Anthony Best Dynamics (ABD) has been working on the development of a new type of brake robot, currently being built as a prototype. Like the combined brake and accelerator robot, the RBR1500 uses a rotary actuator with a lever, which applies the brakes via a pushrod to the pedal. The actuator has been designed to offer high-force high speed brake inputs suitable for very aggressive brake applications such as brake fade. It is intended that this robot will offer peak force of around 1,500N and a rated output of around 1,200mm/s at 1,000N of pedal force.
ABD has also released version 7.10 of the Robot Controller software. This includes a number of new features with a particular emphasis on path following testing. The company has been working on making path generation easier and more flexible and also providing new ways of viewing the data after finishing the test.
Additionally, ABD has revealed it will be working on its 250th robot power supply. With a number of new features, the Mk3 power supply is significantly smaller than the previous design, now measuring only 130mm thick. It is also 2kg lighter than the previous version.
Features of the Mk3 power supply include the ability to run it on 9-30v input, so it therefore may be used in vehicles with 12v or 24v supply, improved internal structure to cope with durability application, battery monitoring and the ability to charge them individually for longer life and optimal performance, three regulated 12v power supplies for transducers etc, the ability to run it standalone on internal battery power- typically for one to two hours, and it can be configured to decouple from a vehicle’s electrical system during a test.
