The Alfanalyse software (Alfanalyse.com) is a Windows-based product which processes the information that is downloaded via an infra-red pen into a PC. You can then produce graphs and compare lap times between sessions.
The picture above shows the main screen of the system. The graph at the bottom represents the fastest lap in each of the sessions, and gives a good example of how the lap times changed as we altered settings on the kart. Each session can have various information added to it so that when you look at each session in detail, you can see straight away where certain settings do or do not improve lap times.
Each session can be extracted to see the lap times, maximum revs, speed, and temperature of the engine. These graphs can then be superimposed to give a view of where settings have made a difference. As well as getting total lap times, you can have up to three sector times as well, but this is only available at circuits with more than one magnetic strip installed. Sector times are important as the sector trace for each lap should roughly match the trace for the total lap. If there are wild differences between a sector and total lap time, then it is that sector that the driver should concentrate on.
One of the most useful updates recently introduced is the ability to use the 'record-mode' on the Alfano. This mode records the engine revs every .2 of a second, giving a graph that shows the engine revs at every stage of the track.
You can map this graph against the circuit, and then see where the braking points should be. We used this mode to geat effect when it showed that when Ashley went into one particular corner, he was losing up to 3 tenths of a second. We placed the two cursors (the red and blue lines on the main graph) at the point where Ashley lifted off before braking heavily. We found that he coasted into the corner for 20 metres, then braked hard. However, the 20 metres of coasting only scrubbed 9 MPH off his speed, whereas the braking knoked him down by 30 MPH, in less than 3 metres. He has since left the coasting behind and the graph showed that he dropped by 40 MPH in 4 metres. This then knocked 3 tenths off his lap time.
