Engineering news
UTAC officially opened the new facility at UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire today (9 September). Offering heavy-duty powertrain engineers the ability to test emissions from more vehicles than ever before, the chamber can accommodate larger, heavier and more powerful vehicles than a previous facility. It can test internal combustion engines, electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Designed to accommodate off-highway and commercial vehicles, as well as buses and coaches, the VTEC enables emissions testing in a climate-controlled environment. It can accommodate vehicles with a wheelbase up to 8m, with up to 20-tonne axle weight.
As well as its impressive size, UTAC said the new facility is the most capable of its kind in the UK. It offers power absorption of up to 450kW, more than double that of UTAC’s existing facility. It also has more than six-times the continuous torque of the old facility (40,000N) and three times the inertia simulation (60,000kg).
Using the VTEC’s double and tri-axle capability, UTAC can offer a wide range of testing types, including Real Driving Emissions (RDE) testing simulation. It also has a dedicated particulate matter (PM) filter weighing chamber, and a four-phase bag analysis system. It can measure the fuel consumption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as well as EV energy consumption and range capability.
Its ability to test heavy-duty vehicles in extreme cold enables engineers to perform cold-start performance tests, as well HVAC de-mist and de-frost tests for public transport, military and commercial vehicles. It also allows for extreme ambient testing of specialist transportation, such as Arctic exploration vehicles.
Laurent Benoit, chief executive officer at UTAC, said: “The challenges that a heavy-duty vehicle powertrain engineer faces today are very different to when we installed our first VTEC facility in 1996. The introduction of the new 4WD VTEC facility is an important step in ensuring that we remain at the leading edge of testing and development, now and in the coming decades.
“In the development of the new VTEC, our engineers have worked hard to ensure that the commercial vehicle, off-highway, bus and coach sectors have everything they need to reliably test vehicle emissions in a wide range of controlled climates. It’s a testament to the commitment of our talented team that this exceptional facility is opening today.”
The facility is open immediately and is available for customer testing. Visit the website for full specification.
The VTEC was part-funded by a grant from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.
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