The Industry’s Problem
Wheel Force Transducers (WFTs) are a simple and highly accurate means for measuring loads from the road into a vehicle’s wheels. Using WFTs to measure road input loads during durability testing is a standard practice in the automotive industry. A WFT assembly includes the transducer, signal conditioning electronics, and rim and hub adapters. During testing, WFT assemblies replace the production wheels on the test vehicle, and the mass of these WFT assemblies can influence the measurement. Test results are more representative of the vehicle’s input loads the closer the WFT assembly’s mass is to the production wheel’s mass. If the mass of the WFT assembly is significantly greater than the mass of the production wheel, lower peak loads may be generated than if the same test were conducted with wheels that have lower mass.
Michigan Scientific Corporation’s Solution
Michigan Scientific Wheel Force Transducers are some of the lightest WFTs for their load capacity. Michigan Scientific Corporation (MSC) understands that WFT adapters are a key contributor to overall WFT assembly mass. To get close to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) wheel mass, MSC recommends a range-appropriate WFT and weight-optimized adapters.
Weight-optimized Adapters
Wheel Force Transducer Reduced Weight Adapter
MSC offers a weight optimization design and manufacturing service for lightweight and one-piece rim and hub adapters. Lightweight rim adapters are machined from aluminum forgings, distinguishing them from standard rim adapters which are made using modified, welded production rims. Lightweight hub adapters are machined from titanium which reduces added wheel weight more than a standard adapter made from high-strength stainless steel would.
MSC offers an adapter design optimization service, which is included in the purchase of our reduced-mass adapters. Reduced-mass rim adapters are machined from aluminum forgings and reduced-mass hub adapters are machined from titanium. MSC optimizes the reduced-mass adapter design for each application. Doing so allows MSC engineers to design the adapters based on the maximum vehicle static load rather than the WFT maximum capacity. The lighter the vehicle being tested, the more the mass of the adapter can be reduced. MSC engineers use computer simulation results validated with SAE J328 fatigue testing to design adapters strong enough to withstand durability testing while maintaining as low mass system as possible.
To discuss weight optimization of your WFT assembly, contact an MSC representative today.