Simulation testing of truck cab

Exova provides both North American and European transit bus manufacturers with a complete package of simulation testing services and facilities.

Key to this package is a 6-Post Tire-Coupled Heavy Duty Road Simulator which enables manufacturers to conduct highly reliable design life durability tests in a compressed time period in a fully equipped laboratory.

All vehicle testing is performed in a secure environment where confidentiality is assured.

In addition to the basic simulation testing services, Exova offers a full range of complimentary expertise and equipment.

Supporting Capabilities

• Property Survey - to identify the mean service environment associated with, for example, a bus property, etc.
• Duty Cycle Survey - to acquire data on an instrumented vehicle in a selected service environment
• Drive File Development - to reduce and compress data to the desired degree while maintaining damage content
• Drive File Iterations - to perform iterations until the response of the vehicle on the simulator correlates with the road load data
• Durability Testing - to conduct the durability test equivalent to the design life requirement
• Troubleshooting - to correct structural problems using finite element model and qualify via test
• Parallel bay for vehicle preparation and storage

Facilities

The Exova drive-on facility is configured to accommodate both 2 and 3 axle vehicles up to a maximum length of 60 ft and a maximum weight of 200,000 lbs. The new facility features:

• Drive-on Configuration
• Test Facility Dimensions 60 ft x 12 ft
• Seismic Mass 1,500,000 lb
• Static Lift Capacity 200,000 lbf
• Dynamic Force Capacity 4 x 40,000 lb and 2 x 24,000 lb
• Working Stroke ± 6 inches
• Frequency Range 0 to 50 Hz
• Maximum Velocity 40 in/sec

Exova offers traditional 4-post simulation testing as an effective and inexpensive method of performing full vehicle structural durability. Exova's 4 post simulation facility has the capability to provide environmental conditioning to include high & low temperatures, relative humidity and full spectrum solar radiation. These combined inputs provide the OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers with an invaluable tool for advanced and ongoing development of modern vehicle systems. The flexibility of employing various dynamic and environmental inputs permits the engineering community to reduce program development costs and compress the design cycle by employing edited time histories. These edited series typically reduce the collected field data to within 10% of the original time while retaining a minimum of 90% damage or energy. Exova’s 4-Post simulation facility provides a secure laboratory testing environment. The 4-post simulator accurately reproduces vertical road surface events out to 50 HZ. Exova’s 4-post testing facility has supported both the domestic and transnational automotive (passenger car & light truck) and military industries for over 10 years.

Vehicle Transport and Vehicle Simulation

Exova also offers a full range of complimentary expertise and equipment.
Supporting Capabilities

• Instrumentation & Data Acquisition Services
• Data Editing & Analysis
• Drive File Development
• Fatigue Life Analysis
• Root Cause Analysis
• NVH Evaluations
• Experimental Modal Analysis
• High Security Testing & Work Areas
• Experienced Engineering & Technical Support
• Access to other Exova expertise and facilities Materials Testing and Failure Analysis

Facilities

• Dynamic Force 4 x 11,000 lbf
• Stroke ± 5 in
• Max Velocity 40 in/sec
• Wheel Base Adjustment 80 to 166 in
• Track Adjustments 50 to 71 in
• Environmental Chamber 24 ft deep x 19 ft wide x 9.5 ft high (solar fixture clearance)
• Chamber Door 8 ft wide x 10 ft high
• Environmental Conditioning -40°C to +85°C
• Humidity up to 95% RH
• Solar Simulation Full Spectrum
• Power
• Adjustable to 34 kW
• Auxiliary Cooling for Shocks & Struts

Typical Test Applications

• NVH Evaluations
• Full Vehicle Interior & Exterior Systems
• Suspension Systems
• Fuel Tanks
• Powertrain Mounting Systems (Engine & Transmission Mounts)
• Engine Cooling Modules
• AC Condensers & Transmission Oil Coolers
• HVAC Complete Assemblies
• Exhaust Systems Single and Dual Platform
• Batteries and Supporting Structures