VBOX equipment has led the way in high-accuracy brake testing for more than ten years.
R13 H, R78, R98, ISO 21994 and SAE J2909 testing - Measure braking distance accuracy to within +/-1.8 cm
- IMU integration eliminates over-shoot errors for speed brake stops
- Pedal force and travel sensor inputs via analogue or CAN
- Free brake testing software with five dedicated plugins
Highly Accurate
Brake Trigger Input
Our new Pedal Force Sensor with Event Marker measures the amount of force applied to a brake pedal, in accordance to SAE and ECE standards, and automatically triggers the start of a test as soon as any pressure is detected.
Live Display
VBOX Test Suite installed on a Windows device within the test vehicle offers real-time display of all measured parameters. Having instant feedback can save valuable testing time, particularly for more complicated tests such as R139 BAS.
Standard-compliant
VBOX systems enable you to easily conduct brake tests in accordance with ECE R13 H Braking, ECE R90 Brake Pad Testing, ECE R78 Motorcycle Brake Systems, FMVSS135, ADR 31, ISO 21994, and SAE J2909 regulations.
IMU Integration
Using a VBOX Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) improves accuracy and noise levels, and enhances the dynamic response to velocity. IMU integration also eliminates over-shoot errors and combats satellite drop-out for up to 10 seconds without lock.
Temperature Measurement
Log up to 16 temperature points per tyre with surface temperatures ranging from -20°C to 300°C. The data can be displayed live as a heat map when using a VBOX Touch data logger, or as a graphical overlay when using a VBOX video logger.
Free data analysis software with five Brake Testing plugins
VBOX Test Suite is our user-friendly, intuitive data analysis software that is free to all VBOX users. It makes the process of recording and analysing your test data as quick and easy as possible.
The software comes with five Brake Testing plugins for Trigger brake stops, Speed-to-speed brake stops, homologation testing to ECE R79, SAE J2909, and Category "B" Brake Assist Systems tests to ECE R139.
Testing Equipment
Most braking departments around the world use the VBOX 3i 100 Hz GPS data logger for measuring braking distance, along with a VBOX IMU, to counteract the lever arm effect for speed triggered measurements, or in areas of low GPS visibility. The VBOX 3i measures braking distances to within ±1.8 cm accuracy, which is why it quickly became the industry standard data logger of choice.
The more cost-effective VBOX II and VBOX Touch GPS data loggers can also be used for braking measurements. The 20 Hz VBOX IISX offers braking distance accuracy to within ±10 cm, whilst the VBOX Touch is accurate to 20 cm and VBOX Touch RTK to within 5 cm.
VBOX Touch: the cost-effective brake test solution
VBOX Touch is a highly versatile, cost-effective, touch screen data logger ideal for use in speed-to-speed and trigger activated deceleration tests.
The VBOX Touch is available in two models, one with RTK corrections and one without. Both versions can connect directly to a brake trigger.
In a trigger activated test, the standard system has a braking distance accuracy within 20 centimetres, whilst the slightly more expensive RTK compatible version is capable of recording results to within five centimetres.
Measure Braking Distance Using a Trigger
Depending on the accuracy that you require, we offer a range of GPS measurement systems that can be used for trigger brake stops.
VBOX 3i: 100 Hz, CF card logging, 2x CAN interface, 4x 500 Hz analogue inputs, brake trigger input, analogue/digital/RS232 outputs
VBOX Touch: 10 Hz SD card logging, CAN interface, brake trigger input, 4.3" touchscreen
VBOX IISX: 20 Hz SD card logging, CAN interface, brake trigger input, analogue/digital/RS232 outputs
VBOX Speed Sensor: available in a range of update rates from 5 to 100 Hz, our speed sensors are another popular choice if you do not require logging capabilities.
Our new Pedal Force Sensor can also be used with the VBOX 3i, to measure the amount of force applied to a brake pedal, and will automatically trigger the start of a test as soon as any pressure is detected.
VBOX 3i and IMU for speed-to-speed brake tests
A typical VBOX setup for measuring braking distance between two speeds is a VBOX 3i data logger in conjunction with an Inertial Measurement Unit.
Using an IMU will improve all parameters measured in real-time - therefore enhancing accuracy and noise levels, as well as the dynamic response to velocity.
IMU integration also combats satellite drop-out for up to 10 seconds without lock. The VBOX 3i is compatible with the RACELOGIC IMU 04 module, which additionally provides highly accurate measurements of pitch, roll and yaw rate, as well as x, y, z acceleration via three accelerometers.
Measure Brake Temperatures
Our new Brake Temperature Sensor measures the highly transient surface temperature of a brake rotor at multiple points, making it possible to acquire the time-based temperature distribution across a rotor's surface in order to evaluate & optimize the pad pressure distribution, pad selection, cooling efficiency, braking efficiency, and hot spot formation from thermoelastic instabilities.
The sensor is capable of measuring temperature at 16, 8, 4 points, at a sampling frequency of up to 100 Hz, object temperature between -20 to 950˚C, using CAN 2.0A protocol, and enclosed in a compact IP66 rated aluminium enclosure.
Monitor Tyre Temperature
Up to four sensors can be installed, that measure up to 16 temperature points on each tyre, with surface temperatures ranging from -20 to 300° C. A dedicated tyre temperature monitoring app for the VBOX Touch data logger presents individual heat maps, as well as live and maximum temperature values, in real-time, on a 4.3" colour display.
Free Brake Testing Software
Want to save time analysing your data? Let VBOX Test Suite do it for you. Our free data analysis software comes with five dedicated Brake Testing plugins for Trigger brake stops, Speed-to-speed brake stops, homologation testing to ECE R79 and SAE J2909 standards, and Category "B" Brake Assist System tests to ECE R139.
How we verify brake distance accuracies?
We regularly verify the brake test measurements obtained by VBOX systems against a light barrier, laser, and RTK DGPS setup with Base Station to confirm its high positional accuracy.
We also capture the test on our LabSat GPS simulator, which records the raw GPS signals and the brake trigger input, and allows us to replay it through any VBOX on the bench. This gives us a repeatable reference to check against any new firmware or hardware updates, and maintains a high standard of brake testing accuracy.
GPS Accuracy
Increased Accuracy with RTK
Brake testing using IMU integration
Conducting brake tests on tall vehicles with long suspension travel can result in a speed overshoot of the velocity data, due to the measurements being taken at the high roof position of the GPS antenna. As the brakes are initially applied, there is a higher rate of change in velocity at the roof than there is at the vehicle's centre of gravity (COG).
However, the integration of an Inertial Measurement Unit, such as the RACELOGIC IMU 04 module, can be used to counteract this 'lever-arm' effect, by placing the IMU at the COG, which measures the vehicle pitch as it brakes. This data, when combined with that from GPS, provides compensation for the overshoot and allows for consistent brake stop testing.
Counteracting the lever-arm effect will also aid test engineers when conducting high-dynamic manoeuvres other than brake stops. In slip angle measurements the speed overshoot can occur if the antenna is moving through a greater arc of travel than that of the vehicle's centre of gravity as it corners. Procedures such as lane change manoeuvres can therefore also benefit from IMU integration and lever-arm compensation.
Point A has travelled further than point B.
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