Automotive & Vehicle, Research & Manufacturing Automation
Manufacturing Automation
Partners in Producing the Cars of Today and Tomorrow
The days are long gone when Quality is left to chance, your process is only as good as the measurements you take and the evaluations you make. For the last 25+ years A-Tech has been partnering with industry leading manufacturers and OEM's, helping in producing better cars with greater efficiency.
It was not so long ago when visual inspection was done with calipers and a human eye and part handing was done by a human with gloves. The demands on the modern manufacturing environment is constantly evolving and that means accuracy, precision & speed are in heavy demand. A-Tech constantly scours the globe for the best technologies, then applies them as solutions to meet the ever growing challenges.
Quality control is paramount & cycle time is key. In most cases, no two applications are exactly the same, and a low cost solution that gives you versatile, near instant evaluation & serialized data collection is a fundamental requirement.
A-Tech has been involved in the wide range of activities that supports the Automotive and Specialty Vehicle industries. This includes Passenger Vehicles, Motorcycles, Electric Bicycles, Light and Heavy Duty Trucks, Buses, Construction Equipment, Timber Harvesting Equipment, Mining and Agricultural Machinery, Recreational Vehicles and Military Vehicles.
Along with a world class portfolio of sensors, amplifiers & process meters we have Integrated Solutions for:
- Press Force Monitoring
- Integrated Servo Presses & Nutrunners for Assembly
- Pressure Decay & Mass Flow Leak Testing
- Door Garnish Application
- Functional Testing for:
- HVAC Modules
- Seat Slides
- Door Joints
- Pedal Adjustment Motors
Compact, Rugged Nutrunners & Servo Presses with Integrated Control and Data Collection for modern manufacturing processes
The Servo Press Tool is a space-saving design and minimum mounting footprint that allows for multiple press operations, in close proximity to each other. Force ranges start at 2000 N ( 450 lbs) and go up to 200,000 N ( 45000 lbs) and tool strokes from 100 mm up to 400 mm. Special models for High Speed, Force Holding, Dimensional Gauging, ... are also available.
The diverse control capability can be optimized to reduce cycle time, improving productivity, improve your product quality, reduce the scrap assemblies, reduce the operating and Maintenance costs and reduce the impact on the environment.
The Servo Press Controller performs monitoring of operation counts, thermal loading and travel distances to maintain the Tool’s endurance. Alarm conditions insure operation within the designed performance criteria. This eliminates excessive force conditions, thermal stress, etc., providing the process with a high reliability, minimum down time and optimized cycle time.
The Electric Nut Runners feature an electromagnetic motor coupled to a planetary gear pack, then through a custom designed torque sensor. Virtually all electric motors have built in encoders, allowing them to control based on displacement and speed. They are available in Torque Ranges from 2 Nm up to 255 Nm.
Advanced Technology with Absolute Pressure Decay Leak detection for Rapid Testing
As automotive manufacturing demands grow, A-Tech provides rapid and accurate testing for critical components with Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Testers. Features include:
- Electronically Controlled Pressure Regulation
- Multiple Programs for different parts, with the selection of different pressures
- Sequence – Pre-Fill Pressure, Reduced to Test Pressure, Stabilize, Measure Absolute Pressure Decay
- Data Collection by Serial Number, using a PC or PLC ( optional Field buses - Ethernet IP, etc.)
Intuitive Configuration via Touchscreen Real Time Graphical Display
CARTESIAN, SCARA & 6-AXIS ROBOTS & CONTROLLERS
Single & Multiple Axis CARTESIAN Robots and Controllers, up to X-Y-Z-R, PLC functionality. These offer high reliability, energy efficiency & ease of use. Complete Integrated Plug and Play Systems, include cables, actuators, servo-motors, controllers & supporting Programming Software Suite.
SCARA Articulated Robots, General Purpose, Low Energy, High Payload and High Speed models, ideal for Pick, Place, Packing, Unpacking & Moving operations in Food Processing, Pharmaceutical, Electronics Manufacturing and Automotive Parts assembly. Supporting Programming Software Suite. Shibaura Controllers have Integrated Digital I/O, PLC functionality, etc. Vision System integration is available.
6-AXIS industrial Robots, well suited for handling, assembly, pick-and-place and sorting applications in a wide variety of industries, in manufacturing of automotive parts/assemblies, plastics, medical, packaging and the pharmaceutical sector. Controllers provide Integrated Digital I/O, PLC control functionality, etc. Vision System integration is available. The Programming & Simulation Software Suite, supports intuitive / ease of programming.
Research & Development
Helping Test the Vehicles of Tomorrow
Whether providing pressure scanners for wind tunnel testing or instrumenting an electric car with accelerometers & tire pressure sensors or logging high speed data with your mobile data acquisition system, we have the measurement solutions that perform in the lab and on the field.
Modern research requires information for progression, demands the highest quality data & good value . We have a range of high quality Sensors for Noise and Vibration measurements and well as Ride Comfort Testing. This includes Control Systems for Endurance Testing, Performance Testing and Material Fatigue Testing.
Our capabilities in the manufacturing process cover a wide range of activities with Dimensional Gauging, Press Force Monitoring, Servo Presses, Fastener Torque Monitoring, Nutrunners, Leak Testing, Component Weighing, etc. for Process Control, Quality Assurance and Performance Testing. There are numerous In-Process Tests, “End of Line” Testing and Performance Verification Testing that we can provide.
Some of the key components tested using Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Testers include:
1. Car Axle Leak Test
Ensures the axle's durability and prevents potential mechanical failures
Test Parameters: 0.4 BAR pressure, 6 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The axle is pressurized, and the T8990 monitors the pressure decay to detect any leaks.
2. Brake Cylinders Leak Test
Critical for maintaining consistent braking performance.
Test Parameters: 6 BAR pressure, 0.4 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The brake cylinder is pressurized, and the tester measures the pressure decay to ensure it’s fully sealed.
3. Car Dashboard Leak Test
Protects sensitive electronic components from moisture and air leaks.
Test Parameters: 0.05 BAR pressure, 3 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The dashboard is pressurized, and the T8990 ensures even the smallest leaks are detected.
4. Turbocharged Intake Manifold Leak Test
Ensures that turbocharged systems maintain their pressure for optimal performance.
Test Parameters: 3 BAR pressure, 6 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The collectors are tested by applying the specified pressure, and the tester detects any pressure loss, ensuring airtight seals
5. Engine Water Pump Leak Test
Ensures that the pump body is sealed to prevent coolant leaks and overheating.
Test Parameters: 2 BAR pressure, 6 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process:The pump body is pressurized, and the T8990 detects leaks by measuring pressure decay, ensuring the pump’s reliability
6. Spark Plugs Leak Test
Ensures spark plugs are sealed, preventing air or fuel mixture leaks.
Test Parameters: 8 BAR pressure, 0.3 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8960 Differential Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process:The plugs are pressurized, and the tester’s high sensitivity detects any leaks, ensuring proper ignition performance
7. Engine Coolant Pipe Leak Test
Prevents coolant leaks that could lead to engine overheating.
Test Parameters: 1.5 BAR pressure, 3 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8990 Absolute Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The water tubes are pressurized, and the tester monitors for any pressure decay, ensuring leak-free operation.
7. Carburetor Leak Test
Ensures that carburetors are airtight, facilitating the correct air-fuel mixture.
Test Parameters: 2 BAR pressure, 0.5 cc/min leak rate.
Recommended Equipment: T8960 Differential Pressure Decay Leak Tester.
Process: The carburetor is tested under pressure, and the tester detects any leaks, ensuring optimal engine performance.
Electrical Vehicles: High Voltage Components
Reliable Equipment for High Voltage Applications
Electrification is becoming increasingly prevalent in many different vehicle classes and types, and powertrain and vehicle component technology is developing enormously. This is particularly true of batteries, which continue to improve in terms of efficiency, size, charging time and capacity.
In order to increase vehicle performance, there is a clear trend toward higher voltages that can exceed 1000 V systems.
Electric and hybrid vehicle with high-voltage components can be tested for functionality, safety and reliability during development and the manufacturing process.
E-Mobility electrical measurement testing in the development, production and testing of high voltage components for the electrical vehicle (EV), as well as in onboard measurement, energy storage and the charging process.
- HIL – Hardware in the Loop Simulation
- EOL – End-of-Line testing
- Stress Screening
Many components have to be tested under load, thus highly dynamic processes. stress screening, etc. during development. The effects of voltage peaks due to abrupt load changes or coupling capacitances requires high voltages capability during testing in development, in-vehicle testing and production validation.
For these demanding testing tasks, Knick provides a comprehensive range of high-precision isolation transducers for measuring currents and voltages in high-voltage circuits. In addition to the high-isolation the Knick devices offer high-speed and high-precision.
Knick brings these features and specifications to a wide-range of standard products, but also is capable of providing engineered custom solutions, specific to unique applications.
High Isolation Data Acquisition, Temperature, Current and Voltages up to 100 V at 1000 V potential
CANSASfit, CANSASflex and CRONOSflex series
Capable of measuring low-voltage via a current shunt resistor and/or voltage measurements in a high-voltage circuit, these devices have high isolation and industry leading measurement technology.
These devices are capable of highly accurate current measurement for dynamic power measurement, during consumption / charging, when testing hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as during endurance testing and production line verification.
Power Measurements on Electric Vehicles
With the HV measurement modules from imc, voltages of up to 1000 V can be measured directly. There are inputs for current probes, Rogowski coils and shunts. Power calculation for 1, 2 or 3 phases is performed online in the base system, including effective power, apparent power, reactive power and power factor. imc CRONOSflex has a sampling rate up to 100 kHz per channel on Voltages up to 1000 V.
imc EOS up to 4 MHz sampling rate, measuring range up to 100 V
- Measurements on electric motors for 48V systems
- e-mobility systems such as mild hybrid vehicles, e-bikes, e-scooters
- Measurements on inverters, power converters, switches
Imc’s EOS system offers high-performance measurement technology in one compact device. Four galvanically isolated precision measuring amplifiers ensure excellent signal quality even in environments with demanding electromagnetic conditions. Each measuring input provides both BNC and LEMO connections, which can be used according to sensor technology. Voltage up to ± 100 V, IEPE / ICP sensors and precision Fluxgate current transducers can be measured. The signals are digitized with 24 bits and recorded at up to 4 MHz per channel - the analog bandwidth extends up to 1.8 MHz.
Electric Vehicle Battery Test Stand
New Batteries and Battery Management Systems require extensive testing and validation , that includes investigations of charging and discharging cycles at different temperatures. These tests are carried out in specially protected climatic chambers and require extensive instrumentation.
A detailed analysis of the battery and its cells, temperatures and cell voltages have to be measured in many places. 100’s of measurement points with high common-mode level of the battery of up to 800 V, a highly isolated measurements required for safe testing.
On the Battery Test Stand, 20 x imc CANSAS-HISO8 measurement modules are used. Each module provides 8 highly-isolated inputs for measuring cell voltages or temperatures (thermocouples and PT100) at up to 800 V voltage levels simultaneously.
- Sensor-break detection for thermocouples
- Monitoring of measurement values according to min and max values (comparative operations)
- Monitoring of implausible measurement value change by monitoring rise/fall (differentiation: result for rise/fall speed too high)
- Monitoring if measurement values no longer change (differentiation: long-term average value and short-term mean value equal to zero)
- Power failure with backup in ring buffer
- Deactivation of test stand components possible
Read More .... https://www.imc-tm.com/solutions/e-mobility/battery-test-stand/
Brake & Vehicle Dynamics Test Systems
The imc Test Systems are a comprehensive test solution for those developing modern vehicle brake systems, powertrain and vehicle dynamics. These systems combine modular data acquisition, advanced sensor technology and wheel telemetry, as well as software for common tests. It acquires and processes all relevant measurement quantities such as brake force (force sensor), pedal travel (displacement), brake pressure (pressure sensor), brake disc temperature & brake caliper vibration (telemetry), chassis motion (Gyro), interior and exterior noise (microphones) and vibration (accelerometers). The imc Test System provides synchronous acquisition of analog parameters, digital signal sources (wheel telemetry for brake disc temperature) and information from vehicle buses and communication networks such as CAN, CAN FD, XCPoE and FlexRay. The tests are performed according to international standards such as ECE, ISO, FMSSV and SAE.
1) Wheel Hub Adapter, connects the WFT to the vehicle and can be used for different types of vehicles. 2) Wheel Rim Adapter , for mounting the tire that allows it to be used on different vehicles with the same tire size. 3) Wheel Force Sensors & Telemetry System, connects the hub adapter to the rim adapter sensing 3 axis of Force and 3 axis of Torque
Vehicle Dynamics using Telemetry Brake Force Telemetry System Wheel Force Telemetry Sensor/System
Steering Wheel Torque Sensor & Telemetry System
The CLSx high-precision steering effort sensor is innovative as it allows the original steering wheel of your vehicle to become a high-precision instrument that measures steering torque, angle, steering velocity and acceleration in x, y and z directions. Whether passenger car, truck or construction machinery, the ultra-slim sensor can be placed between the steering column and steering wheel in just a few simple steps. The functionality of the original steering wheel including airbag is completely preserved.
Installing a Steering Wheel Torque Sensor - Instruction Video
Seat Pad Triaxial Accelerometer - Hardware, Software & complete solution for Comfort / Vibration Testing
The Seat Pad Accelerometer Model KS963B100 was developed for measuring whole body vibration transmitted by driver seats of building machines and other vehicles in compliance with ISO 10326-1 and ISO 7096. The sensor has an IEPE output for robust signal transmission.
The Sensor is available with the PC Based Whole-Body Vibration Measurement System ( VM-Body ) with USB A/D convertors and Software that provides the measurement of vibration transmitted to the human body by the seat surface, the backrest or the feet to ISO 2631
Whole-body vibrations are caused by vibrations or shocks which are transmitted by machines and vehicles in the workplace via seat or feet. If a person is exposed to strong whole-body vibrations, safety and health are endangered and it is proven that backache can be provoked or aggravated.
The "vibration directive” (directive 2002/44/EC) defines minimum requirements for the protection against risks arising from whole-body vibrations.
Quality Control
We offer Calibration and Verification equipment for Press Force Verification, Weld Probe Force Meters, Torque Verification Meters, Temperature Calibrators, etc. The burster Calibration and Verification instruments provide precise and reliable standards for Electrical and Physical Parameter verification.
Endurance and Life Cycle Testing
There are supplemental tests for Endurance, Performance and Vehicle Quality Assurance, that can utilize our range of Sensors and Instrumentation, as well as our Data Acquisition, Control and Simulation Systems. The Performance and Functional Testing of components and/or sub-systems such as pumps, motors, actuators, hinges, latches, brakes, steering, etc. can be supported with our products and integration knowledge.
There are specific Test Stands that integrate Actuation, Measurement, Control and Data Analysis. Electric Power Steering Test Stands with provision of steering motion and steering force with 40 different steering maneuvers and load profiles ( loads up to 350 Nm). Electric Drivetrain Test Stands with integrated simulation solutions for electric powertrain component performance and endurance (e-mobility). Starter Motor Test Stands are the driving force of vehicle economy and must behave with consist characteristics and quality under different loading conditions.
Climatic Chamber and Wind Tunnel Instrumentation for Vehicle Testing
Miniature Pressure Ethernet Scanners NetScanner, Intelligent Ethernet Scanner Wet Pressure/Temperature, Intelligent Ethernet Scanner
Quick Connectors, 32 & 64 Port Dry Pressures 16 Port Dry Pressures 16 Port Dry/Wet Pressures & 16 Temperature Inputs
Multiple Miniature Scanner Interfaces, up to 8 x 32 / 64 port scanners Large Scale Dry Pressure Scanning Systems up to 1024 Channels
In addition to Wet and Dry Pressure Scanners, there are numerous options that we can provide for In-Vehicle and Facility Measurement Systems.
These systems can be Rack Mounted for high density inputs, or Distributed throughout the vehicle, or a combination of both. This provides the ability to have 1 data stream of time correlated measurements, that can be easily and quickly analyzed with the same cross-channel time base. In addition there can be multiple sample rates for the slower temperature measurements, the mid-dynamic pressures, displacements, etc. or the higher speed vibrations, including the engine noise and vibration.
Small Modular Systems Wide Operating Temperatures Large Scale In-Vehicle and Facility Test Systems
In summary our Sensors, Signal Conditioning, Instrumentation, Data Acquisition and Controls are well suited for Development Testing, Structural and Cyclic Testing, Vehicle, Engine and Chassis Testing, Manufacturing Automation, Process Monitoring, Quality Control and Product Performance, Press Fit, Leak Testing, Dimensional Gauging, Torque to Turn and Process Automation.