What is a wheel torque transducer?
A wheel torque transducer is a universal sensor for measuring the traction torque of different vehicles such as passenger cars, SUV, commercial vehicles, race cars and industrial vehicles.
Wheel torque transducer
Example of an application of wheel torque transducers applied during an air drag measurement on a heavy truck equipped with measurement technology.
What is a wheel torque transducer used for?
Wheel torque transducers are used for different kind of applications during the development process of vehicles. The main focus is on:
- Rolling resistance measurements for reduction of CO2 emission
- Research and development of ABS systems
- Research and development of dynamic control systems
- Vehicle performance measurements
- Determination of powertrain efficiency
- Recording load data for transmission development (simulation, validation)
- Analysis of fading effects on brakes
Other applications include the development of transmissions and chassis control systems, and preparation of government safety tests such as the American Standard FMVSS 135.
What to consider when using wheel torque transducers?
Since the data of wheel torque transducers is used for the development of safety relevant components such as tires and brakes, it is very important to ensure a high accuracy of the data. The accuracy of wheel torque transducers is of particularly important when they are used for certification tests concerning CO2 reduction. The accuracy of the data measured by wheel torque transducers is mainly defined by its calibration procedure.
What are the advantages of wheel torque transducers in the area of vehicle development?
The wheel torque transducer replaces the middle part of the rim, thus enabling an optimum integration into the suspension system, i.e. the most effective position for acquiring wheel torques. Mounting the wheel torque transducer on the vehicle is very easy and comparable to changing a standard wheel.
When using wheel torque transducers for measuring torque, no powertrain components need to be modified, in contrast with strain gauge application. The original wheels are just replaced by the wheel force transducer to be ready to start measuring.
