Kit media
Impact test dummies are used in the development of almost all types of vehicles, in order to test, in simulation, the impact that a traffic accident could have on the human body. Today, these tests, as well as the use of dummies, are generally required for the approval of a vehicle.
The company, Capgemini Engineering Passive Safety Center,based in Austria, is renowned as a Category A service provider in the automotive industry for passive safety and has over 20 years of experience. The company supports its customers worldwide, from the preliminary phase of vehicle design to the standard operating procedure (SOP), thanks to its extensive know-how in the field of engineering, simulation, testing and homologation. In addition, Capgemini Engineering is also known for the development and construction of test systems.
By integrating vehicle safety throughout the development process, Capgemini Engineering can offer complete solutions for vehicle development. Thus, it can offer expertise in impact physics, restraint systems and other topics related to passive safety inside and outside, such as pedestrian protection and frontal collision indoors. Development can vary from a single component to a complete vehicle.
Positioning of the impact test dummies using the dummy positioning tool
Creaform offers a solution that allows the dummies to be positioned in the prescribed position more quickly. Positioning adapters are therefore attached to the manikin. They are then followed by a camera system. In the dummy positioning application, deviations from the desired position are then displayed simultaneously for all points in real time and highlighted. Simply move the manikin until all the values are green. Distances can also be configured very easily. The knees must, for example, be separated by a certain distance. Once the dummy is set up, a protocol for all measuring points is simultaneously created at the touch of a button.
This software program has been used within Capgemini Engineering since 2020 with the MetraSCAN 3D scanner and the HandyPROBE tactile measurement system to measure complete vehicles and parts sets before and after a collision. In addition, the test structures are also scanned before and after a crash test in order to evaluate the test and coordinate the test facility with the customer.
In addition to the dummy positioning tool, Creaform's VXelements data acquisition software and Innovmetric's Polyworks are used.
Prior to acquiring the Creaform system, Capgemini Engineering used a camera measurement system, which was limited in its functions. The system required a fixed measuring room, which had to be calibrated at great expense. Creaform's solution makes it possible to combine a tactile measurement system and a 3D scanner into a single system for measuring crash test vehicles.
Features and benefits
- A wide range of 3D scans are possible:
- The system can scan and reference large objects.
- The system can also display small objects with enough detail.
- Tactile measurement and 3D scanning in a single system:
- Easy combination of 3D scanning and touch measurement in a single project.
- Same reference for scanning and tactile measurement. Discrepancies between scanning and tactile measurement are therefore eliminated.
- Easy-to-use and well-documented VXelements interface:
- Capgemini Engineering's proprietary software tools, such as FMH Wizard, are easy to implement.
Capgemini Engineering is very pleased with Creaform's flexible crash test measurement solution, which is used internally in the test laboratory as well as on Capgemini Engineering's crash test track. The time savings during the measurement process are also considerable.
Mr. Manfred Harrer, Senior Testing Expert at Capgemini Engineering, summarizes the benefits as follows: "Thanks to the ability to quickly and easily create 3D scans, the implementation of tests is increasingly coordinated with the customer using 3D scans (especially in the time of Covid-19). In addition, test projects commonly carried out with the in-house engineering department are handled more efficiently, as each test facility can be scanned in 3D. Unlike the camera system used previously, the reference is on the vehicle thanks to the Creaform solution. The vehicle can thus be measured independently of a measuring room or a measuring wall and without being fixed in a single place. Previously, the vehicle was not available for other test preparations during measurement. With the Creaform measuring system, other work on the vehicle can be carried out at the same time as the measurement, which increases efficiency. »
