Facilities consisting of more than 5,000 sq. ft. of laboratories are dedicated to drivetrain testing and development in the Drivetrain Design and Development Section of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). These facilities are available to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to accommodate clients' needs.

All testing and evaluation services are performed according to SwRI's ISO 9001-certified measurement and instrumentation system.

Drivetrain Design and Development Section of Southwest Research Institute

Layout of Test Stand Facilities at SwRI

Layout of SwRI Drivetrain Test Stand Facility in Building 163.

Individual Testing and Evaluation Stand Specifications

Stand 1		Stand 2

Test Types	• Efficiency • Durability • Spin loss • Fatigue	Test Types	• Efficiency • Durability • Spin loss • Fatigue
Capabilities	• RWD • FWD • Transfer case • Torque converter • Rear axle • Front axle	Capabilities	• RWD • FWD • Transfer case • Torque converter • Rear axle • Front axle
Input Motor #1	• DC motor • Up to 500 HP	Input Motor #1	• DC motor • Up to 470 HP
Output Motor	• DC motor • Up to 600 HP	Output Motor	• DC motor • Up to 600 HP
Features	• Transmission is mounted to headstand with integral torque meter • Chilled water controlled • Automated ATF temperature control • Transmission installation angle replication	Features	• Transmission is mounted to headstand with integral torque meter • Chilled water controlled • Automated ATF temperature control • Transmission installation angle replication
Options	Gearboxes can be mated to motors to provide torque/speed shaping.	Options	Gearboxes can be mated to motors to provide torque/speed shaping.
		Note	Stands 1 and 2 share a common T-slot bedplate so they can be combined to perform complete drivetrain tests.

Stand 3		Stand 4

Test Types	• Efficiency • Durability • Spin loss • Fatigue	Test Types	• Virtual vehicle transmission testing for product development: dynamic shifting • Replaces vehicle and engine driven testing • High speed testing • Low/high ambient temp testing
Capabilities	• FWD • RWD* • Torque converter*	Capabilities	• FWD • RWD* • Torque converter*
Input Motor #1	• DC motor • Up to 300 HP	Input Motor #1	• High-response AC motor • Combustion engine simulator • Up to 415 HP • Up to 9000 RPM • Engine inertia replication • Firing pulses replication • Highly adaptable small motor diameter
Output Motor	• DC motor • Up to 550 HP	Output Motor	• DC motor • Up to 400 HP • Vehicle inertia replication • Road load replication
Features	• Transmission is mounted to headstand with integral torque meter • Chilled water controlled • Automated ATF temperature control • Transmission installation angle replication	Features	• Transmission is directly mounted to small diameter input motor (no headstand) • Flange type torque meter between motor shaft and flexplate (no spindle bearings) • Chilled water controlled • Automatic ATF temperature or heat rejection rate control • Transmission installation angle replication • ECM simulation to provide signals needed by factory TCM • Real-time CAN communication with factory TCM • Torque management during shifts • Environmental chamber for low/high ambient temperature conditions
Options	Gearboxes and output motor can be easily moved to accommodate RWD and torque converter testing.	Options	Gearboxes and output motor can be easily moved to accommodate RWD and torque converter testing.
Note	Stand 3 is primarily a FWD test stand that uses two gearboxes to allow both axles to be loaded by a single motor.	Note	Stand 4 is primarily a FWD test stand that uses two gearboxes to allow both axles to be loaded by a single motor.

Stand 5		Stand 6

Test Types	• Virtual vehicle transmission testing for product development: dynamic shifting • Replaces vehicle and engine driven testing • High speed testing • Low/high ambient temp testing • Grade testing: oil level, breather performance, etc.	Test Types	• Virtual vehicle transmission testing for product development: dynamic shifting • Replaces vehicle and engine driven testing • High speed testing • Low/high ambient temp testing • Grade testing: oil level, breather performance, etc.
Capabilities	• RWD • Torque converter	Capabilities	• FWD • RWD • AWD • Torque converter
Input Motor #1	• High-response AC motor • Combustion engine simulator • Up to 442 HP • Up to 9000 RPM • Engine inertia replication • Firing pulses replication	Input Motor #1	• High-response AC motor • Combustion engine simulator • Up to 415 HP • Up to 9000 RPM • Engine inertia replication • Firing pulses replication • Highly adaptable small motor diameter
Output Motor	• High-response AC motor • Up to 442 HP • Up to 7400 RPM • Vehicle inertia replication • Road load replication • Driveline compliance replication	Axle Motors	• DC motor • Up to 400 HP • Vehicle inertia replication • Road load replication • Differential speed replication
		PTO Motor	• DC motor • Up to 300 HP • Vehicle inertia replication • Road load replication • Torque split replication
Features	• Transmission is directly mounted to small diameter input motor (no headstand) • Flange type torque meter between motor shaft and flexplate (no spindle bearings) • Chilled water controlled • Automatic ATF temperature or heat rejection rate control • Transmission installation angle replication • ECM simulation to provide signals needed by factory TCM • Real-time CAN communication with factory TCM • Torque management during shifts • Environmental chamber for low/high ambient temperature conditions • Grade control	Features	• Transmission is directly mounted to small diameter input motor (no headstand) • Flange type torque meter between motor shaft and flexplate (no spindle bearings) • Chilled water controlled • Automatic ATF temperature or heat rejection rate control • Transmission installation angle replication • ECM simulation to provide signals needed by factory TCM • Real-time CAN communication with factory TCM • Torque management during shifts • Environmental chamber for low/high ambient temperature conditions • Grade control
Note	Stand 5 is primarily a RWD test stand that uses high-response AC motors on both input and output.

Stand 7		Stand 8

Test Types	• Efficiency • Durability • Spin loss • Fatigue	Test Types	• Durability • Spin loss • Fatigue • 4 square testing
Capabilities	• FWD • RWD • Torque converter	Capabilities	• FWD • RWD • Component
Input Motor #1	• Engine driven motor or • DC motor • Up to 300 HP	Input Motor #1	• DC motor • Up to 20 HP • Up to 11000 RPM
Output Motor	• DC motor • Up to 300 HP
Features	• Transmission is mounted to headstand with integral torque meter • Chilled water controlled • Automated ATF temperature control • Transmission installation angle replication	Features	• Transmission is mounted to headstand with integral torque meter • Chilled water controlled • Automated ATF temperature control • Transmission installation angle replication • Can be reconfigured to perform clutch pack drag testing • Can be reconfigured for 4 square component level testing

For more information about our drivetrain engineering facilities, or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact Doug Fussner at dfussner@swri.org or (210) 522-3972.

drivetrain.swri.org

Contact Information

Doug Fussner

Drivetrain Design and Development

(210) 522-3972

dfussner@swri.org

drivetrain.swri.org

Related Terminology

transmission test facility

transmission testing

automatic transmissions

drivetrain database

drivetrain engineering

| Design and Development | Engine, Emissions & Vehicle Research Division | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute^®(SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

December 28, 2012

Drivetrain Design and Development

Facilities

Layout of Test Stand Facilities at SwRI

Individual Testing and Evaluation Stand Specifications

Stand 1

Stand 2

Stand 3

Stand 4

Stand 5

Stand 6

Stand 7

Stand 8