SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Test Stand Specifications

Test Stand Design

Test Stand Fabrication

Test Stand Installation/ Commissioning

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	Tractor test cell, used in a past project conducted by SwRI.

A wide variety of test stands are designed, developed, and fabricated at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). SwRI provides turnkey solutions to unusual and complex systems requirements. For the past 50 years, SwRI has built stands for applications ranging in size from 1–10,000 HP. SwRI provides test stands to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and suppliers in the following industries:

• Automotive

• Trucking

• Agricultural

• Military

• Aerospace

• Marine

• Petroleum

Past applications range from components to complex assemblies such as engines and transmissions to complete facilities.

Test Stand Services

SwRI provides the following services:

• Specification development

• Preliminary and detailed design

• Fabrication

• Installation/commissioning

Test Stand Specification

SwRI prepares complete client facility specifications. These facility specifications include:

• Sizing of the stands and components

• Development of auxiliary systems for air, oil, fuel and coolants

• Facility requirements and interfaces

• Placement of the equipment within the test cell

The equipment specifications provided by SwRI include:

• Review of available equipment to perform the desired testing functions

• Listing of costs associated with the equipment

• Detailed drawings of the mechanical, electronic, and, instrumentation capabilities

• Client facility layout

The test stand specification is used as a document for common communication throughout the development and commissioning process:

• By management, for budget and planning purposes

• By engineering to preview and modify the test facility as part of the conceptual development

• By purchasing to obtain competitive quotations

• By the various subcontractors to assure continuity between the many systems

Test Stand Design

SwRI designs all aspects of the test cell and provides a complete drawing package and documentation necessary to fabricate a stand and/or facility.

• 3D CAD models are generated that allow for tradeoff studies to be conducted and space allocation to be evaluated in advance of fabrication. These studies further help eliminate installation problems.

• Where mechanical fixturing is required, SwRI provides detailed designs. In addition to mechanical designs, SwRI incorporates mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical functions.

• Electronic systems involving instrumentation and data acquisition hardware are designed and drawings showing point to point locations, grounding and shielding are developed.

Test Stand Fabrications

SwRI provides comprehensive services using a multidisciplinary project team approach that involves all aspects of the stand or facility including:

• Facility requirements

  • Mechanical

  • Electrical

  • Air handling

  • Emissions

• Environmental

  • Hot

  • Cold

  • Humidity

  • Pressure

  • Altitude

• Mounting systems/baseplates/inertia blocks

• Dynamometers

  • AC regenerative

  • DC regnerative

  • Eddy current

  • Air actuated

  • Hydraulic

  • Water brake

• Auxiliary support/accessory systems

• Instrumentation

• Data acquisition

• Control

• Data Analysis and Reporting

Test Stand Installation/Commissioning

SwRI is fully responsible for the installation of all aspects of the cell including air handling, fuel, water, electrical, electronic, mechanical and component installation. At the onset of the program, a commissioning plan is developed that includes the checkout of the equipment and describes in detail the verification process that will be performed.

Specific examples of the installation services SwRI provides include the following:

• Commissioning plan development

• On-site calibration of instrumentation

• Verification of data acquisition

• Verification of controls

• Acceptance testing

• Training

For more information about automotive test stand development capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Mike Kluger at mkluger@swri.org or (210) 522-3095. 

| Office of Automotive Engineering | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

September 30, 2008