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minute. Running an engine at such high rpms produces an enormous amount of heat and puts a great deal of stress on the moving parts.

The fuel that powers such an engine is not the typical unleaded gasoline you pump at the neighborhood Exxon, but it's similar. All in all, Formula One teams use about 50 different fuel blends, tuned for different tracks or conditions, in a typical season. Each blend must be submitted to the FIA, the

Сsport's governing body, for approval of its composition and physical properties. Formula One cars, which get about four miles to the gallon, wouldn't win any awards for fuel economy. During a single season, one team will use approximately 200,000 liters (52,834 gallons) of fuel for testing and иracing.

FORMULA ONE TRANSMISSIONS AND AERODYNAMICS

TRANSMISSION

It's бАthe job of the transmission to transfer all of the engine's power to the rear wheels of the Formula One car. The transmission bolts directly to the back of the engine and includes all of the parts you would expect to find in a road car - gearbox, differential and driveshaft. The gearbox must have a minimum of four forward gears and a maximum of seven gears. Six-speed gearboxes were popular for several years, but most Formula One cars now run seven-speed units. A reverse gear must also be fitted. The gearbox is connected to a differential, a set of gears allowing the rear wheels to revolve at different speeds during cornering.ДAnd the differential is connected to the driveshaft, which transfers power to the wheels.

Shifting gears in a Formula One car is not the same as shifting gears in a road car with a manual transmission. Instead of using a traditional "H" gate selector, drivers select gears using paddles located just behind the steering wheel. Downshifting is done on one side of theИsteering wheel, upshifting on the other. Although fully automatic transmission systems, including systems with sophisticated launch control, are possible on Formula One cars, they are now illegal. This helps reduce the overall cost of the power train and enables drivers to use gear-shifting skills to gain advantage in a race.

Aerodynamics. A Formula One race car is defined as much by its aerodynamics as it is by its powerful engine. That's because any vehicle traveling at high speed must be able to do two things well: reduce air resistance and increase downforce. Formula One cars are low and wide to decrease air resistance. Wings, a diffuser, end plates and barge boards increase downforce.

Wings, which first appeared in the 1960s, operate on the same principles as airplane wings, only in reverse. Airplane wings create lift, but the wings on a Formula One car produce downforce, which holds the car onto

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the track, especially during cornering. The angle of both front and rear wings can be fine-tuned and adjusted to get the ideal balance between air resistance and downforce.

Lotus engineers discovered in the 1970s that a Formula One car itself could be turned into a giant wing. Using a unique undercarriage design, they were able to extract air from beneath the car, creating an area of low pressure

Сthat sucked the entire vehicle downward. These so-called "ground-effect" forces were soon outlawed and strict regulations put in place to govern undercarriage design. The bottom of today's cars must be flat from the nose cone to the rear axle line. Beyond that line, engineers have free reign. Most иincorporate a diffuser, an upward-sweeping device located just beneath the engine and gearbox that creates a suction effect as it funnels air up and passes it to the rear of the car.

The result of all this aerodynamics engineering is a combined downforce of about 2,500бАkilograms (5,512 pounds). That's more than four times the weight of the car itself.

FORMULA ONE SUSPENSION AND OTHER SYSTEMS

SUSPENSION

The suspension of a Formula One car has all of the same components as the suspension of a road car. Those components include springs, dampers, arms and anti-sway bars. To keep things simple here, we'll say that almost all Formula One cars feature doubleДwishbone suspensions. Before any race, a team will tweak suspension settings to ensure that the car can brake and corner safely, yet still deliver responsiveness of handling.

Brakes. You would recognize all of the parts of the disc brakes found on Formula One cars. The big difference, of course, is that the brakes used in Formula One must stop a vehicle traveling atИspeeds greater than 200 mph. This causes the brakes to glow red-hot when they are used. To help reduce wear and tear and increase braking performance, carbon fiber discs and pads are now used. These brake systems are extremely effective at temperatures up to 750° C (1,382° F), even though they are lightweight. Holes around the edge of the brake disc allow heat to escape rapidly. The cars also have air intakes fitted to the outside of the wheel hub to cool down the brakes. The air intakes are changed for the different braking requirements of each track.

Tires. The tires of a Formula One race car may be the most important part on the entire vehicle. This seems like an overstatement until you realize that the tires are the only things touching the track surface. That means all of the other major systems - engine, suspension and braking - do their work by way of the tires. If the tires don't perform well, the car won't perform well, regardless of the technical superiority demonstrated in other systems.

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Like every part of a Formula One car, tires are highly regulated. Slick tires - those with no tread pattern and a high contact area - were introduced in the 1960s and used until 1998. Then the FIA change the rules to reduce cornering speeds and make the sport more competitive. On today's Formula

One cars, the front tires must be between 12 and 15 inches wide and the rear tires between 14 and 15 inches wide. Four continuous, longitudinal grooves Сmust run around the circumference. The grooves must be at least 2.5

millimeters (0.098 inches) deep and 50 mm (1.97 inches) apart. In rainy conditions, cars can have "intermediate" and "wet" tires, which have full tread patterns designed to channel water away from the road surface.

иTraction control can extend the life of tires by limiting wheel spin, especially under loads imposed by cornering. Traction control systems use electronic

Formula One tires are made from very soft rubber compounds which, as they heat up, adhere to the road and provide enormous gripping power. In fact, racing tires perform best at high temperatures, so they have to be warmed up before they are race-ready. The tradeoff is decreased durability. A

the start ofбАthe 2008 season.

Formula One tire is designed to last for, at most, about 125 miles.

sensors to compare the speed of the wheel to the speed of the road the wheel

is driving over. If the wheel is traveling faster than the road surface - an

indication that the wheels are dangerously close to spinning - then the engine

is automatically throttled back. Traction control has been allowed and banned

at various times throughout modern Formula One history. It has been allowed

since the beginning of the 2002 season, but it will be outlawed altogether at Д

Steering wheel. The steering wheel of a Formula One car bears little

resemblance to the steering wheel of a road car. As the car's command center, it houses a dizzying array of buttons, toggles and switches. During the race, the driver can control almost every aspect of the car's performance - gear changes, fuel mixture, brake balance and moreИ-- with just the touch of a finger. And, amazingly, all of this control comes on a steering wheel that is about half the diameter of a normal car's steering wheel.

The rules state that the driver must be able to get out of his car within five seconds, removing nothing except the steering wheel. To allow for this, the steering wheel is joined to the steering column via a snap-on connector.

Formula One racing is a team effort - more than 100 people on each team work to make the season success.

FORMULA ONE RACING TEAM

During a grand prix, it's easy to think that Formula One racing begins and ends with the driver. After all, the purpose of having such strict regulations about the car is to eliminate all variables except for the skill and

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expertise of the driver. But a Formula One driver is just one member of a huge team that employs hundreds of people. Let's break down a typical Formula One team to understand who does what.

Team Boss. The nature of the boss depends on the nature of the team. Some teams are owned by the car manufacturers, who turn over management of the team to one of their top employees. For example, the team boss of

СFerrari is Jean Todt, the CEO of the company.

Other teams are privately owned, and the owners usually founded the team and risked their own finances to get a car ready to compete. With so much at stake, team owners are almost always the team boss. Two wellknown owner-bosses are Ron Dennis of McLaren and Frank Williams of Williams F1. A famous owner-boss of the past was Enzo Ferrari, who founded his team in the 1940s and stayed on as boss even after Fiat bought

иthe commercial and technical aspects of the business. The commercial director attracts sponsors and seals the deals. One of his main jobs is to

Ferrari in 1968.

fast car isбАsuch a high priority in Formula One. The chief aerodynamicist, chief designer and chief of research and development report to the technical director.

Commercial Director. A Formula One team must effectively manage

determine levels of sponsorship and placement of logos on the car. Main sponsors can pay handsomely - on the order of $50 million - for the privilege of having their brands displayed on a Formula One car.

Technical Director. The technical director heads up the crew of

engineers, designers and R&D scientists who construct the cars. In many

respects, the technical director is more important than the driver because a Д

Chief Aerodynamicist. The chief aerodynamicist oversees a whole

squad of aerodynamicists who dedicate themselves to making sure the car design reduces air resistance, yet creates the rightИamount of downforce.

Chief Designer. The chief designer determines the basic layout of the

car, as well as the materials that will be used to build it. Each team typically employs two chief designers - one for the current season and one for the next season.

Chief of R&D. The chief of R&D heads up automotive-innovation projects, exploring new materials and technologies that can keep his team ahead of the competition.

Drivers. Each Formula One team has two drivers. You might think this creates an atmosphere of support and camaraderie, but that's not necessarily the case. A Formula One driver is out to beat his rivals, including the other driver on his team. In some cases, a team may ask a driver to let his teammate overtake him or even win the race. This practice is technically against the regulations, but it's difficult to enforce.

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So, other than the ability to put up with the politics of a racing team, what makes a Formula One driver unique? Most drivers share many qualities, including strength, endurance, mental alertness, quick reflexes and a desire to be the best race car driver in the world.

One of the most important people of Formula One does not belong to a

team. He is the president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile С

(FIA), motor racing's governing body, which oversees every aspect of F1 racing. The current president is Max Mosley.

FORMULA ONE SEASON

иformer celebrates individual performance, and the latter celebrates team performance - and, ultimately, the performance of the vehicle.

A Formula One season consists of a series of races, or grands prix, held

on circuits across the world. The results of each race are combined to

determine two annual championships: the Formula One World Drivers' Championship and the Formula One Constructors' Championship. The

AnyбАtrack, be it street or purpose-built, requires its own unique strategy. Monaco, because it is Дa "tight" street race, forces drivers to slow down considerably. In fact, Monaco is one of the slowest races of the

The first auto races were on public roads, not permanent circuits. Public

pressure forced race cars off public roads and onto tracks designed just for the sport. Today, the only Formula One race that remains on the street is Monaco. All other races are held on purpose-built tracks designed to handle the needs of high-speed racing.

Formula One season. It's also very narrow and bumpy, and it is not unusual for cars to make contact with the barriers. Extra wings are also used on the

cars that race at Monaco to make sure enough downforce is created. Because overtaking is almost impossible, securing a goodИgrid position is absolutely

essential to securing a victory at Monaco (we'll get into grid positioning later).

A points system decides the champions for a given season. A driver earns points based on how he places in each race. The driver with the most points at the end of the season is crowned champion.

Teams earn points using the same system, except they get to total the results of both drivers. So, if the two drivers of a certain team finish first and third in a given race, the team earns 16 points.

The number of races per season can vary because tracks are added or retired all of the time. For example, in 2007, the FIA decided that Germany would no longer host two grand prix and that Japan's Fuji Speedway would be the site of a Formula One race for the first time in 30 years. Generally,

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however, a season consists of 15 to 17 races, with the majority of the races concentrated in Europe.

Winning in Formula One brings prestige – and financial rewards. A driver's salary is established by his contract with the team. It's usually a flat fee and requires the driver to participate in a set number of test sessions and make a certain number of appearances on behalf of his sponsors. On top of

Сthat base salary, a driver can earn a bonus -- perhaps $150,000 or so -- for winning a race. He can also earn a bonus for winning the Driver's Championship. Then there's merchandising and endorsements. Michael Schumacher, who earns an estimated $30 million a year, is one of the иhighest-paid sportsmen in the world.

Of course, it's not just the driver who gets to cash in. Formula One teams also enjoy the spoils of victory. The amount a team earns from the sport's television rights is dependent on where it finishes in the title chase.

Winners бАof every grand prix receive a trophy. Then, there's the Championship Trophy, which is given to the driver and the team with the most points at the end of the season. The Championship Trophy is given out in December at the FIA awards ceremony in Monte Carlo.

PROCESS AUTOMATION

Today’s economic pressures have greatly affected performance and growth in industries utilizing process automation. Uncertainties regarding the current recession, fluctuating oilДprices, globalization and political forces are limiting manufacturers’ ability to invest in new plants and process automation technologies. Limited investment capital means that you can only undertake the process automation projects with the shortest potential payback periods. A plant’s process automation technologies, control systems and supporting data and infrastructure offer the Иgreatest potential leverage for improving productivity and profits. When properly designed and engineered, process automation solutions provide the opportunity to increase production rates, improve yields and reduce energy consumption.

MAVERICK Technologies has the process automation experience and expertise needed to optimize the investment in your control systems and data infrastructure. Our proven capabilities enable us to look at your entire operation from a complete business perspective — from the plant floor to the boardroom — to maximize your total investment and return on capital expenditures. We deliver process automation solutions for major players across a range of industries worldwide, achieving governmental compliance while reducing environmental impacts on your personnel and the community. Leverage our vast process automation experience to your advantage, realizing executable solutions for all your challenges.

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Process Automation and Control. Process automation and control is at the core of MAVERICK’s business. MAVERICK has experience working with every major DCS and PLC available in the marketplace today, enabling I/O optimization. We leverage your existing infrastructure to implement

process automation solutions designed for your manufacturing and processing needs. Our process automation expertise spans all manufacturing Сindustries, including oil and gas (upstream and downstream), chemical and

petrochemical processing, pharmaceutical, and power and utilities.

Business Process. MAVERICK’s business systems and operational consultants analyze your business processes and provide actionable insights for streamlining the flow of business information to realize measurable benefits. The key to success lies in the combination of people, processes and technology. We work with you to ensure that the requirements for your targeted process automation technology implementation produce the desired results — from the plant floor to the boardroom — and that the business and

иoperational processes are in place to support the implementation.

these toolsбАto analyze their production data and make smarter decisions for increased productivity, quality and compliance.

Data Management and Historian Collecting, storing and distributing

real-time production data as part of process automation allows plants to

identify the causes of operational problems and quality issues. MAVERICK

works with its clients to implement data management systems and historians

as part of continuous improvement with initiatives, helping managers use

Business Continuity and DisasterДRecovery. Business continuity and disaster recovery (BC / DR) refers to the process of bringing a plant or business back online following a disaster, and how to manage the operation of the business in light of new challenges that may exist. A natural disaster

would cause problems such as damage to facilities, diminished availability of power and utilities, supply chain and transportationИproblems, and reduced

staff. A large-scale cyber attack would yield different destructive results, which may include damage to plant equipment and facility management operation.

Catastrophic loss of data, servers, process automation technologies and network infrastructure are also highly likely. Whether you are recovering from a fire, explosion, hurricane or other disaster, MAVERICK is there for you. We understand that it can be a while before you will be able to focus on your discrete process control areas. After caring for your personnel, your first concerns will most likely include the reestablishment of your infrastructure and stabilization of your equipment and process automation technologies.

MAVERICK’s team of business solution consultants, operational consultants and process automation experts assess your existing and planned network infrastructure, control systems and SCADA systems with an

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emphasis on security and survivability. For example, we provide instrument / control device investigation, instrument calibration, control system validation and remediation, reengineering and recommissioning of plant and business systems, and supplemental in-house support as long as you need it.

FEED and Detailed Design. Front-end engineering design (FEED), also called detailed design, is the second phase of an engineering project.

СFEED follows the feasibility study and often happens prior to final process

automation project approval. The phase is useful because it can be used to generate bid tabs, which can then be used to develop an investment quality cost estimate. Revision 0 P&IDs are usually generated during FEED for process automation projects that involve the instrumentation and control system — for example, for grassroots projects, major unit revamps and control system upgrades. MAVERICK engineers have taken responsibility for FEED generation on many process automation projects over a wide variety of industries, ensuring that they stay within the approved scope and budget.

иI&E Design / Engineering. A plant’s instrument and electrical (I&E)

system designбАwith improved plant operation and productivity. The key to this understanding is process analysis,Дwhich includes reviewing the P&IDs and plant operating data and then gathering input from operations personnel

system is critical to process automation. MAVERICK provides design,

engineering and troubleshooting services for these systems to ensure the

quality and proper integration of the system components, motor control

circuits, power supplies and PLCs. Process Analysis. A clear understanding

of plant processes is critical to developing a sound process automation

through key interviews. This analysis uncovers the key operating goals and targets and the important product quality variables, as well as the constraints,

limitations and bottlenecks that challenge operators. The best process automation system designs create the toolsИthat empower operators to

overcome the challenges and meet key goals and targets. MAVERICK’s process control engineers apply sound process analysis on all process automation projects.

Programming and Configuration. Programming and configuration brings to life the detailed design of the instrumentation and control system that is developed during the font-end engineering design (FEED) phase of process automation. MAVERICK’s control engineers have extensive experience working with every major DCS and PLC system. They apply this process automation knowledge in using the latest engineering tools to convert logic diagrams into PLC ladder logic, to write generic and custom code and to build I/O and control applications using standard system function blocks and other features. With the features available in modern control systems,

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even complex advanced control strategies can be configured and programmed in these systems.

Project Management. Project management is one of the most important factors in the success of a process automation project.

MAVERICK employs the Project Complete®	approach to project
management, in which our project managers execute at every stage in the
С	design, development,
process automation project lifecycle: definition,

deployment, direction and documentation. This eliminates many of the problems that can keep a process automation project from meeting its scheduled requirements.

иmitigate the risk of unwanted intrusion.

Security. MAVERICK understands that in today’s business world of enterprise-wide facility integration, many companies are concerned about the risk of exposing process control systems to networks that have connectivity beyond the plant’s boundaries. MAVERICK works with each process automation client to ensure that every network is sufficiently armored to

SystemsбАDevelopment. MAVERICK’s Project Complete methodology is the basis for our systems development service offering. This applied methodology ensures that our team follows good engineering practices during all phases of development, including system configuration and setup; control, HMI and SCADA programming and configuration; historian configuration and database programming; business interface development; and documented testing. All phases of software development are subject to

Systems Design. During process automation, MAVERICK provides

top-to-bottom design of integrated control, MES and business systems. Our design expertise spans the spectrum, including electrical and instrumentation, DCS, PLC, HMI and SCADA implementations; I/O point configuration; advanced process control; and control and business networks.

allows us to provide comprehensive implementation of our engineered solutions, including technical services to support the electrical and instrumentation installation and calibration, engineering to support the control system commissioning and startup and post-startup support.

revision control and documentation.
Д
System Implementation Our breadth of process automation services
	И

Consultative Services. With decades of experience in process automation, MAVERICK provides expert manufacturing consulting services to resolve your growing pains and headaches with immediate, effective process automation solutions. Our consulting team can help you identify and eliminate the specific operational constraints that impact your profitability, such as distribution inefficiencies; outdated, underutilized or inappropriate technologies; capacity bottlenecks; organizational resource leveling; manufacturing, scheduling and planning issues; and inadequate strategic

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vision. With MAVERICK’s help, you can turn your pain points into strengths for your business.

http://www.mavtechglobal.com/services/industrial-automation

AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS

СAs one of the first industries to wholeheartedly adopt automation, the

automotive manufacturing sector has long benefited from successive

improvements in robotics technology. Over time, robots used in automotive

manufacturing applications have become smaller, more precise and more

multi-functional than their predecessors, making them indispensable in the иproduction process. Today, rising costs associated with next-generation

automotive materials, skilled labor and safety systems coexist alongside a need for manufacturing equipment to accommodate product changeovers.

This makesбАa clear, compelling case for cost-effective flexible automation

solutions at every step of the automotive manufacturing process – from parts, press and paint shops to assembly and inspection.

Flexible Automation for all Automotive Manufacturing

Applications

From tending stamping machines and manning body and frame assembly stations to applying precise coats of paint and sealing sensitive finished components, automakers and parts manufacturers count on nimble, adaptable automotive robots to enhance productivity and quality. Kawasaki robots can effectively execute dashboard assembly, engine, transmission and crankshaft handling and waterjet cutting for carpeting and other soft materials. Meanwhile, key improvements in sensing and calibration technology make our robots ideal for welding – including arc, spot and friction spot joining – car and truck bodies as well as palletizing and crating

parts and materials for delivery. Д

For both automotive OEMs and component suppliers, Kawasaki robots

deliver the sought after optimization of functionality, flexibility and investment efficiency to accelerate production timetables and improve quality.

The future of industrial automation

И

Since the turn of the century, the global recession has affected most businesses, including industrial automation. After four years of the new millennium, here are my views on the directions in which the automation industry is moving.

The rear-view mirror

Because of the relatively small production volumes and huge varieties of applications, industrial automation typically utilizes new technologies developed in other markets. Automation companies tend to customize

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