MIRA Launches Europe’s First Independent Dynamic SPMM
The dynamic Suspension Parameter Measurement Machine (SPMM), which represents a £2.5 million investment into MIRA’s engineering capability, provides high resolution measurements for a complete spectrum of suspension and steering parameters that are an essential aid to the understanding of a vehicle’s steering, handling and ride performance and ensures that MIRA remains one of the foremost technical partners for developing class leading vehicle attributes.
The new SPMM features an increased vehicle mass and wheelbase capacity and its high speed actuators allow measurement of both quasi static and dynamic kinematic and compliance characteristics. The added dynamic capability also enables the measurement of vehicle mass properties, centre of gravity and moments of inertia – a second, vital, data set for the vehicle dynamics engineering community.
Ian Willows, Consultant in Vehicle Dynamics at MIRA, said:
“We are incredibly proud to house Europe’s first independent, dynamic SPMM here at MIRA.
“This investment reiterates MIRA’s leading position in cutting edge automotive technologies and builds on our portfolio of expertise available to help our customers develop world beating products. We believe that this facility is unique and the exclusive access that we provide to specialist technical skills and facilities such as the new dynamic SPMM is what makes MIRA the engineering partner of choice for some of the world’s biggest vehicle manufacturers.”
Tim Rogers, MD of AB Dynamics – the manufacturers of the new SPMM – said:
“We are delighted to have been chosen to supply MIRA with its second K&C machine. The latest is the most advanced SPMM machine that we have made to date, providing – amongst other things – a significant increase in wheel stroke to handle larger SUV type vehicles.”
The SPMM can also communicate with the vehicle’s on-board systems, allowing data transfer to and from the vehicle during testing – something the original two-axle SPMM was unable to do.
The current SPMM, which has been in-situ at MIRA’s K&C Rig since 1996, will continue to be used by some of the world’s biggest vehicle manufacturers and Formula One race teams.
