On 17 August 2014, Becci Ellis became the world’s fastest woman on a ‘conventional’ motorcycle over a standing-start mile, setting a world-record speed of 264.1mph and beating the previous record by some 20mph.

Achieving the female land speed record also makes her the fourth-fastest rider in the world, just 30mph behind the overall world record set by the late American rider Bill Warner.

Becci’s feat was performed at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire on a 1,300cc Suzuki Hayabusa; when launched in 1999, this model immediately won acclaim as the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

In preparation for Becci’s record breaking run, her motorcycle was modified by her husband, Mike Ellis, with the help of a team of volunteers and sponsors, enabling it to generate 650bhp.

Not satisfied with being the current record holder, Becci is now busy preparing for an attempt to break her own record.

In addition to mechanical modifications to the record-breaking Hayabusa, particular attention is now being paid to the aerodynamics of both the bike and to the rider.

Rather than use the traditional wind-tunnel testing method to analyse and improve the bike’s aerodynamic performance, the team is using advanced virtual simulation techniques, obviating the need to construct a physical prototype.

To help gather the raw data needed to enable the best-possible virtual simulation outcomes, the team enlisted the help of Manchester Metrology; acknowledged experts in the field of precise laser scanning and data capture, they used a Faro Edge ScanArm HD from Rugby-based Faro Technologies UK Ltd (www.faro.com) to undertake the critical scanning routines.

Mr Ellis says: “Aerodynamic drag is a strong and unwelcome force that increases with the square of the speed; this means that as the speed we achieve doubles, the drag quadruples.

Given the high speeds that we are looking to reach, it is obvious that much attention needs to be paid to this vital area.

In addition to the support of our long-standing friends who have enabled multiple mechanical advantages to be gained, our new attempt to better the previous mark is being helped by the staff of Northumbria University — led by Professor Robert Dominy — who have provided invaluable assistance in the field of aerodynamic virtual simulation.

“The raw data needed by the university for aerodynamic analysis is being gathered by staff from Manchester Metrology, who are using a Faro Edge ScanArm HD laser scanner to scan all aspects of the bike/rider combination and to generate the required files for the virtual simulation.

“This delivers results in a shorter time than wind tunnels do; they are also better results — and they cost less. The software used by Northumbria University can instantly indicate where our aerodynamic weaknesses are and provide invaluable feedback on how to improve our designs.”

The Edge ScanArm HD — the latest model in Faro’s ScanArm product range — provides fast point-cloud capture with high levels of resolution and accuracy, with its Laser Line Probe providing a portable contact/non-contact measurement system offering 2,000 actual points per scan-line and a ‘blue laser’ featuring ‘noise reduction’ technology.

Moreover, new functions offered by this latest unit allow users to seamlessly scan the surface of a wide range of materials — regardless of their contrast, reflectivity or part complexity, and without the need for special coatings or target placements.

Faro also says the system’s ease of use reduces training time. Manchester Metrology’s Philip Knowlson said: “Given our need to perform multiple highly precise scans of the motorcycle and rider, we chose to use an Edge ScanArm HD — ideal for this application, as it has a scan rate of up to 560,000 points a second.

“Given the range of materials we needed to scan — including the bike’s faring, wheels and tank, as well as the rider in her leathers and helmet — it was a major advantage that the Edge ScanArm HD can readily perform precise scanning routines across a range of materials.”

Getting the measure of college training

Barrow-in-Furness-based Furness College is South Cumbria’s largest training provider, and it works in partnership with a wide range of local businesses.

It has more than 4,300 full- and part-time students — and it trains over 1,000 apprentices a year. The college also houses a £4 million Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre (AMTC) with industry-specific training resources and facilities. The aim of the AMTC is to help local people gain the qualifications they need to access the new jobs being created in the area.

Newly installed equipment ranges from a rapid prototyping machine and the latest five-axis CAD/CAM equipment, to a suite of new 3-D printers and a virtual welding machine for training purposes.

The AMTC has also purchased a Faro Edge ScanArm HD with CAM2 Measure10 software, because several major client companies use this system.

Curriculum leader Gordon Higgins says: “The AMTC is helping to meet the growing local demand for highly skilled workers by enabling students to develop skills on real-life projects.

“As we work with more than 700 employers from a broad range of businesses, it is important that we give students access to the latest high-tech equipment.

The need to expose our students to the kind of cutting-edge equipment that they will encounter in the ‘real world’ resulted in our recent Faro installation.

Industries such as shipbuilding, metal fabrication and tool and die manufacturing use the Edge ScanArm HD for inspection and quality control routines, as do several of the major employers that we work closely with — including
BAE Systems.

Moreover, the logical nature of the CAM2 Measure10 software and the simplicity of use of Edge ScanArm HD enable our students to quickly master the system’s operation and to fully understand the results that they achieve.”

CAM2 Measure10 features an intuitive user interface with image-guided measurement, automatic association to nominal features and QuickTools; it also includes a CAD import tool that accommodates large amounts of CAD data — and it can connect multiple 3-D measuring devices.