Mautote

www.AutomotiveTestingTechnologyInternational.
com March 2011
MARCH 2011
Karl Stracke
GM’s engineering chief is
Focus
Power house bringing the world together
Has technology taken powertrain

testing off the road and into the lab?
Electric rings
The future of Audi
lies in its electric
and hybrid
This eagerly anticipated launch
development embodies the ‘One Ford’ philosophy
center
UKIP Media & Events Ltd
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CONTENTS
COVER STORY
004 Ford Focus
An international test program for
an international car, courtesy of the
‘One Ford’ philosophy
WHAT’S NEW
008 GMD T25
One of the most talked about development
programs today, laid bare
010 Audi A6
Bigger, safer, and lighter. Find out how
012 Volvo’s big rig
When Volvo tests trucks, it doesn’t
do things by halves. Take a look
at the world’s largest test rig
014 Awards update
036 What do 2010’s most celebrated names
in automotive testing have planned
for the future?
030 028 Proving grounds

Keith Read brings you the latest proving
ground news from around the world
FEATURES
030 Interview: Karl Stracke
004 Achieving the same vehicle development
standards around the globe is the goal
of GM’s head of engineering
036 Aerodynamics
Welcome to the future of aerodynamics
testing, featuring everything from
helium-filled bubbles to synthetic jets
042 Tunnel talk
As MIRA’s full-scale wind tunnel enters
its 50th year of service, we see how it is
adapting to the future
048 Powertrain testing
Have powertrain test labs advanced to the
056 stage where an engine can go from design
to sign-off without leaving the building?
056 Site visit: Audi’s EV/HEV labs
048 Audi’s future lies in the technology created
in its new Mechanical Units Center, where
EV and HEV dreams come true
062 Interview: Gordon Murray
Has the ex-McLaren guru re-invented the
small car, due to some lightweight thinking?
062
www.AutomotiveTestingTechnologyInternational.com
MARCH 2011 001
CONTENTS
REGULARS
016 Theodore
Editor’s note
Supercharging simulation
018 Read
Spinning in a winter wonderland
020 Ask the experts You wouldn’t believe it, given Audi S4. I was not alone in being
the general antipathy toward concerned about its switch from
Our panel discuss the trials of vehicle testing cars in the media, but we are in a 4.2-liter V8 to a 3-liter blown V6,
024 10 questions the midst of a motoring epoch. We but when the new car is blessed
Audi’s chassis expert Jörg Starr appreciates all enjoyed the power wars of the with a lightness and urgency its
2000s, which saw small sedans like beefier predecessor was lacking,
how fun his job can be
the M3 and RS4 fitted with monster going ‘green’ suddenly appeals.
026 Ask Alex V8s, while under the hoods of their It sounds like witchcraft, but
Our resident automotive lawyer asks bigger brothers lay extreme 5-liter of course it’s all down to our white-
when it is too late to avoid litigation V10s. However, as much as I would coated brethren in the powertrain
have loved to have seen the Wacky labs. We investigate how they do it
026 Recall roundup Races creations that may have in this issue, and whether modern
The latest vehicle roundup news appeared had the power struggle labs are so good that their Sparco-
for the first quarter of 2011 continued in that direction, attired colleagues are becoming
legislators have killed the party. irrelevant in engine development.
084 Testbed legends It may be unfashionable to say Technology is one direction, but
A tribute to the Mohs Ostentatienne Opera, this in some circles but BMW’s perhaps OEMs are creating work
a truck-based coupe with a few tricks 500bhp 5-liter V10 and Mercedes’ for themselves in the quest for
up its sleeve 525bhp 6.2-liter V8 are two of my driving thrills. The same lawmakers
favorite engines. Who couldn’t love who are demanding cleaner
a big capacity naturally aspirated engines are also insisting on so
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES engine with a stratospheric much safety trickery that modern
redline? Well, environmentalists cars are swelling. Surely if weight
068 GPS technology I suppose, which is why they’re is pared down, you can have all the
070 Universal and scalable data recorder ending the party. Or are they? fun with smaller engines, or even
073 Products and services directory While I enjoy simplicity in more fun with the same engines.
motoring, powertrain engineers To quote Colin Chapman, we
have ensured that, with smaller should simplify and add lightness.
www.ukipme.com/recard/temcard_mag.html
FREE reader enquiry service available at
capacities and forced induction, Chapman would disapprove of

not only will cars like the M5 and modern vehicle designs, and his
SL63 still grace our roads, thanks old friend and spiritual successor,
to reduced fuel consumption and Gordon Murray agrees. He may
emissions, they are doing so while have found a solution though,
generating even more power and which can bring lightweight
torque. With the M5’s power billed technology previously only seen
to be up to 570bhp when it’s in F1, to the masses. And with light
launched, perhaps I will join the weight, who needs power anyway?
zeitgeist. And lest we worry about
power delivery, just consider the Adam Gavine
Editor Production manager Contributors CEO

Adam Gavine Ian Donovan John Challen, Brian Cowan, Tony Robinson
070 Chief sub-editor
Production team
Carole Doran, Lewis Hopkins,
Alex Geisler, Dave Gorschkov,
Graham Heeps, Nick Kurczewski,
Managing director
Graham Johnson
Alex Bradley Cassie Inns, Robyn Skalsky Peter Lyon, Jim McCraw, Mike Editorial director
Sub-editor Art director Magda, John Miles, Keith Read, Anthony James
William Baker James Sutcliffe Michael Scarlett, Satnam Singh,
Design team Dean Slavnich, Richard Stobart, Publication manager
Proofreaders Louise Adams, Andy Bass, Chris Theodore, Adam Towler Jason Sullivan
Aubrey Jacobs-Tyson, Anna Davie, Andrew Locke, International sales
Frank Millard Craig Marshall, Nicola Turner, Circulation manager Rob Knight
Julie Welby, Ben White Suzie Matthews
The views expressed in the articles and technical papers are

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those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the
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002 www.AutomotiveTestingTechnologyInternational.com
MARCH 2011
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us
WHAT’S NEW
rd
Foc Fo
MARCH 2011
WHAT’S NEW
The Blue Oval’s ‘One Ford’ philosophy

is embodied in the multinational
development program of the new Focus
WORDS BY GRAHAM HEEPS
Back in 2008 the Fiesta was launched as the first

of a new generation of Ford ‘global cars’. However,
the B-segment machine was not immediately
available outside Europe: North America, for example, did
not receive cars from the factory in Cuautitlán, Mexico,
until 2010, following a program of modifications for federal
compliance and US market preferences.
Fast-forward to 2011, and the latest Focus is arriving in
European showrooms around the time that these words
are being printed. The difference this time, however, is that
US production is also ramping up in Michigan, and the car
will be in US dealerships in a matter of months. Not only
that, but almost all components are shared by all versions
of the new Focus worldwide, giving the car a consistent
look and feel. US Focuses, for example, have some different
powertrains and are set up for all-season tires, but they’re
otherwise just about identical to the European cars.
“The concurrent launch was the biggest challenge on
this program,” says Volker Weinhold, who, as the vehicle
engineering manager, led a 40-strong integration team on
the project. “We’ve never done that before and I don’t know
anybody who’s managed to launch such a big program
simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Some 1,500 engineers worldwide were working on the
Focus at the project’s peak. That’s a lot of people, but it’s
nevertheless remarkable that the development program
was completed in just 35 months, given not only the scope
of the program, but also the fact that the platform-sharing
LEFT: High altitude C-Max was being developed at the same time.
testing in Austria A number of factors were key to achieving this. The first
BELOW: Rolling road was clear agreement upfront on the requirements, and
testing at +55°C at then checks along the way to ensure they were being met.
Ford’s £26.5 million
Environmental Test
Weinhold reveals that there was more cross-continental
Lab in the UK agreement in this area than one might expect.
MARCH 2011 005
WHAT’S NEW
“When we first started the specification discussions, ABOVE: Ford

everybody believed they had a better specification than the Europe used
a unique steering rig
others,” he recalls. “But when we put them on the table, we to understand and
found no big differences. The simple agreement was, let’s tune the electronic
put the best of both into a common specification. We steering systems
reached that agreement within four weeks. Engineers
everywhere talk the same language and sometimes it takes
just minutes to understand [one another].
“Later, we had a big meeting at Lommel where we
showed the verification prototypes (VPs) to our colleagues RIGHT:
from the USA, right up to the senior management level, Aerodynamics testing
representing US customers. There were one or two minor at Ford’s wind tunnel
in Merkenich
tweaks, no more, and they were happy – it was exactly to
their expectations.
“That proved to us that we need to meet only once or Focus BEV
twice a year during a development program, to drive the
car and exchange views on what we like and don’t like, but The battery electric (BEV) version of the Focus
then we’re aligned. You can now rely on any [Ford] colleague arrives in 2012. Once again, it’s a transatlantic
in the world to do the job and when you receive it, it will development effort, with Dearborn taking responsibility
for the powertrain, and Merkenich engineering the sheet
be fine.”
metal modifications, to Dearborn’s requirements.
Another important factor in keeping to time and budget “I wouldn’t have believed that you could distribute
was that responsibility for parts was – and still is – this to various areas of the globe and still make one
restricted to a single team, based in Europe, from where product,” says Weinhold. “But you can!”
the entire program has been led.
MARCH 2011
WHAT’S NEW
ADAS A-OK
The new Focus comes loaded Ford in the USA, but other ADAS
with advanced driver developments required additional
assistance systems (ADAS) such as testing. For example, hundreds of
adaptive cruise control (ACC), traffic thousands of kilometers were racked
sign recognition, lane-keeping aid up all over Europe to ensure the
(enabled by the all-new electric traffic sign recognition function
power steering), and a low-speed worked faultlessly with signs in
safety system (LSS), which brakes different countries. The system
the car to a standstill to prevent won’t be available initially in North
a low-speed impact. America, but similar tests will be
“Driver assistance technologies conducted Stateside should the
were an entirely new field of system be introduced.
development for us,” says Volker Meanwhile for the LSS, the team
Weinhold, who previously headed sent cars out on a real-world fleet
up development of the Mondeo’s trial for final verification: “You need
ACC. “We even built up a new, to avoid false interventions, such
cross-car-line team in Merkenich as the car stopping when you have
responsible for the attributes nothing in front of you,” Weinhold
of these technologies, working explains. “A big benefit of having
closely with electrical engineers.” shown the car so early at motor
He adds that, although Volvo cars shows was that we could drive on
were the first within the Ford group public roads. We conducted an
to deploy such systems, the research extensive test program running our
behind them was done within Ford, vehicles across Europe, and then at
so the knowledge base remains in- the end we gave a small fleet of test
house, despite Volvo’s sale to Geely. cars to Parisian taxi drivers, because
The Focus team was able to build that’s a critical situation. We figured,
on the extensive development and if they have no false interventions
testing of ACC previously done by then the system must be clean!”
Weinhold explains. “Our process is basically cut in half.

The most important engineering is in the first phase of the
“We’re down to a single prototype program, when we do all the design virtually and build up
the mules to support our CAE modeling capability. Then we
phase due to the very strong virtual make the assessments at the Final Data Judgement (FDJ)
gateway. This is our ‘Job One’ for engineering. Generally
assessments we do in advance. speaking we should be done at this point, and doing only
Our process is cut in half”

fine-tuning from there on.”
After FDJ, Focus moved into a nine-month verification
prototype stage using around two-thirds of parts from
production tooling. According to Weinhold, 90-100 VPs
TOP: Electrical testing were built, a big reduction on past programs. “Most are still
at Ford Europe’s down to safety tests, particularly for the USA,” he says.
lab at Merkenich,
Germany
Once the team was happy with the VPs, attention then
switched to the Saarlouis factory in Germany, where tool
trials and pre-production cars were built, around 200 in
all, ahead of SOP, which was on December 6, 2010.
That process has been replicated at Wayne in the run
LEFT: Once the up to its own ‘Job One’. The US Focus launch team includes
vehicle has been
a number of engineers who spent time embedded in the
soaked at -30°C for 16
hours, it is transferred main program in Europe before returning home. Not that
to a test chamber at the transatlantic cooperation ended there.
the same temperature “When we were developing something with our partners
and placed on
a rolling road
in the USA, we sometimes had the case that we started the
measurement in Europe during the morning,” explains
“If we make a change on one side then we have to reach Weinhold. “We then had a telephone conversation at 3pm
agreement that everybody else can live with the change as with our US colleagues because we wanted something
well,” says Weinhold. “The beauty of it is that we have 85% urgently. When we got back to the office in the morning
commonality [across all versions]. The costs would kill us the results were there on the computer. It gives you an 18-
if we all went our own way.” hour development day.
A third way in which the project team was able to keep “A downside is that when I come back to the office in
the program short was in the most extensive use ever of the morning my inbox is full of US-based emails that need
CAE in a major Ford program. to be answered, although when they come to work they see
“These days we’re down to a single prototype phase due my emails, too! It’s an endless stream of communication,
to the very strong virtual assessments we do in advance,” but it works well.” ‹
MARCH 2011 007
WHAT’S NEW
T25
Meet the T25, Gordon Murray’s much
talked about, but much misunderstood car.
We set the record straight
WORDS BY ADAM GAVINE
If you would like to make

the T25 a reality, the
factory can be ready
at the same time the
development program is
complete – 24 months
Rumors abound that T25 person in them and I thought, In iStream, Murray is that for years and years I’ve had
will soon be launched, ‘One day someone’s going to confident he has found the path this concept of a little car that
with a Smart-worrying price take my freedom away from me’. to profitability, and products would suit UK and European
tag, and that a production line Now, I like my freedom, and similar to the T25 could soon roads and their congestion
is limbering up for action at I love driving, so I started be on our roads. “We wanted problems. The car is just a
Gordon Murray’s HQ in the UK. looking into why more people to build one running prototype physical entity to sell iStream.”
Alas there is no factory, and didn’t make A-segment and sub- of a vehicle of our choice to However, if a company
the car is a mere shop display, A-segment cars, and the reason demonstrate iStream,” says buying the iStream process
a concept not even of a car, is that they don’t make money.” Murray. “It just so happened wants to use the design, it can.
but of a manufacturing process
known as iStream (see the Three’s company
Murray interview on page 62).
But don’t dismiss T25: it could T25 features a three-seat layout that will stability, and the large forward-opening canopy
be a new direction in motoring. delight fans of Murray’s F1, with even is non-structural and is made from recycled
The idea of the T25 started the ‘rear’ seats comfortably accommodating plastic bottles. The canopy is a clever bit of
Murray’s 6ft 4in frame – not bad considering the engineering. Weighing 45kg, little more than
life one morning in 1993 when
diminutive car measures just 2.4m long, 1.3m a steel car door, it comprises doors, windscreen,
Murray was stuck in traffic wide, and 1.6m high. A simple yet strong tubular and crash beams, all in one easy-to-lift package.
on his daily commute through steel Exo-frame creates a safety cell on top of The canopy can also withstand 85 tons in 40%
London traffic to McLaren’s HQ. which is – as to be expected – a very light body. offset frontal high-speed crash compression,
“I looked around me at all The internal panels are semi-structural to aid with zero cabin intrusion, as tested in late 2010.
these big cars with just one
MARCH 2011
WHAT’S NEW
Noise Control AMP
“It’s great fun to drive. There are things we know

Because it’s so light, it changes we’d have to change, and
direction like a go-kart,” says if a customer is interested
Murray. The fun may also we would recommend an
derive from its motorsport-spec immediate three-month
development. “For example, for program just to sort out
the monocoque section we used the dynamics.
very similar programs to those “We tested everything in
used in designing race cars. our labs, so we had a pretty
It is truly F1 technology and good idea that the car would
F1 operational thinking for handle as we want, and the
pennies, for all of us to share – ride and handling has proved
not just someone who can afford
a US$320,000 sports car.”
absolutely right. It drives
well, but it could be better.”
Enjoy the silence
We were refused a test drive, If a customer does
not because of the prototype’s instruct Murray to advance
estimated US$10 million value, the car to the full prototype
but because it is not in a state stage, that will trigger a 24-
in which Murray would be month development program
willing for it to be judged: comprising 60 prototypes,
“T25 has had no development. hot- and cold-weather
I never let people drive testing, durability cycles, etc.
prototypes that aren’t sorted.” “All that sort of stuff wasn’t
That’s not to say it doesn’t in the funding,” says Murray,
run well, though, as it competed “and won’t ever happen
in the Future Car Rally, with unless someone writes the • Aero-acoustic
Murray at the wheel. “We built program. We’re happy to, wind tunnels
and ran it, and it felt good. but we don’t currently have
• Anechoic
the funding or time.”
The reason for the lack
of time is intriguing. Murray test chambers
and his team are working
on “another six cars with
customers to bring them to
• Reverberation
production and get a licence”. rooms
Even if the T25 never
becomes a reality, its spirit
almost certainly will.
• Silencers
Above: The instruments are sports car-like
Below: The 45kg canopy is easy to lift Watch this space… ‹
• Soundproong
walls
• Sound enclosures
• Architectural
acoustics
• Noise calculations
FAIST Anlagenbau GmbH

86381 Krumbach / Germany
Phone +49 82 82 88 80 - 0
Fax +49 82 82 88 80 - 88
anlagenbau@faist.de
www.faist.de
WHAT’S NEW
Most new models arrive

with a fanfare of new
technologies, safety features,
Audi A6
Lightweight engineering has been adopted
as a cornerstone principle in the latest A6
product we tested using the
longitudinal system and we
learned a lot from that.”
and creature comforts, with WORDS BY ADAM GAVINE The A6 test program was
the small matter of their an advance in every way over
increased weight usually uttered prototypes, and robustness diesel guises, feature the higher- previous programs, but only
as a hushed apology. However, analyses were calculated using spec Quattro sport differential, by a small increment. For
Audi’s revamped A6 has a party stochastic simulation methods. as used in the S4. example, the A6 program
piece – it is up to 80kg lighter To ensure that the new, lighter One of the men charged with saw increased use of virtual
than its predecessor, with components were crashworthy, ensuring the chassis was light development. However, for
the 3-liter TDI quattro model an extended series of simulation yet able to cope with not just Starr and his team, this just
emitting 30% fewer emissions and validation subcomponents 3-liter powertrains, but also enabled them to start physical
than the outgoing model. tests was undertaken. future S and RS variants, was tests at a more advanced level
This weight loss is down Another feature Audi is keen Jörg Starr, project manager for – there is no substitute for
to a diet of high-strength and to promote is the latest all- chassis development at Audi. hands-on testing.
ultra-high-strength sheet metal wheel-drive technology that “For the new A6 we used “We use computer
and aluminum components, features in the A6, with a crown Audi’s longitudinal testing programs at the beginning,
with much of the body gear center differential and system,” states Starr. “All cars and finish by hand. Especially
composed of aluminum, and the a torque-vectoring function. with longitudinally mounted with chassis testing, you can’t
engine and driveline slimmed The range-topping 3-liter V6 engines are tested in the same do that by computer, you
down. With a lighter body, models, in both gasoline and way. The A5 was the last have to feel it.
items such as the axles and “Our test programs don’t
brakes could also be slimmed New direction? get shorter, we just do more
down as their load demands fine tuning,” he explains.
were consequently reduced. One technology that’s “We had it in the A3 years The physical testing was
helping the A6 post ago,” he points out. “What’s
Safety features could also be headline figures such as really new about this system
aided by clever use of test
optimized for the lighter weight, 57mpg-plus and 129g/km of is the loading points, as we mules. Using special welding
but the safety test program was CO2 is its electromechanical have more forces. We learned techniques, the team was able
as heavyweight as ever. The power steering system. a lot during the testing of this.” to mount a previous-shape A6
requirements of the A6 were This is the same system used The only problem during body to the new chassis in
decided using findings from the on the A7, which is claimed testing of the system was such a way that it exactly
Audi Accident Research Unit, to benefit fuel economy by around energy management. replicated the feel and
up to 0.3l/100km. When carrying out parking
which studies real-life accidents stiffness of the new body. The
Chassis engineer Jörg Starr maneuvers, the steering
involving Audis, and analyzes is unfazed by the technology. system drained power needed result of all this development?
accident databases. More He explains that the steering by other systems, such as the “This is the most advanced
than 4,000 crash simulations system is not new. satnav, lights, and HVAC. Audi you can buy today,”
were carried out on virtual says Starr. ‹
MARCH 2011
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WHAT’S NEW
Volvo’s big rig

The rig has been dimensioned
to handle full-scale tests with
axle installations up to a 32-tonne
bogie. The rig sits on a flat bed
of steel that is bolted to a 980-tonne
concrete foundation
To increase payload capacities for its demanding customers,

Volvo has developed what it claims is the world’s largest test rig
With profit margins as subjected to the stresses The time savings,

low as 2%, many European Making tracks encountered during real-life compared with the testing of
haulage firms are keen to Real-life tests are done
operation (see Making Tracks box, axles and suspensions out on
increase the load capacity of at Volvos’ proving left), with the data then entered the test track, are invaluable.
their trucks. To meet this ground in Hällered, Sweden. into the test rig to create The shorter test duration on
demand, Volvo is investing “We put trucks through duplicate inputs. The rig is the rig also makes it possible
heavily in weight-optimizing as many different operating operated from a control room to release new features and
its trucks from the wheels up. environments as possible with a signal amplifier and products much sooner.
This work calls for an to replicate our customers’ control electronics where Without test rigs and test
everyday operations around
exceptional test rig. programming of the various tracks, it might take five to 10
the world,” explains test
“Volvo has the world’s largest engineer Magnus Larsson. driving environment profiles years to test a new, lighter axle
test rig for axles and suspension “There are potholes, hills, is dialled in. Once all the design, according to Volvo.
systems. No other rig can deal washboard surfaces, sharp installations and control On the proving ground, the
with such massive forces as our bends, acceleration and programs are ready, what test process would take six to
rig can,” reveals Göran braking sequences… remains is monitoring and 12 months, whereas the test
Johansson, head of Volvo Trucks’ “While all this is going adjustments during the course rig can complete the same test
department for durability testing on, we record the vehicle’s of the test. in two months. Moreover, the
progress in the form of digital
of axles, suspension units, signals, which we copy and
“It’s similar to working in rig offers greater precision.
steering and brakes. convert into a program that mission control at a rocket site,” “Our measurements are
Volvo’s new weight-optimized we replicate in the test rig.” says test engineer Emil Skoog, precise to within about 1%,”
materials and designs had to be who is responsible for the rig. states Skoog. ‹
The SETscan is a high

frequency optical patternator
used for the quality audit of
fuel injectors and nozzles.
The SETscan patternator
provides planar drop surface
area of the spray.
The features include:
• +/- 2% Accuracy
• +/- 1% Repeatability
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WHAT’S NEW
The best get better

They’ve been crowned the best in their respective fields, so what’s next for the winners
of our 2010 Automotive Testing Technology International Awards? Read on to find out
how the best are getting even better…
Engine Test Facility of the Year CAE Innovation of the Year

Toyota Motorsport GmbH Horiba
Our Engine Test Facility Having won its category,
of the Year has reported Horiba’s engineers have
a very successful first year not been resting on their
as a service supplier, with its laurels. For 2011, Horiba has
F1-spec equipment attracting added additional functionality
several customers. to Virtual Battery with a short-
Speaking at the end of 2010, term current and voltage
TMG’s first year of operation as availability predictor which
an open facility, Jens Marquardt, increases BMS flexibility.
who was general manager of The advanced Virtual Battery
business development until Simulation Solution continues
the start of this year, stated, to be an excellent option to
“This has been a breakthrough ATTI’s Graham Heeps gave the award
shorten development times
year for us. We faced many and reduce costs for OEM Left to right: Rex Tapp (executive
to Peer Pfeilmaier, head of engine R&D
VP and general manager) , Norm
challenges in 2009 when our and powertrain development
Newberger (manager of drivetrain
F1 participation ended, but more large long-term projects partners, leading universities,
research and development), and
we met them with courage and for both external clients and and on-road truck Ken Mitera (general manager, ATS)
optimism. Now our hard work the Toyota family. manufacturers. While it is
is delivering results, so we There has also been some common practice for EV, PHEV, Battery removes the physical
can look back with satisfaction restructuring at TMG, with and HEV powertrain developers battery from the powertrain
on the last 12 months. Marquardt leaving to become to approximate battery voltage test cell and safely provides
“However, although we are head of BMW Motorsport, being in the lab, this type of complete current, power,
on course to meet our year-one replaced by Sebastian Janssen. simulation lacks real-world voltage, and thermal
goals, we still have challenging In other departments, Pascal accuracy. Horiba’s Virtual performance.
targets ahead of us in year two Vasselon, formerly general
so there is no respite in our manager of chassis, takes on
efforts. We must continue to a new role as technical director.
grow our third-party business Ludwig Zeller is to take on extra Person of the Year
by demonstrating the quality responsibility within the electric
Dick Glover, McLaren
and range of our services.” and electronics department,
Targets for 2011 include in order to strengthen TMG’s
McLaren Automotive’s developing the MP4-12C
expanding TMG’s range of position in EV technology
technical director, Dick supercar: it is now being
services and delivering yet and support services.
Glover, has seen the ultimate introduced to the market and
reward for his efforts in will be distributed through
a new international network
Hardware Innovation of the Year of dealerships. Manufacturing
of the car is due to commence in
EYE Lighting May 2011, in a bespoke Norman
Foster-designed factory, the
Winning this category has UV energy, meaning that it can £40 million (approx US$64.1
been a great boost for EYE simulate three years of outdoor million) McLaren Production
Lighting International of North exposure in just nine days. Centre, which sits alongside the
America, with even more Tom Salpietra, CEO of EYE company’s Technology Centre
interest being generated for its Lighting, says, “We are pleased in Woking, UK, where initial
SUV-W151 super-acceleration that Automotive Testing models are currently being
UV chamber. Technology International assembled.
The chamber is impressing recognized our technology. The Glover’s work does not end
customers with its ability to automotive industry has some of there. Our Person of the Year
provide acceleration factors the most rigorous testing in the is currently working on variants
that are more than 10-times that world, and we believe our UV of the MP4-12C, due for launch
of xenon chambers. In addition, weathering chamber can also in coming years. A version
the chamber can deliver more be used to improve the quality Glover’s development work on MP4- featuring hybrid technology is
than 30-times natural sunlight of products in other industries.” 12C is being praised in initial road tests rumored to be in development.
MARCH 2011
Crash Test Facility of the Year, Company of the Year
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas
Following its double victory, installation (Chery Automobile’s
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas is facility) have captured
proud to announce that it has been manufacturers’ attention due
working on three new full-scale to the high accuracies obtained,
crash test facilities, which will be which, in combination with all
ready to use in early 2012. Two subsystems integration, define
well-known car manufacturers and a new reference within the sector.
one official institute are relying on Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas
Aries technology to take a step has expressed its gratitude for
forward with their own full-scale this magazine’s recognition, and
crash test capabilities. is making a strong commitment
The state-of-the-art technologies to keep developing its products
put in practice at Aries Ingeniería in order to exceed customer
y Sistemas’s flagship crash test expectations.
Chery Automobile is happy with its crash test facility, supplied by an award-winning company
Proving Ground of the Year

Arctic Falls
Currently in the middle of its This can be used for tasks such as
busy season, our Proving locating rattle and noise problems
Ground of the Year is enjoying in the interior.
healthy bookings at all its facilities. Investments are also being made
“Because we have such a good in new equipment for measuring
booking situation, we have made tire noise inside vehicles in both
a big investment,” explains Jonas cold and warm climates, and Jalar
Jalar, owner of Arctic Falls. “We and his team are looking into the
have bought 40ha of land that is possibility of measuring stud force
perfect for making a new winter from studded tires in static mode.
test proving ground. It is a fenced “With this equipment we could
area with some infrastructure in help customers to optimize the
place such as optical fiber, relationship between stud
electricity, etc.” protrusion, stud force, ice grip, and
The company has also built a new noise in the vehicle,” states Jalar.
vibration test track, designed to The services the company offers
excite a frequency sweep with the are also being expanded; it now
vehicle traveling at constant speed. offers complete vehicle testing.
OPINION
SUPERCHARGING SIMULATION
It’s been almost three years since So why am I disappointed? It’s because to see the big picture. You see, in the
I presented in this journal my vision simulation can be used to supercharge complicated world of vehicle design
of end-to-end engineering simulation the entire product development process, few, if any, engineers in large companies
by applying my ‘Zeroth Law’ for product enabling products to be developed more understand the end-to-end process. Smaller
lifecycle management (PLM): one set of quickly, at lower cost, and with higher companies and the numerous startups don’t
data, shared by all in real time; in the quality. I believe the ‘Great Recession’ have the time or resources to reinvent the
way each individual needs to see it. de-emphasized the need for speed, as process. To improve, one has to understand
Unfortunately, it seems that little progress programs were delayed or cancelled. the current process and redesign it before
has been made in the intervening years, Smaller staffs had to hunker down to using simulation tools to make the process
despite the availability of tools that could execute the business at hand, leaving more efficient.
make such a vision a reality. little time to think about how to do things So what is the answer? First: a little
That is not to say that great strides in more efficiently. benchmarking of fast-moving industries,
simulation have not been made, examples Don’t believe me? Ask Takeshi such as smartphones would provide insight
of which are given in this issue. A recent Uchiyamada, newly appointed head into more streamlined processes that
tour of Detroit’s North American International of Toyota’s R&D: “On the front lines of take advantage of the latest simulation
Auto Show showcased many new manufacturing, improving efficiency is a technology. I believe the next step is to target
technologies that have been brought to daily activity… Then I came to research and a program and a team assigned to define the
market with the aid of advanced simulation: development and found that nothing similar current process, map out the new improved
direct injection and variable valvetrain was being done. The recent slump provides process, and then implement the production
engines, new transmissions, safety systems, a perfect opportunity to “engage in activities program from beginning to end. Hopefully,
and vehicle electrification. Engineers will tell aimed at improving R&D productivity”. He it won’t take another three years to see my
you that the new simulation tools are easier is projecting a 30% improvement by 2012. vision fulfilled. ‹
to use, quicker, and more accurate. Software If you ask PLM developers such as
Chris Theodore has more than 30 years’
suppliers will tell you that they are answering Dassault, they will tell you that new tools experience in automotive development,
their customer’s needs – and they are! are available, but it is hard to get customers including stints at each of the Big Three
“If you ask PLM developers such as Dassault,

they will tell you that new tools are
available, but it is hard to get customers
to see the big picture”
march 2011
TURN-KEY TEST SYSTEMS INGENIERIA Y SISTEMAS, S.A.
PASSIVE SAFETY www.aries.com.es

Crash
test
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the year
FUll-scale crash test Facility

Universal laUncher
Pendulum for bumper testing (Pedestrian & interior testing)
hMi lighting
crash simulation systems: (Whiplash servosled...)
seat and head restraint static loading test system
auxiliary equipments
ACTIVE SAFETY
Company of the Year Crash Test Facility of the Year

Autonomous
vehicle for
Crash Test Facility of the Year ADAs testing
Company of the Year
PB GUIA 215X275.indd 6 02/02/11 15:24
OPINION
spinning in a winter wonderland

Whenever I ask engineers if simulation Now, compared with territories where My own front-wheel-drive car, which has
can totally replace physical testing, deep snow and ice is a regular seasonal traction control but is not fitted with winter
there nearly always appears to be a powerful hazard, the UK didn’t have that much snow. tires, proved surprisingly capable in the
reluctance to say either yes or no… It comes What it did have was a fleet of vehicles, and conditions. It proved to me that technology
across as much more than a question of their drivers, seemingly totally ill-equipped can – and does – have an important role in
being genuinely unsure about whether to deal with the conditions. And the providing better vehicles.
virtual testing can, or will, take over country’s government wasn’t much help, Clearly it’s all but impossible to design
completely. It seems to be a case of the head with the transport minister actually saying a car that is brilliant in all conditions. I saw
wanting to say yes while the heart wants that winter tires – perhaps THE single most large 4x4s on very wide summer tires
to say no. Or, quite possibly, it could be the effective way of overcoming some of the struggling to get grip, while a 50-year-old
other way round. It doesn’t really matter. hazards of low temperatures and snow – Land Rover on narrow ‘M+S’ tires happily
Either way, I’m still firmly convinced that were not suitable for vehicles in Britain! negotiated the same stretch of road without,
for all the speed and savings in time and Some insurance companies even suggested the driver assured me, the need to engage
costs that simulation and virtual proving that motorists who fitted winter tires might all-wheel-drive or diff locks! I also saw, quite
appear to offer a beleaguered automotive invalidate their cover because the tires frighteningly as it was on a collision course
industry, there is no substitute for driving ‘constituted a modification of the vehicle’. with my own car, an Audi TT whose ABS
prototype vehicles in real-world conditions. Fortunately, the tire industry – which system had confused the driver, who was
And I’m not just advocating proving has been promoting the virtues of winter trying to stop her wayward coupe. “It seemed
grounds, whose facilities can expedite tires after last year’s snowy conditions – to accelerate,” she told me, unaware that
development due to the ability to repeat tests very quickly set the record straight. And a ABS doesn’t help in such conditions.
over and over again. No, I’m talking about lot of UK drivers will now be thinking about But do you know what has upset me most
the real ‘real world’. Public roads, where buying a set of winter tires for future hard during our snowy period? When the snow
vehicles will live their lives, serve their winters. Not a bad idea when you consider started to melt and the roads became filthy,
purpose and succeed or, quite possibly, fail. that a two-wheel-drive vehicle running on the design of door closures resulted in the
This came home to me recently when, winter tires has better all-round traction transfer of mud to one’s legs.
for the second winter in succession, the and grip than a 4x4 on summer tires. Many years ago, companies such as
UK suffered exceptionally cold conditions Many 4x4 drivers discovered during the Volvo, Saab, and Rover designed their cars
and heavy falls of snow, with the result that snow that even with each wheel connected so that the door sill was protected and was
the transport system almost came to a halt. to the engine, they were no better off than kept clean. I don’t see that sort of thinking
It wasn’t just the roads that were paralyzed, most other motorists. Pictures in the media design much today. And if we overlook such
but railways and airports, too. However, of crashed vehicles showed that a high basics, what else is being overlooked? ‹
it’s the effect on road transport that percentage were 4x4s – a result, perhaps,
Keith was communications manager at MIRA
concerned me most. of a false sense of security on drivers’ part? before becoming an industry commentator
“It seems to be a case of the head

wanting to say yes while the heart
wants to say no. Or, quite possibly,
it could be the other way round”
MARCH 2011
‘The most important dates for
your diary in 2011’
‘Die wichtigsten Termine für

Ihren Kalender 2011’
‘ I am impressed with the Expo.

There are a lot of good ideas here.
We have to look at the ideas of suppliers
and other OEMs. We want to be the best
so we have to think about everything
Dr Gerrit Kiesgen,
’
general manager, BMW
ASK THE EXPERTS
What is the most difficult aspect
of developing a vehicle?
Audi Lotus
Jörg Starr Richard Hill
project manager, chassis development chief engineer, vehicle development
“Electric steering needs a lot of power. “Timing and test scheduling. With the
This is a problem during parking, when the drive to compress development and
engine is at very low revolutions and at the validation cycles and reduce the number
same time the 1,000W stereo, headlights, of physical prototypes to a minimum,
etc, also all need power. In discussion with scheduling the necessary tests within the
our electronics department, we overcome this issue availability of suitable level prototypes is becoming
with energy management, maybe sending power from more and more difficult. Prototype multitasking and
the stereo or heater to the steering during parking.” careful control is a necessity.”
Porsche Toyota
Dr Michael Leiters Yutaka Matsumoto
hybrid development project general manager
“The electric car is probably the future, “I think there should be some consensus
but the biggest problem is battery between the law makers – different
technology. If you’re in California it’s fine – markets, new laws, and various
always 25-30°C and no problems. But if governments sometimes all look for
you’re in Sweden or England, the batteries different things, which is not easy for
just don’t work very well at the moment at cold the car makers.”
temperatures.”
association for standardisation of automation and measuring systems
Quality driven by ASAM Standards
For 20 years, OEMs and suppliers (TIER-1 and TIER-2) Our standards apply to
have been jointly creating reliable and sustainable l vehicle ECU development
standards to master the complexity of data models, l data exchange, acquisition, and management
interfaces, and syntax specifications, thus increasing
l test bed automation
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Today, these ASAM standards are indispensable in the l analysis of measured data
areas of vehicle development, production, and service. l simulation rum
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MARCH 2011
‘Bigger and better
than ever before’
‘Noch größer,
noch besser’
‘There are many manufacturers

of machinery and parts, and it is
very interesting. I didn’t think ASAM (Association for Standardisation of
it would be so large. It is such Automation and Measuring Systems) will once
’
again jointly host the Open Technology Forum
an interesting place at Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2011.
Following the huge success at Automotive
Testing Expo last year, ASAM has put together
Bernd Eberle, a comprehensive three-day Open Technology
project manager, Forum with presentations from leading OEMs
BMW M GmbH and Tier 1 and 2 suppliers.
The Open Technology Forum is free of
charge to attend, and will commence each
morning of the show.
N rU
lO EW M NNI
Europe’s leading automotive testing, evaluation CA N
TE ESS G A
Db ES TT
and quality engineering trade fair y T TUT HE
HE TG
AIr Ar
PO T,
rT
May 17, 18 and 19, 2011

Stuttgart Messe, Stuttgart, Germany
register for your FrEE entry pass/badge NOW online at

www.testing-expo.com
AUTOMOTIVE TESTING EXPO EUrOPE 2011
Abinger House, Church Street,
Dorking, Surrey, rH4 1DF, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1306 743744
Fax: +44 (0) 1306 877411
email: expo@ukintpress.com www.testing-expo.com
T,
‘Focused’ ‘relevant’
‘Unmissable’
‘Zielgenau’ ‘relevant’
‘Ein Muss’
‘ It is useful, with a lot of exhibitors.

It gives us some ideas
’
Vincent Jacquier,
mechanical chief engineer,
PSA Peugeot Citroën
10 QUESTIONS
Jörg Starr
Project manager, chassis development, Audi
Why did you end up working University. My first [automotive] development, the biggest challenge
in the automotive industry? experience was at Mercedes-Benz, then is to get the right balance between
My mother told me that when I was Smart, and for the last four years I’ve been all areas of vehicle development. We
three I knew the name of every car with Audi. discuss body development, electrical
I saw, from an Opel Kadett to a Mercedes- development, and engine development,
Benz. I have always been interested Why did you choose chassis and try to get the right balance
in cars and knew I wanted to work development? between all these departments to
with them. I’m interested in motorsports, and get the absolute best for the car.
I raced motorcycles when I was young. That’s one of the biggest challenges.
What was your career path With motorsport experience you find Sometimes the chassis department
to your current job? you can be much faster if you have the wins, sometimes not. But I don’t just
I started as a mechanic in the aircraft right chassis setup, and so my interest want the chassis department to win:
industry. I didn’t want to be a car developed in chassis topics. But I don’t I want the best for the car.
mechanic as I thought being an aircraft want to move into motorsport just yet.
mechanic was a better job. I wanted At the moment I’m responsible for What is the best lab to real-world
to be an engineer, but first I wanted sporty car chassis such as the R8, test ratio?
a practical job in engineering because which is fun. Chassis work is always carried out on
I think it’s better to be an engineer who the road, but we do a lot of testing in the
can use his hands. Then I began to study What are the biggest challenges labs, especially for testing component
mechanical engineering, especially of your job? durability. Fine-tuning is always done
chassis technology, at TU Dortmund Being responsible for chassis on the road, though.
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MARCH 2011
10 QUESTIONS
“In 20-30 years’ time perhaps there will
be no gasoline engines – perhaps no
wheels! Anything is possible”
What could legislators do to I’m not a natural, it’s down to training. If someone had said 20 years ago
make your working life easier? I have a little bit of talent but it’s mostly that everyone would have a cell phone
CO2 targets will keep getting higher. You training. If you have a good trainer and today, you would have said it was
can see this with the new A6 – to meet a lot of kilometers with him/her, you’ll impossible. Now almost everyone has
legislation we reduced the CO2 emissions become a better driver. one. My friend’s daughter, who is aged
and made sure the car was lighter. 10, asked me if it was true that 20 years
Legislation does not create problems, What are your plans for ago cell phones didn’t have cameras.
though, just challenges that make us work the future? She couldn’t believe that 20 years
better. Everyone wants to reduce CO2 We have a small project inside our chassis ago we didn’t have cell phones at all,
emissions, but in my opinion, I want to development department, called Chassis just one fixed telephone on a table
have fun when driving a car. This is still 2020+6. This is a very fun project, with at home.
possible with lower emissions. a young team of engineers. We think
about the car of the future, and what Will test programs be quicker
What is your favorite place customers will need. It’s a lot of fun. to complete in 2020?
in the world to test cars? You can do crazy things and create I don’t think they will be quicker. We will
I love testing in Sweden because some ideas, even though you might not know use more data and computer testing, so
of the surfaces have nearly zero friction. how to make them real. I am very we will start physical testing at a more
It is a lot of fun to drive on snow and ice. interested in working on cars for the advanced point, but this testing will take
future. In 20-30 years’ time perhaps there the same amount of time. It’s fine-tuning,
Is your skill on ice due to will be no gasoline engines – perhaps which you can’t do by computer. You
natural talent or training? no wheels! Anything is possible. have to feel the car.
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MARCH 2011 025
ALEX GEISLER Ask Alex
Ask Alex recall roundup
When is it too late to The latest automotive recall news for
Europe and North America during the
avoid litigation? first quarter of 2011
In the time-honored tradition, I am going to start
by rephrasing the question. When is the first Make Model(s) Concern
chance to avoid litigation? The answer is, in old Fiat 500, Grande and Evo Wrong airbag may deploy in
parlance, while gathered around the drawing board. Punto, Abarth 500 a collision
I continue to draw disapproving glances and the and Abarth Evo Punto
occasional raised eyebrow from the engineering Mercedes- Sprinter, Viano, Vito Oil may leak
community by asserting that the best way to avoid Benz
litigation is to make better cars. That implicates
Jeep Cherokee Front suspension arm may separate
pre-eminent design coupled with excellent testing
and outstanding build quality. Now, to be fair, a great Citroën C2, C3, C3 Pluriel, Lights may fail without warning
many manufacturers aspire to and achieve all of those C8, Dispatch III
things and still get sued. Which brings us back to: Dodge Caliber Accelerator pedal may fail to return
when is it too late to avoid litigation? To this question, to idle
the answer is – never.
Aston DB9, V8 Vantage, Steering may be affected
It is axiomatic that quality assurance, product Martin DBS Coupé
enhancement, and safety monitoring never stop.
This is why product evaluation starts, in earnest, with Rolls- Phantom Possible reduction in brake
Royce servo assistance
product release. It is also why so many manufacturers
look closely at warranty statistics, operate safety Iveco Stralis Steering control could be lost
committees, and so on. All these measures are forms
Proton Gen-2 and Neo Short circuit may occur
of litigation avoidance.
Then it comes to the letters of complaint. Naturally Mercedes- Atego Fuel tank may leak
these reflect the full range of personality types, from Benz
those with legitimate grievances to those with Tesla Roadster Short circuit may occur
significant personality disorders, whose biggest problem
Volvo V60, V70, XC70, Wheel may become loose
is a vulnerability to being beguiled by the media and the S80, XC90
internet. And that’s just the lawyers. Plainly, unless and
until the court seals the complaint, it is never too late to Renault Master Rear axle may fail
avoid litigation. And even then, when litigation is afoot, Mercedes- C-Class, E-Class Power-assisted steering may
it is never too late to think about settlement. Benz leak oil
Can a case really settle on the steps of the court?
Peugeot Bipper, 207 Engine may fail
Of course – and a depressing number of cases do just
that. I have even known cases to settle after the trial, Toyota Lexus IS220d, IS250, Brake master cylinder may fail
in the time lag when the evidence is in but before the GS300, RX300
judgment is given out. This is a part of the case which BMW 5, 6, 7 Series Possible reduction in brake
soccer pundits would probably call a ‘corridor of servo assistance
uncertainty’.
Volvo S80, V70, XC70, Engine may cut out
I have even settled a case after the draft judgment XC60, S60, V60
had been circulated by the trial judge; the parties simply
agreed to their own terms and persuaded the judge not Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6, Fire may occur
Range Rover Sport
to ‘hand down’ his findings formally. After all, for most TDV6
manufacturers, it is not just the emerging judgment
that causes cold sweats at night, it is the potential Fiat 500, Panda Loss of steering control
knock-on consequences of it. Ford Focus 1.6 diesel Risk of fire
automatic
Mercedes- Vito, Viano Rear window may detach
Benz
Volvo S80, V70, XC70, Engine speed may increase
XC60 without warning
Alexander M. Geisler is a partner at Duane Morris.
HeHehas
has2020years
years’of experience in the automotive sector Nissan Micra, Pathfinder Engine may stall and fail to restart
and is retained by OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, Peugeot 308 Brake may be inadvertently applied
test
test facilities,
facilities and engineering companies. He is our
resident legal columnist. ��
Alex can be reached at Mazda Pickup Gearbox may not perform correctly
amgeisler@duanemorris.com, +44 20 2077786
786 2111
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PROVING GROUNDS
Dana divests
proving ground
PUNE – Work has started
in India on a US$20
million technical center for
Dana Holding Corporation.
Award winner The new facility is Dana’s 15th

technical center globally and
expands
will provide design, testing,
and analytical support for
each of Dana’s primary
markets: automotive, Meanwhile, the 320-acre
ÄLVSBYN – Arctic Falls, to let us know their wishes – and commercial, and off-highway. former Dana Corporation test
winner of the 2010 we will provide our expertise It is expected to be operational track and technical center
Automotive Testing and experience in building and by the end of 2011. site in Whiteford Township,
Technology International Proving developing the test facilities. The project was launched Michigan – on the market
Ground of the Year Award, has “The area has good conditions with a ground-breaking since 2007 when the company
been buying land to expand for heavy vehicle and tire testing. ceremony in December. “A was in bankruptcy protection –
its facilities for winter testing. It is located in Älvsbyn, where ground-breaking [ceremony] has been sold for US$1.95
CEO Jonas Jalar said we have ‘real’ winters with both is typically about putting million. Once the jewel in
completion of the strategic snow and cold. There are good down roots,” said Dana’s chief Dana’s technology crown, the
land purchase in Sweden land conditions for tracks, and technology and quality officer, site was opened in 1969 with
would enable Arctic Falls to an infrastructure that includes George Constand. “But, given two test tracks – a two-mile
meet demand from customers. electricity, fiber optics, and our widespread presence concrete oval and a 3.5-mile
“We have bought Nattbergs fencing, etc. It has everything in India, today’s ceremony circuit with cobblestones,
Plantskola, an area with unique needed to build a cost-effective is really about extending our mud holes, and other features
possibilities for creating a winter and efficient winter test facility.” local roots. This new technical designed to simulate off-road
proving ground for testing heavy In a separate development, center will enable Dana to conditions. Purchased by local
vehicles or tires,” he revealed. a Frequency Sweep Excitation serve the expanding needs development company MITRP,
“We are inviting interested Test Track has been constructed of one of the world’s strongest the site is likely to become
companies to discuss this by Arctic Falls at the Vitberget growth markets.” a business park.
opportunity. We want them Proving Ground.
Positive times at MIRA NCCAR approaches completion

LONDON – If recent GARYSBURG – Progress cameras fully activated.
results at MIRA are continues at the newest As Automotive Testing went
anything to go by, the proving ground in the USA, to press, a GPS base station
automotive industry is the North Carolina Center was due to be installed for
accelerating out of recession. for Automotive Research, accurate positioning data
In his Christmas address to as phase one approaches the as well as a timing loop for
employees, CEO Dr George first anniversary of the first recording lap times.
Gillespie described a year customer taking to its tracks. COO Simon Cobb said the
of recovery, full order books, The two-mile road course center was keen to move on to
healthy staff bonuses, and ground activities. And for and buildings are complete, the next phase. “We’re talking
excellent future prospects. the increasing numbers of and high-tech safety systems to private investors and that’s
As well as proposals for customer engineers visiting have been installed. In looking quite promising,
a new office complex on the site, MIRA is planning addition, the entire range of although it’s early days.”
the 750-acre site, company to incorporate a hotel within the Hunter chassis equipment Almost 400 drivers have
executives have managed its US$395 million overall – including a ‘no-touch’ tire- used the center since March
to secure rights to acquire investment program. changing station, a road-force 2010 and 745 visitors have
areas of land adjacent to Meanwhile, engineering dynamic balancer, and an been welcomed to the site.
its boundary that will help director Graham Townsend 18,000 lb capacity alignment Cobb says that eventually
to accommodate future is scouring the industry for system – have been fitted. there will be a grand opening,
developments. One of the key top-flight personnel. “We have The center’s advanced IT but he’s not saying when.
new buildings will be a state- 50 vacancies at the moment infrastructure is complete, “We want to be able to
of-the-art control tower to and are having to look hard with WiFi going live across demonstrate full capability
organize and monitor proving for the right people,” he said. the entire site and video when we formally open.”
Proving ground directory

› Aberdeen Test Center › CERAM › Keweenaw Research Center › PMG Technologies › Southwest Research
www.atc.army.mil www.ceram-mortefontaine.fr www.mtukrc.org/school.htm www.pmgtest.com www.swri.org
› ACTS › Cooper Tire & Vehicle › Magna Steyr › Prodrive › Southern Hemisphere
www.acts.de Test Center www.magnasteyr.com www.prodrive.com Proving Ground
› Arctic Falls AB www.tvtc.us › MIRA › Prototipo www.shpg.co.nz
www.arcticfalls.se › Dayton T. Brown www.mira.co.uk www.prototipo.org › TNO Automotive
› Arctic Testing Services www.daytontbrown.com › MGA Research › Smithers Winter www.automotive.tno.nl
www.arctictesting.fi › Defiance Testing www.mgaresearch.com Test Center › Transportation Research
› Arjeplog Test Center & Engineering › Michigan Proving Ground www.wintertesting.com www.trcpg.com
www.arjeplogtestcenter.com www.defiancetest.com www.testprofessionals.com
› ATP Papenburg › IDIADA › Millbrook Further grounds are listed at
www.atp-papenburg.com www.idiada.com www.millbrook.co.uk www.automotivetestingtechnologyinternational.com
› Bosch › Gerotek Test › Nevada Automotive If you would like your facility to be included in the Automotive Testing
www.bosch.us Facilities Test Center Technology International proving grounds directory, please contact Jason
www.gerotek.co.za www.natc-ht.com Sullivan on: +44 1306 743744, or email: jason.sullivan@ukipme.com
MARCH 2011
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INTERVIEW
MARCH 2011
INTERVIEW
One vision
GM’s engineering chief, Karl Stracke, wants each of his global development centers
to develop vehicles to the same high standards. And he has big plans for China
WORDS BY GRAHAM HEEPS
A little more than 12 months after taking over he says with sincerity. “We have a clear mission: to design,
from Mark Reuss as General Motors’ (GM) vice develop, make and sell the best vehicles in the world.
president of global vehicle engineering, German- We’ve never had this vision before, our ‘slogan’ ran for a
born Karl Stracke has already forged a reputation as a couple of pages. Now we have one sentence and it’s no
revealing interviewee. In that time, this Corvette-driving, different for the engineers in Korea, China, Brazil, at
Harley-riding, Nürburgring-loving, self-confessed ‘car Holden [in Australia], in Rüsselsheim, or wherever we
guy’ has made headlines by criticizing the outgoing design products.
Chevrolet Cobalt in front of the press. The Detroit News “We want to create the best vehicles in every segment
reported him saying, “Look at this car, it’s horrible. How going forward, and this is taken very seriously now. In the
did this get through so many people?” past, we had a ‘mediocre’ strategy, we always wanted to be
In comments repeated to Automotive Testing Technology in the middle of the segments. There wasn’t a winning
International at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, Stracke mentality in the company; nor was it in the leadership. So
hinted that the next generation of GM range-extender was it a big mistake that some people left? No, it was the
engines could be something more radical than an inline- right thing to do. Now we simply want to win in every
four – perhaps a turbocharged twin or a rotary. And he’s segment, with every product that we bring out. We want to
also scotched rumors that the next Corvette will be mid- win in terms of quality and reliability, engine performance,
engined, and indicated that a hybrid powertrain could the interior, aerodynamics and mass, with [the best] fuel
make sense for future sports cars. economy as the outcome. We want to provide customers
Having spent some time in his company, I can vouch with a much more attractive package than in the past.”
for Stracke’s straight talking. But it’s accompanied by a A fully integrated global engineering setup is key to GM
passion for his job and for the challenge GM has set itself reaching that goal. It is no coincidence that Stracke held a
to build the world’s best vehicles. number of senior vehicle development positions in
“When I get up in the morning I want to work hard Germany and the USA prior to being appointed to his
during the day to deliver the best cars for General Motors,” current post.
“We have a clear mission: to design,

develop, make and sell the best
vehicles in the world. We’ve never
had this vision before, our ‘slogan’
ran for a couple of pages”
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INTERVIEW
“Our global engineering organization is very nicely the company’s development centers in the world it emerges ABOVE: Stracke next
connected now,” says Stracke, summing up what has been from – as Stracke acknowledges. to a Cadillac CTS,
an example of GM’s
achieved already. “The engineers can talk to each other “We have recently changed our integration strategy widening reach
24/7. We have ‘mass creation’, so that when a guy creates because we need to be stronger in terms of how we integrate around the world
something in one region, people in the other regions can the car,” he reveals. “That was still a weakness because in
see it immediately. We are also closely knitted together in the design and development of a vehicle, it’s the integration
terms of simulation, and have been for some years. that makes a difference. The integration piece is a core
“This process [of integration] has been ongoing for competency of a [car] company.
some time but we’ve now refined it in terms of who does “Take the Volt. Our requirements were very clear – we
what. We have aligned creative responsibilities to the didn’t want to hear anything when you drive.”
engineering centers. For example, within Europe it’s purely He drops his voice to a whisper: “There needs to be
the Delta [compact] platform. In North America, we have silence in the car!”
the [mid-size] Sigma, and also the majority of the truck “And we achieved that,” he continues. “But you need to
architectures. In Brazil we have the mid-size truck program drive the requirements down to the subcomponents in
and in Korea the small-car architecture. In China, we’re order to understand what noise level is acceptable or not.
considering a small, emerging-market platform that is a So your intelligence is not just in designing a brake system,
possible global architecture for the future.” an engine, or an interior, but how you make these operate
However, GM has yet to reach the point where the with each other.
quality of the product is the same, regardless of which of “I think the strength of our organization is the capability
Queen B
There has been another expectations,” says Barra. resources, which she
major new appointment “I’m excited by the opportunity accepted in 2009 to initiate
at the General, in the form associated with this new change in the company’s
of Mary Barra, who is now challenge and pleased to culture during the largest
senior vice president of be joining such a strong restructuring in GM’s
global product development, team with deep technical history. Prior to that, she was
in charge of design, knowledge and experience.” VP of global manufacturing
engineering, program Barra, who joined GM in engineering, with past
management and quality of 1980, has moved to this role positions including plant
vehicles for GM’s 11 brands from the position of vice manager, executive director
around the world. With more president of global human of competitive operations
than 36,000 members, her engineering, and director
team will also manage global
strategic product alliances.
“Knowing that today’s global customer of internal communications
for GM North America.
“Knowing that today’s global expects even more from their GM vehicle Barra will report to
customer expects even more Daniel Akerson, himself
from their GM vehicle means means we have to work harder than recently promoted from CEO to
we have to work harder than
ever to exceed those ever to exceed those expectations” chairman, and will also serve
on GM’s Executive Committee.
march 2011 033
INTERVIEW
of our engineering centers to integrate it. How we do it is

to have core expertise developed mainly in Europe and Born again… and again
North America, and have those guys jump in and help the
other regions to execute cars, because my capability level For evidence of how GM’s interior, powertrains, and NVH
global development strategy performance specific to the North
is not the same all around the globe. I expect each area to is working in practice, look no American market. Pre-production
be fully competent in everything, but they are not there yet, further than Buick, whose US cars are currently being built,
so they borrow from other centers to get the same standards model line-up has been revitalized ahead of a market launch before
around the globe. by the introduction of models the end of 2011.
“In the past we left them alone. For example, in Korea based on platforms used by GM According to Jim Federico,
we said ‘OK, you do this small car and deliver it to the elsewhere in the world. Sales vehicle chief engineer for Verano,
other regions’. Wow – what a mistake! The problem was were up 52% in 2010, making GM’s recent upheaval makes it
it the USA’s fastest-growing hard to put a firm start date on
that the integration level was not good enough for highly
car manufacturer. the Verano project, but a US
mature markets such as western Europe, and in the The latest recruit is the Verano, version of the compact platform
competitive tests we were ranked second, third or fourth. an Audi A3-chasing compact was always in the plan.
We were not winning! I want to win going forward so we sedan that shares its platform “By utilizing global architecture,
have modified our strategy, integrating the sales area much with the Chevrolet Cruze, its we know we have a product that
more with the core competencies of my best experts.” sheet metal with the China-only will do very well at autobahn
Once its engineering centers are all producing vehicles Buick Excelle, and its Watts-link speeds, for example,” says
to the desired standard, GM will be well placed to reap the rear suspension with the Opel/ Federico. “That brings a lot
Vauxhall Astra, but has an of qualities down even to the
benefits of having engineering operations close to local
markets. China is the prime example.
“I can react immediately to market needs from a “By utilizing the global architecture,
customer point of view in China,” says Stracke. “We now we know we have a product that will
have 2,000 engineers at PATAC [GM’s Pan Asia Technical
Automotive Center in Shanghai] designing the Chinese do very well at autobahn speeds”
vehicles for me.
US road systems. Each launch
“Why? Because they are closer to the customer. I want
that happens [on the platform]
to be close to the customers; if I’m not, I don’t know what’s makes the next one easier.”
expected there so I don’t know what requirements to put Federico, who previously
into my programs going forward.” headed up the Insignia/Regal
GM China does not yet have the capability to engineer and LaCrosse programs, adds
hybrid and electric vehicles, but it will do, according to that the learning from the other
Stracke. The GM China Advanced Technical Center is recent Buicks have been fed
home to more than 70 labs and 300 staff, and is expected into the Verano’s development,
particularly in terms of NVH
to be completed by the end of this year. Stracke thinks performance, where his engineers
electric vehicles could comprise 20-30% of the car market are cementing a reputation for
in China by 2030, so it’s no wonder that GM is betting big quiet vehicles. They’ve compiled
on its alternative powertrain engineering. The Chevy Volt a portfolio of more than 50 Buick
is the torch-bearer! Quiet Enablers, from a European-
“The Volt costs US$41,000 right now, minus a US$7,500 style stiff body, to thick, acoustic
tax break. That’s probably not a sustainable situation – you laminate glass and liquid-applied
sound deadening.
can sell maybe 40-50,000 cars at that price, but not more.
We want to sell more, so the pressure is on to bring the
resources quite so aggressively toward electrification. In

Europe I see a 5-8% market share for electric vehicles by
“I want to be close to the customers; 2020; in North America, maybe 5%.
“In terms of electrification, I’m not happy where I am,
if I’m not, I don’t know what’s I’m just at the beginning. But even so, I consider GM to be
at the leading edge of electrification technology. We’re
expected there so I don’t know very proud of Volt because, with the exception of LG’s
what requirements to put into battery chemistry, it has all been developed internally.
I have a capability within my company that basically
my programs going forward” nobody else has in terms of electric motors, power control
software and the like. I have hundreds of software
engineers now, so we have all the knowledge internally
now of how to do power controls, for example.
technology quickly to the second and third generations in “We have a clear, diversified alternative propulsion
order to take the cost out. strategy to move away from a dependency on fossil fuel,”
“China knows it can never catch up on gasoline and says Stracke. “We start with EREVs, going to electric
diesel engines, so it is supporting electric vehicles very vehicles and many more hybrid vehicles (two-mode and
aggressively in its whole supply industry to try to leapfrog four-mode). We will see the hydrogen vehicle coming along
the industry in the segment,” he acknowledges. “They feel very soon too. We’re not giving information about dates,
they can lead in the future, whereas other organizations, but we’re working on it and we will be very competitive in
such as the European Union, have not directed their terms of when this car will come out.” ‹
march 2011
AERODYNAMICS
Fresh air The latest thinking in aerodynamics involves large volume

airflow visualization, synthetic jets, and helium bubbles,
according to Gianluca Orso-Fiet from MIRA
WORDS BY KEITH READ
MARCH 2011
AERODYNAMICS
With acute pressure on OEMs to drive down fuel and period, we are able to look at flow in more detail and An imposing shot of
consumption in the face of rising oil prices – not also see how aerodynamic forces change with time.” MIRA’s FSWT, where
cutting-edge aero
to mention the parallel focus on CO2 emission Data gathered from LVAV is also vitally important for the measurement
reduction offering dual benefits of cutting global warming validation of CFD work: “LVAV provides us with a better techniques are
and improved fuel economy – R&D specialists in many understanding of the flow structure in the vehicle wake. being introduced
disciplines are pushing the frontiers of technology. Not We get a more detailed understanding of the critical flow,
least of those challenged with the task of making cars enabling us to develop measures to reduce drag. The main
cleaner and more frugal are fluids engineering teams such idea is to get an insight into the flow structures in the
as those at MIRA, which, in addition to its physical test wake, which we haven’t really had until now. To date, the
facilities, is working hard in the virtual world. One of the standard approach within the industry has been to use
newest techniques under development that is showing steady-state simulation of the wake. But the wake of a
promising benefits, especially for vehicle stability, is large normal vehicle is highly transient.”
volume airflow visualization (LVAV). One of the challenges for aerodynamicists is the fact that
“We started looking at LVAV four years ago as part of air is invisible and they cannot easily ‘see’ what’s going on.
a research project,” explains MIRA’s senior aerodynamicist, Wind tunnels detect forces like downforce and drag, but
Gianluca Orso-Fiet. “During normal vehicle development, never explain how those forces are generated. To reveal the
steady-state measures are taken with sampling over one or flow structures involved, flow visualization is required.
two minutes. But, having updated the data-acquisition Existing techniques – wool tufts, fluorescent paint, smoke
system in the tunnel to increase the sampling frequency wands, laser doppler anemometry (LDA) or particle image
MARCH 2011 037
AERODYNAMICS
velocimetry (PIV) detect only what is happening on a says Orso-Fiet. “Often CFD results are validated against
surface, or in a small slice of the flow. MIRA’s system uses the force data generated by a wind tunnel balance, which
helium-filled bubbles and Hollywood-spec Vicon motion- could be just a small contact point under each wheel.
capture cameras, and is designed to provide aerodynamicists When there are discrepancies between the two sets of
with a large-section view in 3D. results, it is difficult to tell where the differences lie as the
The system works by seeding the wind tunnel airflow CFD data may have 100 million discreet data points and
with neutrally buoyant, 3mm bubbles that serve as targets the wind tunnel only four. Comparing only the global
to be tracked by a 12-camera array. Provided a minimum forces is a blunt tool. By understanding the wider flow
of two calibrated cameras see a bubble, a three-dimensional field, and superimposing this data on the CFD predictions,
fix is obtained using stereo-photogrammetry. we can see how the two compare.”
Each bubble is tracked, revealing where flows originate LVAV is just one technique that MIRA is using to help
from and how they interact with the bodywork and other improve vehicle aerodynamic efficiency.
structures within the flow field. The system is capable of “We’re looking at vehicles on the market today and
tracking hundreds of bubbles in real time, giving a much investigating new areas of development where there is the
greater understanding of how a vehicle’s aerodynamic potential to reduce drag,” says Orso-Fiet. “Will there be
properties are generated. An in-house code converts the any surprises as a result of our research? Possibly the
motion-capture data into the correct format required by vehicle shape, and I guess we’re moving toward a more
commercial post processing software. This has unlocked streamlined shape as a general trend. However, you have
the capability to compare virtual and experimental data limitations because of the styling of the vehicle, and
sets simultaneously in the same software environment. functionality. So we’re looking at some specific areas such
“Improvements in wind tunnel measurement techniques as wheel-arches to improve the flow in that area. Cooling
can have a wider impact on aerodynamic development,” intakes are something else we’re looking at; also the under-
floor, where we can work to make it as smooth as possible
and incorporate a gentle diffuser for reducing drag and
“Crosswind stability is very important creating as small a wake as possible.

“The wake is mainly where we have dissipation of
for large commercial vehicles such as energy, resulting in drag. The smaller the wake, the smaller
the wasted energy. We’re looking into new approaches
trucks and buses” such as air jets, or synthetic jets, to modify the flow
structure in the wake. Synthetic jets induce vibration,
which puts energy into the flow. You can change the flow
TOP AND ABOVE:

Thermal management
simulation forms part
of the work at the lab
RIGHT: Large volume
airflow visualization
(LVAV) in the full-scale
tunnel at MIRA
MARCH 2011
AERODYNAMICS
structure with that energy. Jets can be from pumped air or “And over the next five to 10 years, a Cd figure of 0.20 is
from small membranes, which vibrate. realistic,” he states.
“Vortex-generators are a big thing at the moment. They However, with what Orso-Fiet calls ‘a radical change’ –
are not new – one of the Mitsubishi Evo models used vortex such as wheel fairings – the figure could drop below 0.20,
generators above the rear screen in order to keep the flow which is what today’s concept cars are achieving. He also
attached to the rear screen and enhance performance of predicts changes in style and dimensions, with drivers
the rear wing. The generators energize the flow and, in the opting for smaller cars with narrower tires.
case of the Mitsubishi, they keep the flow attached.” “The fashion toward wider tires has been a negative as
Such devices, and their input, are quite small. But several far as aerodynamics is concerned,” he explains. “Against
brought together could make production cars much more that, when you buy a car you want one that looks good –
aerodynamic. The average Cd figure today is between 0.28 one you like to look at!”
and 0.29. Some very good models achieve 0.25. MIRA’s fluids engineering teams are conscious of the
“These are figures that, 25 years ago, would have been impact that aerodynamics have on the thermal management
BELOW: The 12- seen only on concept cars,” says Orso-Fiet. of the vehicle. This is particularly the case when it comes
camera array to track But with all or many of the developments that MIRA is to hybrid and electric vehicles in the future.
the 3mm helium
bubbles seeded into looking at brought together on an average production car, “Hybrids and EVs are raising different and new thermal
the tunnel’s air flow Orso-Fiet believes figures of 0.21 to 0.22 are probable. management challenges because we have to take air
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AERODYNAMICS
“The operator needed to know what would happen to

the bus if it were caught by a strong gust of wind. We had
to provide the data that enabled the company to program
the system to cope with strong crosswinds.”
Orso-Fiet believes that there will be more aerodynamic
work to do if, and when, convoy systems are introduced,
allowing vehicles on expressways to join a ‘crocodile’ of
vehicles. While drag, and therefore fuel consumption,
would be reduced, such convoys could well see changes in
the aerodynamic influences on individual vehicles in the
ABOVE: Photo of the convoy and their stability.
LVAV bubble flow over
on a Discovery 3 Vehicle fuel economy is generally measured over a low-
ABOVE RIGHT: The speed urban cycle. However, Jones points out that normal
motion capture data usage is much more likely to be at higher speeds.
being analyzed in the “This is where the aerodynamic benefits really show up,”
CFD post processor
he emphasizes. “A lot of the work we’re trying to do reflects
RIGHT: CFD analysis itself in the urban cycle and the fuel economy figures that
of streamlines in a
race car brake duct are quoted for that. However, we are looking to develop
solutions that work under far more realistic duty cycles
because once the vehicle goes past 60mph (100km/h), it’s
all about aerodynamics…
“The percentage of the energy required to move the
vehicle through the urban cycle is quite small. But at
through the components,” explains Orso-Fiet’s colleague 60mph (100km/h), aerodynamics become the overriding
Dr Martin Jones, who is manager of fluids engineering. factor. And that’s not really reflected very well by the cycles
“Heat exchangers have to be managed in an efficient way, that are currently used to quantify fuel economy. There
rather than simply put where they fit and hoping they will was an extended part added to the urban cycle a few years
get some air flow. Also, motors and batteries need cooling. ago, but it’s still a relatively small part of the overall cycle.
“Hybrid components built into conventional vehicles Perhaps it’s time for more realistic drive cycles.”
will need cooling as well as the i/c engine. That will mean Jones considers the new European drive cycle (NEDC),
more heat exchangers – meaning more drag – giving us the with four low-speed urban cycles and one cruise cycle, to
object of continuing to reduce the drag coefficient alongside be probably the most realistic at the moment. However, he
the introduction of these new components. It’ll certainly would like to see the cycle’s requirements include more
keep us in a job for a few years!” high-speed driving.
Vehicle stability will continue to be an important focus “I know that most of the mileage I do is at 60 or 70mph
for aerodynamicists too. on motorways,” states Jones. “Perhaps it’s time to look at
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vehicles such as trucks and buses,” says Orso-Fiet, who out how much of it is at high speed. Because of the rate
recently has worked on the stability of a guided bus in at which you cover distances on a motorway, it can quickly
strong winds. The bus was linked to an automatic driving dwarf the smaller bits of commuting you do [at low speed]
system, following sensors in the road.= each day.” ‹
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MARCH 2011
WIND TUNNELS
As MIRA’s full-scale wind tunnel

celebrates half a century of automotive
service, it is still keeping up with the times
WORDS BY KEITH READ
It’s not often that a site visit in this magazine

involves a test facility that recently celebrated its
golden jubilee – some 50 years of continuous
contribution to automotive R&D. Usually it’s the very latest
state-of-the-art facility that comes under the microscope.
But, ironically, it is the age of MIRA’s full-scale aerodynamic
wind tunnel (FSWT) that contributes to some of the many
features that keep customers knocking at the door of the
UK’s only commercially available FSWT.
“It was opened in 1960 and continues to this day to be a
facility offering cost-effective solutions for a broad range of
customers,” comments Dr Martin Jones, manager of fluids
engineering at MIRA. “As a result, it is very heavily used.
On a single shift, operating five days a week, we’re
approaching 100% occupancy. Additional demand means
that we occasionally run evening and weekend shifts to
accommodate customers. There is always the option to run
extra shifts rather than turn customers away.”
Whereas a state-of-the-art European FSWT – and there
are several available – costs almost US$30,000 a shift,
MIRA charges around one-quarter of that. Yet the tunnel is
able to provide the vast majority of customers with exactly
what they want due to a program of continuous investment
and improvement, and due to the former aircraft hangar in
which it is housed.
The basic wind tunnel – as designed and built by MIRA
engineers in the late 1950s – has not changed much. But
its current control system, data-acquisition system, and
the overall capabilities and services offered would be
unrecognizable to those responsible for its conception and
construction. And the re-clad hangar matches the many
contemporary buildings built on the company’s 670-acre
proving ground and automotive engineering site, developed
over the past 65 years on a former World War II Royal Air
Force base.
ABOVE: Fastback
lines of the Sunbeam
Rapier, launched in
1967, were honed in
the FSWT at MIRA
RIGHT: The aero work
carried out on this
Aston Martin Le Mans
racer led to the design
of the 1970s V8
Vantage road car
MARCH 2011 043
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LEFT: The FSWT is

housed in a former
aircraft hangar
BELOW: The tunnel’s
Avro Lincoln-derived
propellers provide
another aviation
connection
In this semi-closed-loop tunnel, with air drawn through

the working section by four Avro Lincoln aircraft propellers
driven by four English Electric 250kW electric motors, the
maximum wind speed is 80mph (130km/h). Consideration
is being given to increasing this to 93mph (150km/h) but
the benefit-versus-cost first needs to be established with
customers, whose views are being sought.
One restriction MIRA faces in raising wind speed is the
hangar building. Fast-moving air beats against the walls of
the building, producing pulses. And although pulses at
current speeds are barely measurable, and are therefore
acceptable, larger pulses from higher wind speeds would
not be. “We do need smooth, steady airflow in the test
section,” says Jones.
To raise wind speed to around 155mph (250km/h) – the
rate many rival wind tunnels offer – would require a new
facility with a potential investment budget well in excess
of US$40 million. The business case for such an investment
“We have to cater for a broad base of customers,

and a full moving ground would be inappropriate
for many of our clients and activities”
Dr Martin Jones, manager of fluids engineering, MIRA
is difficult to make at the moment, especially when MIRA and a full moving ground are also being looked at, although ABOVE: Full scale
is earmarking US$400 million for a massive redevelopment the cost-versus-benefit of the latter could make it does not only mean
cars – HGVs can also
of its offices, laboratories, and proving ground control prohibitive. To have a full moving ground would deprive be accommodated
tower, as well as the creation of a new technology park. the FSWT of some of its flexibility, which is seen as one of
However, nothing has been ruled out. And one thing is for its many attractions. “We have to cater for a broad base of
sure: if a new FSWT were to be built, it would have to be customers, and we believe a full moving ground would be
an aero-acoustic facility – something many customers inappropriate for many of our clients and activities,”
would find beneficial. explains Jones.
Other improvements currently under consideration The tunnel’s data-acquisition equipment has been
include better boundary-layer control with a suction regularly updated, particularly over the past few years,
system. Currently, MIRA’s aerodynamicists use a trip with the latest investment being an Aerotech ATE high-
fence, which, arguably, produces more accurate results speed system for taking transient measurements. A 62-
than some suction systems. Small wheel-rotation devices channel PSI pressure measurement system has also been
MARCH 2011 045
WIND TUNNELS
RIGHT: The Avensis

British Touring Car
recently had its rear
wing position fixed
after work at MIRA
ABOVE: A NASCAR increasing non-automotive work. Such projects can include

oval racer visited the
tunnel in the last
tracking the movement of debris torn from buildings in
decade, as did this high winds.
Gallardo (RIGHT) MIRA’s wind tunnel is 15.2m long, 7.9m wide, and has
4.42m headroom. The cross-section is 34.93m2. The balance
is a MIRA design, with its precision parts machined in
MIRA’s own workshops, and proprietary load cells used.
On top of the balance is a 360° turntable, although vehicles
are normally rotated only 180° in each direction.
The dyno rolls are 1.525m in diameter and 813mm-wide,
and are able to take a load of 10 tonnes. Maximum speed
is 80mph (130km/h) and the maximum power is 275kW.
Today the dyno is used mainly for brake cooling work and
installed, and the tunnel control system has been switched assessment and not for power measurements as there is no
from manual to fully computerized operation. control of the ambient temperature. Controlled-temperature
An ongoing development in the tunnel is an innovative powertrain cooling work is now undertaken in one of
flow-visualization system. It uses motion-capture cameras MIRA’s fully climatic wind tunnels. But a 250kW heat-
to trace, in 3D, the flow of tiny, neutral-buoyancy helium- dissipation rig is available for early cooling pack installation
filled bubbles over the surface of vehicles (see also page 36). work and front-end air flow validation in this versatile and
The same 12 cameras are also used in some of the tunnel’s interesting FSWT. ‹
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POWERTRAIN TESTING
Insidejjob
ob
Will advances in simulation packages, engine dynos,
and data acquisition soon enable engineers to develop
new powertrains purely in the lab environment?
WORDS BY JOHN CHALLEN
The need to cut costs, time, and the manpower

dedicated to an engine test program is an ever-
present prerequisite. Powertrain engineers have
been able to take advantage of sophisticated simulation
and modeling tools, but in recent years there have been
stumbling blocks that threaten to slow things down and
increase costs, exacerbated by the need to bring to market
alternative powertrains. Not dealing with solely tried-and-
tested components, such as injector systems and intake
ports, simply means more work, new parts under the skin
of the vehicle, and a new set of problems.
These constant challenges are things that, as head of
engine and powertrain development at Porsche AG, Dr
Hans-Jakob Neusser has had to deal with in recent times.
“Customer demands on a vehicle have increased,” he
states. “Years ago, the main issues were power, torque, and
fuel consumption, but now we have to consider the engine’s
sound, suitability for daily use, and durability. The more
complex a system is, the more work you need to do on
virtual prototyping and component test bench work. With
EVs the workload will not be doubled, but it does require
a different kind of work, within the system interaction.”
Porsche takes every powertrain in isolation, but adopts
the same structure for development, explains Neusser.
“First is design work, and simultaneously we do virtual
RIGHT: Ensuring a
analysis of everything from the components up to total 911’s engine makes all
vehicles. The aerodynamics are also done by simulation of the right noises, while
virtual prototypes.” staying within the law
“For alternative powertrain

work, I would say there
is a 50:50 split between
lab and total vehicle work,
but I see it moving further
toward the test rig”
Dr Hans-Jakob Neusser, Porsche AG
MARCH 2011
POWERTRAIN TESTING
MARCH 2011 049
POWERTRAIN TESTING
Bench testing follows after the first parts are processed,

using rapid prototyping. Here Neusser’s team checks for
durability and operational behavior in the lab. Only when
they have confirmation of these aspects does the project
move to optimization of the system and integration into
prototype and pre-production vehicles.
“As the dynamic driving behavior of a hybrid powertrain
is different to that of a conventional engine, many elements
of the test program have to be altered,” says Neusser.
“The quality of the conventional adjustment and
calibration work can be influenced by the electrical parts.
This work can be done by virtual prototyping, transferring
it to bench testing, and then finally validating it in the final
vehicle. For alternative powertrain work, I would say there
is a 50:50 split between lab and total vehicle work, but
I see it moving further toward the test rig.”
For comparison with a conventional powertrain test
program, Neusser explains that for V8s, the mechanical
test program was done 80% in the lab, with thermodynamic
and application work closer to a 50:50 split.
The rise of computer power is also something that
Mazda’s program manager in the powertrain development
Constant? Dynamic? division, Yasuhiro Harada, is keen to discuss.
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POWERTRAIN TESTING
“It seems likely that most of the development process “When developing an all-new engine, we use computer
will rely on simulation,” he predicts. “Actual engines will simulation exhaustively from the conceptual phase in
be used just to verify the results of computer simulations order to design the basic structure. Even when the
and to help improve the accuracy of theoretical models.” development process enters the detailed design phase,
Famed for its short vehicle development times – various aspects including performance, reliability, and
sometimes as short as 12 months for a mid-cycle facelift NVH, are simulated with a computer.”
model – it seems that the same rate of development could Harada says that more than half the specifications of an
be at work in Mazda’s Hiroshima’s powertrain test facilities, engine are determined using computer simulations, but
aided by some advanced lab-based technologies. stresses that this theoretical modeling is not intended to be
“Our latest bench-testing process involves a dyno that a replacement of actual, real-world testing.
can simulate everything from different road surfaces to the “It is generally accepted that testing methods will
forces from the transmission and other vehicle components,” become more computer-based. But I also expect that the
explains the Mazda man. “This dyno enables us to test the most notable change will be a shift toward a qualitative
full range of driving styles and road conditions, just as if improvement of development and testing methods. For
we were actually out driving in the field. We can also set example, there is currently a big emphasis on taking real-
weather and atmospheric conditions as desired. world tests and recreating them theoretically.”
CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: A Mazda2
undergoing EU
powertrain testing;
Setting up a thermic
test at Renault’s Lardy
powertrain facility;
Renault’s powertrain
facility can simulate
many different
conditions; The new
cold bench at Lardy
MARCH 2011 051
BOOTH
1950
POWERTRAIN TESTING
Harada does not think this is the smartest choice, “It

is trying to make technological advances by simply Race-ready simulation
replicating actual tests using computer models. Computer It seems the lab development
models have a more important role. We use them to try out of a race-car engine poses as
new ideas, create new designs, and also to optimize many problems as one for the road.
existing ones.” However, in developing the V12 for
Renault has made a recent investment in a powertrain the Superleague race series, MCT
facility in Lardy, just outside Paris, as the French relied heavily on computer power.
“Things we would normally do,
manufacturer concentrates more on engine testing in the such as optimizing the intake
lab. The new site features state-of-the-art engine and systems before we started pouring
chassis dynos, as well as altitude and climatic chambers, metal on the flow rigs, we just
and sophisticated HIL capabilities. didn’t do,” says Dave Bedborough,
Pierrick Cornet, manager for the powertrain tuning MCT’s technical director. And we When it was all put together in
department, says, “The aim for us is to stay as long as didn’t run a single-cylinder engine the design package – UniGraphics
possible in the lab, because it means reduced planning and to see if that would produce what was the main weapon of choice –
we thought it would – all the work Bedborough says he was happy
R&D costs and we can offer more proposals for our
was based on electronic data.” with the outcome.
customers, in terms of reducing emissions. Bedborough says the brief MCT “We tried to have one person
“We try every day to move from tracks to chassis dyno, was given for the engine was just in command and other people
and from testing to simulation,” he continues. “We use that – brief. working in specific areas,
offline engine tuning, with one car on which we can “The engine had to have 750bhp, responsible for bottom end, heads,
evaluate standard conditions such as speed and altitude; and needed to be no longer than and intake system, and CAD-wise
and all the tests are made on chassis dyno. We then have 700mm,” he reveals. “They gave us it came together very nicely.
some specific models for the database, which should be on the chassis it had to fit in, which “I wanted to make the V12 a
compromised the auxiliary layouts good-looking engine, and 3D CAD
the real-life drivers. This is where we can check to see if on the side of the engine, and I set allows you to do that,” he adds.
our tuning is OK.” about generating numbers for “We ran Abaqus FEA and stressed
One of the major capabilities at Lardy is the ability to power output, bore, and stroke, all the major components to ensure
simulate the load with the transmission, vehicle, and road which we put through 1D code.” we didn’t get any failure modes.
data, then feed the test bench with this information.
“Once correlated to good

customer usage, rig testing
can, to a large extent, be
used for design verification
at powertrain system and
engine subsystem level”
Daniel Kok, Ford, UK
“This setup enables us to simulate the drive cycles for (derivative) engine. For a brand new engine, we need to LEFT A non-fueled
hybrid spin cell
homologation as well as simulating weather conditions have collaboration between the simulation and reality and at GM’s in-house
from -10°C to +30°C,” explains Cornet. “From testing to then it is easy to simulate.” powertrain facilities
simulation, specifically for engine management software, It is an issue that divides powertrain engineers. Across
we use HIL validation. The software in engine ECUs works the water from Cornet is Daniel Kok, a Ford powertrain
on real-time conditions with simulation and is connected engineer based at Dunton Technical Centre in the UK,
to models and real parts. From the ECU we can then make which was runner-up in the Engine Test Facility of the
thousands of simulation changes.” Year category of the Automotive Testing Technology
In reality, there doesn’t seem to be a straightforward yes International Awards 2010. Kok has a different stance.
or no answer as to whether the future of engine development “Once correlated to good customer usage, rig testing
lies solely in the lab, but most agree that it will be validation can, to a large extent, be used for design verification at
work, not development work, that is done outside the lab. powertrain system and engine subsystem level,” he says,
“By 2020, we plan to carry out the majority of our adding that formal verification tools can help with robust
engine development through computer simulation models,” sign-off of powertrain control software.
confirms Mazda’s Harada. “We will still use actual vehicles “But with new feature contents, for example in vehicles
and engines for development, but it will be limited to with stop/start or hybrid-electric powertrains, we see a
verification and final tuning.” steady increase in the use complexity to which a vehicle is
Renault’s Cornet, meanwhile, is a little more certain: “I subjected. For this reason, the final product validation will
think it will be possible but it will depend on whether it is continue to rely on testing the vehicle and its powertrain
a grandmother engine (first in a new family), or a child in a representative real-world environment.”
MARCH 2011 053
POWERTRAIN TESTING
“Such a comprehensive software package also

makes it possible to carry out system robustness
analyses and risk assessments at different steps
of the development process”
Fabio Mallamo, GM
Ford’s US rival, GM, has a very different outlook. Fabio

Back on track Mallamo, engineering group manager for diesel engines at
GM Powertrain, states a clear “yes” in answer to the
Millbrook is in the rare
question of simulation, for oil-burners, at least.
position of being an
independent proving ground that
“All the steps involved in the development process,
has ever-increasing laboratory from establishing targets through definition of the system
space. Andy Eastlake heads to system calibration, can be effectively executed using
up those labs for Millbrook, software tools,” he believes. “The final result is a software
and maintains that the real world package capable of driving all development activities. The
will always play a vital role. software for the analysis of the combustion process and of
“You can go further with the engine performance is, in fact, integrated with tools for
development in the lab with
chassis and engine dynos, but
the virtual calibration of the system and with tools that
we think of the labs extending can predict all the relevant engine outputs as a function of
onto tracks,” he says. “I recently the system architecture and technology contents.”
had a team driving around the Mallamo describes the products used at GM Powertrain
USA, getting in-field driveability, “If you take a vehicle out on the as ‘smart tools’. “They are easy-to-use, quick (faster than
altitude, and on-road data, road, you have to get more and real time, in most cases), accurate, and reliable, even with
because you can’t fi nish that more information from the test, limited input data,” he says. “Such a comprehensive software
job in the lab.” and the same is true for the lab,”
package also makes it possible to do system robustness
Eastlake believes there is still he says.
a need to feel how a vehicle drives, Many manufacturers use the
analyses and risk assessments at different steps of the
which, he points out, is difficult to real world for engine validation development process. For instance, it is possible to evaluate
re-create in a laboratory. But the rather than strict development, – directly from the desk and in the very early stages of
Millbrook man admits there is but Porsche’s Neusser admits development – the probability that a vehicle drawn from
arguably more pressure for results that the Stuttgart-based car maker the production line will pass the relevant legislative tests,
when you leave the confi nes of the still has quite a reliance outside leading therefore to a correct definition of the engineering
engine test lab. the lab. targets (and margins with respect to the legal emission
limits) to be considered during the development activity.” ‹
BMW183x80_engl:Kalendereindruck 27.01.2011 11:22 Uhr Seite 1
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SITE VISIT
Power house Automotive Testing Technology International pays a visit

to Audi’s electric and hybrid vehicle development laboratories
Words By graham heeps
MARCH 2011
SITE VISIT
ABOVE: The Q5
hybrid powertrain,
as tested in the
electromobility labs
BELOW: The Q5
hybrid undergoing
road testing
It won’t have a hybrid or electric vehicle of any for electric drive systems was added at a cost of €65 million MAIN IMAGE: Dyno
sort in its range until the Q5 Hybrid goes on sale (approximately US$87.7 million), bringing a further 390 testing. Engineers
from Drive Systems
at the end of 2011, but Audi has invested heavily staff to the facility – 340 of them at workdesks, plus 50 at test the electric
over the past few years in the infrastructure necessary to workstations directly at the testbeds and rigs. driveline, while their
develop EVs and HEVs. The company will of course tap in The building brings the different areas of activity for colleagues from
Electrical Systems &
to work done elsewhere within the Volkswagen Group, but electrifying the powertrain together under a single roof. Electronics handle the
it also wants to make sure that its vehicles live up to Audi Engineers from the drive systems department complete high-voltage batteries
customers’ high expectations: in the words of Frank van their design work on items such as electric motors and
Meel, the firm’s head of electromobility strategy, “The electric control software at the desks on the upper floors; once a
car must not be a rolling disclaimer – it is first and foremost component is ready for test, the activity moves down to the
a car.” first floor.
The Mechanical Units Center (building T23) lies in the During our visit, we see a number of dSPACE HIL rigs
technical development zone in the northwest corner of in action, testing ECUs in isolation, the communication
Audi’s Ingolstadt site. The first phase of this building was and interplay between the various control units in the
completed in 2007 at a cost of €60 million (approximately powertrain, and introducing other electronic hardware
US$81 million), and houses 450 people. Last year, a new components to the mix, such as a steering wheel with a
14,000m 2 wing containing a development and test center steering angle sensor for ESC input.
MARCH 2011 057
SITE VISIT
We then move on to view rigs on which batteries and

electric motors can be tested in parallel, with AVL Audi’s e-car skunk works
Dynolution, and Cincinnati Test Systems equipment. Each
rig can be enclosed in a climate chamber to vary the The e-performance University in Hanover,
project house was Fraunhofer, and Bosch.
temperature from -30°C to +130°C (-22°F to +266°F). established in January In late 2009, a three-
“These are conditions we could have in the vehicle later on 2009 as an external year parallel research
and we want to know at an early stage whether this electric think-tank to address project began. Also called
motor is going to be usable or not,” comments our guide, Audi’s questions of e-performance and with
Dr Richard Schmidmeier, who is the project manager for electric mobility. the goal of developing an
the powertrain center. Its core team of about electric car, it was backed
On our way to the ground floor we pass the vehicle bay, 30 mostly young people by a double-digit million
is networked with all subsidy from the German
which is spotlessly clean and flooded with light. Once we
other departments in the Ministry of Education and
get downstairs, we arrive at the home of the powertrain company and maintains Research. According to
testbeds, where both electric and ICE components come close contact with Audi, the project’s focus
together. external professionals is constructing a matrix
The first lab we see brings the drivetrain together out of from universities, start-up of components for electric
the vehicle, with hub dynos taking the place of road wheels companies, and research driving – from the battery
and a simulator standing in for the battery. A Q5 Hybrid institutes. Partners to the electric motor. The
drivetrain is in the ZF Test Systems and Kratzer Automation- include RWTH Aachen, new components should
the Technical Universities be suitable for at least
equipped facility at the time of our visit. of Munich, Dresden three vehicle categories:
There are different testbed setups for front-wheel-drive and Ilmenau, Leibniz A1-sized compact cars,
BELOW: The A1 and Quattro AWD models, but whatever the configuration,
e-tron is claimed
to deliver 148.7mpg full road use simulation is possible, including gradients
and 45g/km CO2 and various speed/power profiles. “Function optimization
“We are widening the range in which

the facilities can work and showing
how they can be used for road cars”
MARCH 2011
SITE VISIT
and durability are the focus of the tests at this stage,” says
Schmidmeier, and they can be set up to run 24 hours a day,
all year round, with no operator present at weekends.
mid-size models, and
The tour then moves past a test vehicle storage area to
sports cars.
Development is said to the full-vehicle testbeds located nearby. An Imtech altitude
be proceeding according simulation chamber allows Audi’s engineers to reproduce
to defi ned structures, but a drive that is akin to Grossglockner in Austria or Pike’s
not rigid thought patterns. Peak in the USA, up to a simulated height of some 4,200m
Free and creative thinking (13,780ft) above sea level.
is encouraged just as Cold starts or hot-weather running can be simulated in
much as classical the rolling road climate chambers, where temperatures as
engineering. The issues
include: How can the heat
low as -42°C (-43.6°F) and as high as +60°C (+140°F) can be
loss by the body and the reproduced, for vehicle speeds up to 162mph (260km/h).
whole vehicle be reduced? Airflow simulators reproduce drag, further enhancing the
How can pedal feel in accuracy of the test results.
recuperative braking be Across the road from the Mechanical Units Center, in
simulated and applied? the basement of building T20, are the test labs of Audi’s
Are new battery cooling Electronics Center, where engineers from the Electrical
ABOVE: Final checks are carried concepts conceivable?
Systems & Electronics department have two system test
out by development engineers And how can torque
before testing of the electric vectoring be integrated rigs for high-voltage batteries at their disposal. BELOW:
motor can begin on the test rig in the DSC of e-vehicles? Dr Reinhard Putzinger, from the battery development High-voltage plug
connections being
department, takes us down to the basement in the car- checked following
sized lift to show us the rigs, which were installed a couple testing in a climatic
of years ago. chamber
ABOVE: A single-
rotor Wankel
engine and 15kw
electrical generator
extend the car’s range
MARCH 2011 059
SITE VISIT
ABOVE: Inspection of power electronics, control, and monitoring computers, with

the high-voltage plug Kratzer again involved, as well as one climate chamber
connections on a
battery at the battery
each. The chambers, supplied by Weiss Umwelttechnik,
test rig in the center enable simulation of ambient temperatures of -40°C to
LEFT: Dr Reinhard +80°C (-40°F to +176°F), and are gas-tight and protected
Putzinger, from the against explosion.
battery development “The rigs’ power electronics make it possible to emulate
department
any conceivable driving or load profile,” says Putzinger.
Beyond the basic function tests, the rigs are designed to
carry out more detailed electrical studies into aspects such
as how a particular battery’s performance changes with
age. The tests also consider safety and the verification of
suppliers’ performance data, while DC/DC converters and
charging equipment can also be evaluated in the lab.
A special cooling test rig determines the effectiveness of air
“The rigs’ power electronics make and fluid cooling for the battery.
it possible to emulate any conceivable

The tour is at an end, but there’s just time to hear a little
more about Audi’s hybrid and electric vehicle plans before
driving or load profile” leaving Ingolstadt. A variety of new models and powertrains
are in the pipeline. The Q5 Hybrid’s introduction later this
year will be followed by the A6 Hybrid (which shares much
of its powertrain architecture) in 2012. On the electric
With an electrical output of 150kW each, the systems side, a 20-car fleet trial of the A1 e-tron (which has a
enable the testing of batteries with voltages up to 500V Wankel range extender) is underway in Munich, with the
and maximum currents of 500A. In order to keep the first limited-volume production electric vehicle – the R8
energy consumption as low as possible, the discharged e-tron supercar – due before the end of next year. Clearly,
energy from the battery can be fed back into the grid. Audi’s engineers are going to need all of the capacity that
The test rigs consist of switch cabinets which contain their impressive test facility has to offer. ‹
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INTERVIEW
Leading light
Gordon Murray has a clear vision of the
future, one in which cars will be lightweight
and affordable, and more fun to drive.
He also has a couple of tricks up his sleeve…
They say you should never meet your heroes. chassis, and pre-painted body panels fi xed to the chassis
People cite rudeness or arrogance as unexpected in the final stage. This process, known as iStream, could
traits in their idols, but meeting Gordon Murray be the biggest advance in volume car manufacturing since
is disappointing for another reason. Expecting to meet a the Model T Ford assembly line, according to Murray, and
mad eccentric, I was instead met by an affable, modest, requires factories only 20% the size of typical facilities.
motoring enthusiast. He wasn’t even wearing one of his He offered the idea to McLaren in the early 2000s, but
famed floral shirts, and he made me a coffee. was told that the company’s focus would remain on low-
Many people, had they created the McLaren F1, would volume sports cars. Undeterred, he set out on his own in
be insufferable, but mention this milestone car to Murray 2004, taking a team of 22 engineers with him and setting
and he simply says, “The F1 wasn’t anything particularly up an office 10 miles away in the next town. With backing
trick – it was just Formula 1 technology applied to a road from MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures, he received funding
car. Six weeks to make a monocoque – who cares? £74,000 to kit out his workshop, coincidentally sited next to an old
for the monocoque – who cares? It wasn’t particularly McLaren building, with all the equipment needed to create
clever, it just happened to be the world’s first carbon fiber prototypes of the T25 in-house. T25 is designed to illustrate
road car, that’s why it got a lot of attention.” to potential iStream licensees what his methods can achieve,
That’s not to say he doesn’t love his F1, but you’re more but remember, the car is just an iStream sales tool, unless
likely to see him driving a far more modest car. “I’ve always a customer wishes to buy that particular design.
liked small cars, and I’ve always been an advocate of light “We suffer enormously from being misunderstood as
weight. My everyday car has been a Smart since they came the people who are going to manufacture the T25,”
out. I started with a fortwo, and for the past eight years I’ve complains Murray. “This is quite natural as people
had a Roadster. That’s what I like, and that’s all I need.” like to talk about cars, but they don’t like to talk
However, mention the future of motoring, and you see about manufacturing systems. We wanted to
the genius within Professor Murray. In 1998, he had the build one running prototype of a vehicle of
idea that a factory could separate the vehicle assembly our choice to demonstrate iStream. It just
process, with the powertrain, wiring harness, brakes, so happened that for years I’ve had this
suspension and other components fitted directly to the concept of a little car that would
“I’ve always liked small cars, and

I’ve always been an advocate of light
weight. Personally I have always
driven small, light cars”
MARCH 2011
INTERVIEW
MARCH 2011 063
INTERVIEW
production of the SLR at 700 per year, a new way of infusing

resins and pre-forms and putting them in molds was
“I don’t want to do any of that devised, reducing monocoque components to seven, and
cycle times for a monocoque and body shell to a couple of
rubbish, I really don’t. I just want days. Today, McLaren is pressing single-piece carbon fiber
to do a pure, pure supercar again,

tubs for the MP4-12C in a matter of hours – a technology
Murray worked on prior to his departure. The technologies
like the F1 was” involved in iStream, however, are “a whole new world”.
“The three things that stop you using composites in high
volumes are material costs (you can’t use carbon fiber as its
ludicrously expensive compared to steel or even aluminum);
TOP: Murray’s suit UK and European roads and their congestion problems. the process time; and the fact that attaching point loads to
swansong for the The car is just a physical entity to show people. You can’t a composite structure is incredibly complicated,” says
20th century. The F1,
nearly 20 years old sell an idea just by talking to people.” Murray. “When you’re hand-making a few sports cars and
now, can still humble iStream is a product of F1 thinking, substituting the have lots of time, it is easy to place load spreaders or inserts
modern supercars expensive, intensive process of stamping steel with a cheap, in a composite that you just CNC drill afterward. There
BELOW: An electric simple, composite technology. Murray was a pioneer in might be 40 such point loads in a monocoque to pick up
version of the T25 using hand-layed pre-preg carbon fiber in F1 back in 1978, suspension, engine mountings, etc.
passed the EEC 40%
offset deformable but at the time it was an aircraft technology and was, “If you’re trying to make something in two minutes you
barrier front high- “hugely expensive and amazingly time consuming”. can forget carbon for material costs, you can forget normal
speed impact test, Composites were not much simpler to work with when composites for process time, and you can certainly forget
with zero cabin
intrusion
the F1 was launched in 1992. However, when Mercedes set trying to spread point loads into that composite. What
Gordon’s laboratory
Enter the workshop at GMD GMD staff can machine all their
HQ and there is a range of own body panels using a five-axis
fabrication and test equipment, machine, as well as all tooling and
both old and cutting edge, which pressing for suspension parts, etc.
Murray himself describes as “We never go outside for any
“a strange mixture”. development unless it’s a cold
Timber and clay is still used chamber or crash test – we have
for quick mock-ups of items such all our own rigs here. It’s cheap
as seating bucks and door jigs, and confidential, and if we promise
while on the other side, “the someone a car in 14 months,
latest greatest structural rapid we know we can do it. We have
prototyping machines” from a compliance rig and can test
Stratasys are used for castings and and benchmark cars. We set our
structural materials. This means targets for kinematics and camber
that following a design meeting, stiffness and physically test here
parts can be created overnight, and put the results in the computer
ready for the following day’s work. to correlate it,” explains Murray.
MARCH 2011
INTERVIEW
The Nano
Of all the cars on the market today,
Murray fi nds Tata’s Nano one of the
most intriguing, although he is keen to point
out that it has no similarities to the T25.
“The Nano is extremely clever but is born
from a completely different set of market
circumstances from the T25 and is
a completely different solution. To be honest,
if someone said to me, ‘your market segment
might demand up to 500,000 cars a year, and
that car can remain unchanged for years’, just from not including the nonsense – ABS,
you would use stamped steel, not iStream. power brakes, etc. The Nano’s the same. It’s
You’re not looking for ultimate levels the Austin Healey sprite 59 principle – it had
of light weight or safety – you’re looking no bonnet, no boot, no hinges, no latches,
at producing something with current and it was perfect. The concept between
technology, but reducing everything down these cars is almost identical.
to the minimum possible cost by leaving stuff “But all this is nothing to do with the T25,
off the car and by optimizing volume gains. which is designed for the sophisticated
That’s what the Nano is, and it’s very clever. European market, where people expect
It just doesn’t have stuff. If you want a good aircon and six loudspeakers but they would
comparison with the Nano, it’s the McLaren still love to have low retail costs and running
F1. Some of the lightness in the F1 came costs. That’s what iStream does.”
iStream effectively does is to solve those three things for

high volumes.
“We have a really simplistic low carbon, steel tube frame
that picks up the point loads. We have developed a new
material which is not carbon, but is an F1-type composite
where we can modify the matrix volume, the glass fiber
content volume, the skin thickness, the core thickness…
and we can co-press inclusions like an F1 car, so we can
have uni-directional fibers for crash loads. We have the
same sophisticated program used to design F1 and Le
Mans monocoques, but we’re using really low-cost
materials that we’ve nicked from other industries.
“We just put it together in a different way, which gives us
iStream,” says Murray. “That’s what we’ve patented and
that’s what we’re selling. So for the first time you’ve got a
composite monocoque that you can make in two minutes
for a very low tooling cost and a very low industrial cycle
time, which is very light, and increases safety levels. We’re
doing two things at once. Normally, to save weight, car
companies spend money – we’re saving money to go light-
weight. And normally to increase safety you spend money, investment and infrastructure, to help reduce congestion CLOCKWISE FROM
but we’re increasing safety levels with less weight.” and pollution in their cities. Enquiries have ranged from TOP LEFT: Murray
shows how the T25
Over 50 companies from over 20 countries have single-seat rental cars, all the way up to buses. There is can help solve urban
approached Murray about iStream in the last 12 months, also some interest from potential customers in using the parking problems;
but intriguingly, only 12 of them have been automotive T25 design, but Murray is not precious about it. The team has over
OEMs. The others have been companies looking for a low- “When it’s sold it could be a Ford, a Renault, a Virgin, a 300 years of man-
hours working in the
capital door into car making, with no need for existing Sony, a Dyson – we don’t care” he says. “If you want to automotive industry;
infrastructure. Murray says they will need just 10% of the change the styling, we don’t care. If you want to change the Murray’s HQ
investment the average OEM would require to make a new motor or gearbox, we don’t care. Our mission in life is to
car. This means they “don’t put themselves against the sell licenses. If somebody comes along and says ‘we love
might of Toyota, VW or Ford, as they’re not competing. No the cost saving, the energy saving, the weight saving and
one in their right mind would try to make a stamped steel the safety, but we want a six-seater limousine’ – I think
car where these companies are players.” they’d be stupid to be honest, but they can have one.”
Murray is actively working with three companies at One thing you can be sure of is that once an iStream
present, including a US$50 billion retail outfit that sells license is bought, a customer can have their design in
electric bicycles and scooters in its stores, and wants to production as soon as their factory is ready. This is another
move into EVs. With nothing suitable on the market, it element where Murray’s F1 background shows – vehicle
sees in iStream a cost-effective way to make its own cars. development is carried out in parallel rather than series.
Moving up a level, two countries have approached The requirements of the program are decided, and then
Murray, looking to manufacture their own small, proving grounds and test facilities are triple or even
lightweight vehicles for their domestic markets, with low quadruple booked in order to save time and money.
MARCH 2011 065
INTERVIEW
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Visit McLaren’s HQ today and and vehicle dynamics, we
you will see one of Murray’s just ended up with a car.
biggest projects – the Mercedes- “I’m still very proud of the
Benz SLR McLaren. However, it car from an engineering aspect
is not his proudest achievement. though. The chassis is still the
“The SLR wasn’t a focused car. strongest that’s ever been built
I’m not saying it was bad – I’m from a crash point of view. From
just saying it was born out of an engineering, production, and
a committee. We had our ideas, technique point of view, it broke
Mercedes-Benz had theirs, and a lot of new ground so I’m still
with all sorts of people putting very proud of it. But it was nowhere
their oar in to the content, style, near as focused as the F1.”
clash, with a production element. With SLR we worked 100%

on CAD and ended up with a clash detection department,
“One of the reasons the T25 has fixing hundreds of clashes.
“We’ve gone back to the future here. We use CATIA V5
been brought to prototype so quickly and all our inputs and outputs are in CAD, but the design
of the car is fixed full size, and we don’t have clashes. One
is that we weren’t re-doing stuff” of the reasons the T25 has been brought to prototype so
quickly is that we weren’t re-doing stuff.”
With Murray’s love of F1 techniques you might imagine
ABOVE: While the “At a circuit or facility we can do things four-times he misses the sport. However, you would be wrong.
Mercedes-Benz quicker than an OEM because we do more than one bit of “Not in any way, shape or form. I did it for 20 years and
SLR McLaren wasn’t
Murray’s favorite
testing. If we’re testing the durability of a car as a whole, that was enough. F1 then was open to innovation on a
project, he was very we also test vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, and internal scale that was satisfying. There is still a massive amount of
proud of the strength airflow and so on during the cycle, and we write our innovation, but it’s all in the detail – tiny improvements in
and stiffness of the development programs with that in mind,” says Murray. aero, etc, and I really wouldn’t find that satisfying.”
chassis, as well as
the carbon fiber The result is a fully comprehensive 24-month test No, for Murray there are two main projects on the
technologies used program at as little as a quarter of the cost of a typical OEM horizon once he has a few iStream licensees under his belt.
test program. “The program is written in an amazing The first will certainly please followers of his work.
amount of detail and is then optimized. We don’t skip “I definitely have one supercar left in me, and the team
anything – we just maximize the booked time at a facility. wants to do it too,” he says. “It won’t be anything like the
These principles come from F1… it teaches you to get the supercars at the moment – the Ferraris, Aston Martins,
most out of the time you have available, and we just carried Porsches, or the MP4-12C – it will hold all the values the
that over, which is why we can be cost-effective.” F1 had, but will be in a different direction which ignores
The design process can be equally fuss-free, again due to horsepower and top speed. As the F1 was a swansong for the
Murray’s background: “We carried over the concept we 20th century, I’d like to do something for the 21st century.
used to design McLaren cars. We use a 6m drawing board “Some buyers convince themselves they need the big
and full-size printouts. We gather round that board every numbers, and they won’t choose our supercar, but more
week and argue about problems and real estate. If someone people see beyond that, as they did with the F1. We didn’t
wants to move a battery, instead of moving it independently, sell the F1 on top speed. We didn’t even do a top speed run
they have to do it publicly. This saves so much time. until we stopped selling the cars because I didn’t want to
“For example, the F1 was probably the last car in the – it was never part of the agenda. I like to think most people
world to be designed on paper, and we only had one design bought the F1 because it was the pinnacle of engineering,
using modern materials, and was also a pure drivers car
McLaren MP4-12C that didn’t pretend to be anything else.
“A lot of supercars now try to be all sorts of things. They
Murray has surprisingly try to be well-engineered, with the latest trick suspension
little interest in McLaren’s and electronics. They try to be track day cars, and they try
latest project, the MP4-12C. to be status symbols, and that goes with a lot of baggage –
“I probably know less about size, complexity, and weight. I don’t want to do any of that
it than you, except for the
monocoque, which of course I was
rubbish, I really don’t. I just want to do a pure, pure
working on before I left,” he says. supercar again, like the F1 was. And I think there are enough
“We were looking at around four people out there to move in a different direction again.”
hours for it to set, and we were The second project takes Murray back to his current
debating whether to have it as different now. I had a small NA passion: “We’re already working on iStream 2 and 3.
one piece or three pieces – from V8, they’ve gone for a turbo; I had iStream 2 will be ready in four years, and iStream 3 is a
a scrappage point of view, if you a tiny transversal gearbox, they’ve long-term project that is 8-10 years away. We’ve even had
made a mistake on a pressing you’d gone for longitudinal; the style
people from other industries, such as architects looking at
have to scrap a whole monocoque, I drew was different; I had pure
rather than just a third of it. suspension, they’ve gone for
iStream. We don’t have to be automotive, but right now
“The car I designed, which was electronic. I’m sure it will be people are looking for weight saving, increased safety, and
called Project 8, is completely a good car though.” multiniche vehicles with different powertrains at lower
volumes. This is a perfect picking ground for us.” ‹
MARCH 2011
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but these also take a long high-accuracy GPS in vehicle
time to fit, tend not to work testing – using satellite signals
consistently in wet conditions, to measure speed and Engineers on track rely on the flexibility and accuracy of VBOX GPS dataloggers
MARCH 2011
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
departments of the major which would interrupt the
OEMs in 2002, engineers GPS signal. This was solved
spent a long time satisfying by using Racelogic’s IMU
themselves that the results ABOVE: Fifth wheels and other testing
Integration, which uses
matched their existing methods posed limitations to engineers high-sensitivity inertial
methods. One of the reasons measurement data from an
for this is that satellite-derived IMU integrated with GPS
data is accurate only if the to ensure that positional ABOVE: VBOX works with PC analysis
view to the sky is not and dynamic accuracy is software, either live or after testing
obstructed. If trees or maintained, even when
buildings obscure the view to the sky is obscured. and testing of ADAS (advanced
reception then dropouts can For MIRA, a UK-based driver assistance systems).
occur, leading to ‘noisy’ data. provider of engineering Brake testing is a popular
However, after many development and research use for GPS dataloggers in the
tests by different interested services to the worldwide automotive and tire industries.
companies, it turned out ABOVE: Measuring change in signal automotive industry, VBOX Racelogic’s flagship VBOX 3i
that VBOX was in fact more from the satellite (or Doppler effect), is the only technology that accurately samples speed
makes GPS data highly accurate
accurate than any previous works consistently in all and g-forces 100 times per
method, and quickly became conditions. Previously, the test second, along with a brake
a favored instrument due facility had used fifth wheels, trigger input accurate to
to its size, ease of use, and radar, microwave, and optical two nanoseconds. Using
versatility. GPS has now sensors. Its engineers now use Racelogic’s in-house-
become the most popular VBOX for all kinds of testing developed algorithms and
way to measure vehicle on various types of dry and calibration techniques, the
dynamics and performance wet surfaces with varying braking distance of a vehicle
due to the high accuracy, ease levels of grip. This includes can now be measured to
of fitment, flexibility, size, and ABOVE: Racelogic’s VBOX turned out performance testing, handling within ±1.8cm. This level of
ruggedness. Racelogic’s VBOX to be more accurate than any previous analysis, circuit and driver accuracy is essential, given
testing method, and quickly became
dataloggers are in daily use a favored instrument for engineers due
analysis, fuel economy testing, that improvements in braking
in almost every OEM test to its size, ease of use, and versatility tire verification, durability, systems and tires mean that
department around the world, differences in performance
both at proving grounds and are increasingly subtle. As
on the road. brake stops are one of the
When the acceleration most dynamic maneuvers
and fuel economy group in automotive testing,
at Chrysler proving every centimeter counts.
grounds were looking for With Racelogic’s
instrumentation to replace introduction of multicamera
its existing optical sensors, it video and graphic overlay
decided that GPS technology technology in 2008 with the
would give them the most launch of the Video VBOX
accurate results, and they range, engineers now also
already knew of the have the ability to overlay this
advantages Racelogic’s VBOX high-accuracy data in real
gave on open test tracks. time over footage showing
However, Chrysler needed to multiple camera angles on the
run tests on a tree-lined track, vehicle, making for even more
with a two-lane overpass, Integrating video with accurate data has opened a new dimension in data acquisition flexible and efficient testing. ‹
MARCH 2011 069
EXHIBITOR
Universal and scalable

data recorder HBM
A data recorder with data storage rates of up to one megasample Web: www.hbm.com/quantumX
per second enables faster, more precise and more efficient work
502
ONLINE READER ENQUIRY NUMBER
QuantumX is the
new-generation DAQ
system for stationary
and mobile testing. It meets
industry’s demands for
maximum flexibility and
quality, and it substantially
reduces the time required to
develop a design concept into
a manufactured product.
Engineering and testing
departments in the transport
industry not only demand
high-quality data acquisition,
but also highly efficient test
procedures, instrumentation ABOVE: HBM’s new CX22 data recorder offers automotive engineers data storage rates of up to one megasample per second
and software tools for test-
bench and mobile applications. continuously changing easy way using TEDS An entire DAQ job can be
Validation and verification requirements. technology in the sensor, the easily configured to collect
of systems, components The universal amplifiers connector or via the integrated data by just pressing the start/
or complete vehicles are can measure any physical sensor database, which hosts stop button on the device or
established constituents of quantity ranging from all datasheets electronically. A through an intelligent trigger.
modern development cycles. pressure, force, temperature, cost-effective upgrade of TEDS Data can be stored at
Mobile data acquisition can displacement, acceleration, in existing sensor connectors a maximum rate of one
be used for data collection speed, strain, torque, current, is becoming popular. TEDS megasample per second (MS/s)
and input into models for voltage and CANbus dramatically reduces set-up on a removable, specially
virtual simulations and tests. messages. The QuantumX times and ensures consistent protected, CompactFlash
Laboratory or bench tests are modules offer state-of-the- quality, due to the calibration card. The data can also be
generally used for functional art signal conditioning, data it can store. transferred via Ethernet
development and performance supporting over 15 different HBM is now introducing to a PC, either directly
testing of components or transducer technologies per the QuantumX CX22 data by cable or wirelessly.
complete assemblies. Mobile universal input. Specialist recorder, which captures high- HBM has extended and
testing is also frequently modules are available for quality results acquired from enhanced QuantumX through
applied for fine-tuning temperature, voltage and distributed QuantumX DAQ cooperation with users, and
functional parameters and CANbus messages. modules. The data recorder’s has accomplished countless
final verification. HBM has pioneered many operating software offers an operational hours in mobile
The QuantumX system innovations, such as isolated autostart configuration and and stationary testing,
from HBM has now firmly channels, six-wire technology, a wide range of intelligent proving its performance
established itself in test-bench carrier frequency and auto- trigger functionality. and robustness.
applications, where it has adjustment routines, and strain The on-board data For over 60 years HBM
proved to be highly reliable, gauge bridge applications with processing unit reduces post- has successively developed
(for example, at BMW’s R&D incomparable noise immunity. process work, as well as the high-quality DAQ products
center in Germany). Due to It is now possible, for instance, amount of data stored on the that use the most advanced
its scalability, its potential to plug in a sensor and obtain internal memory by means technologies. These systems
for distributed configuration first measurement results in of functions such as virtual provide higher productivity
and its universal inputs, a few seconds. Parameters channel calculation, frequency by enabling users to work
QuantumX offers the can be set on every input, analysis, min-max values, faster, more precisely and
maximum flexibility for individually, in a quick and time-at-level and many more. with greater efficiency. ‹
MARCH 2011
WINDTUNNELS
TEST FACILITIES
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Meggitt Sensing Systems Dytran Instruments
EXHIBITOR Tel: +1 818 700 7818
Tel: +1 949 493 8181
Email: info@dytran.com
Web: www.meggittsensingsystems.com
Web: www.dytran.com
Sensors and instrumentation Automotive

for automotive testing and off-highway
NVH sensors
Dytran Instruments has recently
504 expanded its dynamic sensing
technology offerings for automotive
and off-highway NVH. These low-noise
accelerometers, available in IEPE or charge
mode types, feature choice of sensitivity,
optional TEDS capabilities, and customized
sensor and cabling options. All models offer
lightweight designs and ceramic shear
construction, with sensing elements packaged
in hermetically sealed, welded titanium
housings, for reliable operation in harsh
or dirty environments.
Among the new offerings is the Dytran
Meggitt Sensing Systems specializes For crash testing, the model 7264G DC 3333A series, a family of single connector
503 in the design and manufacture response accelerometer is an industry gold IEPE triaxial accelerometers weighing just
of a complete range of Endevco standard, due to its low mass of 1.4 grams and 2.3g, designed to operate in temperatures up
piezoelectric, piezoresistive and variable damped response. This sensor is rugged to 10K to +121°C. The Dytran 3333A series is offered
capacitance (VC) accelerometers, as well as g shock and is used for vehicle front, side and in three models, with available measurement
piezoresistive pressure transducers and acoustic rear impact testing. For automotive component ranges of 50, 100 and 500g and with
sensors, for automotive testing applications, durability testing, the model 35A ISOTRON triax a frequency response of 0.31 to 10,000Hz
including modal and structural analysis; vehicle is specified, due to its low mass and low (+15/-10%). The sensors feature a specially
and powertrain NVH; interior noise; ride quality; impedance output. For interior noise and NVH designed single M4.5x0.35 four-pin connector
component durability testing; transmission testing; testing, the model EM46AQ, a combined ½in and adhesive mounting.
and legislative and safety testing, including random incidence microphone and preamplifier, As the connector offers an overall mass
anthropomorphic test devices and crash testing. offers wide dynamic range and TEDS capabilities. that is approximately 20% smaller than the
For ride quality, the Endevco model 7290E Endevco sensors and instrumentation are traditional industry standard ¼-28 four-pin
VC accelerometer is recommended, due to accompanied by a five-year product warranty connector, the sensors feature a more
its exceptional low-frequency measurement and are available with a full range of signal flexible, lightweight cable, a smaller connector
capabilities and accuracy over temperature. conditioners, cables, and accessories. diameter, and an overall lower mass. For
larger channel count applications, Dytran
Silicon Designs, Inc also offers the 3097A series, a miniature
Tel: +1 425 391 8329 cubic accelerometer family with optional
TEDS capabilities, weighing just 4.3g, and
Email: sales@silicondesigns.com
available in three ranges between 10 and
Web: www.silicondesigns.com 500g with a broad frequency response
and a 10-32 side connector.
MEMS sensing technologies
for automotive testing
Silicon Designs specializes in the acceleration, the output differential voltage is
505 design and manufacture of rugged nominally zero VDC; at full-scale acceleration,
industrial-grade MEMS capacitive the output differential voltage is ±4VDC.
sensing technologies with integral amplification The sensors feature onboard voltage
for automotive testing, including NVH, drivetrain, regulation and an internal voltage reference,
powertrain, vehicle suspension and handling, which eliminates precision power supply
crash-event detection and airbag performance. requirements. The sensor is relatively insensitive
The popular automotive model 2260 is tailored to temperature changes and thermal gradients.
for zero-to-medium frequency applications and Self-calibration is quick and easy. Within
offers high-drive, low-impedance buffering for standard range (2-400 g), most accelerometers
precision measurements. The accelerometer continue to operate after sustained exposures
produces two analog voltage outputs and of up to 10K g shock and with limited exposure
features a four-wire connection, supporting to temperatures above +200°C. Carefully
both single-ended and differential modes. regulated manufacturing processes ensure that
Signal outputs are fully differential about a 2.5V each sensor is made to be virtually identical,
common mode voltage. Sensitivity is independent enabling users to swap out modules with
from the supply voltage of +8 to +32V. At zero minimal modifications.
MARCH 2011 073
ADMA ACS
Tel: +1 608 6631 590 EXHIBITOR
Email: acs-us@acscm.com
Web: www.acscm.com
Streamlined delivery of
technology centers and test cells
The ACS Integrated Project Delivery
506 (IPD) model is a seamless process
that provides a single source for
complete test facility design and construction,
equipment specification, selection and
procurement, and complete systems integration
and commissioning. Recognized benefits of the
IPD process include early identification of
project scope and cost, accelerated project
delivery, improved quality and functionality,
Inertial / GPS System for and project cost savings.
Vehicle Dynamics Testing Our staff is vertically integrated specifically
for the single source delivery of engine and
vehicle test facilities. Work assignments range
GPS synchronized from designing and delivering new corporate
easy to use technology centers to upgrading and renovating
single test cells. Our capabilities extend to
fast set-up custom test equipment design, fabrication
low data latency and installation, test data management,
and operations and maintenance support.
Success is achieved by utilizing our
fundamental knowledge of building design extends to multiple locations throughout the
and construction combined with expertise in world.
industry regulations, testing technology and ACS is an integrated design and construction
applications, and the ability to fully integrate services firm that specializes in the single
building and test systems. Working as an source delivery of high-performance engine
extension our client’s staff, our project work and vehicle test facilities.
· Vehicle Dynamics Testing AFT Atlas Fahrzeugtechnik

· Functional Safety Testing Tel: +49 2392 809-0 EXHIBITOR
· Adjustment of Chassis Systems
· Comfort Analysis Email: info@aft-werdohl.de
· Tyre Testing Web: www.aft-werdohl.de
· Deceleration / Acceleration Testing
· Road Survey and Monitoring
· Highly Precise Positioning Modular expert for rotational analysis
· Verification of Simulation Models
· Steering Robot Guidance The PikesPEAK high-speed datalogger and a connected PC. The use of
· Driver Assistance Systems Testing 507 datalogger from AFT Atlas Fahrzeug- Gigabit-Ethernet enables an immediate, non-
technik GmbH can also be used for dissipative transfer of the measurement data.
the analysis of rotational systems. It records all Like PikesPEAK, the OpeRa software for
relevant signals, including engine speed, engine rotational analysis is based on several years
order, oscillation angle and further settings of the of experience. It displays the physical values
test object, in the vehicle or on the test-bench, over time, speed or angle. OpeRa contains the
with a time resolution of 100ps. With the online necessary order filters, order analyses, vibration
GeneSys or later offline analysis of the measurement
results, the user is able to determine the
analyses, and angle difference calculation.
Elektronik GmbH dependencies of the individual system

components. Its 16-bit analog measurement
GeneSys Elektronik GmbH resolution can be set to a user-specific
77656 Offenburg · Germany voltage range.
Tel. +49 781 / 96 92 79-0 Another feature of the datalogger, which
Tel. USA +1 401-284-3750 provides engineers with further flexibility in the
adma@genesys-offenburg.de measurement setup, is the option of connecting
www.genesys-adma.de the individual components of the measurement
system using Ethernet topologies. This therefore
Expertise in enables various de-centralized measurement
modules to be controlled centrally by the
GPS and Inertial
Metrology
Brüel & Kjær Cotta
EXHIBITOR
Tel: +45 7741 2000 Tel: +1 608 368 5600
Web: www.bksv.com Email: sales@cotta.com
Web: www.cotta.com
Accelerated vibration
lifecycle testing Compact, high power, high-
With constant pressure
speed test stand transmission
508 to shorten product design Cotta has developed
cycles, accelerating 509 a new high-speed
traditional vibration test times is transmission for use
a critical consideration. Fortunately, in test stand applications. Designed
Brüel & Kjær and HBM-nCode offer originally for testing aircraft
products that reduce vibration test components, Cotta’s SN2105 compact
times without exposing vehicles or transmission is finding increased
components to unrealistic vibration. application in automotive testing.
Traditional Gaussian random test The SN2105 features a nominal
signals cannot accurately represent power rating of 200hp and over-speed
the ‘peaky’ vibration signals seen in ratios up to 5.5. The single-input/
real-life use. To address this, the LDS single-output transmission features
LASERUSB Vibration Controller offers a cast-iron case and parallel shaft
non-Gaussian random vibration design with single stage gearing.
through its Kurtosis Control software. Featuring a standard output speed
The ability to tailor kurtosis allows for accelerated fatigue testing that of 18,000rpm, Cotta believes the
saves time, as testing with high kurtosis delivers more time at high SN2105 is a candidate for the most
acceleration levels. For a durability test lasting many hours, high-kurtosis cost-effective, true high-speed
testing delivers more fatigue damage than a Gaussian random test. test stand transmission on the market.
So how do you accurately simulate the conditions that brought about Cotta designs and manufactures a full line of high-speed transmissions
your measured field data? nCode GlyphWorks software by HBM is the used extensively in the R&D and production testing of commercial and
only commercial software that makes it possible to quantify the fatigue military aircraft components such as generators, constant-speed drives
of vibration testing and subsequently create a representative PSD or and pumps. The company also manufactures industrial and specialty
swept-sine shaker vibration test. nCode GlyphWorks enables the transmissions, available as both speed increasers and decreasers, for
combination of multiple time or frequency domain data sets into use in a wide range of non-aviation applications, including automotive
representative test spectra that accelerate the test while matching the testing, specialty vehicles, industrial equipment, and process machinery.
fatigue damage seen in the field data. As HBM is a sister company to Brüel Transmission models are available in a wide range of output speeds
& Kjær under the Spectris umbrella, accelerated test spectra exported (up to 80,000rpm). Modified-standard and custom models are also
from nCode GlyphWorks are easily imported into Brüel & Kjær controllers. available to match specific requirements.
D&V Electronics Dewetron

Tel: +1 905 264 7646 Tel: +43 316 30700 EXHIBITOR
Email: sales@dvelectronics.com Email: sales@dewetron.com
Web: www.dvelectronics.com Web: www.dewetron.com
Inverter/controller and electric Universal and high dynamic

motor testing automotive test system
D&V Electronics has broken new ground in the field of inverter/ The DEWE-2600 from Dewetron is a modular mixed signal
510 controller and electric motor testing with the EPT-350, a totally 511 recorder for synchronized data acquisition and powerful
new concept in inverter testing for the hybrid electric vehicle analyses of multiple sensor and data types. The system accepts
(HEV) market. D&V has designed and manufactured six of these testers, connection of any analog sensors, encoders and digital inputs, and
optimized for the endurance testing of inverters for the next generation offers popular automotive interfaces like CANbus, FlexRayTM and XCP.
of electric and hybrid vehicles. Synchronized video – up to four cameras – is a standard feature. Using
The test stand electrically loads an HEV inverter/converter product with the isolation amplifier modules and high sampling rate, it is a perfect fit
dual 65kW three-phase motor output control and provides regenerative for power analysis and other new challenges coming up with e-drive
braking energy back into the product as is seen in HEVs. This tester will systems. One example is testing the frequency inverters efficiency.
be used by engineers to validate the design of an HEV inverter/converter With optional RTK2 DGPS it is able to record precise position
power electronics product. These testers will be used to provide the and speed data, and by adding an INS
longest and most severe drive schedules used currently in the industry. system, motion states can also be measured
A rapidly growing number of HEVs manufactured around the world precisely. Such configuration enables testing
are being built and will be tested in the future, utilizing test systems from of driver assistance systems, and functional
D&V. The company continues to assist the automotive industry in making safety tests demanded by ISO-26262. Of
huge strides in advanced product evaluation. D&V specializes in the design course any vehicle dynamics analyses can
and integration of mechanical, electronics, data acquisition systems, and be performed adding the required sensors.
software applications to produce these test machines at the highest level The systems hot-swappable batteries
of performance and technology. guarantee continuous operation.
MARCH 2011 075
GeneSys Elektronik
Tel: +49 781 96 9279-0
Email: mail@genesys-offenburg.de
Web: www.genesys-offenburg.de
Determination of altitude and position

in vehicle testing
One prerequisite of driving as part
512 of vehicle development is to precisely
determine the vehicle’s position.
In such applications, the automotive dynamic
motion analyzer (ADMA) from GeneSys Elektronik
delivers optimized and highly precise data.
To ensure precise positioning, even under
difficult GPS conditions, GeneSys Elektronik
now presents its ADMA-PP post-processing
software, which enables optimization of ADMA
data recordings and inclusion of GPS correction
data after the test drive. The software’s core is compared to the real-time mode, where GPS
We do not know a Kalman filter, which combines GPS and inertial correction data must be supplied via a radio or
EFFECT 2
whether you see data. While the real-time option continues to GSM link or an RTK network provider. Secondly,
be provided by the ADMA system, offline ADMA-PP is able to calculate position solutions
the letter „B“ or the calculation has two advantages. Firstly, GPS forward and backward along the time axis,
number „13“... But correction data can be downloaded from the which improves positioning accuracy. The
Internet for the required test run. This facilitates package is rounded off by an auxiliary module
when it comes to the design of installation work for the measurement process with a barometric altitude sensor.
a coupling for your transmission
system, you will not be fooled. En’Urga
EXHIBITOR
Tel: +1 765 497 3269

Competency Email: sales@enurga.com
in Power Transmission Web: www.enurga.com
Manner-Sensortelemetrie
application
Competency In-
Spray angles in Tel: +49 7424 9329-0
Email: info@sensortelemetrie.de
house rubber production automotive injectors Web: www.sensortelemetrie.de
Very Large range of

513
Urea or fuel is often sprayed into
the exhaust stream to reduce the
Sensortelemetry
TOK test bench couplings emissions from automotive engines. Manner has developed a new valve
up to 130 000 Nm There are two characteristics of the spray formed 514 telemetry product, designed for the
by these injectors that have a significant impact online measurement of dynamic
In-house research, on their performance. The two important valve temperature profiles on car motors under
characteristics of the spray are spray angle and operating conditions. The distinctive feature
development and design the total drop surface area in a plane. The spray of this product is the miniaturized telemetric
angle is important to ensure that the droplets measurement amplifier with its special form.
In-house torsional do not impinge the sides of the exhaust tube, The ring-shaped telemetric measurement
vibration-calculations resulting in a less than desirable performance. amplifier with integrated antenna (outside
of multimass systems The total drop surface area is the single spray diameter 20mm, inside diameter 7mm, height
characteristics (rather than drop sizes, mass 4mm) is mounted directly onto the valve
customised solutions for fluxes, or velocity) that has a maximum plunger. Due to its 2g weight, the retroaction
correlation with the local evaporation rate on the valvetrain is negligible. The valvetrain’s
prototypes, small- and of the sprayed urea or fuel. spring plate serves as the carrier. The system
largescale production series The SETscan Optical Patternator from operates with robust thermocouple elements
En’Urga Inc is the first of its kind to be used to which can withstand high acceleration forces
directly provide both the spray angle and the and are simple to mount. The temperature-
visit us in planar total drop surface area. The full planar resistant telemetric measurement amplifier can
Stuttgart information on the spray drop surface area be deployed at ambient temperatures of up to
density, as well as the spray angle, can be 160°C and operates on a purely digital basis
Stand 1835 obtained in less than a few seconds using the with 12-bit resolution.
SETscan Optical patternator. The optical The pick up, mounted at a generous distance,
patternator takes minimal technical expertise scans in the measurement values on a non-
Dipl.-Ing. Herwarth Reich GmbH to operate in a production environment. These contact basis and transmits them via cable to
E-Mail: mail@reich-kupplungen.de considerations make the SETscan Optical the stationary evaluation unit. The valves may
Patternator the optimal method for the quality rotate during operation. A characteristic of this
Phone: +49 (0) 234 9 59 16-0 audit of injectors used in exhaust systems. product is that continual signal is not required.
www. -Kupplungen.de
11-02 Anzeige Drittelseite_optis1 1 04.02.2011 14:46:40

Moog EXHIBITOR
Tel: +31 252 462 000
Web: www.moog.com
Motion system and software project for Daimler

Moog Industrial Group has provided The complete motion system of the hexapod
515 the high-dynamic motion control and lateral rail is controlled by Moog real-time
system portion of the new driving software. From the driver’s input to the pedals
simulator installed at Daimler’s driving simulator and steering wheel, the Daimler vehicle models
center, which is part of the Mercedes-Benz calculate position, velocity and acceleration
Technology Center, in Sindelfingen, Germany. data. Moog software translates this information
The Moog electrical motion base is a hexapod to movements in the hexapod and lateral rail
consisting of six moveable legs. It has six to ensure the driver’s sensory expectations
degrees of freedom: The top platform moves in are matched. Consequently, driving the
x, y and z directions, and rotates over all three simulator feels just like driving a normal car.
axes. The entire motion system is mounted on With its high-speed electric motion system
the lateral rail, which makes possible the Inside the dome there is a full Mercedes-Benz on a 12m (39.37ft) long rail for transverse
simulation of sideways movements that a car model where test drivers seat and view a movements and 360° screen, the dynamic
hexapod on its own cannot simulate because of 360° projection screen showing real-life traffic simulator is the most advanced in the automobile
stroke limitations of the actuators. The system scenes, with moving pedestrians, oncoming industry. The system as integrated by Daimler
is driven along the rail using linear motors. traffic and buildings. engineers also features energy recuperation.
Millbrook
Tel: +44 1525 404242
4MeasureOnAir
Email: info@millbrook.co.uk
Web: www.millbrook.co.uk
EV development
in the UK %HVWLQZLUHOHVV
Millbrook, a leading vehicle test
516 and development organization, is
championing electric charging points
after playing a key role in the East of England’s
successful electric vehicle infrastructure bid. The
EValu8 bid, which secured the green light and
up to £2.9 million in funding in December 2010,
will see the installation of 1,200 electric charging
points across the East of England. To demonstrate
its commitment in leading the EValu8 Bedford
cluster, and to raise awareness of the bid,
Millbrook has installed two electric charging
points on its site. The company will work with
developers to trial and verify new technologies
and infrastructure to enable to UK to take
important steps towards electric vehicles
7KHGUHDPRIHYHU\HQJLQHHU
being a viable alternative for consumers. WHOHPHWU\RQURWDWLQJFRPSRQHQWV
“The EValu8 bid has already secured over
£7 million in funding from various sources, VDPSOLQJUDWHXSWR+]SHUFKDQQHO
which will ensure that, by the end of 2013, all
local businesses and residents will be no more four thermo-couple inputs per unit
than 25 miles away from a charging point,” says
head of laboratories at Millbrook, Andy Eastlake. RQO\RQHUHFHLYHUIRUDOOIRXUZKHHOV
“This is a fantastic initiative, and something that
we at Millbrook are championing, along with KLJKVSHHGSURYHQXSWRPRUHWKDQ
fellow industry members including Cranfield NPK
University, and the Nissan Technology Centre,
as the provision and access to charging points
is a key enabler in the mass uptake of EVs. www.aft-werdohl.de
EValu8 will link up with existing projects to
provide a wide integrated network of plug-in info@aft-werdohl.de
points, with retail outlets, public car parks,
railways stations, local businesses and AFT Atlas Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH · Gewerbestr. 14 · D-58791 Werdohl
residential streets already identified as $)76DOHV 6XSSRUW2I¿FH86$Â(DVW%LJ%HDYHU5RDGÂ7UR\0,
prime locations for plug-in points.
MARCH 2011 077
State-of-the-art solution of measurement and test -
Premax presents a state-of-the-art large scale solution for vibration data collection and monitoring,
MIMO modal analysis, and MISO vibration control. It adopts embedded kernel QNX operating system
to assure the real-time performance in measurement and test, which helps customers out of worry
about loss of data. While PXI structure creates Premax excellent synchronization and flexibility with
different types of input, wave source output and I/O modules. Multi Premax can be combined via
Ethernet LAN to build a large scale measurement system with hundreds or thousands of channels.
is just what you want!

Application:
➩ Vibration Data Collection and Monitoring
➩ MIMO Modal Analysis
➩ MISO Vibration Shaker Control
Econ Technologies is a leading developer and manufacturer of vibration test

products, measurement systems, and industrial measurement instruments.
Econ Technologies
Tel: +86-571 88178376 Fax: +86-571 88178385
Email: sales@econ-group.com www.econ-group.com
Peak Solution
EXHIBITOR Race Technology
Tel: +49 911 37 57 200
Tel: +44 1773 537620
Email: info@peak-solution.de
Email: sales@race-technology.com
Web: www.peak-solution.de
Web: www.race-technology.com
Resource planning for High accuracy speed sensor

automotive tests Race Technology’s popular SPEEDBOX product has been
Peak Solution is focused on the design and implementation of 518 upgraded to include fixed latency CAN messages and forward/
517 integrated software applications for the planning, description, backward detection. The overall system accuracy has also
evaluation and been improved even further, particularly under difficult GPS conditions.
documentation of tests. The SPEEDBOX is a very high accuracy, low latency GPS+inertial
To provide better transducer suitable for interfacing with a wide range of data acquisition
support for the process of and logging systems. The principal outputs of the SPEEDBOX are vehicle
scheduling tests, we offer speed and distance travelled. Other outputs include position, gradient,
the peak resource planner heading and acceleration. Optionally the SPEEDBOX can be fitted with
(PRP). Based on definable an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and/or an GPS compassing to allow
test types, a date for a test the measurement of vehicle roll, pitch and yaw angles and rotation rates.
is scheduled in a calendar The SPEEDBOX combines 20Hz GPS data with data from its three-axis
and all resources involved accelerometer to calculate speed and distance at a true 200Hz with
in the test, such as test no interpolation.
stands, test equipment,
units under test, are
marked as allocated. In Re-Sol
doing so, the resources Tel: +1 248 219 5256
necessary to perform the test for a specific test type can be specified. Email: info@re-sol.com
Each resource comes with a calendar which can be used to determine Web: www.re-sol.com
its availability. Although the description of resources can change over
the course of time, the application does not have to be modified from
a programming perspective. Diesel flow measurement system
In combination with our modules for measurement data management
(MDM), you can centrally manage test descriptions and measurement Re-Sol has developed the new RS438-200 diesel flow
results from different test facilities in a standardized format based on 519 measurement system, as part of its RS400 Mobile Fuel System
ASAM ODS. In addition to the measured data, the associated meta family. The system is designed to cover a wide range of diesel
information is also stored in the database. This may, for example, be and biodiesel applications. The fuel measurement sensor is based on
the structure and condition of the test specimen and the configuration the Coriolis principle. A preheating circuit ensures that engines with little
and environmental conditions for the test. recirculation flow can reach the required fuel temperature in a short time.
This way, you can achieve a transparent scheduling of tests and a better The integrated vapor separator can be switched from open to closed-
capacity utilization of the resources, as well as re-locate the wide range loop mode to accommodate best transient behavior and best vapor
of information within the scope of its context and make it more useful separation. Ac pumps are selected to assure long durability. The outlet
for evaluations. pump is VFD controlled. Options include a variety of interfaces (Ethernet,
For more information and a live demonstration, visit us at Automotive AK, CAN) and also stainless steel regulators and solenoid valves.
Testing Expo Europe, June 17, 18, 19, 2011, stand 1850, Stuttgart, Germany. The system can be packaged with or without enclosure.
RUAG
Tel: +41 41 268 38 01
Email: aerodynamics@ruag.com
Web: www.ruag.com
Wind tunnel rain tests

Every driver on the roads today is
520 disturbed by wet road conditions.
A sudden change of the precipitation
environment can be quite dangerous, especially
when traveling at high speeds. Next to the more
obvious aquaplaning phenomena, safety is also
influenced by maintaining adequate forward,
side- and rearward visibility, even during the
most adverse weather conditions. Water rig upstream of the car seeds the air flow with mounted in the test section walls, the car is
accumulations and flows on the car body surface water droplets of the necessary size and optimally illuminated from all angles and the test
are primarily influenced by defining its outer quantity. At the same time, it generates findings are recorded with a number of remotely
shape and optimizing its wiper systems. additional turbulence so the flow conditions are controlled video and still cameras which
In the RUAG Large Wind Tunnel in Emmen, representative of those encountered on the road. are operated from the control room.
Switzerland (LWTE), rain conditions are To enhance the visibility of the soiling flow Next to drag, lift and cooling flow
simulated for full-sized cars under the on the car’s surface, a fluorescent dye is mixed optimization, the engineering field of ‘soiling’
repeatable laboratory conditions of a wind into the spray water before being ejected into is another important, but often overlooked,
tunnel at wind speeds up to 240km/h. A spray the test section. With multiple UV lamps area of aerodynamic car design.
MARCH 2011 079
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Unholtz-Dickie EXHIBITOR
Tel: +1 203 265 3929
Email: info@udco.com
Web: www.udco.com
Reich-Kupplungen
Vibration testing of EV/HEV hardware Tel: +49 234 959 16-0
Email: mail@reich-kupplungen.de
The recent surge in crude Web: www.reich-kupplungen.de
521 oil and gasoline prices
and new government
mandates have increased the Coupling technology
automotive industry’s focus on
developing vehicles that reduce our Test benches are used for many
dependence on petro-fuels. This 522 applications in power transmission
development effort has led to major engineering to determine the
innovations in hybrid, electric properties of specimens in research, development,
and fuel cell vehicle technologies. manufacturing and quality assurance.
Hundreds of engineers are involved Reich-Kupplungen, with its broad range of
in these new vehicle development flexible coupling elements, adaptive designs and
programs which provide new connection shafts provides standard solutions
opportunities for OEMs and their for a wide variety of different tasks and
respective suppliers. applications including prototype engine testing,
Unholtz-Dickie, a leading supplier research and development of processes and
of vibration test systems, is also contributing Unholtz-Dickie’s completely air-cooled K170- materials, and quality-, serial- or lifespan-testing.
in support of these vehicle development efforts 24C-3 shaker rated at 17,000 lb-force (75.6kN) Customers benefit from our over 60 years
with new, application-specific systems for with 3in pk-pk stroke (76mm) is configured of experience in engineering and manufacturing
product testing. Road induced vibration and with a massive 72in x 72in (183cm x 183cm) of highly flexible coupling systems. We hold
shock are mechanical environments that effect removable guided head expander for vertical the complete process from layout and design
the performance of power train components axis testing, and a 72in x 72in (183cm x 183cm) to machining and manufacturing, including
and electrical subsystems. Using large table bearing-guided slip table for horizontal axis test- the rubber-metal bonding in our hands.
electrodynamic shaker systems operating ing. The entire shaker/head expander/slip table Our standards can be complemented
to 1,000Hz, test engineers can utilize time- hardware set is integrated onto one common by specific customized designs to provide
compression vibration techniques to simulate platform/base assembly (see picture above). optimized, tailor-made solutions according
the full service life of a vehicle in the test lab. The resulting test system can reliably handle to your requirements.
Vibration profiles and thermal cycling schedules large UUTs that must be subjected to long If you are interested in specific topics please
can also be combined for maximum environmen- duration, robust vibration profiles and shock contact us, or visit us at Automotive Testing
tal testing synergy and overall testing efficiency. pulse waveforms. Expo Europe, Stand 1835
ARAI G.R.A.S.
Tel: +91 20 3023 1111 Tel: +45 4566 40 46
Email: director@araiindia.com Email: gras@gras.dk
Web: www.araiindia.com Web: www.gras.dk
Symposium on international Precision surface microphone

automotive technology G.R.A.S. is introducing the new 40LS, the first ¼in precision
524 surface microphone in the world. This ¼in prepolarized pressure
SIAT 2011 was inaugurated on January 19, 2011. In the 33 microphone is designed for mounting on flat and curved
523 technical sessions of SIAT 2011, held concurrently in five surfaces. It is optimized to reduce self-generated turbulence, and the
halls, there were 33 keynote papers and 122 technical papers small diaphragm diameter enables almost ideal point measurements.
presented. The deliberations were focused on the key areas such as vehicle The combination of these features ensures an unsurpassed frequency
engineering, automotive safety, alternate fuels, emissions, NVH, power range and optimum spatial resolution, as well as the ability to measure
plants, materials and CAE. SIAT 2011 was attended by about 1,300 very high levels. The built-in CCP preamplifer with TEDS capability enables
delegates from all over the world. use of long, lightweight cables and is ideal for multichannel applications.
The grand exposition SIAT EXPO 2011 was open to automotive 40LS is rugged and stable, with a diaphragm of stainless steel alloy
personnel and interested public and provided a great opportunity to share and a housing of high-grade stainless steel that can withstand adverse
and disseminate information and conduct business. About 140 exhibitors, weather conditions.
occupying 168 stalls from all over the world participated in the SIAT Specifications of the 40LS include nominal sensitivity of 1.8mV/Pa,
Expo. More than 10,000 visitors visited SIAT EXPO 2011. a dynamic range from 50dB(A) to 164dB, a frequency range of 5-70kHz,
The second edition of ‘Technology Theatres’ was organized during SIAT and an integrated TEDS with plug-and-play functionality.
2011 by eminent technology and service providers including MTS, ATS, 40LS is ideally suited for the automotive industry (wind tunnel testing,
MIRA, Romax, SWRI and ARAI. The ARAI Technology Theater received on road testing), the aerospace industry (examining true surface pressure,
an overwhelming response with more than 80 delegates participating. turbulence, aerodynamic noise, etc under real flight conditions/in wind
ARAI’s new development initiatives were presented during the tunnels), and wind turbine industries (testing of turbulence related noise).
Technology Theatre. G.R.A.S. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality measurement
The SIAT 2011 event concluded with the valedictory function chaired microphones for the most demanding industrial and environmental
by Shri Srivats Ram, president of ACMA. applications.
MARCH 2011 081
subscribe now To request a free subscription to
Automotive Testing Technology International go online to:
FREE ONLINE READER ENQUIRY SERVICE ALSO AVAILABLE

www.automotivetestingtechnologyinternational.com
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas
Tel: +34 915 70 27 37 EXHIBITOR
Email: info@aries.com.es
Web: www.aries.com.es
Award-winning safety test systems

Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas (Aries) New projects, such as various full-scale
525 is a global leader in passive safety crash facilities and universal launchers, are
test systems for the automotive ongoing and will be ready for startup in the
industry. In 2010, the company supplied state-of- near future. Aries also focuses on developing
the-art test systems around the world, especially new systems for the market needs, such as
in Asia, with steady growth and guaranteed ejection mitigation, arising from new testing
success in new projects planned for 2011. regulation and future industry trends like
Aries has built a strong reputation by active safety systems proliferation. Aries has
developing high standards of systems in the developed a balloon car which is a turnkey
vehicle testing fields. Pedestrian, interior, and solution for active safety that includes the
full-scale crash testing are areas in which Aries’ target vehicle to test advanced drive assistance
know-how prevails as the industry reference. systems (ADAS).
ASAM
EXHIBITOR
Email: info@asam.net
Web: www.asam.net
Quality driven by standards

Initiated by Germany’s major OEMs exchange, acquisition and management;
526 and Tier1/Tier 2 suppliers, ASAM testbed automation; analysis of measured
e.V. provides a platform to create data; and simulation.
an environment for engineering, simulation, This collaboration proved to be very effective
testing and automation that supports free for both parties. It allows the early identification
interconnection of devices and software of any need for standardization, to take both
applications and seamless exchange of data. group’s requirements into consideration, to
Driven by the common goal to master the jointly work on a standardized solution, and to
complexity of data models, interfaces, and release innovative and sustainable standards
syntax specifications, OEMs and suppliers are quickly. ASAM e.V. makes sure that leading
joining forces to warrant quality and efficiency companies will actively participate in that
through common and reliable standards in process and guarantee a speedy development
the areas of: vehicle ECU development; data of cutting-edge technology.
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
ACS Inc .....................................................................41 IMTECH Deutschland GmbH & Co KG ........................47
Affiliated Engineers Inc .............................................61 Jacobs Technology Inc ..............................................61
AFT Atlas Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH .............................77 KMT – Kraus Messtechnik GmbH .............................15
AOS Technologies .....................................................24 LEMO SA ...................................................................83
Application Engineering Inc .......................................40 LMS International.....................................................IFC
Aries Ingenieria Y Sistemas SA .................................17 MAHA-AIP GmbH & Co KG ........................................27
ASAM e.V ..................................................................20 Manner Sensortelemetric GmbH ...............................54
Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) .....80 MCE Stahl – und Maschinenbau GmbH & Co KG .......71
Automotive Testing Technology Online Meggitt Sensing Systems – Measurement Group .....39
Reader Enquiry Service .................................. 82, 84 Millbrook Proving Ground ..........................................29
Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2011 .........19, 21, 22 MOOG .......................................................................13
Berndorf Band GmbH .............................................. IBC Mustang Advanced Engineering ..................................3
Brüel + Kjær..............................................................25 PCB Piezotronics ...................................................... 41
Continental Tire North America Inc ...........................51 PCO AG .....................................................................72
Cotta Transmissions .................................................46 Peak Solution GmbH .................................................71
D & V Electronics Ltd.................................................55 Race Technology Ltd .................................................32
Dewetron GmbH ........................................................67 Reich Kupplungen .....................................................76
Dytran Instruments ...................................................27 Re-Sol LLC ................................................................35
Econ Technologies ....................................................78 Rototest AB ............................................................OBC
En’Urga Inc ...............................................................12 RUAG Schweiz AG .....................................................47
FAIST Anlagenbau GmbH ............................................9 Seoul Industry Engineering Co ..................................67
FGB – Fertigungsgeratebau A Steinbach GmbH ........52 Silicon Designs..........................................................35
Fundacion Cetena (CITEAN)....................................72 Single Temperiertechnik GmbH .................................50
G.R.A.S. Sound + Vibration.......................................29 The Battery Show 2011 ...........................................83
GeneSys Elektronik GmbH ........................................74 Unholtz-Dickie Corp ..................................................32
HBM - Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik .....................11 Windshear Inc ...........................................................44
MARCH 2011
ANN_AU_90x250_en_b_Testing Technology 11.02.11 12:19 Page1
MOTORSPORT
CONNECTORS
M SERIES
7g^c\^c\id\Zi]Zgi]ZZci^gZVYkVcXZY
WViiZgnhjeeanX]V^cjcYZgdcZgdd[
A ratchet screw system enables

quick and secure coupling of
the connectors.
An innovative solution
8Vaajhidaa[gZZ/ &-,,-)'+'-. for harsh environments
very high contact density
ratchet screw coupling
mechanism
6 different sizes
>CE6GIC:GH=>EL>I=/ lightweight aluminium shell
2 to 114 contacts
SM
optimum space saving
oil and fuel resistant
IP 68
high shock and vibration
8D"AD86I:9L>I=/ resistance
vibration absorbtion flange
LEMO SA - Switzerland
Phone : (+41 21) 695 16 00
Fax : (+41 21) 695 16 02
info@lemo.com
Fast ...
... faster ...
... steel belts from Berndorf Band!

Steel belts from Berndorf Band have
been used for automotive testing
applications for many years.
It began with tyre test belts, leading

to the construction of wide rolling
road belts for wind tunnel testing.
Speeds of almost 300km/h and the

need for extremely accurate running
properties place exceptionally high
demands on steel belts.
Berndorf Band GmbH
Berndorf Band is the leader in the A-2560 Berndorf, Austria
development and manufacturing Phone: (+43)2672-800-0
of high-speed belts. This results in Fax: (+43)2672-84176
signifiFant advances in the quality band@berndorf.co.at
and performance of our products. www.berndorf-band.at
TESTBED LEGENDS
A tribute to history’s most forward-thinking concept cars,
which have formed testbeds for technologies of the future
SafariKar
Mohs’ imagination
did not stop with the
Ostentatienne Opera, and in
1973 the SafariKar was devised,
a true premium SUV conceived
for hunting animals. The car
is quite remarkable, featuring
not only a folding hard top,
but large side doors that
slid outwards.
Again based on an
International Harvester truck
chassis, the SafariKar had room
Mohs
for eight hunters, with three
bucket seats up front, a three- To aid stealthiness, the car
seat bench in the rear, and was not merely painted metal,
a further two jump seats at but instead used cast Tenzalloy
the back, although these were bulkheads, heavy-gauge
intended for parade use (yes, aluminum sheet, polyurethane
Ostentatienne Opera really). The interior could also

be arranged to sleep two adults
and two children.
foam, and a wipe-clean matt
black Naugahyde skin. Options
included four-wheel-drive.
Do not adjust your page, the proportions
of the car you see here are real. Two FAR LEFT: The car
things may help explain the styling: it was attracted few buyers,
designed by the Mohs Seaplane Corporation of partly because of its
price tag, which went
Madison, Wisconsin, USA, and it was based on up to US$25,600
an International Harvester Company truck chassis.
Believe it or not, the appropriately named car was
in production between 1967 and 1979. However, LEFT: Stepping into
the rear-entry door
the design was not quite as stupid as it looks… to Mohs’ vision of
a safe, luxurious haven
Reality check
› The truck chassis was an is unclear how passengers a refrigerator, a safe, wanting a little more,
integral safety feature of would escape in the event a two-way radio system that but this added a further
the car, with its steel beams of a rear collision. could be linked to home 360 lb (163kg) to the
running the length of the › The heavy-duty 3m-long and office, sealed-beam car’s weight.
vehicle’s sides for impact wheelbase truck chassis tail-lights, a 110V converter, › The car is 248in long,
protection. This ruled out was required in order to a butane heater, a walnut 90in wide, and 69in high
side doors, so a single, rear- support the car’s 5,740 lb instrument panel inlaid (6,299 x 2,286 x 1,753mm).
entry door was devised, (2,600kg) weight. Similarly, with 24-carat gold, velvet › Designer Bruce Mohs (also
which incorporated an the 7.5 x 20in Denman upholstery, and ‘Ming owner of the eponymous
integrated skylight. The tires (a not uncommon Dynasty’ carpeting. seaplane operation) was
door was a huge feature, size now) had to be fi lled › To help hustle the car’s very keen on safety, and
with its hinge mounted with nitrogen to cope bulk, another refi ned fitted the sedan with ‘safety
at the windshield header. with the loads. feature from International bucket seats’. Presumably
When the door was opened, › The specification list Harvester was fitted: this just means the car had
a step lowered in the rear was remarkable, still a 304in3 V8 engine. bucket seats, rather than
bumper to ease entry into exceeding even that of A 549in3 V8 was also the bench seats that were
the vehicle. However, it a Maybach. Items included: offered to the customer popular at the time.
subscribe now To request a free subscription to Automotive Testing Technology International go online to:
www.automotivetestingtechnologyinternational.com
FREE ONLINE READER ENQUIRY SERVICE ALSO AVAILABLE
MARCH 2011
Leading partner in
Test & Mechatronic Simulation
When NVH quality counts
¼ NVH and acoustic simulation

¼ Acoustic testing
¼ Structural testing
¼ Rotating machinery testing
¼ Vibration control
¼ Analyzer-based testing
References on www.lmsintl.com/testlab
Ad ATTI February 11 NVH.indd 1 2/02/11 10:40

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www.AutomotiveTestingTechnologyInternational.

com March 2011

Has technology taken powertrain

Gordon Murray Audi A6 Tunnel tour

More information on www.lmsintl.com

... steel belts from Berndorf Band!

It began with tyre test belts leading to

Speeds of up to nearly 300 km/h and

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