Commenting for Curtiss-Wright, Senior Vice President & General Manager of the Industrial division, Kevin Rayment says: “The Industrial division has more than 50 years experience in providing control and feedback solutions for numerous applications and we’re no newcomer to high-octane and motorsport applications where custom sensors are often specified.”
Thanks to the experience gained from its aerospace businesses – where reliability under extreme and hostile conditions is paramount – Curtiss-Wright’s sensors have become a benchmark for motorsport applications and are used in numerous race series including the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), Formula One (F1) and Formula Student. In fact, from the moment a leading F1 team adopted a custom-engineered Penny + Giles sensor as part of its revolutionary active suspension system, to today’s unique Hall-effect position sensors, we can proudly boast to have been the first position sensor manufacturer to enter motorsport and have supplied every F1 championship winning team since 1986.
“With a performance to match today’s Formula racing cars, the single-seat Mono required an equivalent level of intuitive direct control, so BAC designers and engineers specified components that were themselves designed and engineered for the racetrack,” says Mr. Rayment.
With motorsport very much in mind during its evolution, Mono was the vision of BAC design director Ian Briggs. However, he also wanted the car to feel at home as much on country lanes as it does on the race track. Mr. Briggs noted, “I wanted Mono to be high tech and totally fresh in its approach. A car for people who want to feel a connection, and be really involved in the character of the car they drive. It had to be a car people would be consistently excited by, and would experience pride in owning. In short, Mono is a totally immersive experience, from start to finish.”
Operated via steering wheel-mounted paddles, Mono uses an F3-specification, six-speed sequential Hewland gearbox with an electronic/pneumatic semi-automatic, closed-loop gear selection system that delivers paddle-shift changes in 35 milliseconds. This is coupled to a 2.3 litre, 285bhp four-cylinder Cosworth engine enabling the Mono to achieve a 0-60mph time of less than three seconds.
The closed-loop control system on Mono uses a gearbox control unit (GCU) with inputs from a Penny + Giles gear position sensor to alter its own operation in real-time. During gear changes, the closed-loop system monitors the gear position sensor to determine the angular position of the gearbox selector barrel. Information from this is then relayed to the GCU to ensure use of the throttle blip, torque reduction or pneumatic actuator where necessary, to effect consistently quick and reliable gearshifts.
As BAC co-founder and technical director Neill Briggs explains, when a gear position sensor was required for the Mono’s gearbox, specifying Penny + Giles was the obvious choice. “Used to relay gear position feedback to the GCU, sensors were vital during BAC’s development of Mono and are as vital under normal and track day driving conditions in informing the driver of the car’s current gear. We therefore needed a sensor that was dependable, reliable and met our exacting requirements for Mono, so we called Penny + Giles.”
Standard Penny + Giles SRH280P rotary position sensors use a factory-programmable, non-contact Hall-effect sensor system to provide reliable and accurate rotary position measurement in extreme motorsport and industrial environments where shock and vibration can occur. Additional key features include single or dual output channels; total sensor measurement range from 0-20° to 0-360°; low noise level (1mVrms) on output signal; crush-proof mounting flange with steel inserts; and rapid availability.
Using the popular 38mm flanged housing and with an environmental protection rating to IP68, the sensors operate from either 5Vdc regulated or 9-30Vdc unregulated power supplies and are available with analog (0.5 - 4.5Vdc and 0.1 - 4.9Vdc) or digital (PWM) output signals. The sensor is factory programmable – allowing OEMs to specify the output signal type, measurement range (0-20° to 0-360° in 1° increments) and output direction (clockwise or anticlockwise) – has a 12 bit resolution (0.025%) over the selected measuring range, and operates from -40 to +140°C when powered at 5Vdc.
Curtiss-Wright’s Industrial division is a recognized leader in the production of critical controls and assemblies for specialty vehicles, including sensors, electronic throttle controls and joysticks. For further information about Penny + Giles products and other innovative solutions available from Curtiss-Wright’s Industrial division, please visit www.cw-industrial.com or call +44 (0)1425 271444.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE:CW) is a global innovative company that delivers highly engineered, critical function products and services to the commercial, industrial, defense and energy markets. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing reliable solutions through trusted customer relationships. The company employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
Penny + Giles, a business group of Curtiss-Wright Controls and designer and manufacturer of joystick controllers, solenoids and high precision sensing technology, is supplying its TPS280DP throttle position sensors to UH Racing, the University of Hertfordshire’s Formula Student racing team.
Used as a testing ground for the next generation of world-class engineers, Formula Student challenges university students from around the world to design and build single-seat racing cars with the aim of inspiring the next generation and addressing the all too apparent skills shortage in engineering.
Commenting for UH Racing’s Formula Student team, engine specialist Craig Brant says: “The 2011 season has been one of the toughest yet, but UH Racing was named top UK team and achieved an overall third place at the Formula Student UK event held at Silverstone. We were also awarded top UK team and overall seventh place at the Formula Student Germany event.”
Like many other racing formulas, vehicles entering the Formula Student event are subject to restrictions, including a maximum 600cc engine size and air restrictors to the engine. However, Formula Student is one of the most open formulas in the world with teams able to choose single cylinder or v-twin engines, many derived from powerful, high-revving motorbike units. UH Racing’s car – dubbed UH14 because it is the University’s fourteenth combustion-engine vehicle since entering the event in 1998 – uses a 600cc, four-cylinder, four-stroke Yamaha engine.
For 2011 many teams have taken a different approach, opting for a lightweight design with very small wheels and a single cylinder engine to give them an advantage on the skid pad and sprint course.
However, as Craig explains: “With UH14, UH Racing has continued the approach of using a more powerful but slightly heavier engine, but has also started to adopt Formula One technologies including the use of a carbon fibre body, tyre pressure monitoring systems and tyre temperature. We have also been lucky to have students in work placements with Cosworth Racing who, through sponsorship, have offered technical advice and supplied useful equipment.”
He goes onto say that because the track for the 2011 endurance event was tight and twisty, UH Racing wanted to replace its usual gear lever with a paddle shift system to enable drivers to change gears more quickly, easily and safely, and in turn improve lap times.
The initial student-designed system involved steering wheel mounted paddle switches actuating a solenoid attached to the engine block, which in turn moved a gear selector on the engine to change gear. However, tests revealed that the system’s ECU read the gear position based on the wheel speed of the car and the data couldn’t accurately provide drivers with a dashboard display showing which gear was selected.
To achieve a more definitive gear position the team decided to monitor the barrel of the engine using a sensor installed on the barrel position of the gearbox. Now, when it moves the selector forks to change gear, the rotation is changed and the team is able to determine exactly which gear has been selected.
UH Racing’s Yamaha-based engine has its gearbox mounted to the engine, making it a very compact unit. However, the sensors mounted on the engine block and gearbox barrel are subjected to extremely high levels of shock and vibration over long periods, so the team needed a sensor that would withstand the mechanical abuse from the engine/gearbox configuration.
Having already partnered Active Technologies (AT Power) in developing a Formula Student throttle body, the University of Hertfordshire again approached the company for advice. AT Power had themselves recently begun using Penny + Giles throttle position sensors on its own throttle bodies and after further testing and discussions with Penny + Giles engineers, the same advanced TPS280DP sensors were also specified for use on UH Racing’s gear position system.
As Craig explains: “Previously, we had used potentiometer-based sensors from another manufacturer, but we decided that for this season a more advanced sensor was needed. As AT Power had recommended the TPS280DP for the throttle bodies, we approached Penny + Giles to source the same sensors for our new gear position system.”
Penny + Giles tailored the throttle position sensor to UH Racing’s specifications and the team designed its own mounting bracket for the engine. The sensor was then factory-programmed with a 360° rotation to allow it to read the full range of gears. The throttle position sensors are now connected to the gear position barrel and provide feedback on the exact position of the barrel and therefore the exact gear number.
The Penny + Giles TPS280DP uses a factory programmable Hall effect sensor with two outputs that can be programmed individually for angular range, output range and direction. It has no contacting sensor parts, which ensures zero signal degradation over the lifetime of the sensor, and has a tested life of more than 60 million operations – more than 18 times the life of an equivalent potentiometer. In addition, when powered with 5Vdc, the sensor has an operating temperature range from -40 to +140ºC.
The TPS280DP has been specifically designed to work in harsh motorsport environments and has excellent shock and vibration resistance. Its drive and body are IP69K-rated to provide excellent protection against the ingress of dust and fluids. It is also mechanically interchangeable with many existing potentiometer-based throttle sensors using 32mm mounting centres, and is designed to interface with most common throttle body D type spindles.
“The new setup works very well.” says Craig. “Instead of the ECU trying to calculate the gear position, the TPS280DP now provides us with an exact position, ensuring that the correct gear is displayed on the dashboard. In endurance events this helps the driver to prepare the car for the course ahead while navigating the tight and twisting courses.”
The updated throttle bodies and new gear position system have been thoroughly tested on and off the track, on cars from both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, and have proved very reliable.
Summing up the Penny + Giles contribution Craig Brant says that while the team’s engines aren’t too highly stressed they are run very hard and adds: “We expected the sensor to last the life of the engine and therefore the season, and we haven’t been disappointed.”
Advanced Insulation (www.aisplc.com)
Since its formation in 2007, Advanced Insulation has become a single source provider for insulation and fire protection systems to the oil and gas industry, and represents one of the most respected and progressive names in topside and subsea insulation worldwide.
Advanced Insulation offers a wide range of products to meet the growing demand for fire protection and thermal insulation systems adaptable for elevated service temperatures and pressures.
AL-KO Kober (www.al-ko-co.uk)
Since 1931, AL-KO Kober has been manufacturing premium, high quality components used in the Automotive, Commercial and Leisure industry.
The extensive range of chassis components, premium accessories and spare parts are engineered to last, ensuring whatever product you have purchased, you will benefit from the generations of development and enjoy a lifetime of service.
Arc Energy Resources (www.arcenergy.co.uk)
Arc Energy Resources is one of the UK’s leading specialists in weld overlay cladding and fabrication for the oil & gas industry. The company’s expertise provides protection against corrosion and wear for a variety of process and pipeline equipment for use in any hostile environment.
The company recently made a major investment in two new Rotating Head welding machines costing £500,000. This has increased productivity and extended the size and scope of work it can handle, which now includes complicated component geometries for the full or partial cladding and fabrication of a huge range of component sizes weighing up to 15 tonnes. The company’s in-house designed cladding workstations feature state-of-the-art control systems developed to suit its customer’s specialised engineering requirements, and can clad bores up to four metres diameter and areas of restricted access within bores as small as 20mm diameter. Arc Energy also offers in-house test weld, heat treatment, PMI and NDT facilities.
Industry certifications include ISO 9001:2008 quality management, ISO 3834-2 fusion welding of metallic materials, and the internationally renowned ASME U and R Stamps, as well as ISO 14001:2004 environment management, Investors in People and OHSAS 18001:2007 Health & Safety management system.
Curtiss-Wright Industrial Group, which includes the legacy brands of Arens Controls, Penny & Giles, PG Drives Technology and Williams Controls, is a recognized leader in providing components and sub-systems which enable customer specific solutions for on- and off-highway vehicles. These include medium- and heavy-duty trucks, buses and motor coaches, construction and agricultural vehicles, materials handling, and other specialty vehicles, as well as sophisticated wheelchairs and scooters for medical mobility.
We are a leading provider of electronic throttle controls, transmission shifters and sensors for commercial off-highway equipment and heavy trucks, so helping to address the long-term trend towards attaining higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions. We also supply operator controls and advanced motor controllers for hybrid and electric vehicles, such as buses, forklift trucks, pallet stackers, wheelchairs and rehabilitation chairs.
With a proud legacy spanning more than 85 years, Curtiss-Wright is a global innovative company that delivers highly-engineered, critical-function products and services to the commercial, industrial, defense and energy markets. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, we have a long tradition of providing reliable solutions through trusted customer relationships.
Further information is available from the Curtiss-Wright Industrial website (www.cw-industrialgroup.com) or by calling +44 (0)1202 034000.
Euchner (UK) Limited (www.euchner.co.uk)
Safety for people, machines and products has been the maxim of this family-owned company since 1953. Stefan Euchner is the third generation to take the helm.
As specialists in industrial safety engineering, Euchner develops and manufactures products and solutions tailored to the requirements of customers from a wide range of sectors. Using its guards on machines and installations helps to minimise hazards and risks, which in turn protects people and processes. For its 800 employees around the world, safety is the watchword.
Further information is available from the Euchner (UK) Limited website (www.euchner.co.uk) or by calling +44 (0)114 256 0123.
Industry Superstore (www.industrysuperstore.co.uk)
Industry Superstore is a one-stop-shop for a wealth of budget-friendly, high-quality products tailored to industry!
Further information is available from the Industry Superstore website (www.industrysuperstore.co.uk) or by calling +44 (0)1892 664499.
Exmac Automation Limited has many years experience in the design, manufacture, and installation of unit conveyors, conveyor systems and associated materials handling equipment for most industry sectors.
Exmac Automation is part of the MacDonald Humfrey group of companies and are market leaders in the supply of automated materials handling equipment to the automotive, aerospace, white goods, warehouse & distribution, nuclear, pharmaceutical and food & beverage industries.
The group supplies to most industry sectors and have over 250 employees with many years experience in the design, manufacture and installation of unit conveyors, conveyor systems and associated materials handling equipment.
Projects have ranged from individual standard conveyors and bespoke handling applications, through to complete turnkey contracts involving conceptual and process design, installation and commissioning.
We are ISO 9001 accredited and constantly strive to achieve continuous improvements in the overall quality of our products and service.
Exmac Automation has has established a reputation for supplying high quality, robust systems at competitive prices.
In-house resources enable us to provide clients with a single source for complete systems integration including simulation, engineering, machining, fabrication, assembly, controls, installation & commissioning and after sales service.
Our 70,000 sq ft facility in Worcester has extensive design, manufacturing and assembly resources. Our skilled team of customer focussed automation professionals offers a broad base of knowledge and experience in a wide variety of industries.
A large workshop enables us to carry out comprehensive pre-installation assembly and factory acceptance tests on all projects.
Fulton Limited (www.fulton.co.uk)
The Fulton name has been synonymous with steam since the company first introduced the vertical tubeless steam boiler in 1949 and Fulton was established in Bristol in 1966. Fulton is still one of the world’s leading manufacturers, producing an unrivalled range of multi-fuel steam boilers. But increasingly these are ordered by customers as part of bespoke turnkey systems designed to meet exacting specifications.
Today Fulton Limited is an important design and manufacturing base in Fulton’s global network that also includes production facilities in the USA and China. The company’s UK facility makes it possible to manufacture products more efficiently and assemble completed units for whenever and wherever they are needed throughout the UK and in export markets.
Once just a steam boiler manufacturer, Fulton now specialises in ready-to-ship skid mounted and fully packaged boiler plant rooms to meet the current demand for off-site fabrication. The company puts great emphasis in providing sales and application advice and a full commissioning and after sales service to a growing customer base in hospital and healthcare facilities, food and beverage processing, laundries and other applications.
Design and manufacturing resources are shared and coordinated around the world, but no matter where your product originates, it will always be produced to the highest quality in a facility that is wholly owned and managed by the Fulton Group, which remains a privately owned family business.
Fulton’s heating and hot water systems can be delivered as fully prefabricated plant rooms or complete skid-mounted units, built to fit a prepared location and connect direct to your services.
Using the latest CAD equipment its design team can accommodate the most sophisticated engineering specifications in surprisingly compact spaces, locating components in the best possible position to suit the installation.
In every sense, today’s Fulton boiler systems are solutions that fit the requirements of the modern age of steam.
Gast Group (www.gastmfg.com / www.jun-air.com)
Since 1921, Gast Manufacturing, Inc. has been designing and manufacturing quality air-moving products. Our vacuum pumps, compressors, air motors, gear motors, vacuum generators, regenerative blowers and Smart Air technology meet the many challenging applications of OEMs and end-users worldwide.
For industrial manufacturing, health care lab, or environmental cleanup applications, Gast provides a full range of ideally suited and cost-effective solutions to any pneumatic problem.
Monodraught (www.monodraught.com)
In the current climate of soaring energy prices and the fear of global warming, increasing attention is being focused on Monodraught’s range of energy-free products.
Monodraught has always sought to invent, explore and develop innovative technologies that harness the wind and sun. Products include Windcatchers, Sunpipes, Suncatchers, Sola-vents, Sola-boosts and Cool-phase.
Nexen Lift Trucks (www.nexenlifttrucks.com)
Disillusioned with the ever-increasing complexity of new forklift trucks and the failure of the major manufacturers to provide a high level of support to their dealer networks, the decision was taken to develop its own range of forklifts.
In 2003 Nexen Lift Trucks was established with the vision to design and manufacture its own range with a combined 70 years experience of the lift truck rental industry. Nexen's ultimate goal is to build worldwide brand recognition based on its product's design and build quality as well as outstanding reliability at competitive prices.
In 2007 Nexen completed the purchase of the second largest lift truck manufacturer in Taiwan, creating the Nexen Motor Corporation. Initially the existing models were improved whilst a European based design team was established to develop a completely new range of trucks from the ground up to meet Nexen's standards.
Q8Oils (www.Q8Oils.co.uk / @Q8OilsUK)
Q8Oils has become a major player in the global lubricants market. Our success is founded on significant corporate resources, a commitment to product development and uncompromising standards of quality and service.
Q8Oils has a unique and innovative approach producing some of the world´s finest quality lubricants. Manufactured in its state of the art plant at Leeds, West Yorkshire, Q8Oils represent the very best and latest in lubricant technology. With over 1000 grades of finished lubricants, base oils, process oils, extracts and waxes.
We are dedicated to serving the needs of our customers by striving to understand, anticipate and satisfy their needs faster and better than our competitors. To achieve this our objective is to develop and supply products and services which reflect customer demands in each of our market sectors.
TLV Euro Engineering (www.tlv.co.uk)
TLV Euro Engineering UK is part of TLV, an internationally-established designer, manufacturer and provider of steam traps, condensate recovery pumps, pressure reducing valves and other specialist steam solutions. The company plays a leading role in the promotion of efficient energy systems and increased environmental conservation on a worldwide scale through its products and consulting and engineering services.
Rockatek (www.rockatek.com)
Cheltenham-based Rockatek Ltd is an engineering consultancy that offers design, analysis and physical testing services that set it apart from others. Its directors have over 40 years’ experience in complex engineering product optimisation and development; and its engineers specialise in engineering solutions for harsh environments and value improving reliability and performance.
Verco (www.ver.co.uk)
Founded in 1965, Verco quickly built a reputation for supplying quality refrigerated glass door and open chill cabinets to supermarkets, convenience and forecourt stores. Verco is now a leading supplier of retail refrigeration and the largest UK manufacturer of glass door cabinets.
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