Electric Drives & Controls
How horsepower hit the road: SHI and Bosch Rexroth make electric drives ready for everyday use
Electric vehicles continue to gain momentum – but before they roll off the assembly line and onto the road, they must undergo intensive testing. In modern test laboratories, electric motors and drive units are pushed to their limits. SHI Maschinen GmbH has developed a high-tech testing system for this purpose. Utilizing precise testing procedures and state-of-the-art technology from Bosch Rexroth, it ensures that components are tested under realistic conditions – particularly with regard to their electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) as well as their general safety and performance.
With the technological transition toward electric vehicles and new drivetrain concepts, precise, efficient, and flexible test bench technology is becoming increasingly important. So-called EMC tests are particularly relevant here, as modern vehicles are equipped with a multitude of electronic systems that are potentially susceptible to electromagnetic interference – especially in electric vehicles.
"These tests are essential to ensure that vehicles and their electronic systems comply with statutory requirements and function safely and reliably in everyday use. The demand for corresponding, high-performance test benches for electric vehicles is growing," explains Steven Hüllmandel, Managing Director of SHI Maschinen GmbH.
SHI Maschinen GmbH has been building systems, test benches, and machines for handling devices under test (DUTs) and antennas in the field of EMC measurement technology since 2003. "The test benches are constantly being further developed. A car from 2003 drives differently than one today. And an internal combustion engine vehicle behaves differently than an electric vehicle. Therefore, new testing procedures must always be deployed," explains Steven Hüllmandel.
SHI's EMC testing systems are consistently evolving in line with requirements and are vital for the approval and advancement of modern vehicle technologies.
Slow testing system makes way for high-tech – Bosch Rexroth as a key partner
Due to the increasing demands on test bench technology and the need to work with higher drive and braking power, SHI had to replace an existing, slow-operating testing system. The previous system could not execute the synchronization of the axes with sufficient precision and, due to cumbersome programming, was not flexible enough to meet the growing demands of the automotive industry.
Following a comprehensive market analysis, SHI chose Bosch Rexroth as its technology partner. Together, they implement solutions for chassis dynamometers in EMC laboratories as well as test benches (EMC-BlueBox) for testing electric motors and drive units in passenger cars. These enable the precise testing of vehicles and their components for electromagnetic compatibility – particularly in modern electric vehicles, which place special demands on testing systems.
(image source: SHI Maschinen GmbH)
The Bosch Rexroth components form the backbone of the chassis dynamometers and the EMC-BlueBox. IndraDrive M drive controllers are used for precise motor control, while the MLC motion control system on XM22 hardware with I/O modules from the S20 family synchronizes the complex motion sequences. The I/O modules enable fast data communication, and the SafeLogic compact safety control system ensures compliance with all necessary safety standards.
"An important criterion for choosing the modular and scalable Bosch Rexroth components was the use of fiber optic cables for interference-free data transmission in the EMC environment. The openness of the Bosch Rexroth system also played a decisive role. For example, third-party components such as motors and geared motors from other manufacturers can be seamlessly integrated," explains the Managing Director of SHI Maschinen GmbH.
In addition, the combination of technical performance, flexible programmability with CODESYS, and support from Bosch Rexroth Service proved convincing. Steven Hüllmandel says: "The new system architecture not only enables more precise control and faster execution of the tests, but also significantly simplified programming, which substantially increases the efficiency of the entire testing process."
(image source: SHI Maschinen GmbH)
Modular power for tomorrow's mobility
The new testing system quickly proved itself in practice. Project implementation was smooth and rapid, and the test benches worked flawlessly right from the start. The EMC-BlueBox developed by SHI is already in use by many car manufacturers and testing institutes in Europe and Asia. The next step involves test benches with significantly higher power.
"Previously, the power range of our drive technology ended at 120 kW motors. We have already moved beyond that. A special focus is on developing test benches for higher drive and braking power of up to 2x300 kW. These high-performance test benches are already in the works and will enable precise and reliable testing of even the most powerful electric motors," says Steven Hüllmandel.
Thanks to the modular architecture, the solution grows with requirements and is therefore future-proof. It can be easily adapted to the increasingly complex demands of the automotive industry. "The technology partnership with Bosch Rexroth plays a major role in ensuring that we can maintain a strong position in this dynamic market environment and actively help shape the mobility of the future," explains Mr. Hüllmandel.
Contact Person: Christian Muthig
Position: Sales, Electric Drives and Control Systems
Phone: +49 89 12714-412
Cell: +49 172 6906347
Christian Muthig
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