Coupling Test Rig

The test rig is used for testing the stiffness and damping of elastomer couplings close to production. In addition to determining the dynamic coupling characteristics, endurance runs can also be carried out. On high torques, the couplings can thus be charged til destruction. Since the test rig has three test stations with different torque sensors, couplings of different sizes can be tested in parallel. The equipment with movable protective hoods ensures safety during the testing process.

In contrast to the resistance control normally used in servo test technology, the choice of a hydrostatic transmission reduces the electrical connected load of the test rig by 75% compared to similar test rigs. In particular, the displacer control also allows the recovery of part of the work stored in the deflected coupling.

Measurement Unit

The measurement of stiffness and damping is performed dynamically under a harmonic angular excitation and measurement of the torque up to a frequency of 10 Hz. A sensor solution with mechanical stops was chosen in order to realize both the requirement for measuring accuracy and the tolerability of the maximum torque. The test rig allows dynamic testing from 25Nm to 50.000 Nm. The torque can be measured with an absolute accuracy of 1 %. The measurement of the dynamic properties (including preconditioning) takes only a few minutes.

Control

The control takes place via the industrial PC with Linux operating system. A real-time kernel and the automation system EtherLab is used.