Technologies · Systems · Solutions - Dürr

Discontinued operations
Development Test Systems
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The Development Test Systems product line is the world’s second-largest supplier of
test systems for vehicle development. With stiff competition unabated, we registered
very different demand situations regionally in 2004. While capital spending in the
automotive industry in Europe was restrained, the market in North America increased
slightly. Growth in Asia remained strong, especially in China.
Our most important innovation in test stand technology was the SPARC controller
system. SPARC has a very high control frequency and can thus simultaneously control
up to five loading or drive units (e.g. combustion engines or eddy current brakes).
The advantage is that in engine and transmission testing, different shifting processes
and driving situations, e.g. in mountains and curves, can be exactly simulated on
the test stand. In the future, we will offer SPARC for all testing processes in vehicle
development.
We achieved an extraordinary success in the United States by obtaining an order to
supply General Motors (GM) with extensive test systems for the purpose of uniformly
expanding its engine and transmission development activities. The technology is to
be used in GM development centers in six countries. The project is one of the most
important individual orders that we have ever received.
We entered into a cooperative agreement with Shanghai’s Tongji University for the
purpose of further market development in China. As part of this project, we are
supplying extensive testing equipment for vehicle development.