Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2021 - 18

DSD's configurable 3E cell for light-duty
CV axle and drive unit testing as well as
heavy-duty motor testing.
Upswing in outsourced EV testing
As testing for electric commercial-vehicle propulsion systems surges,
Drive System Design is rushing to expand its testing capabilities in the U.S.
to keep up with the demand.
by Jennifer Shuttleworth
A
s more commercial-vehicle OEMs choose electrified propulsion
systems, the industry is witnessing an " unprecedented
surge " in testing, according to Drive System Design (DSD).
The electrified powertrain engineering consultancy says
that OEMs and suppliers are running into test-cell capacity issues
and are increasingly outsourcing to bring new electric propulsion
systems to market.
To keep up with significant growth in the electrified commercialtruck
space, DSD is adding additional equipment to test motors and
drives for Class 7 and 8 trucks at its U.S. technical center in
Farmington Hills, Mich. " We will soon have the capability to test
motors up to 350 kW and speeds right up to 20,000 rpm, " Matt
Hole, DSD vice president of engineering, told Truck & Off-Highway
Engineering magazine.
The company's U.S. facilities can accommodate up to Class 4 CV
electric systems, with the U.K. spanning up to Class 7. Hole said with
DSD's core expertise and focus upon motor and drive design in the
CV space, the company does not see an immediate need to be able
to test complete Class 7 or 8 axle systems at its U.S. facility, as it does
for 3-in-1 automotive and trucks up to Class 4.
" We have existing facilities that enable us to test motors for up to
Class 7 trucks, " said Hole. " Our new developments will future-proof
these test fixtures as manufacturers potentially increase motor
speeds in the hunt for improved efficiency. "
Future plans for DSD's U.S. technical center include adding additional
equipment to test motors and drives for Class 8 trucks. " The
trend we see at the Class 7 or 8 level is to use multiple motors and
18 August 2021
divide the power between them, making each motor
smaller, " Hole explained. " That puts the individual motor
power well within the capabilities of our existing or
planned equipment, enabling us to do motor efficiency,
thermal and performance characterization testing
and development. "
The company's test cells and state-of-the-art equipment
are flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety
of applications including tractor and electrified implements,
and an array of other markets. " The e-machine
market in agriculture and mining as well as material
handling is a well-established market, with a sizeable
head start against the on-highway market, " Hole
said. DSD sees an increasing number of electrification
inquiries from these segments, where before it traditionally
served as a turnkey hydraulic controls supplier.
Keeping up with demand
DSD's test cells in Farmington Hills are extremely busy,
and the company recently announced the expansion
of its U.K. technical center's test facilities with the addition
of two new test cells for high-performance hybrid
axles and e-machines. This demand is all related
to the development of all-new EV propulsion systems.
Currently the company's U.S. technical center features
a 3E test rig with a high-power battery emulator
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
ALL IMAGES: DRIVE SYSTEM DESIGN
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2021
