Secure integral system to validate the engine cooling capacity
Hot weather performance testing is common practice for the major OEMs – a challenge not only for the vehicles but also for the test engineers. A well-known OEM wants to validate the engine cooling capacity on a winding test track in the Californian desert. While the test vehicle has to be pushed to its limits, the health risk for the test engineers must be minimized. For these high-performance vehicle tests, the OEM uses an IPETRONIK integral system.
The challenge
The extreme climate conditions at the test site present special challenges. For the engine cooling capacity validation, the cooling and chassis system will be pushed to their performance limits. The measurement must be monitored precisely during the test drive in order to conduct the test exactly as planned and to directly intervene in the event of an error (e.g. a limit violation). This is why two people are needed for this test: While the driver concentrates on the track, the second person keeps their eye on the data – at a safe distance via an MQTT setup as to not expose them to the risk of high-performance driving maneuvers.
Requirements
- Wireless online display of the measurement data
- High sample rate, reliability, and security during data recording
- Temperature and ECU data measurement via CAN FD and XCP
- Ruggedized data logger system with WiFi & ETH interface
- Automatic remote data transmission to the data base
- 1 person in the vehicle
The solution
The IPETRONIK integral system including the highly precise measurement modules M-SENS8 and M-THERMO 16 T as well as the data logger IPElog2 with MQTT interface is ideal for the engine cooling capacity test under extreme heat conditions.
Mobile data transmission & online visualization
The powerful and ruggedized data logger IPElog2 is a perfect fit for this application. The device supports CAN FD as well as 4G data transmission and is IP54-rated, meaning that it can be used from -40 °C to up to +85 °C. The IPElog2 can monitor CAN FD bus information together with analog temperature inputs and transmit the data in real time (via cell phone connection) to a mobile display solution (tablet or cell phone). This allows the driver to fully concentrate on the track and their marks.
„Safety first!“
The second person, the so-called spotter, focuses on data monitoring. The IPETRONIK solution provides maximum safety – the spotter monitors the data as well as the test drive from an elevated position at a safe distance so that they can see the entire test track and the vehicle, adjust testing procedures in real time, provide feedback through radio in case of problems, or even abort the test (e.g. at signs of vehicle overheating, smoke, power loss).
The advantages
With the IPETRONIK integral system, the high-performance test under extreme conditions can be conducted securely and successfully. The safety of the test engineers has top priority – the driver can fully focus on the test track while the spotter keeps their eye on everything from a safe distance. In summary, the application offers:
- WiFi and MQTT interface for online display (with the IPEmotion software)
- Wireless connection to a mobile terminal (via the IPEmotion app)
- Global availability of the measurement results
- Secure and autonomous measurement data recording
- Versatile visualization tools
