Ford is to build a new advanced aerodynamic testing complex at its Allen Park facility in Michigan, featuring a next-generation rolling road wind tunnel and state-of-the-art climatic chamber.
To accommodate large-frame vehicles, including Super Duty trucks, the new aero complex will have super-sized wind tunnel chambers. The facility will sit on 13 acres of land next to Ford’s current driveability test facility at Allen Park.
The rolling road inside the wind tunnel will feature a new five-belt conveyor system, which enables airflow around the entire vehicle at speeds up to 155mph. As a part of the rolling road belt cartridge system, a crane will be used to switch between the five belt and single belt systems – an industrial-sized plug-and-play approach bringing two testing methods into one. The single belt – which operates at up to 200mph – opens up new testing possibilities for high-speed performance and racing vehicles.
The climatic chamber will be able to simulate temperatures below -40 to 140°F.
February 21, 2017
