept."

"The sophistication is in the control laws. We perhaps think it is simple because we ahve been making control laws since the early 80's. The ones we use on this system are a subset of a fully active system, so we are coming back from a much more complicated set of control laws. In terms of reliability, it is a set of mechanical problems like any other. If you can make a fuel injection system that functions correctly and doesn't leak, there is no reason why you can not make an efficient hydraulic system."

"I do not subscribe to teh high-cost, high-complexity theory fo active suspension. The only real cost is in testing and developing. the actual components are not expensive by F1 standards - in relation to engines, for example."

"We have a fully active system still under development, and we plan to fit it on the 107," Wright admits. "We wanted to get the system on the car from the start, but we didn't want to hold up the development of the car, so we opted to so semi-active."

"It must be faster, because it is more complicated (though not necessarily heavier), although it is more difficult to run. We want to get to know, to calibrate and understand the 107 so that we know what we want to do with it. The active is only a system that has to be matched and coordinated with the car to produce the right performance. we have to understand the car before we go to the next stage. I think we will get quite a lot of the performance potential of active from the system we have on the car now, but I believe there is more performance to come from the fully active."

To maximize the benefit of an active system the ground clearance is critical. Consider that the one the major benefits of an active system is the reduction on reaction time of the suspension. This is a critical factor for the modern race car whose aerodynamic efficiency is tied to ground clearance and attack angle. Thus measuring ground clearance is extremely important. On this subject Wright says, "There are a number of techniques, but I will not go into detail about how we (Lotus) do it. There are some very good little laser ride height sensors that are very sensitive, and that we use for research purposes, but we don't have them fitted to the racing cars."

"People have talked about acoustic systems, as based on the Polaroid range finder. We have done some testing with acoustic systems, but we are not very happy with the results. I think the best ride height sensor at the moment is the laser."

THE COMPUTER
Obvious the processor speed is important. It is the brain that must receive the inputs from the sensors, run calculations, and then output signals to the hydraulic actuators and valves in a short enough increment of time that the reaction is meaningful. Thus the speed necessary for a fully active suspension system computer depends on what you need to do, but Wright is certain that everything required by such a system is feasible.

"If you just want to control fuel level, it would require very low frequency. If you want to control the weight of the car - the aerodynamics - you would progably need a one or two hertz (cycles per second) system. If you want to control the dynamics of the car (i.e., braking, acceleration and cornering) you need a system that is between six and 10 hz. If you want to control hub motion, you need a system of 20-30 hz. It is really a question of selecting the frequency for the response you need."

It is interesting to note that many notebook (under 4 lbs) micro-computers with Intel processors advertised in the Bay Area for prices under $ (with display and keyboard) use 386 CPUs that run at 33 to 40 hz. Obviously, the technology is readily at hand.

More from Wright, "Once you have a computer controlling anumber of aspects of the suspension system, it is very easy to change them, and even to allow the driver to change them. My understanding is that the Williams system allows the driver to change the roll stiffness distribution, as well as the front and rear ride height. Those are three of the most powerful car set-up parameters."

The Williams cars seem to have an added dimension, they are capable of rising up while on the straights, thus improving top speed. "My guess," Wright says, "is that the computer senses in some way that it is on the straight, or it changes the attitude of the car above a certain speed. That is really very easy. It is the very first thing you can do with any form of active control system."

"We have been working on it (active suspension) since , when we ran an active road car," says Wright. "We have a number of people who are used to this technology; we have a good data base, and we have a lot of technology. It isn't easy in the first, early stages. You lose a lot of sleep, and your hair goes gray..."

It is obvious that a decade of develop at Lotus has made active technology seems ordinary. Meanwhile many F1 teams are working hard and scrambling to catch up with Williams and Lotus. Trouble is experience and development are virtually impossible to gain in short time.

In the high-speed, technologically advanced world of Formula 1 racing, the term &#;Active Suspension&#; has reverberated through the paddocks and across racing circuits for quite some time. This innovative technology, which was once a pivotal part of the F1 machinery, has been the subject of admiration, controversy, and extensive discussions among motorsport enthusiasts and experts alike.

Key Takeaways

• Active Suspension is a type of automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the wheels relative to the chassis or vehicle body.
• Initially introduced in Formula 1 in the s, it was later banned due to concerns over escalating costs and technological disparities among teams.
• The technology was primarily aimed at maintaining optimal aerodynamic efficiency and tire management during races.
• Despite its ban, the concept of active suspension has been periodically revisited in various discussions related to F1 regulations and technological advancements.

A Dive into Active Suspension

The Genesis of the Technology

The concept of Active Suspension in Formula 1 was first introduced in the s, with teams like Lotus and Williams pioneering its development and application. The primary objective was to control the ride height of the car, ensuring that it remained constant regardless of the external forces acting upon it, such as downforce and mechanical load.

Video Reference: The Incredible F1 Suspension So Good It Was Banned

The Mechanism Behind Active Suspension

Hydraulic Actuators and Control Units

Active suspension systems in F1 utilized hydraulic actuators to control the vertical movement of the wheels, ensuring that the chassis maintained a consistent height above the track surface. These actuators were controlled by sophisticated electronic control units (ECUs) that processed data from various sensors placed around the vehicle.

Year Team Notable Achievements with Active Suspension Lotus Introduced active suspension technology in F1 Williams Won both Drivers&#; and Constructors&#; Championships with active suspension Williams Dominant season with active suspension, winning 10 out of 16 races

Aerodynamic Stability and Tire Management

The active suspension system was crucial in maintaining aerodynamic stability by keeping the car&#;s underbody and wings at a consistent height above the track, optimizing downforce and minimizing drag. Additionally, it enhanced tire management by ensuring uniform tire wear and maintaining optimal contact with the track surface.

Article Reference: What Is Formula 1 In Simple Terms?

What Is Formula 1 In Simple Terms?

In simple terms, the goal of Formula 1 is for a driver to complete a certain number of laps around a track in the fastest time possible. Learn more&#;

The Rise and Fall of Active Suspension in F1

Triumphs and Challenges

Active suspension brought about a revolution in the way F1 cars were raced and engineered. The technology provided a significant competitive edge to the teams that mastered it, most notably Williams, which dominated the and seasons with their advanced active suspension system.

However, the technology was not without its challenges. The complexity and cost of developing and maintaining active suspension systems were astronomical, leading to disparities among the teams in the paddock.

The Ban and Its Implications

In , active suspension was banned from Formula 1 as part of a series of regulation changes aimed at curbing escalating costs and leveling the playing field among teams. The ban led to a shift in focus towards passive suspension systems and brought about a new era in the technological development of F1 cars.

Video Reference: Why there are calls for banned active suspension to return to F1

The Legacy and Future Prospects of Active Suspension

Periodic Revisits and Modern-Day Discussions

Despite its ban, the concept of active suspension has never truly left the realms of Formula 1. Periodically, there have been calls to revisit and reintroduce the technology, especially in light of modern advancements in hydraulic and electronic systems.

The Balance Between Innovation and Equality

The discussions around active suspension often revolve around finding a balance between encouraging technological innovation and maintaining competitive equality among teams. The reintroduction of active suspension could potentially open up new avenues for engineering advancements, but it also risks creating a technological and financial divide among the teams.

The Technical Intricacies of Active Suspension

The Core Components and Their Functions

Hydraulic System

The hydraulic system in an active suspension setup is responsible for adjusting the vehicle&#;s ride height. It uses fluid dynamics to exert force on the suspension components, thereby controlling the wheel&#;s vertical movement.

Sensors and Actuators

Sensors play a pivotal role in monitoring various parameters like wheel load, vehicle speed, and ride height. The data from these sensors is processed by the ECU, which then controls the actuators to adjust the suspension settings in real time.

Electronic Control Unit (ECU)

The ECU is the brain behind the active suspension system. It processes data from numerous sensors and controls the actuators to make real-time adjustments to the suspension, ensuring optimal performance and stability.

The Working Principle

If you want to learn more, please visit our website adaptive suspension cars.

Active suspension systems work on the principle of real-time adjustments. The sensors continuously monitor various parameters and send this data to the ECU. The ECU processes this data and controls the actuators to make necessary adjustments to the suspension settings, ensuring that the vehicle maintains optimal aerodynamic efficiency and tire contact with the road.

Article Reference: The Suspension Of A Formula 1 Car

How Formula 1 Suspension Works

One of the most important components of a Formula 1 car is its suspension system. The suspension system is responsible for keeping the car&#;s wheels in contact with the road, absorbing bumps and vibrations, and providing mechanical grip to the driver. Learn more&#;

Applications in Other Motorsport Categories

MotoGP

In MotoGP, active suspension systems have been explored to enhance stability and control during high-speed maneuvers and while navigating through challenging track conditions.

Endurance Racing

In endurance racing, active suspension is utilized to manage the wear and tear on the vehicle over extended periods of racing, ensuring consistent performance and minimizing mechanical failures.

Touring Car Racing

In touring car racing, active suspension helps in managing the vehicle dynamics during close-quarter racing and while navigating through varied track layouts.

Potential Future of Active Suspension in Formula 1

Technological Advancements

With advancements in technology, especially in the fields of hydraulics and electronics, modern-day active suspension systems can be more reliable, efficient, and cost-effective than their predecessors.

Regulatory Challenges

The reintroduction of active suspension in Formula 1 would require a thorough revision of the regulatory framework to ensure that it does not lead to a technological arms race among the teams and maintains a level playing field.

Balancing Performance and Cost

Finding a balance between enhancing performance through technological innovations like active suspension and managing the associated costs will be pivotal in determining its feasibility in the future of Formula 1.

The Debate: To Reintroduce or Not?

Advocates for Reintroduction

Proponents for the reintroduction of active suspension argue that it could open up new avenues for technological advancements and enhance the performance and safety of the vehicles.

When porpoising was a major issue at the start of , Mercedes driver George Russell was keen for a return of active suspension, saying &#;I think it&#;s clear if we had active suspension, the cars will be a hell of a lot faster for the same aerodynamic surfaces, because you&#;d be able to optimise the ride heights for every corner speed and optimise it down the straight for the least amount of drag.

&#;So, it&#;s an easy way to make the cars go faster. And if you think of a safety aspect, then potentially it&#;s an improvement. I&#;m sure there&#;s more limitations. I&#;m not an engineer. But we wouldn&#;t have this issue down the straight, that&#;s for sure.&#;

British Engineer James Key of Alfa Romeo has also been a proponent of active suspension, adding &#;Active suspension would help in two ways. You could aim to try and keep around your peak aero performance for more of the lap, which is a lovely place to be if you can do it.

&#;But also it could, in some way, possibly counter some of the natural frequencies hitting the chassis as well. So, again, it wouldn&#;t eradicate the problem, the physics are still there, but it would certainly help manage it.

&#;As a technical director, I&#;d love to see the return of active suspension personally. But, with the cost cap, it&#;s not the best project to be doing.&#;

Opponents of Reintroduction

Critics, however, express concerns over the potential escalation of costs and the risk of widening the gap between the financially stronger and weaker teams in the paddock.

Former driver and current commentator Martin Brundle is firmly against a return to Active Suspension, saying &#;The concept of active suspension means you start again on your suspension as well as aero, because a lot of your suspension travel is in the sidewall of the tyre.

&#;It&#;s a dream for the aerodynamicists. My concern would be that we&#;d go back to cars that look like Scalextric cars &#; glued to the track.

&#;It&#;s the best of everything &#; kerb control, ride control, bumps, aero &#; you just fly the car at the perfect angle.

&#;How the hell it would save any money I don&#;t know because you&#;d have to start over again.

&#;You&#;d have to completely redesign your car I would have thought, given that huge advantage.

&#;The cars might follow each other better from getting more downforce from the underfloor than the upper surfaces.

&#;But I can&#;t see it being anything other than hugely expensive.&#;

A Middle Ground

A potential middle ground could involve introducing a standardized active suspension system, which could be used by all teams, thereby ensuring technological advancements without compromising on competitive equality.

Engineers and Technicians&#; Perspective

Engineers and technicians, who were at the forefront of developing and maintaining active suspension systems, experienced the technological marvel and the challenges it brought along. The complexity of ensuring that the systems were reliable, efficient, and compliant with the regulations was a significant task that involved extensive research, development, and testing.

Team Principals and Strategists&#; Perspective

From a strategic viewpoint, team principals and strategists had to weigh the performance advantages offered by active suspension against the financial and resource investments required. The decision to adopt and develop these systems involved considering the long-term impact on the team&#;s performance, budget, and competitive standing in the championship.

Active Suspension: A Technological Marvel and a Regulatory Dilemma

Innovation vs. Regulation

Active suspension stands as a testament to the innovative spirit inherent in Formula 1. It symbolizes a period where technological boundaries were pushed in pursuit of performance advantages. However, it also represents a dilemma where regulatory bodies are tasked with ensuring that technological advancements do not compromise the competitive spirit of the sport.

The Dichotomy of Performance Enhancement and Cost Management

The potential reintroduction of active suspension brings forth a dichotomy where the pursuit of performance enhancement is pitted against the imperative of managing costs and ensuring competitive equality. The challenge lies in harnessing technological advancements while ensuring that it does not lead to a disproportionate escalation in costs and a widening gap among the competing teams.

The Future Trajectory

As Formula 1 continues to evolve, the trajectory of technological innovations like active suspension will be shaped by a myriad of factors, including regulatory frameworks, financial considerations, and the overarching philosophy that will guide the future of the sport.

You may also like&#;

F1 Glossary: Your Comprehensive Guide To F1 Terms

This F1 glossary contains a comprehensive list of terms, starting from the fundamentals like aerodynamics and chassis, to more obscure concepts&#;

What Is Formula 1 In Simple Terms?

In simple terms, the goal of Formula 1 is for a driver to complete a certain number of laps around a track in the fastest time possible. Learn more&#;

What is Active Suspension? &#; FAQs

How Does Active Suspension Enhance Vehicle Performance?

Active suspension systems dynamically adjust the vehicle&#;s suspension settings, ensuring optimal aerodynamic efficiency and tire performance during various driving conditions. By maintaining a consistent ride height and minimizing the vehicle&#;s pitch and yaw, active suspension enhances stability, grip, and overall performance.

Why Was Active Suspension Banned in Formula 1?

Active suspension was banned in Formula 1 in as part of a series of regulation changes aimed at reducing costs and ensuring competitive equality among teams. The technology was becoming increasingly sophisticated and expensive, leading to a technological and financial divide among the teams in the paddock.

Could Active Suspension Make a Comeback in Future F1 Seasons?

The potential reintroduction of active suspension in Formula 1 is subject to ongoing debates and regulatory considerations. While the technology could enhance vehicle performance and safety, concerns regarding costs, competitive equality, and regulatory compliance remain pivotal in determining its future in the sport.

What Were the Challenges Faced by Teams Using Active Suspension?

Teams utilizing active suspension faced numerous challenges, including the complexity and cost of developing and maintaining the systems, managing the additional weight and energy requirements, and ensuring reliability and consistency during races.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of plastic spiral vibration damper manufacturers. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.