2008 SHOW REVIEW

Automotive Testing Expo North America got off to a busy start when the doors opened on Wednesday October 22, 2008 and by midday Thursday it was obvious just how important this trade show is to the American car industry.

Tony Robinson, CEO of the company that organizes the show, said, “The US auto industry is going through a big shake-up right now, with a requirement to develop new downsized vehicles with better fuel efficiency and improved quality. To add to it all, the demand is to do it faster than ever. So we are not surprised to see the show as busy as it is despite the gloomy headline figures of vehicle sales and lay-offs. This exhibition is the showcase for the tools and technologies that will enable the US auto makers to create great cars, develop whole ranges of new, more fuel-efficient vehicles – including electrics and hybrids – and move forward fast by using simulation, modeling and rapid vehicle and component validation and testing methods. Auto makers have to buy into this stuff – that’s why it’s busy!”

Day 1 - Wednesday 22 October 2008

Within minutes of the doors of Automotive Testing Expo North America 2008 opening, several launches and announcements had already been made. One of the first, the Redlake N-Series camera, is described as a "breakthrough" by its creator, Integrated Design Tools Inc (IDT). According to IDT sales manager Rick Sutherland, this "absolutely miniature" camera is a relative giant as it is claimed to be smaller, faster and a fraction of the cost of anything comparable on the market. The N-3 provides 1,280 x 1,024 images at 1,000fps, while the N-5 offers 2,352 x 1,728 images at 500fps, with 10-bit (mono) or 30-bit (color), configurable RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, and both MP3 and PDA compatibility. "The Expo showcases the latest technologies and services for improving the quality and safety of vehicles, making it an ideal opportunity to introduce the N-Series to a discerning audience," Sutherland stated.

Dr Luiz Lourenco, CEO of IDT, said the N-Series is a versatile camera set to change the way automotive testing is conducted. "The response to N-Series demonstrations has been overwhelmingly positive," said Lourenco. "Ultimately, many industries will benefit from its capabilities, bringing together the right combination of mass, precision and resilience."

HBM has already been hitting headlines recently due to its acquisition of nCode, but the company is grabbing more attention now that its software engineers have adapted its Glyphworks data analysis software to support the HBM catman .bin format, meaning that measurement results acquired by HBM DAQ products such as QuantumX and the MGCplus family can now be analyzed with GlyphWorks. The software can also now support the LDS .pnrf file format, following an announcement that HBM is also set to acquire LDS Test & Measurement.

"nCode software and HBM users have been requesting closer product integration for some time. I am delighted that in just the few short weeks since the companies merged we have been able to meet those expectations," stated Zoltan Teliki, head of product marketing for HBM. "I am sure this news will be widely welcomed. Nicolet users can now also look forward to using GlyphWorks, an immediate benefit from the forthcoming acquisition of LDS by HBM."

A further announcement was made, this time from Meiden America, as the company used the expo to introduce its new president, Ko Yamamoto, who will also preside over the Meiden Technical Center North America. Yamamoto is a 23-year veteran of the Meidensha Corporation of Japan, where he sold over one billion Yen's worth of dynamometer systems in his capacity as deputy sales manager. "I am looking forward to working with Mr Yamamoto to improve the market penetration as well as his desire to make Meiden America and MTCNA a leader of technology and information around the world," said Marek Witkowski, vice-president of sales and marketing at Meiden America.

Day 2 - Thursday 23 October 2008

Viatran Corporation launched its model 422 0-5Vdc ruggedized high-performance pressure transmitter at Automotive Testing Expo North America 2008. The device is designed to measure hydraulic pressure in the extreme environments of hydraulic and pneumatic applications where space is limited. The 422 series is claimed to withstand cyclic pressure and provide outstanding performance under the severe demands of the industrial market. The rugged 316L stainless steel diaphragm and all-welded stainless steel design of the 422 series offers corrosion and shock resistance, and is environmentally sealed with no adjustment controls, providing a sealed transducer that prevents contamination from the environment. The 422 offers accuracy to within ±0.08%, and can operate within pressure ranges of 0-3psi to 0-5,000psi. “This has always been a great expo for us, both here and in Europe,” stated Viatran’s Paul Corbelli.

Global Test Solutions and Toellner Electronic Instruments unveiled the Series 8950 400W programmable DC power supplies. These compact instruments feature auto-ranging, constant voltage, constant current and constant power capability, providing the user with complete and safe control over the output. In addition, the optional arbitrary function allows simulation of any signal such as battery charge and discharge profiling for testing of load conditions on battery-operated devices. “The number of features in these small, half-rack power supplies make it an economical solution for design and test engineers for applications from audio to automotive, in research and production,” explained Arlene Meadows, principal, Global Test Solutions. “There are so many signals this supply can output for so many applications. With its ease of use from the front panel, or under computer control, it is a great asset on the bench and in a rack.”

In a further product launch, Race Technology announced the arrival of the latest edition of its Speedbox family of high-accuracy GPS and inertial-based non-contact speed sensors. The device combines the best features of GPS and inertial measurement technology to provide a stable, high-accuracy output with fast (200Hz update) dynamic response. The unit is simple to install and operate, and avoids the inaccuracies and limitations inherent in methods such as wheel speed, fifth wheel and optical speed sensors. The hybrid GPS+Inertial system also avoids much of the dropout sensitivity of conventional GPS-based systems. The Speedbox is available in four new models, all of which provide the same 200Hz output update rate to an external data logging system, or to existing data acquisition equipment. The technology can output a wide range of different data formats, including RS232, CAN, pulse, analog and now USB.

Day 3 - Friday 24 October 2008

Leading provider of scientific graphing and data analysis software, OriginLab, launched a new set of LabVIEW Sub-VI libraries for its Origin 8 product line. Automotive Testing Expo North America visitors learned that the Sub-VIs will enable LabVIEW users to tap into the graphing and analysis environment of Origin 8 from a native LabVIEW environment. The new library is part of the latest SR4 service release for Origin 8. This latest service release also brings enhancements in the areas of data analysis and graphing. “These new Origin Sub-VIs take full advantage of the greatly expanded COM support in Origin 8. Using Origin from LabVIEW is now much easier than before,” stated Dr C.P. Yang, president of OriginLab. “LabVIEW users can now take full advantage of the analysis template and custom report functionality of Origin 8, allowing them to perform analysis of acquired data on the fly, and final reports such as from curve fitting. All they need to do is incorporate these Origin Sub-VIs into their existing VIs they are already using to collect data. Instrument vendors can also use this functionality by shipping customized VIs with their equipment, to directly push data into Origin 8.”

Froude Hofmann has been focusing on extensive product and service development over recent years, the results of which were launched at Automotive Testing Expo North America. One of the highlights is the third generation of the Automated Root Driver, which is designed for all vehicle and powertrain applications, featuring rapid installation, lightweight construction, a modular design and assembly, and minimized cabling. The driver includes throttle, brake and clutch pedal actuation, full gearshift control, an ignition switch actuator, and optional push-button start operation. An automatic self-learn routine enables all vehicle driving functions to be established quickly using a new Schedule Editor function, which uses drag and drop techniques. “We are proud to announce the release of several new products and have chosen Automotive Testing Expo North America as the launch platform for these developments,” said Gareth Deakin, business development director of Froude Hofmann. “Froude Hofmann has implemented an aggressive development program committing high investment to product and service development. The products at the show are the first manifestation of this investment.”

Loadstar Sensors revealed its iPedal brake pedal force sensor, claimed to be the only true USB solution of its kind on the market. The iPedal features digital USB or analog 0-5V DC output, with sensors designed to measure brake force at accuracies up to 1%, minimize errors due to off-axis loads, and improve brake testing efficiency. “The new iPedal solutions provide unprecedented integration of sensing and measurement electronics to simplify brake force measurements,” explained Div Harish, CEO of Loadstar Sensors.