Seven Good Reasons Why the WFT-C^x Wheel Force Transducer Is the Right Choice

Whether vehicle dynamics, RLDA, braking, or off-road tests through water, snow, mud, or dust - the WFT-C^x wheel force transducer provides accurate and reliable measurement data in all kinds of harsh test scenarios. The monolithic design of the wheel force transducer allows for a rugged waterproof design that is also ideal for winter testing. The architecture of the measuring wheel is optimized for cooling. In combination with the high thermal conductivity of the aluminum measuring body, excessive heat input can be avoided, even during repeated full braking. With a design adapted to extreme temperatures up to -40  C to +105  C, the wheel force transducer ensures that reliable measurement data is obtained even under the harshest conditions. The peak value for shock resistance underlines its robustness and suitability for extreme applications such as speed bumps.

What is more annoying than finding out at the end of a test during data evaluation that measurement data are missing or incorrect? At imc, data reliability is, therefore, a top priority, which is why care was taken in the design to reduce the number of cables and plug connections. What remains is a cable from the wheel force transducer to the data acquisition system. Compared to telemetry solutions, we achieve the highest performance and transmission reliability here, with minor losses in handling comfort.

Mounting a WFT-C^x wheel force transducer is almost as easy as changing a wheel. Four measuring wheels can be installed in one hour. The unique integrated automatic spirit level helps to calibrate the measuring wheel before the test. The angle alignment of the mounted WFTs is highly accurate and done in a breeze. Another advantage is the flexible use of the WFT-C^x wheel force transducer: from small vehicles to vans and from super sports cars to off-road vehicles, as well as on the test bench, users can always use the same measuring wheel.

The integration of the WFT-C^x wheel force transducer into test bench applications is simple. Two different transducer modules are available: one for rotating applications (chassis dynamometer, ZWARP) and one for standing applications (multi-axis road simulators). The connection to the test bench is made via EtherCAT. This means that the system can be used on almost all test stands. Further connections to MTS, Instron, Innova, and IAMT test stands are currently available on the market.

With the modular imc CRONOSflex measurement system, a unique synchronous measurement data acquisition is available for the WFT C^x wheel force transducer. In addition to the driving dynamics data of the measuring wheels, the imc CRONOSflex offers synchronous data acquisition for all other variables required in mobile road tests. Included are digital data such as FlexRay, CAN, Ethernet through to strain gauges, voltage, currents, temperatures, and many more. A separate imc CRONOSflex measuring module is available for the WFT-C^x wheel force transducer, so that setup for multi-channel measurements takes place automatically in one, frequently tested, and reliable system.

imc has one of the world's most accurate calibration and development test stands for the WFT C^x wheel force transducer. As a manufacturer, imc has a worldwide network of subsidiaries and distributors for consulting and support. In addition, there are only short lead times for calibrations, service and other services.

“If we chose IMC Caemax, it is because the complete offer of dataloggers and WFT sensors allows us to simplify the implementation of our mobile measurements. Indeed, the wheels are modular, and their mass contained. The 45 kN capacity of the sensors allows us to cover a wide range of vehicles (mass and wheel size). They can be installed quickly. The configuration is also simplified thanks to the integrated TEDS and is entirely done in Studio as for the other sensors. This allows us to reduce the preparation time and facilitates the development of our employees' skills in this type of measurement. The Cronos flex offers the advantage of increasing the number of measurement channels or limiting the number of modules used depending on the requirements of each measurement. We have CRFX-400 for the most common measurements and CRFX-2000 for measurements with WFT wheels. We have been working with IMC J+R for many years and are satisfied with the durability of the equipment and the after-sales service.”

Damien Varlot, Durability Testing Manager at PSA Stellantis