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03-14-2006, 09:42 AM
Ford's wind tunnel facilities do much more than just create wind (http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=22900&make_id=trust).
Ford Motor Company – March 14, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Ford_Driveability_Wind_Tunnel_Test_Faciltty.gif
Ford Motor Company's wind tunnel facilities do much more than just create wind—they can simulate a full-blown Canadian blizzard or Arizona's desert heat.
The automaker's six wind tunnels in Detroit -- including its state-of-the-art Driveability Test Facility -- are virtually replacing the real world, playing a large role in reducing the cost and time it takes to bring new products to market.
Every year, Ford treks to such faraway places as Arizona, Florida, Colorado, and Canada, putting vehicles through a battery of tests under extreme environmental conditions—heat, cold, high and low altitudes. Engineers prove-out and calibrate vehicle components, such as powertrains, air-conditioning, heating, cold starts and engine performance. These trips -- as many as 50 a year -- can cost up to $20,000 each and it can take up to two years to complete the testing.
"Ford began working on reducing the time from concept to customer, and we needed a facility in order to help achieve that," said Jim Hompstead, Ford wind tunnel technical specialist, explaining how the testing facilities came about.
Research was done in the late 1990s on how to bring real-world vehicle testing into the wind tunnel lab. Using an approach called direct correlation, researchers made comparisons of data from road tests and wind tunnel lab tests. The result was the Driveability Test Facility.
"The DTF was designed, developed and built to support reduced development cycles," said Hompstead, who took part in the road-to-lab project. "It was designed to allow product developers to bring vehicles in and test them in any environment regardless of the month of the year."
Opened in 2000, the Driveability Test Facility -- owned by Ford and operated by Sverdrup Technology, Inc. -- is an innovative wind tunnel facility. Its wind tunnels go beyond typical wind tunnels, simulating everything from aerodynamics to hot roads or 130-degree sun exposure. And its new dynamometers can provide road-like simulations for powertrain testing on two-wheel and four-wheel drives.
Also innovative -- and important in maintaining real-world conditions -- are the independently climate-controlled "soak rooms," which keep vehicles at certain temperatures prior to being tested.
This is important if you want to simulate, say, a sub-zero Canadian blizzard—which is exactly what DTF's Wind Tunnel 7 does.
Using a snow-making machine similar to those used on ski slopes, technicians can create an 80 mph snow storm, for example, to make sure a vehicle's air intake system doesn't get clogged. Not only can it determine wind speed and temperature, the tunnel can create different sizes and types of snow. Test teams normally would have to travel to Thompson, Manatoba, and drive across a frozen lake to create the effect.
But wind tunnels are best at creating wind and DTF's Wind Tunnel 8 -- the largest of Ford's wind tunnels in Detroit -- does that extraordinarily well. One of the most advanced wind tunnels at the facility, Wind Tunnel 8 can produce 150 mph air speeds to test vehicle aerodynamics. Well-insulated for acoustics, the tunnel also provides innovative aero-acoustic testing - testing noise levels inside a vehicle. [see related story.]
Besides the DTF, Ford also has three wind tunnels at the Dearborn Proving Grounds -- all of which are calibrated to simulate real-world testing, as well.
While DTF and Ford's other wind tunnels are reducing road testing, product developers will continue to conduct natural environment testing for final confirmation, or so-called sign-off trips. But, overall, the wind tunnels have drastically reduced the costs and time it takes to develop and test vehicles, said Hompstead.
"What DTF has done is really supported Ford's efforts in terms of the product development cycle," said Hompstead. "It's a definite increase in productivity and a significant reduction in travel costs."
Ford Motor Company – March 14, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Ford_Driveability_Wind_Tunnel_Test_Faciltty.gif
Ford Motor Company's wind tunnel facilities do much more than just create wind—they can simulate a full-blown Canadian blizzard or Arizona's desert heat.
The automaker's six wind tunnels in Detroit -- including its state-of-the-art Driveability Test Facility -- are virtually replacing the real world, playing a large role in reducing the cost and time it takes to bring new products to market.
Every year, Ford treks to such faraway places as Arizona, Florida, Colorado, and Canada, putting vehicles through a battery of tests under extreme environmental conditions—heat, cold, high and low altitudes. Engineers prove-out and calibrate vehicle components, such as powertrains, air-conditioning, heating, cold starts and engine performance. These trips -- as many as 50 a year -- can cost up to $20,000 each and it can take up to two years to complete the testing.
"Ford began working on reducing the time from concept to customer, and we needed a facility in order to help achieve that," said Jim Hompstead, Ford wind tunnel technical specialist, explaining how the testing facilities came about.
Research was done in the late 1990s on how to bring real-world vehicle testing into the wind tunnel lab. Using an approach called direct correlation, researchers made comparisons of data from road tests and wind tunnel lab tests. The result was the Driveability Test Facility.
"The DTF was designed, developed and built to support reduced development cycles," said Hompstead, who took part in the road-to-lab project. "It was designed to allow product developers to bring vehicles in and test them in any environment regardless of the month of the year."
Opened in 2000, the Driveability Test Facility -- owned by Ford and operated by Sverdrup Technology, Inc. -- is an innovative wind tunnel facility. Its wind tunnels go beyond typical wind tunnels, simulating everything from aerodynamics to hot roads or 130-degree sun exposure. And its new dynamometers can provide road-like simulations for powertrain testing on two-wheel and four-wheel drives.
Also innovative -- and important in maintaining real-world conditions -- are the independently climate-controlled "soak rooms," which keep vehicles at certain temperatures prior to being tested.
This is important if you want to simulate, say, a sub-zero Canadian blizzard—which is exactly what DTF's Wind Tunnel 7 does.
Using a snow-making machine similar to those used on ski slopes, technicians can create an 80 mph snow storm, for example, to make sure a vehicle's air intake system doesn't get clogged. Not only can it determine wind speed and temperature, the tunnel can create different sizes and types of snow. Test teams normally would have to travel to Thompson, Manatoba, and drive across a frozen lake to create the effect.
But wind tunnels are best at creating wind and DTF's Wind Tunnel 8 -- the largest of Ford's wind tunnels in Detroit -- does that extraordinarily well. One of the most advanced wind tunnels at the facility, Wind Tunnel 8 can produce 150 mph air speeds to test vehicle aerodynamics. Well-insulated for acoustics, the tunnel also provides innovative aero-acoustic testing - testing noise levels inside a vehicle. [see related story.]
Besides the DTF, Ford also has three wind tunnels at the Dearborn Proving Grounds -- all of which are calibrated to simulate real-world testing, as well.
While DTF and Ford's other wind tunnels are reducing road testing, product developers will continue to conduct natural environment testing for final confirmation, or so-called sign-off trips. But, overall, the wind tunnels have drastically reduced the costs and time it takes to develop and test vehicles, said Hompstead.
"What DTF has done is really supported Ford's efforts in terms of the product development cycle," said Hompstead. "It's a definite increase in productivity and a significant reduction in travel costs."