Raceteam installs supercomputerGrove 29 August 2001 The WilliamsF1 team is accelerating the pace of Formula 1 race car design with a new supercomputing system from Compaq Computer Corporation. Using Compaq's powerful Tru64 UNIX-based AlphaServer SC series computing platform, the WilliamsF1 team can conduct virtual aerodynamic tests, such as the simulated performance of aerodynamic devices-in a matter of hours, instead of the weeks it used to take. The new supercomputing capabilities also give the team more time to experiment with a greater number of possible designs.
This
is important because, on average, design changes to one out of every
10 components of a race car can improve the car's aerodynamic performance.
The new computing system will become an integral part of WilliamsF1's
expanded Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) testing facility in Grove,
England, which is located near Oxford. CFD is a sophisticated analysis
technique that uses computer power to predict the flow of liquids and gases,
an essential tool to help progress the aerodynamic performance of racing car
design. WilliamsF1's CFD system combines specially designed flow-modelling
software and Compaq's Tru64 UNIX-based AlphaServer supercomputing platforms.
The WilliamsF1 organization has been a Compaq customer for many years.
Since the 2000 racing season, Compaq is also sponsoring the BMW/WilliamsF1
Team, one of Formula One's top racing teams. As part of the sponsorship,
Compaq is providing the computing power behind the BMW/WilliamsF1 Team,
including the latest mobile computing technology, and systems which transfer
critical race performance data, including fuel consumption, tire wear, and
driver performance from the car to the crew on the pit wall.
The combination of numerical simulation of products and processes with
experimental verification is a key element of digital product development in
the automotive and other manufacturing industries. Compaq is a leading
supplier of products and technology to support digital product development.
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