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This paper describes the theory and design of an apparatus, the Suspension Parameter Measurement Device (SPMD), which has been developed to measure the displacements and forces which occur at the road wheels of a vehicle as the body moves, or as lateral and/or longitudinal forces are applied at the tire/road interface. Wheel movements resulting from the bounce, pitch, or roll motions of the vehicle body in the absence of lateral and longitudinal forces at the tire/road interface are the kinematic characteristics of the suspension. Wheel displacements caused by the application of forces in the plane of the road are defined as the compliance characteristics, while those resulting from motions of the steering wheel are the steering characteristics. The purpose of the SPMD is to measure all of these characteristics, thereby providing data for use in the simulation of the performance of cars and light trucks.

Passenger air bag mounting (PAB) and packaging have been a concern for the Automotive Industry for the last several years. The newer designs of instrument panels are sleeker, smaller and more like fighter plane cock pits. The tighter package size and convoluted instrument panel surfaces require better dimensional control of the air bag mounting locations. The fit and finish of the air bag door is influenced by the position of the air bag housing. The magnesium die cast housing used for the 1996 Chrysler Minivan is one of the keys to the successful seamless passenger door and sweeping I/P surface.