Product validation laboratory Element Materials Technology has added an electromagnetic sled at its Michigan site to improve the accuracy, repeatability and efficiency of the seat testing process.
The company says the US$5m investment is the next step in its journey to becoming a world-class centre of excellence for seat structure and seat materials validation.
Based at the company’s laboratory in Michigan, the sled system has a number of features designed to drastically reduce turnaround times. It uses an electrical energy storage system rather than a traditional pneumatic system, reducing regeneration times from 30 minutes to 30 seconds between shots. The company says that the system offers enhanced accuracy, removing the need to repeat calibration shots, and, in the majority of cases, pulse matching is within 5% of target or less. An independent E Liner camera system is used in conjunction with the sled, allowing for automated positioning of six cameras and the elimination of unwanted camera motion associated with traditional outriggers.
“From the latest high-speed cameras to the dummy positioning system, every component that has gone into this sled system is an example of the latest available technology known to the market,” said John Nelson, executive vice president of transportation and industrials at Element. “Our capabilities now extend to include the only electromagnetic sled of its kind in North America – there are only two others in existence in the world. This significant extension of our capabilities is a clear demonstration of our commitment to our customers in the transportation sector, ensuring that they benefit from the significant increase in efficiency, repeatability and accuracy of this new system.”
Element Warren’s services include full-vehicle testing, climatics and environmental simulation, polymer and composites analysis, materials testing, corrosion, vibration and dynamics testing and hybrid and electric vehicle battery testing. It serves the transportation, automotive, aerospace, defence, medical and commercial markets.
