A new 12-page brochure is now available from Anthony Best Dynamics Ltd., which overviews the operation of its Plato objective NVH measurement & analysis system - specifically, when operating in-vehicle.
To receive a copy of the brochure, e-mail Andy.Rumble@abd.uk.com and specify with either:
on the Subject: line. The PDF-document is 1.5MB in size.
Add comment July 2nd, 2009
Hans-Peter Hoenes, Senior Manager for Product Line Applications, Automotive at Fairchild Semiconductors, writes:
The increasing complexity of electronic systems in modern automobiles reached a level where a paradigm shift both in design and the qualification process becomes mandatory. Releasing products according AEC-Q101, a sampling based method derived from ammunition testing in the 1940s and implemented in the 1960s for automotive, is absolutely insufficient to support a zero defect strategy. The combined use of state-of-the-art design tools and methods for robustness validation allows designers to cope with these challenges.
Read the complete article on the Automotive DesignLine website.
Add comment June 30th, 2009
AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation has introduced three accessory kits for RF conducted immunity testing for Bulk Current Injection (BCI) to various IEC, Military, Avionics and Automotive specifications. Designed as a complement to AR’s RF conducted immunity test systems, the three new kits each include attenuators, injection probes, monitor probes, calibration fixtures, calibration resistors, and termination resistors – all the accessories needed to perform BCI testing to various specifications. These accessories are still sold separately as well as in the kits.
The three test kits are:
Add comment June 26th, 2009
According to a new report by Global Industry Analysts the non-destructive test (NDT) equipment market will reach $1.2 billion by 2015. Stringent industry product specifications and tight quality control requirements set by the manufacturers are two of the biggest factors driving this demand.
The global market for surface inspection equipment is growing steadily with European and North American producers representing the majority of end-users. The North American market for surface inspection equipment is expected to grow, primarily due to the demand for replacing the existing automated systems and equipment. The European market is also set to enhance its market share, as the manufacturing activity is being shifted from Western Europe to the Eastern part, thus resulting in a steady demand for the equipment. Asia-Pacific market, with its current potential as a production base of the world, is exhibiting tremendous growth, and is expected to continue with its growth for the next few years.
Key participants in the global nondestructive test equipment market include American NDT, Centurion NDT, Extech Instruments, Faxitron X-Ray LLC, Foerster Instruments, GE Inspection Technologies, Gould-Bass Company, IBG NDT Systems Corporation, Insight NDT Equipment, intelligeNDT Systems & Services GmbH, Lenox Instrument Company, Magnetic Analysis Corporation, Magwerks Corporation, Olympus NDT, Sonatest Limited, Sonix, Varian Medical Systems, YXLON International, and Zetec among others.
The report titled “Nondestructive Test Equipment: A Global Strategic Business Report” announced by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of world market trends and drivers, market sizing data, industry issues and challenges. The study presents extensive commentary on the NDT industry, product overview, new product introductions, recent industry activity, and key player profiles. The study offers market data analytics in dollar terms for major regional markets such as US, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific (including Japan), and Rest of World. Product segments analyzed include Eddy Current Testing, Radiography, Surface Inspection, Ultrasonic Inspection, and Visual Inspection.
Visit the GIA website for more details about this market research report.
Add comment June 25th, 2009
AutoCar.Co.UK reports that BMW has opened a new aerodynamic test facility. According to the report,
The new Munich-based Aerodynamic Test Centre is spread over five floors and 25,000sq meters, took three years to construct and cost 170m Euros (£144m). Until now BMW had been using wind tunnels in five different locations around the world.
The facility – which will employ 500 engineers involved in BMW’s ‘EfficientDynamics’ programmes - has been built next to BMW’s FIZ Research and Innovation centre, which houses 6500 engineers. This, BMW bosses say, will allow aerodynamics to be more closely integrated into new model programmes.
Add comment June 24th, 2009
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International has produced a simple, consistent and economical sound test standard that can be used to determine whether a streetbike (on-highway motorcycle) exhaust system emits excessive sound, the AMA reports.
The J2825 “Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles,” issued by the SAE in May, establishes instrumentation, test site, test conditions, procedures, measurements and sound level limits. According to the SAE, the J2825 standard is based on a comprehensive study of a wide variety of on-highway motorcycles.
“The motorcycling community and law enforcement have long sought a practical field test for measuring street motorcycle exhaust sound,” said Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. “Thanks to the hard work of the Motorcycle Industry Council, and the SAE engineers involved in the project, for the first time a simple field test is now available.
“The AMA maintains that few factors contribute more to misunderstanding and prejudice against street riders than excessively noisy motorcycles,” Moreland continued. “With the new SAE J2825 standard, street motorcyclists can now determine how quiet, or loud, their bikes really are.”
Moreland added that the new standard follows a template established years ago with the SAE J1287 off-highway motorcycle sound test, a standard recommended by the AMA wherever off-highway motorcycles are operated.
The SAE J2825 on-highway motorcycle sound test procedure is similar to the one used for the SAE J1287 off-highway motorcycle test. The streetbike measurement requires holding a calibrated sound meter at a 45-degree angle 20 inches from the exhaust pipe of a running engine. The procedure spells out how to do the test with the bike at idle, at a predetermined engine speed (”Set RPM Test”), or by slowly increasing the engine speed of the bike, known as the “Swept RPM Test.”
The SAE J2825 standard, prepared by the SAE Motorcycle Technical Steering Committee, recommends a decibel limit of 92 dBA at idle for all machines or — using the Set RPM or Swept RPM Test — 100 dBA for three- or four-cylinder machines, and 96 dBA for bikes with fewer than three or more than four cylinders.
The creation of a new street motorcycle sound measurement procedure was a top recommendation of the 2003 National Summit on Motorcycle Sound, expressed by its Motorcycle Sound Working Group. The AMA organized the National Summit on Motorcycle Sound to pull together riders and user organizations, representatives of the motorcycle manufacturers, the aftermarket industry, racing promoters, government agencies, and others to develop proposals regarding the increasingly controversial issue of excessive motorcycle sound.
“The J2825 test allows jurisdictions around the nation, struggling with complaints about excessive motorcycle sound, to set reasonable limits in accordance with the SAE standard,” said Moreland. “While the AMA supports the establishment of the SAE J2825 standard in America’s cities, towns and communities, we will continue to fight efforts that single out motorcycles while still permitting excessive sound from other sources, such as loud cars and trucks, booming car stereos, poorly maintained generators, whining leaf blowers, and the like.”
The SAE J2825 standard can be downloaded on the SAE website for a fee at http://www.sae.org/technical/standards/J2825_200905.
Add comment June 19th, 2009
The Delphi Customer Technology Centre Luxembourg (CTCL), specialises in noise and vibration, exhaust emissions, engine durability, electromagnetic compatibility, and electronic systems test and development. With more than 500 engineers and technicians in Luxembourg, Delphi employs state of the art systems to support a wide range of testing and development programs for automotive and non-automotive companies.
The CTC Luxembourg (CTCL) is one of three major European technical centres operated by Delphi, one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive technologies. The facility is well prepared to host external teams offering conference areas and media connection to discuss and analyse technical test results on-site with high levels of confidentiality guaranteed.
At the heart of the 27,000 square-meter facility are two climatic wind tunnels, one with altitude simulation combined with exhaust emissions measurement for diesel or gasoline vehicles including 4WD. The second wind tunnel is optimised for Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems development. Both provide high-resolution temperature and humidity control and representative front-end vehicle aerodynamics.
CTCL’s noise and vibration capability includes a whole-vehicle semi-anechoic chamber. Designed to help engineers develop quieter automotive systems, the facility is already making an equally valuable contribution to improving the refinement of a wide range of other systems and sub-systems. Exhaust Emissions test facilities include the capability to test to the latest European, US and Californian requirements.
Summary of facilities
• Environmental Windtunnel with Solar simulation
• Altitude and exhaust emissions windtunnel
• Electromagnetic compatibility chamber
• Vehicle emissions laboratory
• Engine dynamometer laboratory
• Noise and vibration testing facilities
• Engineering
• Prototype fabrication, and CMM
• Test track with pass-by noise facility
• Components performance and durability test stands
• Full scale vehicle climatic chambers
Add comment June 17th, 2009
The problem of consolidating simulation models from different tools is growing when proprietary approaches are used. The IEEE language standard VHDL-AMS, also known as IEEE 1076.1, attempts to address the problem for automotive applications.
A development environment from Synopsys Inc. is used by the authors to show how designers can make the most of the IEEE standard. They explore the key aspects of the standard, related model libraries, a standardized statistical tool and encryption-based security for the providers of design models.
Finally, the simulation of a headlight range adjustment application and the results of the simulation are discussed.
Read the article on Automotive DesignLine.
Add comment June 16th, 2009
Maxim Integrated Products has selected the Teradyne microFLEX test system to test automotive sensor devices. The DC80 features a high-density voltage/current (V/I) option for high voltage and low current requirements that works well for testing integrated automotive and power devices, including LED drivers, printer drivers and automotive controllers.
The DC80 combines 20 four-quadrant VI channels able to achieve 80 volts and 50 mA. It also contains two time measurement units with 40 Mhz bandwidth and 500 pS accuracy which allow for reduced DIB and test program complexity, thereby reducing time to production release. The DC80 also improves test execution and throughput with three low current ranges between 200 uA and 200 mA to minimize current switching and Direct Memory Access (DMA) to accelerate large block data transfers.
Add comment June 16th, 2009
The Arizona Republic reports that the last car has taken its last test lap, and most employees have already moved to a new facility in Yuma. The article notes:
For the past few weeks, perhaps a half-dozen people have been packing for General Motors’ final departure from Mesa, bringing a quiet end to an era when American automotive icons like Corvette, Firebird and Camaro had to do or die on a 5-mile test track in the brutal desert heat.
Today, GM will quietly turn out the lights at its vast Desert Proving Ground in southeast Mesa, ending more than 56 years of operations there.
Add comment June 12th, 2009
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