Cold test stand for truck engines

JW Froehlich developed a cold test stand for a Brazilian truck engine manufacturer, designed to test both 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder diesel engines. 

Three setup stations enable fast manual mounting and dismounting of heavy-duty engines, while also providing future potential for increased engine type variability. The electric drive motor, which rotates the crankshaft during the cold test, is precisely matched to each engine type. An automated crankshaft position detection system ensures the correct automatic connection between the drive flange and the drive motor. 

Simultaneously with crankshaft position detection, the fuel system is pre-filled. Additionally, the removal of a tested engine and the preparation of the next test object in the pre-test station occur in parallel. The overall cycle time is 230 seconds, with the 6-cylinder engine test taking 160 seconds and the 4-cylinder engine test taking 180 seconds. 

Unlike hot testing, cold testing requires no coolant or fuel and produces no emissions, significantly contributing to more sustainable testing processes. Additionally, shorter test times reduce operating costs. Thanks to the high flexibility of the test stand, the customer can test different engine types on a single production line, significantly lowering investment costs. 

This solution was based on a previous JW Froehlich project for a German truck manufacturer, which led to this highly efficient, application-oriented solution.