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The U.S. Army, having a large fleet of military vehicles, must manage the periodic overhaul and testing of its equipment, inclusive of the constituent diesel engines. Because of the world wide fleet distribution, the limited quantities of engines, re-manufactured at any one location, would seem to preclude having sophisticated automated dynamometer test cells for the final overhauled engine inspection. However, the other depot engine test requirements, which include powerpack testing both separately and as installed in overhauled vehicles, provide sufficient justification for a combined development of a Universal Depot Inspection System (UDIS). The primary function of UDIS is to automate and control engine dynamometer testing; however, the UDIS modular design allows the multi-function components to be utilized in various combinations to perform the other depot test operations.

Due to U. S. Army depot inspection hardware limitations and the Army goal to overhaul equipment in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, the U. S. Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM) in conjunction with Tooele Army Depot (TEAD) and Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI), initiated a program to develop a transmission and transfer case production inspection test system. The test system was to be designed for both final acceptance inspection and preoverhaul testing to identify internal component quality and wear levels. The system design included automatic evaluation of characteristic vibration frequencies, both from the gear meshes and bearings, and the transient vibration response measured during gear shift operation. Because of the request by depot personnel to minimize test preparation time, a noncontact sensing approach, utilizing laser vibration measurement, was selected for use by the inspection system.