Testing

Aerodynamic coefficients

Aerodynamic coefficients up to 210 km/h, yaw angle, with automated mapping of the height from the ground. An integrated car-lift allows easy modifications to the underbody. The range of systems allows measuring from city cars to light commercial vehicles without removing any suspension components: the wheel rotation unit can support up to 1200 kg of vertical load each. The vehicle is held in the correct position by 4 vertical struts, which also act as vehicle height actuators.
The system can accommodate motorcycles: with a specific configuration, the wheels can be set in motion and the effect of the yaw and roll angle can also be evaluated. In a separate bench, the measurement of the frontal area can be performed.

Aeroacoustics

Aeroacoustic measurements inside the cabin with dummies, traditional and "flush mounted" microphones, accelerometers and a "spherical beamforming" system. This last device is composed of a spherical support integrated with 50 microphones and 12 cameras, to map the cabin at 360° and identify the noise sources. The data are analyzed in terms of "integral" values such as overall, articulation index, loudness, sharpness and as a frequency spectrum. The "shape noise" analysis uses 2 beamforming racks: one on the left side, the second on the top; the measurements are used to evaluate the "shape noise" of the vehicle and all the resonance noise due to the cavities of the body (e.g. door cut, rearview mirror, shape of the A-pillar, door handles, windshield wipers, antenna, moldings, front air intake grille, ...).

Flowfield analysis

The flow field analysis uses various probes, from Pitot tube to directional pressure probe (like 5-holes probe or 12-holes probe) and 1-D hot wire anemometer. The data available are pressure and local velocity components on a predefined grid; this process is fully automated and take about 20-30 min to measure rear wake on a transversal plane. A specific application is the comfort evaluation on spider/cabrio; in this case the hot wire probe measurements, done on a transversal plane corresponding to driver or passenger heads, allows to evaluate the air velocity distribution. It is also possible to use a stereoPIV probe that allows to instantly and objectively "photograph" a portion of the flow field (approximately 400 x 300 mm), measuring the local components of the velocity vectors.

WLTP VDE determination

A recently introduced methodology is the possibility to perform a “on bench” coast down test (as expected with new WLTP rules), exploiting the wheel spinning unit capability to measure the torque transmitted to the car tyres. It’s so possible to measure the vehicle road load, at various speed, reproducing the coast down deceleration curve.

Frontal Area

A separate test bench allows to quickly measure Frontal Area of each vehicle, in order to determine, with higher accuracy, the adimensional aero coefficients.

Thermal Testing

The climatic wind tunnels are mainly used for validating engine cooling systems or determining the maximum temperatures reached by various components in the engine compartment or other thermally critical areas of the vehicle. The combined use of all tunnel functions allows simulating severe vehicle usage conditions, such as full-load climbs or low speed traffic city driving at high ambient temperatures.

HVAC Testing

Another main use of the climatic wind tunnels is the validation of the performance of the cabin cooling and heating systems, both at their maximum capacity and in the automatic comfort regulation function

Homologation Testing

The laboratory is ISO-17025 accredited for performing homologation tests for windshield defrosting and defogging according to EU Regulation 535/2021, but it is also possible to perform self-certification homologation tests according to specifc regulations.

Air flow testing

“A separate test bench allows for tests aimed at verifying the air permeability of the cabin (equivalent hole), measuring the air flow rates of the climate control system in various possible settings, and measuring air speeds on the windshield and in various positions within the cabin.