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This study by the Anthropomorphic test device Certification Research group (ACR) takes a new look at dummy neck rotation measurement methods. The authors' previous SAE Congress paper, Watters et al., 2005, focused on comparing three different rotary pot measurement systems in the same Hybrid III 5th Female neck flexion test at a single laboratory [1]. Differences between the pot systems, and between the pot systems and video analysis of the head rotation, were found to be a significant component of the observed test variation. The 2005 rotary potentiometer study used a modified head known as the Nine Accelerometer Array Head (NAAH). The NAAH data for rotation about the Y-axis, only recently analyzed, showed exceptional agreement with the video analysis as compared to the rotary potentiometer data.

Lab-to-lab differences are an important consideration in the verification testing of Hybrid III dummy necks in user labs. The authors, the Anthropomorphic test device Certification Research group (ACR), conducted and presented two previous studies investigating lab to lab differences in Hybrid III 5th female dummy neck certification results [1, 2]. The results of both studies underscored the need to have better controls on the test procedure. The complex procedure for dummy neck certification has many setup factors that can contribute to test variation and unacceptable precision. Two steps within this protocol - two aspects of the neck's physical setup - were identified by the ACR group as potential sources for variation: 1) setting the pre-test D-plane angle by neck bracket adjustment, and 2) setting the torque on the neck cable. Fifth female neck flexion tests were conducted with variations in these factors to determine their effect on neck test results.