Volume 24 No. 2
February 2010
mga research corporation
“Advancing Worldwide Passenger Safety and Transportation Quality”
•research
•testing
•design
•fabrication
Shock Absorber Characterization For Love of a Dog
Gerald Roesser - Troy
Nick Frank - Troy
Shock absorber testing is very important to the
racing industry. They have known for years that a well
tuned shock can make the difference at the finish line.
The better the performance you get out of the shock,
the better the driver will be able to handle the vehicle.
Other industries that require shock absorbers are also
learning how to design better products and how to use
advances in technology to their advantage.
Modern shock absorbers typically create a linear
curve as the velocity of the shaft increases. This means
that as the velocity increases on the shaft, the force
required to move the shaft, or the damping, also
increases. In many cases it is desirable to have a specific slope or linearity to this curve. In other cases, the
designer of the shock may wish to have the damping
decrease as the velocity increases. The process of collecting data for these curves is what is known as shock
absorber characterization. A designer may have a goal
in mind that is either determined by race track data,
past performance, or customer specifications.
In order to collect this data, a shock dynamometer
is employed. This machine is capable of moving the
shaft of the shock absorber at varying velocities and
recording the resultant forces. For an accurate characterization to be made, it is imperative to control the
velocity precisely. The designer is then able to make
changes to shock as needed to find its affect on performance.
We are committed to conducting
testing to ensure the
safety of passengers
in vehicles, there is a
member of the family that, until recently,
has been overlooked.
The family pet can
often be considered
just as important as
any other member of the family. Our four legged
friends watch over us while we sleep, they greet us at
the door when we return home from work, and go on
trips with us in the car. It is important for the
passengers, as well as the dog, that safety and restraint
be considered.
In a crash, everyone and everything in the vehicle
is affected. The safety and well-being of a dog is put at
risk, and the other passengers in the vehicle may
become affected if the dog is not properly restrained.
RC Pet Products Limited has developed in-vehicle
safety harnesses for canines that are tested using similar test methods for child safety seats. With no safety
regulations for pet restraints, RC Pet Products Limited
has worked together with us to develop a testing
strategy for their harnesses. RC representative Jill
Connolly commented, “The Travel Industry
Association of America has reported that over 29
million dog owners in the US travel in their vehicles
with their dogs. With all the advancements in vehicle
safety, we felt it was time to offer our canines the same
protection we do our other family members. This not
only ensures their safety but also provides added
protection to the human occupants as unrestrained
dogs are a leading cause of driver distraction.”
Using the same pulse developed for FMVSS 213
child restraint testing, each harness is tested using the
MGA developed canine test dummies. Ranging in size
from small to large, and weighing from 20 pounds to
160 pounds, the canine test dummies are made from an
internal metal skeleton wrapped in the skin and stuffing from a stuffed animal. The harness is placed on the
test dummy which is then strapped into a seat using a
simulated seat belt. The pulse is applied to the dummy
and harness in a frontal crash simulation, and the harness is evaluated post-test for any structural failures.
We have been doing harness testing for over a year
now and are proud to be able to have it as part of our
wide range of testing capabilities.
We utilize an MTS servo-hydraulic actuator on our
shock dyno. This machine is capable of moving 90
inches per second. This velocity is an advantage when
collecting data for highly advanced shock absorbers
requiring high speed articulation. Located in the Troy,
Michigan facility and soon in our South Carolina
location, it is easily accessible to all industries including military, automotive, and racing.
For more shock absorber testing information, call
Gerald Roesser ([email protected])
at (248) 577-0294. mga
Motorcoach Roof Crush Testing
Megan Buxton - Burlington
Motorcoach roof crush testing is used to evaluate
vehicle roof strength, which is vital to injury and death
minimization in the event of a rollover type crash. The
US Department of Transportation released its
Motorcoach Safety Action Plan on November 16,
2009. The plan includes a priority action item to
evaluate and develop roof crush performance requirements.
“The National Transportation Safety Board
designated the improvement of roof strength in motorcoaches as one of its “Most Wanted” safety recommendations. NHTSA identified improving motorcoach
roof strength as a priority issue that can improve
occupant protection and accident survivability.
A motorcoach reaching unstable equilibrium
Improving motorcoach roof strength will enhance the
during an ECE 66 test.
structural integrity of the superstructure, ensure
adequate survival space for passengers in the event of
These tests can be modified for specialized evaluaa rollover, and improve structural integrity surroundtions
outside the scope of the given standards. Our bus
ing the windows that would improve their effectiveness
testing
experts have years of experience with this type
in preventing occupant ejection.” Excerpt taken from the
of
testing.
To get your bus testing underway, Eric
Motorcoach Safety Action Plan (HS811 177, November 2009)
Peschman ([email protected]) can be
Our Wisconsin Proving Grounds conducts a quasi- reached at (262) 763-2705. We look forward to
static test (FMVSS 220) and a dynamic test (ECE 66) achieving all of your testing needs. mga
for roof strength evaluation on motorcoaches.
FMVSS
220–School Bus Rollover Protection: A
quasi-static load of 1.5 times the unloaded vehicle
weight is applied to the centerline of the roof.
A motorcoach with the applied load
during an FMVSS 220 test.
ECE
66–Strength of the Superstructure of Large
Passenger Vehicles: The vehicle is placed on a
raised tilt table platform. The table is slowly raised
on one side until the vehicle reaches its unstable
equilibrium. As the table is raised further, the
vehicle rolls sideways and falls off the platform
landing on its upper roof edge.
Webinar Updates
On January 7th, 2010, over 80 attendees participated in our FMSS 216a and IIHS Roof Crush webinar.
The focus and discussion of the webinar regarded the
FMVSS 216a and IIHS Roof Crush Resistance test
methodologies, the newly published FMVSS 216a
requirements as outlined in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Title 49, Part 571.216a, and the
different IIHS roof crush test requirements and criteria.
Join us Thursday, February 25th, 2010 from 1:30
p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for our next webinar installment,
Real-Time Simulation Process. Vibration testing is a
critical verification process for manufacturers of
vehicles and vehicle components. There are many
different methods used to perform road simulation
durability testing including Multi-Axis Simulation
Table (MAST) testing, Four-Poster testing, proving
grounds durability, component-level fatigue, and
Electro-Dynamic (ED) Shaker testing. This webinar
will focus on MGA’s experiences with Road Load Data
collection, fixture design/fabrication, test set-up
processes, drive file development, and real-time simulation. It will also take a brief look at the RPC Pro™
software used to match road surface vibrations.
To participate in our Real-Time Simulation Process
webinar and reserve your limited seat, visit:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/288192907
enter the information and a confirmation e-mail will be
sent with any further instruction. mga
www.mgaresearch.com
Visit our website to sign-up for the E-Newsletter, view Archived Newsletters, and review Archived Webinars.
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Touching Base
with Dr. Patrick Miller, President
A Plain Spoken Man
February is the month we honor our presidents.
Perhaps no president was more unique than Harry S.
Truman. Even his middle name was unique as he had
no middle name. It is believed he picked the letter “S”
to honor both his grandfathers, Anderson Shippe
Truman and Solomon Young.
Harry Truman’s outspoken behavior was widely
reported. During the 1948 presidential campaign, he
became known as “give 'em hell Harry”, because of the
way he attacked the opposition. During his presidency,
he was noted for such phrases as, “the buck stops
here”, and “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the
kitchen”.
His term ended January 20th, 1953. After leaving
office, he returned home to Independence, Missouri.
He soon purchased a new Chrysler New Yorker car.
During the summer, he and his wife Bess, decided to
take a motor trip to Washington, DC. Of course, while
he was a senator during the 1930’s and '40’s, he had
made this trip many times. To most, it was incredible
that a former president would travel across the country
as basically a tourist, but not to this plain
spoken man from Missouri.
The trip is chronicled in a recent book, “Harry
Truman’s Excellent Adventure”, by Matthew Algeo.
Not only does Algeo review the trip in a day-by-day
fashion, but he also illustrates how the office of the
presidency has changed during the past half century.
In 1953, I had just graduated from high school and
distinctly remember reading about Harry’s trip during
the summer months of June and July. So reading the
book, for me at least, was the chance to relive what is
now history.
Equally interesting, was how a former president
was treated when he left office at that time. Harry
Truman had no wealth, and ex-presidents did not
receive a pension. To compound matters, ex-presidents
were not furnished a staff to assist them in answering
the huge volume of mail they received. Secret service
protection was not provided, so a certain vulnerability
existed when they engaged with the general public.
In Truman’s case, he had to hire a secretary to
assist him in answering his large volume of mail. He
felt that if someone sent him a letter, they deserved an
answer. The postage and secretary’s salary were taxing
to his meager resources. Even when he wrote books as
other presidents had done, the federal taxes, at that
time, took about 70 percent of the income.
Over the years, much of this changed, as a pension,
mail franking privileges, and a staff were provided for
former presidents in the late 1950’s. After President
Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, protection by the
secret service was granted to all ex-presidents and their
families.
Truman maintained the tradition of previous presidents as he would not serve on corporate boards. The
tradition was changed when Gerald Ford made large
sums of money with various corporate activities.
Indicative of the trend, Bill Clinton and Hillary
Rodham Clinton reported incomes of over $100 million during the period after he left the presidency in
2001 and after her presidential campaign in 2008. In
view of these recent trends, it is refreshing to recall the
beliefs that a plain spoken man from Missouri had
concerning the office of the presidency. mga
Up Close & Personnel
Meet Laura Graff
Laura
Graff has been
a vital part of
our New York
operations
since 2006. She
started in the
Fabrication
Center as an
administrative
assistant. Her
hard work and
excellent customer service
made her the
perfect candidate to work in the Technical Services
Lab; where they would now be lost without her. Laura
is responsible for maintaining records and the formalities required with being an A2LA-accredited lab.
Laura is also responsible for countless other things that
are necessary to the daily operations but are not always
noticed. This does not deter her from getting the job
done. She has a strong work ethic and knows how to
put her foot down. Her friendly smile and great sense
of humor make the day a little more cheerful.
The past year has been very busy, to say the least,
for Laura. She took on extra workloads for two associates that had maternity leave in early 2009. Laura also
planned and had her wedding in June. Shortly after
returning from her honeymoon, she took on the duties
as the Human Resources Manager, in addition to her
daily responsibilities. All the while, Laura was completing her Associates degree in Human Resource
Management! The new responsibility has added more
to her plate than most would realize, but Laura still
comes in every morning dedicated and happy to start
the new day. We are lucky to have her.
You will almost always see Laura with one of two
things: something the color pink or something with a
zebra pattern. Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending
time with her family, her dog, and her two troublemaking kittens. It seems life always has something to
throw Laura’s way, and she always catches it with open
arms. mga
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Presorted Standard
US Postage Paid
Akron, NY
Permit No. 18
12790 Main Road
Akron, NY 14001
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
New European Pedestrian
Protection Regulation Change
DJ Whiteside - Troy
If you think it is a challenge to keep up with the
impending European Pedestrian Protection specification changes, you are not alone. According to a recent
publication by the European Union, the September
2010 Directive 2003/102/EC Annex I 3.2 phase-in
requirements for Pedestrian Protection were found to
be non-feasible. This directive has been repealed and
replaced by Regulation (EC) No. 78/2009.
Regulation (EC) No. 78/2009 became effective
November 24, 2009 and offers a new set of phase-in
requirements (Annex I 2.0 and 3.0) ranging from the
years 2009 to 2019. To ensure a smooth transition, the
requirements will begin by mirroring that of its
predecessor (Directive 2003/102/EC Annex I 3.1) and
eventually move towards requirements that are synonymous with the GTR No. 9. Regulation (EC) No.
78/2009 will also expand GVWR specifications to
include vehicles heavier than 2,500 kg. The following
is a summary of the long-term changes:
The
lower legform tibia and bending requirements
will be relaxed by a difference of 20 g and 4
degrees respectively. The shear requirement will
remain the same at 6.0 mm.
The upper legform requirements will remain the
same at 7.5 kN and 510 Nm.
The upper legform to bonnet leading edge test will
remain despite being excluded by GTR No. 9.
MGA-Michigan will be presenting a technical
paper on pedestrian testing at the 2010 SAE World
Congress being held in Detroit from April 13-15, 2010.
For more information about Pedestrian Protection
requirements or to discuss how we can assist you with
your pedestrian testing needs, contact D.J. Whiteside
([email protected]) at (248) 259-7622.
mga
The
HPC limit changes from 1,000 to 1,700 for 1/3
of the child and adult test areas.
The headform mass requirement will align with
GTR No. 9.
The lower legform is shown striking a vehicle during a test.
MGA Research Corporation, 12790 Main Road, Akron, NY 14001, Phone 716-542-5515, Fax 716-542-4437
New York Operations, 13311 Main Road, Akron, NY 14001, Phone 716-542-5672, Fax 716-542-5166
Michigan Operations, 446 Executive Drive, Troy, MI 48083, Phone 248-577-5001, Fax 248-577-5025
South Carolina Operations, 820 Suburban Park Drive, Greer, SC 29651, Phone 864-848-3088, Fax 864-848-9480
Wisconsin Operations, 5000 Warren Road, Burlington, WI 53105, Phone 262-763-2705, Fax 262-763-0934
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