Tech Briefs
Dunton grows

The Full Powertrain Test Room at Ford's new Powertrain Development Laboratory. Ford Dunton's Powertrain Development Laboratory.

The capability of Ford's Research and Engineering Center at Dunton in the UK has been enhanced through a substantial investment in facilities, with the majority of the outlay on a Powertrain Development Laboratory (PDL). More than $66 million has been used to fund 14 new cells for environmental testing of power units, transmissions, and whole vehicles. Ambient temperature simulation spans -30° to +50°C (-22° to +122°F). Around $44 million has been invested in the building of what Ford regards as Europe's most technologically advanced Experimental Test Laboratory (ETL). The ETL has four climatic test chambers, two of which can simulate pressure altitudes from 91.4 m (300 ft) below sea level, to 3658 m (12,000 ft) above sea level — from Death Valley in the United States to La Paz, Bolivia. Dunton's Electronic On-Board Diagnostic (EOBD) facility has been expanded and money has also been put into the Materials Technology Center (MTC).

The PDL's engine testing areas now comprise a total of 100 test cells and a suite of facilities dedicated to the testing of individual components. More than 90 engineers, technicians, and supervisors — plus 212 operators and mechanics — work in the PDL, covering dynamometer and rig testing, technical equipment support, facilities maintenance, and management of additional testing operations outside Dunton. Ford says its long-term aim is for 80% of the final vehicle calibration to be established in the laboratory, with corresponding reductions in requirements for expensive prototype vehicle. The ETL took three years to design and construct and can test vehicles in simulated conditions found around the world. It replaces three, 30-year-old facilities with one centralized state-of-the-art complex, explains Ford. Its climatic test chambers are supported by six temperature-controlled soak rooms providing space for 12 vehicles. A 3-m (9.8 -ft) diameter fan capable of replicating speeds up to 225 km/h (140 mph) provides airflow in the main wind tunnel. A four-wheel-drive dynamometer simulates road speeds up to 250 km/h (155 mph). All chambers and soak spaces can be subjected to controlled temperatures ranging from -40° to +55°C (-40° to +131°F) in conjunction with full humidity control. Two of the test chambers have simulated solar simulation and a "hot rod" system to simulate the effect of the sun's latent heat on the road surface.

The EOBD's capability includes measuring equipment which can detect fluctuations in the control of pollutants down to one part per million. Front-, rear-, and four-wheel-drive vehicles powered by gasoline, diesel, or alternative fuels can all be tested on new dynamometers, designed to accommodate vehicles of various wheelbases. The emissions laboratory now has 15 cells. In addition, controlled temperature and humidity parking is provided in a sealed garage for up to 150 vehicles, providing what Ford says are ideal conditions for controlled emissions testing. Dunton's expanded MTC is equipped to handle investigation and development tasks ranging from elementary hardness tests through fatigue analysis to Scanning Electron Microscopy, with data gathered allowing more accurate prediction of materials performance under extreme conditions.

Dunton was opened in 1967 and works in parallel with a similar facility at Merkenich, Germany and is responsible for the design and development of all Ford small and medium cars and light commercial vehicles world-wide, representing nearly 50% of Ford's total world-wide vehicle sales. All Ford-engineered diesel engines world-wide are developed there.