Toyota discloses unprecedented details of F1 development

Noritaka Muramoto, a visiting supervisor from Toyota Motor Corporation, showed us how to do this, look at the material flow, the information flow, look at the layout, look at the quality, and we just learned by doing it.

It has been an interesting project. I must say I was one who said at the beginning this is for mass production, it can’t work in Formula 1 ! I’ve changed my mind totally, and learned so much since this project started.”

John Howett concludes: “The best part of TPS is that the work never stops, as we are constantly looking for the next improvements in-house that will lead to the next crucial tenth-of-a-second on the track.”

OPERATION: COMPOSITES

The composites department is a major element of Panasonic Toyota Racing and its operation plays a huge role in the building and development of the car. Speed is of the essence, and that is perhaps most obvious when the first chassis of each new design is constructed.

The significance of chassis lead time can be viewed in two ways. It either determines when the car is able to run, or if you work back from a specified roll out date, it determines when R&D work stops and the design is fixed and signed off. Whichever way you look at it, cutting that lead time has significant benefits.

But no less important is ongoing development work during the year. Even before the TF 06 hit the track in November 2005 the design team was working on updates to be introduced during the season, including the TF 06B which is tentatively scheduled to appear in May. The two major elements of a typical update package, aerodynamics and suspension, are routed through the composite department. The faster any new parts can be turned around, the earlier they can be transferred to the car. That’s why the Toyota Production System was used to focus on how to improve the efficiency of the department.

“If your composites department is more efficient,” says Technical Director Chassis Mike Gascoyne, “then you’ve got more design time, and deadlines can be pushed back later. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you produce anything early, but what it does do is front load design time and development time, or it allows you physically to do more.”

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