With increasing demands for comfort, safety, and operational stability in commercial vehicles, there is also a growing need for realistic test environments in the laboratory. AIP developed a highly dynamic multi-piston system (HYD 10H-250) for Mercedes-Benz Trucks at the Development and Test Center in Wörth am Rhein – a globally unique road simulator for the precise analysis of the vibration and driving behavior of complete trucks. The system enables the reproducible simulation of real road conditions and is therefore a powerful tool for the development, validation, and optimization of modern commercial vehicles.
Reproducing real road conditions in the laboratory
Real-world road testing is essential in vehicle development in order to identify critical load cases, comfort issues, and fatigue symptoms. However, such tests are time-consuming and costly – they often require months of testing and development time on test tracks around the world. The aim of the project was therefore to develop a test bench that simulates these real, highly dynamic road profiles in the laboratory in a reproducible, controllable, and highly repeatable manner. This enables developers to obtain reliable data on the vibration and resonance behavior of large trucks – regardless of weather, season, or geographical conditions.
Highly dynamic multi-punch technology including laboratory simulation
AIP implemented a technically outstanding system with the HYD 10H-250 multi-stamp system:
The system consists of 20 hydraulic actuators (stamps) – each arranged vertically (z) and longitudinally (x) for each pair of wheels and individually controllable. This allows asymmetrical bumps, potholes, cobblestones, or country road signals to be reproduced just as realistically as highway or off-road conditions.
The system consists of 20 hydraulic actuators (stamps) – each arranged vertically (z) and longitudinally (x) for each pair of wheels and individually controllable. This allows asymmetrical bumps, potholes, cobblestones, or country road signals to be reproduced just as realistically as highway or off-road conditions.
A central hydraulic unit with eight pumps and a system pressure of up to 280 bar provides the necessary force and dynamics. The system is installed on an innovatively decoupled vibration foundation that effectively isolates vibrations. Original or synthetic road profiles are converted into stamp movements in real time via a digital control system – for precise, repeatable test signals in the laboratory.
Efficient road simulation with measurable added value
The highly dynamic multi-piston system makes it possible to fully replicate real-world road loads from trucks in the laboratory and analyze them in a targeted manner. The individually controllable hydraulic pistons allow both symmetrical and asymmetrical road events to be simulated realistically and repeated reproducibly. This provides developers with reliable and comparable measurement data on the vibration, comfort, and structural behavior of complete vehicles.
The key advantages of the system are:
- Reproducible road simulation independent of weather, route, and driver influences
- High dynamics and precision for simulating complex load collectives
- Flexible application options for different vehicle concepts and drive types