Sometimes it's what you don't know that really surprises you. I have been attending the Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway since 1975 but it has taken me 32 years to discover some extremely interesting facts regarding a connection between some of the work they've accomplished at the University of Florida and some of the mind-boggling technological advances achieved today on the famous quarter-mile.

Prior to this season's 38th running of the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, I spent an absolutely gorgeous Wednesday afternoon on the campus of the University of Florida. I went there to see my son Matthew, who began working in the Materials Science and Engineering department (MSE) after he graduated in 2003. As he cordially introduced me and explained to his co-workers and bosses that I was in town to write about the drag race I soon realized that most of the people in the MSE department knew quite a bit about drag racing. At first I thought it was because of Matthew (I keep him up to date on drag racing whether he likes it or not), but he explained to me that the MSE department actually is involved with drag racing, albeit indirectly. So I decided to investigate exactly what role the UF MSE department plays in the sport of going fast a quarter of a mile at a time.

 

Gainesville has much more in common with drag racing than just the Gatornationals…UF research results reaching the quarter-mile

 

 

 

Sometimes it's what you don't know that really surprises you. I have been attending the Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway since 1975 but it has taken me 32 years to discover some extremely interesting facts regarding a connection between some of the work they've accomplished at the University of Florida and some of the mind-boggling technological advances achieved today on the famous quarter-mile.

Prior to this season's 38th running of the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, I spent an absolutely gorgeous Wednesday afternoon on the campus of the University of Florida. I went there to see my son Matthew, who began working in the Materials Science and Engineering department (MSE) after he graduated in 2003. As he cordially introduced me and explained to his co-workers and bosses that I was in town to write about the drag race I soon realized that most of the people in the MSE department knew quite a bit about drag racing. At first I thought it was because of Matthew (I keep him up to date on drag racing whether he likes it or not), but he explained to me that the MSE department actually is involved with drag racing, albeit indirectly. So I decided to investigate exactly what role the UF MSE department plays in the sport of going fast a quarter of a mile at a time.

To understand the full scope of what this section of the university contributes to just about everyone, you need to understand a little background on what they do. The first clue is right in the name, Materials. Everything Americans use is composed of materials, from computer chips to flexible concrete skyscrapers, from plastic bags, artificial hips, from optical cables to (here it is) automobiles. Materials, science and engineering involve making materials reliable and useful to mankind. This is accomplished through design, processing, and analysis of materials having controlled compositions, microstructures and properties. Read it again slowly, it took me some time for all of it to sink in.

According to their website, the mission of Florida's MSE department is to serve the scientific and engineering community of the state and nation by providing quality education in the field, conducting basic and applied research to enhance science in the field and short courses, technology transfer, industrial consulting and distance learning to promote engineering in the field. The department stands among the best materials, metallurgy and ceramics departments in the nation, with current research expenditures of approximately $10 million a year from external contracts and grants. With a firm belief that research is teaching, students are involved in almost every research and development project.

The department plays a leadership role in the Particle Science and Technology Center. The center started as the ERC and after 10 years has grown into an internationally recognized resource in the area of particle science. The SWAMP (Software and Analysis of Advanced Material Processing), Center provides software for modeling the physics and chemistry of the integrated circuit manufacturing process and experimental tools.

The MSE department is also home to the Major Analytical Instrumentation Center. The user-supported center, valued at more than $15 million, provides not only analytical support to the department and university researchers but also to industries by way of direct analysis, coordinated research and personnel planning.

 

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The research programs of the MSE department deal with the scientific and engineering aspects of the structure, properties, synthesis, processing/manufacturing and application of materials. Research into developing components is being addressed. The most important of MSE's research programs is the way that they are interdisciplinary and focus on all materials-biomaterials, ceramics, electronic materials, glasses, metals, minerals and polymers- and their composites. Many of the programs also involve multi-investigations and close collaboration with other disciplines.

Here are a few of the major accomplishments that can be attributed to the MSE department; Bioglass, the first man-made substance known to bond with living bone and soft tissue, was invented by an MSE faculty member. An MSE faculty member created the surface modification process that allows for the successful implementation of two million intraocular lenses annually.

Blue lasers will revolutionize optical data storage and telecommunications, and the first room-temperature, optically pumped blue laser was developed by an MSE faculty member. The department has a nationally recognized program to develop semiconductors that laze in the blue region of the spectrum. MSE students are studying and participating in the development of the next generation of advanced material for the jet and automobile engines, computer chips, telecommunications and metal implants.

During my quick Wednesday visit to the MSE offices I discovered a framed copy of the NHRA's National Dragster magazine hanging on a wall. I inquired as to how it received such a lofty position, and was told that the folks at MSE have worked with drag racers in the past.

Clearly Florida's MSE department has demonstrated that it is an incredible facility with top-notch professors and leaders in the field. Now I was extremely eager to find out from how some of the things developed at this premier scientific facility have found their way to the quarter-mile.

Matthew arranged a phone interview with some the nation's leading researchers, who work and teach at the University of Florida's MSE department. I spoke with Professor Gerhard Fuchs, who came to UF in 1998 with a stellar resume of work within the aerospace industry. For example; he is the reviewer for multiple scholarly journals like Acta Metallurgica et Materialia, Scripta Metallurgica, Metallurgical Transactions, Materials Science and Engineering and the Journal of Materials Research. Not to mention, Professor Fuchs has more than 50 published Journal Articles, three books edited and given 50 technical presentations.

His primary research and teaching interests included inter-relationship of processing, microstructure and properties of high temperature materials, including superalloys, intermetallics and composites. Additional topics included physical and mechanical metallurgy of structural metals, phase stability and computational materials science. Whew!

 

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I also had the honor of speaking with Dr. Jack Mecholsky, whom I had the pleasure of meeting briefly during my visit. He works as a Professor in the MSD Department and is associated with the Dental Biomaterials Program, Biomedical Engineering and Engineering Research center on Particulates. His research focuses on fracture analysis, fractography and the application of fracture mechanics to the failure analysis of advanced ceramics and composites. He has been a principal advisor for graduating students at UF since 1990.
 
I was really excited to talk to these guys about their thoughts regarding the stresses and strains involving 330-mph Funny Cars and Top Fuel dragsters.  I wanted to know if the research accumulated at UF, and the vast knowledge that the professors had gained, was being applied to the sport of drag racing.  

Both Dr. Mecholsky and Dr. Fuchs took time from their busy schedules for a conference call and I was immediately impressed with how they made me feel at ease, not mention their extensive knowledge of drag racing. I began asking questions immediately.

How has the research and programs conducted at the MSE department impacted the sport drag racing? "Certainly engine materials, both in the past and hopefully in the future, have been improved over a number of years in order to improve performance, so it really depends on what the driving force is in drag racing,” Dr. Fuchs said. “With materials, for example tires, we've worked for improvement within the whole structure, including things like strength and lighter weight, all of that is a result of materials research.

"I've been involved in drag racing in a variety of forms, including as an engine builder, and I am member of both the NHRA and IHRA and I follow them very closely,” Fuchs said. “We've actually performed consulting work with several IHRA Pro Stock engine builders, including Jon Kaase and Sonny Leonard. When they have an engine failure, they'll send it right down to us and we'll try to figure out what went wrong.”

"We've done some work on some diamond-like carbon coatings (DLC) that will let lifters run without having any kind of bushings in the lifter bores. We've helped them in a variety of different ways with things like failure analysis of components that really came out of the aerospace industry, as well. The connecting rods are made of aluminum 7075, which was made for commercial and military aircraft frames. We've done a lot of work with the engines in that area.

"We tried to crack into the NHRA, but they are much more secretive about some of the things they do," said Fuchs. "The IHRA seems to be much more open about this kind of research. Most universities aren't involved a whole lot in drag racing, so I had to go out and contact a variety of people like Cliff Moore (Jon Kaase Racing Engines) and Sonny Leonard, who were very willing to discuss these ideas and send us some examples to work with and study."

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Legendary horsepower broker Leonard has worked with the people at MSE for more than four years after a casual meeting with Dr. Fuchs at a race in Brandenton. "After we met in Brandenton, he explained what he did and asked me to drop by to see him,” Leonard said. “I expected something along a vocational school level, but immediately I realized this was high level stuff. There are some very knowledgeable people down there, and we combine that with the practical experience that we've gained. They're good people. It's definitely improved our metallurgy. We began sending down damaged parts for him to study and his students to research. I think a lot more racers would take advantage of what the MSE department can offer, but they just aren't aware they exist. Most people don't think of colleges like that. I would work with them more but I get so busy I forget they’re down there. Those guys are sharp and I'd say we're going to be affiliated with them more in the future." 

With the extreme tolerances of materials involved in modern racing motors, I asked the professors what they thought of today's performance standards. "Its amazing that you can make an engine hold together for the amount of time it does, making the amount of horsepower per cylinder, running that nasty nitromethane through the engine," Dr. Fuchs said.

"On the other hand, I also like the Pro Stock class. To me that's more of an engineering feat. That these guys can make that much horsepower using gasoline and old fashion carburetors is incredible. In the IHRA they have to make an 820 cubic inch motor spin to eight or nine thousand revolutions per minute just to compete."

A more specific example of MSE's work with racing components is dealing with connecting rods. Dr. Fuchs explained, "Usually when they grenade a connecting rod, everything goes to pieces and it gets messy pretty fast, but on one occasion we received a piece where you could see an actual crack had formed in the bolt area in the large end of the connecting rod. They sent the rod down to us, we did a sectioning on it and put it on SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and looked at the actual fractures to see where the initiation crack was. It turns out it was poorly processed material. In this case it was the manufacturer that was to blame for the faulty connecting rods. After testing we were eventually able to determine that the fatigue crack grew from the beginning during the burnout through to the top end of the run. By seeing the photos we had and looking at it, the people we did the work for have switched connecting rod manufactures and report a 50-percent longer life in their parts."

The MSE department is fully capable of analysis and performing state-of the-art testing for a variety of high tech and futuristic automotive capabilities. When it comes to analysis failures it could be the manufacturing or the material. "That's expertise we can provide," said Dr. Mechlosky. "To be able to tell you whether it was the material that was manufactured poorly, whether it was eeged incorrectly, or even if the completely wrong material was used. That's a small sample of the things we've developed here at MSE to work on."

One of the areas I was interested in was stress fractures. Dr. Mechlosky was happy to offer his thoughts. "There are currently non-destructive evaluation techniques but it is usually difficult on odd shaped parts. But I think there are techniques that can be done with a hand held that may be able to detect cracks, but the cracks would have to be fairly large. When it comes to car components they’re probably fairly small."

Regarding cracks in frames, sometimes welding can be the weak link. "The vast majority of the iniation effects from the cracks in frames come in the weld areas," said Dr. Mechlosky. "Because those places are basically heterogeneous, they're big ugly looking structures and unfortunately it will always be hard to find cracks there. They’re very finite. With tubing itself it's much easier because it's much more uniform and easier to work with."

 

There are plenty of ways to reap the benefits of the University of Florida's outstanding Materials, Science and Engineering department. Dr. Fuchs said, "We can work with companies and we frequently have non-disclosure agreements without a problem, including research funding for students. There are several different levels at which it can be accomplished. It can be done as a consultant with an agreement between one or more faculty members and the company. It can be a research agreement that includes students, and then they can have non-disclosure agreements in place. We do a lot of work with different companies. I work with Pratt & Whitney and I have a non-disclosure agreement with them."

It appears most of the work accomplished at the MSE department does more to benefit the IHRA than fellow NHRA competitors, "I have never been approached by anyone from the NHRA," admits Fuchs," but the IHRA has welcomed me with open arms. I tried talking to Greg Anderson at the last two Gatornationals but he was pretty tight lipped. I guess they play it pretty close to the vest over at the NHRA." 
 

 

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FUTURE TECH 

Everyone knows that drag racing is about weight. One of the things that future engine builders and chassis designers can look forward to is utilizing components developed in the scientific lab. Special alloys for engine blocks which will offer improved strength and longevity are already in the works. "We've done a lot of consulting," said Fuchs.

"I've been working for many years with a lot of the engine companies on an alloy of titanium and aluminum which is called gamma Ti-aluminide. It's may be a replacement material for intake and exhaust values since it has half the density of steel, but it is even lower density than conventional titanium alloys. But it doesn't have problems with ductility and toughness." Fuchs said. "I do know that the automobile builders in Detroit and even in Europe have tested it successfully, and it's been tested in NHRA and NASCAR engines. And it general comes through very favorably. General Electric has even elected to use it on the new turbine jet engines for the futuristic 787. Eventually this technology may be used on the drag strip, especially within Pro Stock."

It seems to me that the unique, cutting edge development and research material available at the Materials, Science and Engineering department at the University of Florida is a thinking drag racer's treasure chest. Just imagine a truckload of information just waiting for someone to decipher and apply to Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars…oh, the possibilities!

By the way, the entire UF staff and faculty were extremely friendly and highly knowledgeable and their interest in my project seemed very genuine.      

Meanwhile, the technological information will continue to filter down, although slowly, to race cars. After being used in completely different capacities somewhere, the by-products of our advanced technology eventually reaches drag racing.

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TO FIND OUT MORE

 

To find out more about the University of Florida's Materials Science and Engineering Department please visit www.mse.ufl.edu. You can learn more about the research at MSE and contact Dr. Fuchs or Dr. Mechlosky if you have any questions.

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