Selecting the Correct Chassis Dynamometer System

Once the decision is made to test vehicles on a chassis dynamometer, the selection of the chassis dynamometer system is the next order of business. Since dynamometer equipment is available in several sizes, shapes and types and can be put together in several configurations, it is sometimes difficult to select the one dynamometer that best fits the requirements of the test program. This paper describes a decision making process for selecting a dynamometer system. The areas of cost, types of tests, available room and accuracy of requirements are discussed. The discussion includes the various types of absorbers and motoring devices, the effect of roll size and the effect of speed increasers. Various types of manual and automatic controls and data acquisition systems are also included in the discussion.