Iowa State University’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ISU ABE) is installing a new state-of-the-art off-highway vehicle chassis dynamometer at the ISU Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm. The state-of-the-art dynamometer will enable controlled, dynamic testing of complete off-highway vehicles with advanced traction control systems. The facility is designed to test vehicles up to 450 kW (600 Hp), with speeds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph), and offers independent monitoring and loading of each wheel. The chassis dynamometer will be one of the few facilities capable of testing large construction and farm machinery. Benefits to industry

• Evaluation of vehicle performance and energy efficiency of off-highway vehicles under controlled test conditions
• Testing interactions between vehicle components and control systems
• Total vehicle performance, under both dynamic and steady state loads
• Collection of accurate, precise, repeatable data for complete machines difficult to obtain in outdoor environments
• Teaching environment in which students can become turnkey ready for occupation

Possible tests

• Fuel-to-wheel energy efficiency
• Drawbar power test
• High speed test
• Dynamic braking test
• Simulation of uphill/downhill driving and braking
• Hill cresting test
• Startup torque test

Vehicle Chassis Dynamometer capabilities

• Wide range of off-highway vehicles, including tractors, combines, sprayers, rubber-tracked equipment and wheel loaders
• Absorbing or motoring up to 450 kW (600 Hp) per corner, with independent loading at four corners
• Wide range of speeds from 5 to 80 km/h
• PTO Dynamometer to absorb or motor up to 250 kW (350 Hp) at 1000 rpm, and 85 kW (115 Hp) at 540 rpm
• Vehicle weights up to 311 kN (70,000 lbs)
• Wheelbases from 1.5-4.3 m ( 60-170 in)
• Minimum inside tire width of 762 mm (30 in)
• Maximum outside tire width of 4.3m (170 in)
• Total horizontal tractive draft forces 222 kN (50,000 lbs)
• Simultaneous loading of Chassis and PTO Dynamometer
• Regenerative AC Dynamometers (Power generation in absorption mode)
• Accommodates both tires and tracks

Vehicles The system will accommodate a wide range of vehicle platforms and sizes.

• Skid-steer loaders
• Compact-utility tractors
• Row-crop tractors
• Four wheel drive tractors
• Sprayers
• Combines
• Front end loaders

Commissioning of the facility is planned for early fall of 2021. For more information, please email dyno@iastate.edu or telephone Stuart Birrell at 515-294-2874 or Brian Steward at 515-294-1452. Iowa State University gratefully acknowledges Danfoss Power Solutions for their donation to make this facility possible.