Abstract
KEYWORDS – Crash testing, traction System, portability, new configuration impacts, heavy vehicles.
ABSTRACT –
The Applus IDIADA Passive Safety laboratory has a high accuracy and reliability traction system for performing crash tests. However, the system cannot be used outside the laboratory due to its type of construction. The aim of this project was to design and implement a new, portable, high-power traction system, which enables crash tests to be performed at any location and with new configurations, such as heavy-vehicle crashes, street shows and improved car2car tests.
The project was divided into 3 main phases: definition of requirements, development & implementation, and validation.
The definition of requirements consisted of calculating an engine that provides the necessary power and accelerations, choosing an automatic transmission system, designing the pulley installation and the anchorages, choosing a suitable steel wire for the traction and designing a tightening mechanism.
In the development & implementation phase the tasks included were: developing the software for the engine, reworking and mounting all the mechanical parts, implementing the hardware and installing the complete system.
Finally, in the validation phase, the whole system and single components were tested.
The portable traction system will enable new services to be offered, such as street shows, new crash test configurations and heavy trucks and buses crash tests. It will also be the only one that offers the possibility of performing tests outside the laboratory and testing vehicles up to 40.000 kg of mass. It also makes it possible to perform misuse tests without a human driver. The portable traction system will serve as a support for the laboratory traction system, increasing the performance of rollover and misuse tests and reducing the cost of complex car2car tests.