Integrated digital sensor interface: life-saving vehicle safety testing technology

In the automotive industry, vehicle testing plays a vital role and is a necessary procedure for verifying key indicators such as vehicle power, tires, durability, and safety. Before mass production of the vehicle, the manufacturer must ensure that the vehicle and its components have high safety and adaptability. Vehicle manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) typically spend a lot of time testing key physical indicator parameters to improve current vehicle development by evaluating these indicator parameters.

In vehicle testing, the first thing is to ensure that the measurement data is accurate. To this end, the test configuration and test equipment must meet stringent standards. As a Swiss family-owned company, Kistler has been developing its own sensor technology since 1959. With this groundbreaking technology, it is easy and accurate to collect data such as pressure, force, torque and acceleration. Today, Kistler's integrated measurement and data acquisition solutions are used worldwide.

Kistler DTI technology ensures efficient collision testing by Continental International Safety Engineering

Sensor Technology: Essentials for Dummy in Vehicle Safety Crash Test

Especially in terms of vehicle safety, the crash test allows us to gain a deep understanding of the structural characteristics and energy absorption characteristics of the vehicle and its components. In addition, the crash test can also indicate the potential impact of the collision on the vehicle occupants. A series of tests to verify vehicle safety will use a crash test dummy with a special sensor inside. Before, during, and after the test vehicle is hit, these sensors collect relevant data as a basis for future important conclusions about vehicle safety. As vehicles become more complex and digitized, we need more and more measurement channels, both on the body and in the dummy. In the early 1990s, 250 analog measurement channels were used in crash tests, and today, the number of sensor channels typically exceeds 600. This also raises another problem, as the setup of the sensor is becoming less and less, and the setup of the test is becoming more complex.

As the number of analog sensors measuring various test metrics increases, we must install more cables for power and data transmission. As a result, test installation becomes extremely time consuming and costly. In addition, too many input channels increase the risk of data collection errors and omissions. To minimize errors and installation time, Kistler has deployed its own unique Digital Sensor Interface (DTI) technology.

Single cable design makes vehicle test installation work faster and more efficient

A new page of process efficiency for manufacturers and suppliers in the automotive industry has been opened. What makes this happen is the intelligent bus for digital data transmission. For each connection port, each bus can support up to 12 measurement channels. All signals from different sources are converted to a digital output signal by a digital module (DiMods). We integrate this DiMods directly into the sensors in the dummy or deploy the appropriate Kistler DTI integration solution.

The collected sensor data is then transmitted to the Kistler DTI central data logger in the dummy and then passed to the COMBox/KiHUB data interface device via Ethernet. All DTI systems in the car are connected to the central network via this device. The highlight of this solution is that only one cable is required to synchronize data, trigger test, and power. The cable starts with the dummy and finally the car data collector. The collector is generally connected to the host through a traveling cable or the like.

From analog measurement data to digital measurement data, the DTI recorder connects everything with just one cable

The DTI data logger collects digital measurement data from the sensor and then passes the data over the Ethernet to the data interface device

Integrate DTI technology into existing processes of Continental Safety Engineering

Since 1993, Co ntinental Safety Engineering Internatio nal GmbH in Alzenau has been working with Kistler to focus on trolley testing, crash testing and head impact testing ( The head here refers to the data acquisition problem of the free motion head model, FMH. As a subsidiary of an international technology company, Continental has its own testing and development center in Lower Franconia, Germany. The center was founded in 1992 and has completed about 300 series development projects, more than 6,000 collision tests and more than 200 simulation projects. The development area of ​​the center carries out about 550 trolley tests and 450 actual vehicle crash tests each year. Thomas Wild, head of the company's measurement and video technology team, said: "In view of the many tests to be done, we hope to upgrade the test equipment with the latest technology to ensure process efficiency and accurate and reliable measurement data. Test requirements It is getting higher and higher, and there are more and more test points in the car."

Kistler's DTI technology provides a simple solution for the customer's existing modern measurement equipment for crash testing. In 2015, Continental Security Engineering commissioned Kistler to expand its Data Acquisition System (DAS) and upgrade existing Dummy in vivo sensor systems to the new DTI technology.

At the beginning of 2015, Kistler first integrated DTI technology with 10 existing H3 dummies, and upgraded the WorldSID dummies at the end of the year. The difficulty of the former is to integrate technology into existing processes and infrastructure. In the case of analog measurement technology, each sensor is manually inserted into the data acquisition system, and the installation time is long and the possibility of error is large. For the data acquisition of the vehicle system, the mainland company chose the latest technology of Kistler - KiDAU data collector. Not only is the original hardware fully compatible with the newly integrated hardware, Kistler also modified and expanded its CrashDesigner software to meet the needs.

Future high quality crash test

Since DTI technology can be installed in all dummy models such as THOR-M, Continental can safely use a large number of different devices such as new hardware and tested hardware without having to convert all technical equipment into new technology. Save a lot of time and money. In summing up the cooperation between Continental and Kistler, Thomas Wilde said: "In this project, Kistler has utilized its technical expertise and years of experience in vehicle safety to prove that DTI technology is the market. The most suitable measurement system for installation in a dummy. Kistler is well aware of what matters and is not important in highly complex crash tests, especially when testing with DTI technology. Therefore, we believe that it is more than just now. In the future, our crash test will certainly meet the highest standards. In addition to providing accurate measurement data, Kistler sensors are also safe and durable. For us, Kistler's DTI technology and sensor are the perfect match. The two sides are already delving into some future projects."

Kistler's measurement technology has strong adaptability, which has benefited mainland companies. It not only improves reliability and data quality, but also reduces space occupation. A wire is taken out from the dummy and the wiring work is much less. The advantages of this technology are reflected in two aspects: less time required for test preparation; fewer problems with the system, and improved measurement accuracy.

Test vehicle power, tires, durability with DTI technology

Vehicle safety crash testing now uses more than 40,000 DTI channels. In terms of testing vehicle power, tires and durability, the installation work required to perform a series of tests is both time consuming and costly, whether it is the installation of test benches or the installation of in-vehicle applications. At the technology center in Wetzlar, Kistler continues to develop proprietary DTI technology with its accumulated vehicle safety expertise to meet the demanding requirements of vehicle power and durability testing.

Automated sensor detection makes testing installations easier than ever. KiCenter (Kistler's Measurement Software) automatically detects installation locations, calibration values ​​and related physical parameters, which can be configured by the customer in the GUI (Graphical User Interface). It is safe to say that this function not only makes efficient use of time, but also maximizes process reliability.

Kistler DTI technology's intelligent bus interface design simplifies the installation of vehicle safety testing

For example, for the brake path measurement of ABS brakes specified in the DIN 70028 standard, Kistler offers a perfect overall measurement solution based on its DTI technology. The solution consists of sensors, triggers, DTI recorders and KiCenter measurement software. The "One Cable for Everything" design ensures that all connected sensors can quickly and efficiently perform test installations such as end-to-end configuration through KiCenter. The measurement software guides the user through the entire test, so users can focus on their work and save valuable time.

DTI sensor technology maximizes process efficiency of ABS brakes

Interconnect reduces costs: fewer measurement errors and shorter installation time

Reliable testing and cutting-edge measurement technology are essential to optimize vehicle development and manufacturing. The test configuration should be as simple as possible to ensure complete acquisition of the measurement data. In vehicle safety testing, power testing and durability testing, the Kistler DTI technology, which utilizes the “One Cable for Everything” design, not only improves measurement results, reduces material costs, but also reduces test time.