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Drive to Survive – Additive Manufacturing in motorsports

We are in the middle of the Formula One season and most of us have already watched the latest season of “Drive to survive”. But what many fans don’t know is that additive manufacturing has made its way into the premier league of motorsports. Unthinkable ten years ago, it is now a standard manufacturing method at the world’s most famous racetracks.

Additive Manufacturing in formula one

Additive manufacturing has taken some time to establish itself in high-performance motorsport. The COVID-pandemic, regulation freezes or cost caps initially slowed down progress. Motorsports demands the highest quality standards. There are no races, where vehicles do not finish a race due to a material or vehicle failure. The development of additive manufacturing has made a decisive contribution to meeting these standards.

Over the years, Pankl has invested in expanding research and development, particularly in the field of lightweight construction. Today, additive manufactured components are used in many areas of Formula One. In the field of aerodynamics, wing designs are a preferred solution, as they can be quickly modified and adapted to the latest developments. However, hydraulic components and engine parts also benefit from the technology, particularly through weight savings and optimized flow properties.

For safety reasons: the roll hoop

One very important additive manufactured component is the roll hoop of a Formula 1 car. This safety-critical part sits above the driver, at the highest point of the vehicle, and performs two essential tasks. Firstly, it defines the air intake for the engine. First: It defines the air intake for the engine. And second: it protects te driver in an accident, especially when the car turns upside down. The decisive factor for the protective effect is that the driver’s helmet always remains below a defined safety line. Its an imaginary connection between the front halo attachment and a defined point at the rear of the vehicle.

Thanks to this manufacturing technique, roll bars can be produced with complex structures, maximum stability and minimum weight. The use of carbon structures and titanium components ensures an ideal combination of strength and lightweight construction. In addition, 3D printing enables rapid adaptation to new design requirements and aerodynamic optimizations.

Additive manufacturing: key technology of the future?

Pankl has been working with additive manufacturing for more than ten years. “We see this technology as forward-looking, but not as a replacement for conventional manufacturing methods, but as a supplement to them. Our strategy is to use additive manufacturing specifically where it brings the greatest benefit,” says Stefan Seidel, CTO Pankl Racing Systems AG.

A decisive factor for the success of this technology lies in consistent quality assurance. Pankl works closely with partners such as EOS and voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl to develop new powders and optimize their quality, consistency and properties. Years ago, the company also invested in Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), a technology that significantly improves the fatigue properties of components and thus ensures even greater safety. “Thanks to our closed value chain – from powder development to production and final inspection – we are able to bring additive manufacturing to new applications and raise the performance of racing components to a new level,” says Seidel.

Raising Materials Science to the Next Level

Predicting the behavior of materials in actual application is fundamentally depending on knowledge gained in preceding investigations and development cycles in the field of material science. Dedicated research projects are driven forward within the entire Pankl Group, focusing on the enhancement of material characteristics by alloying concepts, specifically adjusted heat treatment cycles, or system-tailored surface refinements. The proximity to technical universities and research facilities additionally enables a close cooperation in this context, and thus contributes to Pankl’s self-imposed aspiration for technologically advanced high-performance automotive and aerospace components. However, application-oriented materials research—comprising also materials characterization and failure analysis—is a complex subject, which relies not only on highly qualified and experienced materials specialists but also on the allocated technical equipment.

New Scanning Electron Microscope for Materials Science at Pankl Engine Systems

With January 2022, Pankl Engine Systems has replaced its former tungsten-filament scanning electron microscope (SEM) by a novel field emission gun (FEG) SEM.

The new TESCAN MIRA 4 device is equipped with secondary electron (SE) and in-beam SE detectors, a 4-quadrant backscattered electron (BSE) and an in-beam BSE detector, a plasma cleaner as well as an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) detector for chemical analyses and element mappings. The advantages of a field emission electron source over a conventional tungsten-filament comprise a higher brightness, a more stable electron emission over time, and a significantly increased resolution. Detailed SEM analysis of, e.g., pistons and connecting rods that were used in Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR, or other high-performance engines is a key factor for success. It not only allows to assess the condition of the components’ functional surfaces but provides a solid basis for progressive improvement and development. The enhanced capabilities in combination with an optimized workflow guarantee for a more in-depth understanding of materials and related manufacturing processes. This vital investment thus represents a significant advance/benefit not only for Pankl Engine Systems but the entire R&D of the Pankl Group and corroborates its strategic direction towards state-of-the-art technologies.

(a) Ti-based metal powder particles for AM.
(b) Characterization of microstructural modifications and precipitation characteristics of a piston Al-alloy after heat treatment.
(c) Cross-section of a DLC coating system applied on piston pins acquired with in-beam SE and in-beam BSE detectors demonstrating the investigation capabilities at nano length scales.
(d) Etched microstructure of a connecting rod demonstrating the capabilities of various modes of the 4-quadrant BSE detector.
(e) Overview acquisition of a bolt used for titanium connecting rods.