A multi-national, automotive supplier required design and development of a new heavy and light-duty alternator tester. The tester needed to have a scalable and adaptable architecture that would enable testing of more than 125 Device Under Test (DUT) models with only minor adjustment. Due to struggles with a prior test system supplier that provided an unscalable, closed platform design and software environment, our customer wanted to ensure the new system was based on best in class Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) components. They also wanted to ensure the tester was designed based on an open architecture that included delivery of both hardware and software Intellectual Property (IP) including source code to the customer.

Our team designed, built, and validated a single alternator end of line manufacturing tester capable of testing the array of DUTs. To ensure the new custom test system is scalable for future needs, we delivered the source code and all original documents which enables our customer to modify the test sequences as needed and to adapt the platform to new product needs in the future.

We worked closely with our customer’s team to ensure a successful and on-time project completion. The solution we provided to our customer is not only less expensive overall than the previous closed architecture solution, but also less expensive to maintain and train users on.

System Functionality:

• Supports both light and heavy-duty alternators on single platform
• Verifies alternator functionality and that the DUT is free of manufacturing defects
• Typical test time of less than 30 seconds
• Alternator speeds up to 18,000 RPM
• Capable of testing alternator outputs up to 500A
• Operating noise level <80dB
• Integrated wireless barcode scanner
• Interlocking safety hood to protect operator
• Window for technician or operator to safely monitor DUT during testing

Tests:

• Shorts and opens
• Voltage
• Frequency
• Current – leakage, ripple, and output
• Speed
• Torque
•  
• LIN and CAN communication
  • This is so the test system can communicate with the more advanced alternators that the customer manufactures
• Vibration and noise with harmonic order analysis

To learn more about this project, check out our case study.