An advanced laboratory has opened in Pennsylvania for test services for commercial vehicle lighting specialists
US commercial vehicle lighting specialist, Truck-Lite has opened an Advanced Transportation Lighting Laboratory at the Penn State Behrend University in Erie, Pennsylvania. The new testing and validation facility is located on-campus in the university’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (AMIC) Building and sits adjacent to Knowledge Park, the location of Truck-Lite Headquarters since 2022.
Claiming that the company has managed to earn the trust of customers over its history by consistently delivering products that set industry benchmarks, Truck-Lite’s President, Jon Stineman intends for this trend to continue well into the future.
“The Advanced Transportation Lighting Laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility that brings a complete set of testing and validation capabilities directly to the company’s engineers, who are responsible for the development of future lighting systems,“ he says.
Evolving Technology
The new laboratory is designed to help the company to deliver products that not only meet their strict internal standards for peak performance, but also comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
At the centre of the laboratory is 100-foot light tunnel designed to measure optics performance across a variety of optics characteristics, including intensity, colour and distribution as well as spread, parameters that are particularly important when validating new products or unique design applications.
Laboratory capabilities also help simulate real-world environments to ensure durability and longevity of its products. Truck-Lite engineers can assess the long-term performance impact of exposure to extreme temperatures, wind, dust and water, as well as the resiliency of products to shock, vibration and impact.
The new facility allows its engineers to test and validate product designs against over 1,000 different standards set by the domestic transport industry, including all applicable FMVSS, ECE, SAE, and ASTM safety standards. Truck-Lite can issue certification against IATF and ISO/TS for custom designed products for OEMs, as well as certification for lighting used in military and defence applications.
According to Craig Watrous, VP of Technology and Compliance, from electric and autonomous drivetrains to connectivity, artificial intelligence and other smart systems, the new technologies changing transport today have different technical requirements that impact lighting.
“The new laboratory will help us develop next-generation lighting that meets both future technical requirements as well as our own exacting standards.”
New approach to university collaboration
Since moving to Erie, the long-standing relationship between Truck-Lite and Penn State Behrend has continued to strengthen. On-campus facilities have made it much easier for the company to collaborate with students and academic staff on research and development projects, including the company’s collaboration with subject matter experts at Penn State Behrend as well as expanded opportunities for year-round internships.
The university leaders cite this collaboration with Truck-Lite as a model for its “open lab” approach, which is a collaborative approach in which learning and discovery are applied in novel ways that benefit not only students, who gain career-building, real-world experience, but also partners in business, industry, and the nonprofit community, who tap into that energy and ingenuity.
The open lab approach at Behrend has created new opportunities for students and the faculty as well as for the college’s corporate partners, like Truck-Lite.
“We see the lighting laboratory is an investment in our college community, allowing our students and faculty to work hand-in-hand with industry experts, driving innovation and making a meaningful impact on the transportation sector,” concludes Ralph Ford, Chancellor of Penn State Behrend
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