Scott Zagorski, senior engineer, vehicle dynamics, at SEA, discusses the company’s portfolio of automotive testing products, including its new micromobility dynamometer, at Automotive Testing Expo North America 2024, taking place October 22-24 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan.
Tell us a little about your company.
For 30 years, SEA’s vehicle dynamics team has provided on- and off-road testing, as well as custom automotive testing products. Based in Columbus, Ohio, our team’s unique capabilities enable high-quality testing results and testing products built by engineers, for engineers.
What can you tell us about the new dynamometer products?
SEA has a long history in creating testing tools for the automotive and off-road industries. We started with the Vehicle Inertia Measurement Facility (VIMF) in the early 1990s and have since brought driving robots, small robots for VRU ADAS testing, and more, to market. Our latest testing products – a suite of custom dynamometer products – enable the testing of a broad range of micromobility devices. These micromobility devices (which include things like hoverboards, unicycles, e-bikes and skateboards) are becoming more and more popular, especially among young people. From regulatory agencies to manufacturers, creating tools to perform dynamic testing on these products is important to safely and efficiently evaluate these products.
What are some features of these products? How do they improve upon other available test tools?
The key feature of the dynamometer products is their versatility. Many other test tools in this space have been designed for only one type of vehicle. On our machines, the design from the start has focused on versatility and being able to accommodate many different drive styles. A hoverboard is going to operate differently from an e-bike or a kick-scooter, but the functional machine needs to be able to accommodate the testing of each at a fundamental control level. There are versions of our dynamometer products that apply driver load via weight plates, as well as highly automated versions where driver loading is performed electronically. Automation also includes things like a kick-start motor for stand-up scooters, throttle controls and electronically variable roller load. Tilt actuators provide the ability to control vehicles where control is performed by driver lean. These machines can also have data acquisition systems for recording pack voltages, currents and temperatures of the electric micromobility device under test.
When can customers begin testing with SEA on these new dynamometers?
Customers can enquire about beginning testing as early as February 2025 on a dynamometer at SEA’s headquarters in Columbus. Customers can also request a quote for a machine customized to their application and needs.
What is SEA showing at Automotive Testing Expo North America 2024?
SEA is displaying the STRIDE product, the VIMF, dynamometers and our Automated Test Driver, with engineers on hand to answer questions about the full breadth of SEA’s testing products and capabilities.
Visit SEA at Automotive Testing Expo North America 2024 at booth 11026.