Motion Control Opens Test Scope

Moog Industrial improves test system for carrying out a wider range of tests for a Swedish cargo equipment specialist

Cargo systems developed at Thule need to pass a number of environmental tests including shock and vibration testing to ensure their reliability in harsh environments.

To support the increasingly stringent testing regime, the company recently enlisted the help of Moog Industrial to modify the motion control system on its test bench.

As Thule adjusted its system requirements including increasing oil pressure, an imbalance emerged in the system. While Thule could perform its ISO-standard test protocols, they ran into challenges when trying to conduct more demanding “Thule-standard” tests. After assessing the problem, Moog teamed with Sweden’s Anderstorp Hydraulik team of hydraulic experts to reposition the hydraulic pumps connected to the test rig and add a pressure-control valve. The changes lifted oil pressure from 190 bars to 210 bars, which accommodated faster and larger movements for simulating more rugged testing.

“We brought in a multidisciplinary team to solve the challenge and improve the test rig, so Thule could use it for the widest possible array of tests,” said Ian Weir, Moog’s business development manager in the Netherlands.