F1technical.net

Low pressure cast aluminum alloys are used for engines and sometimes gearboxes. Radiators use aluminum too.

Magnesium alloys in die cast or thixomolded spec for small parts.

Copper for cables. Neodymium for magnets in servo motors. Lithium in batteries.

They used depleted uranium for ballast, but it got banned due to cost reasons and now teams use propriatory heavy metal formulae.

A bunch of engineering thermoplastics and thermosets such as LCP, PEEK, silicon, sythetic and natural elastomers for insulation and gaskets. Acrylics for paint I guess. Confor foam for head rests.

Stainless steel for exhausts.

From what I understand some (most?) teams use Inconel for the exhaust, not SS. That list of materials (above) is quite impressive!

Krispy wrote:From what I understand some (most?) teams use Inconel for the exhaust, not SS.

Unless I'm very mistaken Inconel is just a trademark for a specialty stainless steel used in high temp apps.

WhiteBlue wrote:

Krispy wrote:From what I understand some (most?) teams use Inconel for the exhaust, not SS.

Unless I'm very mistaken Inconel is just a trademark for a specialty stainless steel used in high temp apps.

You are correct, I just always referred to them seperately. I wasn't aware that Inconel was just a SS alloy for high temps.

NP, Krispy. I'm glad I havn't lost all my basic material science to senility.

WhiteBlue,

It's a minor technicality, but Inconel alloys are generally classified as a "superalloy", while more common corrosion resistant steels are generally classified as "stainless steels". High-end N/A racing headers have been made from both Inconel and titanium alloys. Titanium is lighter, but is more expensive and must be welded in a oxygen-free atmosphere. Titanium is also more prone to cracking, due to its higher notch sensitivity.

The titanium alloy used for headers is typically an unalloyed "commercially pure" grade of material, since it must be ductile enough for forming operations and must be weldable.

The Inconel alloy used for headers is typically Inconel 625, which is an austenitic alloy (ie. not heat-treatable). The high nickel content of Inconel 625 gives it very good elongation properties and makes it weld very nice. So even in thin sections, like 0.5mm thick header tube walls, it is very resistant to cracking. But its high nickel content also makes it very difficult to cut or machine.

The more common stainless steel alloys used in less expensive race headers are usually 304, 316 or 321 alloys, which are austenitic in nature. 321 stainless is the most expensive, but it is preferred for welding since it is least likely to form carbides in the weld zone that result in intergranular corrosion problems.

Hope this was of interest to you.
Terry

Terry is correct of course, when I think calling something with a 5% Iron content "Steel" would be a stretch anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inconel

Some good points to take a way from this thread.

I understand that apart from the "plank" racing cars also have Titanium skid plates fitted to vulnerable components that might touch the ground, hence the very pale coloured sparks.

WhiteBlue wrote: They used depleted uranium for ballast, but it got banned due to cost reasons and now teams use propriatory heavy metal formulae.

I don't believe that's correct. Why would they use something as contraversial as that given the adverse publicity it would cause, the association with possible health risks, not to mention carting DU ballast around the world and the hassle of having to declare many Kg of Uranium to customs officials!

I'm sure they use something like Tungsten, very high density (higher than depleted uranium?), good material strength, machineable, high melting point and largely thought of as non toxic.

I´d say uranium no. impossible

uranium ,Tungsten and gold have roughly the same specific weight at 19,...g/cm³ so for machinability you´d use gold at 830$ per ounze...for the money I would take tungsten..not nice to machine ...but can be cast and grinded(see also tungsten used for TIG welding as an electrode)


but platinium would be even denser at 21.45 g/cm³ but even more expensive at 1500$ ,or iridium ,but radioactive beta emitter ,best is osmium (at 350$ per ounce,but it is toxic ,not radioactive (bare one isotroph)

Silicon nitride (Si3N4), together with Glassfibre reinforced Polyamide 66 for cages, in the Hybrid bearings.

xpensive wrote:Silicon nitride (Si3N4), together with Glassfibre reinforced Polyamide 66 for cages, in the Hybrid bearings.

you might share the formulation of the greasy substance or is it oil in those bearings as well..