F1: Renault continues partnership with 3D Systems

From: Doug Mitchell (dmitchel@ford.com)
Date: Tue Feb 25 2003 - 14:14:49 EET


The Renault F1 Team today announced the consolidation of their
longstanding
partnership with the solid imaging company 3D Systems for another five
years. As part of this agreement, the two partners launched an Advanced
Digital Manufacturing (ADM) Centre at Enstone as well as a joint project
for
its future development.

Rapid prototyping is a key factor in today's Formula 1. It allows teams
to
computer design, and then produce, parts for wind tunnel models, with
the
next steps leading to parts for testing or even racing. The time gains
brought by this technology are spectacular: the ADM Centre will prove a
strong asset for Technical Director Mike Gascoyne in the coming seasons.
For
example, the Team will be able to produce fifty different versions of
each
piece of bodywork for wind tunnel testing, with unequalled precision,
before
adopting them for the race team.

The margin of error is 0.1%: aerodynamic
gains which, until now, were not even suspected, will be able to be made
after approval. Ten gains of 0.1% represent a 1% step forward in
performance: a significant amount in F1 terms. In a 24-hour period, the
system will mean the Team can produce not just one, but several
components,
each with a unique detail. The ability to test more parts in the wind
tunnel
for the same budget is a welcome gain!

"I am extremely pleased to see our partnership with 3D Systems
flourish,"
said Mike. "I have been a strong believer in this technology since it
was
introduced to Formula 1, and it is great to see a manufacturing
structure of
this capacity become exclusive to our factory. 3D Systems have been very
responsive to the challenges posed by our environment: working together,
our
engineers have managed to push the boundaries of this technology into
real
world applications."

Flavio Briatore is also pleased with the partnership: "Renault has
always
nurtured innovation," he commented. "To succeed again, we must
collaborate
with the strongest partners. That is undoubtedly the case with 3D
Systems."

-renault-

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