Striving for quality defines the entire production process in every Formula 1 team. All the sequences have to be co-ordinated perfectly by the 450 WilliamsF1 and 220 BMW team members. The safety net has an extremely fine and intricate mesh; while the computers help quality management in the field of conception and design, the following stage has to be carried out by hand. The designers began working on the development of the chassis and engine for the current WilliamsF1 BMW FW25 at the beginning of 2002 – the components were then delivered in the summer. As a result, the team was able to test the engine on the test bench in September, before taking it to the test track for the first time in October.

‘Product Lifecycle Management’ or PLM, supervises the quality monitoring of individual parts at BMW WilliamsF1 Team. In a workflow that is a true logistical masterpiece, the lifecycle of every component is tracked and constantly documented. Regardless of whether it is a seal, a shock absorber or a wishbone, the quality engineers record all data, such as: the production and processing date, the delivery deadline and the result of quality checks. A record is kept of every single part of a Formula 1 car; if a fault should occur, it can be identified and fixed immediately.

The art of troubleshooting and avoiding problems is perfected on the racetrack. Over 200 sensors on the car detect the track’s features and also deliver data on the engine, transmission and other units to the team’s pit-lane control centre. Two BMW engineers constantly monitor the engine online and the team can communicate with the driver by radio. This group of measures makes it possible to react immediately to any possible problems that may occur.

The detailed fault analysis takes place on the Monday after the race: the cars are completely disassembled and subjected to over 200 diagnostic checks. Minor defects can be remedied before the next grand prix, for example: if there are problems with a milled metal part on the race Sunday, the designer can redesign it on Tuesday, it is then produced on Wednesday and it can be tested on Thursday. Even changes in the software can be made from one day to the next by modifying the parameter settings. More significant modifications, for instance to the aerodynamic components, can be used after a number of weeks – once all the stages of the quality checks have been completed.

Under the merciless conditions prevalent in Formula 1, perfection remains a utopian goal. However, every single employee of a Formula 1 team keeps working to get as close to perfection as possible.

Of course, this also applies to the production of passenger cars. In series production, quality is a constant priority too; and this applies to both suppliers and to final assembly. In principle, the quality control processes are similar to those in Formula 1: every part is examined, checked and only then installed. The real endurance test starts at the end of the conveyor belt: all the functions are checked using special programs: for instance, driving through a water trough to ensure there is not any leakage, or test stations for the suspension alignment and driving dynamic tests. Finally, after a comprehensive test programme and a final test drive, the manufacturers generally decide whether the car can be authorised for road traffic.

“A passenger car consists of a large number of complicated components from several hundred different suppliers. Only an absolutely consistent quality management system can guarantee constant quality levels. The car’s safety not only depends on the individual components, but also on their combined functioning in the car’s system under a wide range of varying conditions. Truly ingrained quality management is the prerequisite to make sure that it is not the customer who is put to the test. That is why the automobile industry has always been a driving force in the development of management systems,” states Dr. Christoph Lauterwasser from the Allianz Centre for Technology.

So every passenger car is a product that fulfils the highest quality standards. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the buyer is also responsible for a considerable proportion of the car’s quality control: he or she can only be sure that the car will function properly and safely for a long time if it is given the recommended inspections at an authorised garage.