Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Stays On Track With Red Bull Racing

Technical and Innovation Partnership Enters Tenth Year with Renewal for 2016 Formula One Season

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has signed a renewal of its Innovation Partnership with Red Bull Racing Formula One Team. The 3-year agreement extends the relationship between the two companies into a tenth year, with Red Bull Racing continuing to use Hexagon measurement technologies in its factory and at the track.

With a typical car made up of around 100 000 parts and a team completing up to 30 000 design changes in a season, Red Bull Racing’s quality department is under constant pressure to support the design and development teams in the factory. The team also uses portable measurement systems to ensure accuracy in car configuration throughout race weekends.

“We work to extremely tight lead-times but can’t compromise on accuracy, whether in component production or in setup at the circuit,” explains Chris Charnley, Quality Manager at Red Bull Racing. “Hexagon technology enables us to perform inspection tasks at speed, but with complete confidence in the reliability of the results.”

Al Peasland, Head of Technical Partnerships at Red Bull Racing, adds, “The whole business of Formula One is about measurement, analysis and then continuous improvement. The speed and confidence we get from Hexagon really relates to performance and reliability – the reliability coming from quality.”

The contract, which runs until the end of 2018, consolidates the close working relationship between the two companies and will continue their collaborative approach to innovation. As well as being users of Hexagon products and services, Red Bull Racing engineers are also involved with product R&D and testing. Their exacting standards have challenged Hexagon to develop new technologies and embrace new ways of working.

“Our relationship with Red Bull Racing is a partnership in the truest sense of the word,” said Norbert Hanke, President and CEO of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. “We are constantly exchanging information and ideas and the relationship has been hugely successful for both parties. In the ten years that we’ve worked together, we’ve been inspired to push the boundaries like Red Bull Racing, and I’m thrilled to continue our Innovation Partnership into what is sure to be another exciting season of Formula One.”