A testbed designed for components in electric vehicle charging systems and powertrains was recently announced as a winner in the Test & Measurement category at EE Awards Asia, the inaugural edition of an event hosted by technology publisher AspenCore.
The Chroma 8620 is designed for research and development of on-board chargers (OBCs) and DC-DC converters. It can simulate normal operating conditions in a real vehicle environment, as well as abnormal test conditions including communication abnormalities and signal faults such as open circuit, short to ground, short to battery and pin-to-pin short. As Chroma points out, this capability serves to avoid possible hazards that can occur during the charging process or when the vehicle is on the road. It also diminishes the risk of accidents and eliminates the high costs associated with using real vehicles for testing.
The Chroma 8620 is designed for research and development of OBCs and DC-DC converters. Source: Chroma ATE Inc.Chroma’s innovative approach offers several key benefits over traditional testing models, including the ability to respond to varying test requirements in real time and to repeat automated tests. By reducing the need to manually program test specifications, the testbed offers shortened test times, diminished development costs and improved efficiency.
The 8620’s hardware configuration can be adapted according to device-under-test (DUT) specifications, with options including a programmable DC power supply, programmable DC electronic load, digital power meter and oscilloscope.
Flexible software-based user interfaces for operation and monitoring of both manual and automated test functions are also provided. Users can load CAN HS/FD and LIN communications files, and combine real-time systems, power and measurement equipment, and vehicle models. Test procedures can be implemented in LabVIEW, C/C++, Python or .NET languages. During testing, data can be recorded and accessed in TDMS, CVS and text formats for additional analysis. Following test procedures, comprehensive reports are automatically generated.
Additionally, an independent PLC monitoring system can be used to track the running status of the system software and test hardware in real time. Protection and warning mechanisms are activated in response to errors to avoid damage to the equipment and the DUT.
The standard configuration of the 8620 is a stand-alone main rack, but the system can also be equipped with an extension rack for optimal use of test space. The testbed’s ability to be paired with other Chroma devices, such as the 62000D Bidirectional DC Power Supply Series or 61800 Regenerative Grid Simulator Series, opens expanded testing scenarios — ones the company describes as taking “the next step for the new energy industry, driving it into the era of net-zero carbon emissions.”
