Millbrook has made a significant investment in the people, equipment and facilities required for testing advanced low-emission vehicle technology, in response to increased customer demand.
This includes the installation of 12 new battery test cells at its proving ground in Bedford in the UK, each able to test automotive battery packs up to 1,100V, 1,400A, 750kW over a temperature range of -40°C to +90°C. These will be controlled via Millbrook Revolutionary Engineering’s automation system, REPS.
Millbrook focuses on the safety, performance, durability and understanding of battery technology. It is able to replicate battery abuse scenarios and cycles to push a battery to its limits, helping developers to understand, anticipate and eliminate failure modes.
Battery abuse tests include mechanical and thermal shock, over-discharge, over-charge, vibration, radiant heat, dust ingress, fire resistance, corrosion and mechanical crush, and meet a range of UN38.3 and Reg100 requirements.
John Proctor, senior manager for propulsion at Millbrook, said, “It is thanks to our customers’ continued commitment to developing ever-advancing propulsion technologies that we continue to invest in these facilities. We are committed to remaining flexible and responsive to our customers’ needs now and in the future.”
Millbrook’s sister companies under the Spectris Test and Measurement umbrella are assisting in the new battery test facility operation: HBM specializes in data acquisition and is integrating its nCode software as a data management tool; and Brüel & Kjær Sound & Vibration (BKSV) is adding a range of electromagnetic shakers and NVH analysis tools.
