RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT APRIL 2019
RACING TO SUCCESS
Why other industries hold the key to unlocking innovation
BY CHRIS BECK
The fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled world
of motorsport might seem light-years
away from the day-to-day hustle and
bustle of the factory fl oor, but it is already
pioneering innovation in the design of
electric vehicles, innovative new printing
technologies and specialist equipment used for
high-performance sports.
UK manufacturers are increasingly turning to
the techniques used in the motorsport sector to
pioneer new ideas and revolutionise traditional
processes for development projects across a wide
range of industries. The transfer and application
of pre-existing technologies and cultures from
one market to another is known as horizontal
innovation, and can help manufacturers drive
innovation, accelerate product development and
shorten times to market.
One business active in the fi eld of horizontal
innovation is Bicester-based high-performance
engineering consultancy KW Special Projects
(KWSP). In fact, the company kicked off the year
with a national award from the Motorsport Industry
Association (MIA), recognising its transfer of
proven motorsport technologies and capabilities
into other sectors. It’s something KWSP’s managing
director, Kieron Salter (pictured above), says has
contributed signifi cantly to nearly 40% average
year-on-year growth over the past few years.
“For us, horizontal innovation is not just an
initiative; it’s integral to everything we do at KWSP.
Our entire business is built around solving complex
challenges to help engineers break down design and
production boundaries. The fact we are industryagnostic
means we are well-positioned to take
what works in one sector and apply it to another
for instant benefi ts. It’s a unique and successful
way of accelerating the pace of innovation.”
Collaborate to innovate
The Institution of Engineering
and Technology recently
trademarked the term
Horizontal Innovation, and
has been leading the initiative
to raise awareness and drive its
wider uptake, working closely
with the MIA and the seven
High Value Manufacturing
Catapult centres.
Indeed, the motorsport
industry has pioneered
horizontal innovation for many
years, lending its innovative
technologies and engineering
capabilities to other sectors to
overcome challenges associated
with rapid product development
and innovation fatigue. This
is helping to inject fresh ideas
and processes into such diverse
industries as defence, rail,
aerospace and automotive.
An example of horizontal
innovation can be seen in the
work that major supermarkets
are doing to create more
energy-effi cient refrigerators.
Several retailers are harnessing
the application of Formula One
technology and materials to
create a new retrofi t aerofoil
system. The technology has been
proven to retain more cold air
inside the refrigerator than other
materials, resulting in signifi cant
energy and cost savings.
For KWSP, horizontal
innovation is not just helping the
business penetrate new markets;
it’s also accelerating some of the
work the company is doing in its
core automotive sector.
An electrifying
proposition
Late last year, KWSP was
announced as the chassis
development partner to
the new Uniti One electric car
programme. The intention is
that KWSP’s unique carbon
composite vehicle platform
will be exploited for the vehicle
build. Named ToPCat, it was
chosen for its lightweighting,
thermal management and
structural advantages.
KWSP’s carbon composite
chassis vehicle platform may
be new to the world of electric
vehicles, but its roots lie fi rmly
in motorsport.
Salter explains: “The
motorsport industry started
using carbon fi bre materials back
in the early 1980s when McLaren
unveiled the world’s fi rst carbon
fi bre F1 car, the MP4/1. When
the car crashed out of the 1981
Italian Grand Prix, spectators
were amazed to see the driver
climb unhurt from the carbon
fi bre monocoque cabin.
“Although carbon fi bre
was initially specifi ed over
aluminium in an attempt to shed
weight from its Formula One
cars for enhanced effi ciency,
it also has a greater structural
integrity than aluminium, which
was previously used for cabins.
“It’s remarkable to think that
some 30 years later, mainstream
vehicle manufacturers are
KWSP’s expertise
has seen it win
major contracts
in the EV space
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