A vehicle is subjected to a wide variety of road-induced loads from poor road surfaces, or from hitting curbstones or potholes. Vertically induced dynamic loads affect the lifetime of vehicle components, can cause rattling noises in the passenger compartment, and can significantly reduce driving comfort.

Superimposed environmental loads, such as temperature fluctuations and sunlight, cause vehicle components to age and wear more quickly than vehicle developers intend. An efficient development process requires fast, cost-effective, and reproducible results on product life and quality.

Instron road simulators are designed to recreate these conditions in the laboratory, making them an indispensable tool in a modern, productive development process.

With over 200 installed systems, Instron has extensive expertise in this field. Road simulators for cars, trucks, special vehicles, and motorsport cars, with and without environmental simulation, have been successfully installed worldwide.

At customer request, road simulators have been developed for special vehicles with up to eight axles. Hydropuls^® technology, with its highly dynamic, wear-free cylinders, ensures maximum service life and minimum downtime (e.g., for preventive maintenance). Depending on the servo valve combination selected for the actuators, cylinder speeds of more than 5 m/s can be achieved.

The Labtronic 8800ml digital control system, together with the comprehensive and adaptable RS LabSite^® Modulogic software suite, is used in combination with the RS TWR (Time Waveform Replication) module to simulate a variety of road surfaces. Extensive analysis modules, such as the RS Analysis module, help users assess and evaluate test results.