Case Study

Road Load Test Machine for Automotive Steering Systems

The Challenge

A leading automotive application required a reliable method to reproduce real-world road-load conditions on a steering rack and pinion assembly under controlled laboratory conditions.

PROLABS Solution

PROLABS developed an integrated Road Load Test Machine combining mechanical fixtures, hydraulic actuation, load measurement, displacement measurement, accelerometers, data acquisition and LabVIEW-based automation.

The system is designed to work with measured vehicle data, including:

• Actual steering rack or front-wheel load

• Front-wheel displacement and suspension stroke

• Accelerations at critical locations on the UUT

• Vehicle operating conditions and road events

• Time-synchronized measurement channels

From Road Data to Test Rig

The developed system converts real vehicle measurements into controlled hydraulic actuator commands, allowing the steering assembly to experience repeatable loading conditions in the laboratory.

Advanced Road Load Data Processing Software

As part of the Road Load Test Machine, PROLABS developed a powerful data-processing environment capable of handling 215 different file formats, including widely used formats such as Dewesoft, Excel, DAT and other automotive test-data formats.

The software goes beyond simply importing data. Engineers can edit and prepare real vehicle road-load data before using it for laboratory test-profile generation.

• Key Data Processing Capabilities

  • 215+ file formats supported

  • Select and cut required portions of real test data

  • Resampling at the required sampling rate

  • Digital filtering and signal conditioning

  • Channel selection and data manipulation

  • Time synchronization and alignment

  • Signal scaling and unit conversion

  • Noise and unwanted-data reduction

  • Data visualization through interactive graphs

  • Preparation of processed data for road-load profile generation

The Results

The solution brings real-world vehicle loading into a controlled and repeatable laboratory environment, helping engineers evaluate steering-system behaviour, durability and response under representative road conditions.