Test for Success

Dynamics Manager, Jack Bell taking M19-C for a spin in early 2020

Why do we test?

The team utilizes testing as a key form of validation for the car. Testing allows us to ensure satisfaction and therefore, we place an enormous emphasis on validation. We aim to finish manufacturing early in the year so we can focus our time before competitions, fine-tuning, testing, and reinforcing confidence in our car and our drivers. This is a fundamental aspect of our design process to ensure we are able to maximise our points during competition.

In order to adequately validate our car, we complete rigorous testing and data analysis. When testing a racecar, there are many confounding variables such as temperature, track condition, weather, tyre conditions and more! Most of all, however, the factor of human variability exists. Driver skill and the overall drivability of the car affect performance and lap time more than any other factor.

Preparation

To allow for a smooth and successful testing day, preparation commences weeks in advance. Preparation includes booking the venue, creating a testing plan, car checks, equipment packing and car set up. Each department is responsible for checking their relevant parts thoroughly before the vehicles are packed and taken to the testing venue. An entire day’s testing can be uprooted by something as simple as a missing bolt, so it is highly important that we are prepared.

In addition to thoroughly checking our vehicles, a clear testing plan sets the team up for success. The testing plan clearly outlines the fundamental purpose of the test, desired targets and a highly-detailed schedule specifies the various testing activities that should be conducted during the session for each parameter. Having a clear testing plan on hand maximises the efficiency with which the team can operate during a time-sensitive testing session.

Testing is very much a team effort and all members, both technical and ancillary are necessary to handle the logistical challenges in organising the venue, marshalling and safety.

Testing is also an opportunity for Business team members to take photos and document the activities throughout the day. The photos taken are used to update the team’s stakeholders on how the team is progressing and reaching our goals. Contributions from our valuable sponsors are essential to the success of the team, with many new parts from sponsors being put to the test on such a day. As such it is key for the business team to keep stakeholders up to date about the car that they are contributing to.

With preparation done we are ready to hit the track at 7am for a smooth and successful testing day!

Testing Day

Upon arrival at the testing venue, each individual team member sets about their designated roles. While the drivers suit up and the cars undergo final preparations, the track is set up according to the requirements of the day’s testing. Our testing typically takes place on open asphalt, giving us the freedom to vary the track layout to suit.

Safety is always top-of-mind and marshals are key to ensuring the safe and smooth running of the day’s testing, donning high-visibility jackets and heading out around the track with fire extinguishers. The role of a marshal is fundamentally dependent on their attentiveness and communication skills. Marshals have responsibilities which ensure smooth running of the day’s planned events.

Atop the support offered by the marshals, a successful day of testing relies on the team’s ability to maintain a consistent schedule, and extract useful information out of each test. As such, it is typically the responsibility of the Chief Technical Officer, Heads of Department, and Department Managers to adhere to the testing plan and adapt accordingly if things go awry. Unexpected delays can surface when the testing team is underprepared, which is why such reverence is placed on the pre-test process. To ensure that the data obtained from a testing session is reliable and useful, testing is done systematically so that only a single independent variable between runs is adjusted. All other variables should be in control of the team members in charge, with exceptions such as weather and tyre wear. Testing notes such as driver comments, observations of car behaviour and issues encountered are also noted down to ensure as holistic an understanding of the day’s events as possible.

Occasionally, there are also Business-driven testing sessions throughout the year, like our Sponsor Drive Day, which enable our partners and sponsors to drive the cars that they have helped build. As such, it is important to note the importance of testing across both technical and business aspects of our team.

Dean of Engineering, Elizabeth Croft, driving M19-E during 2020 Sponsor Drive Day

Post Testing

Following a successful day’s testing, the team’s focus turns to packing, returning to the workshop and processing the collected data. Ensuring that our vehicles, tools and equipment are stored safely and securely after being shuffled around throughout the day is highly important from both a safety and organisational perspective.

The analysis of the data, post-test, involves relevant team members drawing conclusions based on the collected data, driver feedback and engineering observations. These conclusions allow for the optimal setting of the vehicle to be configured for future testing and competitions.

2020 Electrical Systems Manager, Jessica Lee at testing

Testing not only allows team members to see their hard work during the design period come to fruition, but also ensures that any unforeseen bugs or issues can be effectively ironed out.

Constant and consistent testing allows the car to be tuned to the ideal condition to be competitive and safe during FSAE campaigns. With reliable data, the team is able to make greater correlations between adjustments and the ultimate performance of the vehicle and, thus, prepare a better-suited vehicle to each competition event.

Monash Motorsport prides itself on covering significant miles before reaching competition to feel as confident as possible in our vehicles’ designs and performance.

While many complex factors contribute to the success of any Formula Student team, we strongly believe that testing ranks amongst the most important.