“Put to the acid test” - skoda-storyboard.com
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Page 1 of 15 ŠKODA Storyboard skoda-storyboard.com [email protected] FROM DETAILS TO STORY skoda-storyboard.com C Before the first customer drives the first metres with their KODIAQ, the model has already clocked up more than 2 million kilometres and gone through thousands of tough hours on test stands. An exclusive insight into the hard testing regime that guarantees the quality of every single ŠKODA car. an one keep a promise for more than 100 years? “ŠKODA can. ‘Only the best is good enough for our customers!’ This is the promise that was made by our founding fathers Václav Klement and Václav Laurin,” says Jiří Dytrych, Project Leader Whole Vehicle – Productline Compact. And with a friendly smile he adds, “To keep getting better is therefore in ŠKODA’s DNA.” “Put to the Acid Test”
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BeforethefirstcustomerdrivesthefirstmetreswiththeirKODIAQ,themodelhasalreadyclockedupmorethan2millionkilometresandgonethroughthousandsoftoughhoursonteststands.AnexclusiveinsightintothehardtestingregimethatguaranteesthequalityofeverysingleŠKODAcar.
anonekeepapromiseformorethan100years?“ŠKODAcan.‘Onlythebestisgoodenoughforourcustomers!’ThisisthepromisethatwasmadebyourfoundingfathersVáclavKlementandVáclavLaurin,”saysJiříDytrych,ProjectLeaderWholeVehicle–ProductlineCompact.Andwithafriendlysmileheadds,“Tokeepgettingbetteristhereforein
ŠKODA’sDNA.”
“PuttotheAcidTest”
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“Intensivetestingisatraditionwehavestuckwithtothisday.Overthedecades,thishasalsoledtothedevelopmentoftheambitiousaspirationtobethebenchmarkofallthingsinoursegment–withregardstofunctionalityandhigh-qualityworkmanshipforexample,”saysDytrych.HeaddsthattheCzechtraditionofcraftsmanshipandengineeringalsohelpstoachievethisgoal.
“ThewilltoimproveispartofŠKODA’sDNA.That’swhywetestsointensively–virtuallyaswellasphysically.”JiříDytrych,ProjectLeaderWholeVehicle–ProductlineCompact“Marryinhaste,repentatleisure:thisappliestothecarindustryaswell,”saysDytrych.Afterall,acarmanufacturerwouldliketohavealong-termmarriagewiththecustomer,ratherthanabrieffling.Andthat’sexactlywhyŠKODAhastokeeptowhatitpromises,saysDytrych.Howcanyoubesureofthis?“Partsandproductsare
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thoroughlytestedduringallstagesoftheproductdevelopmentprocess,fromthedesigner’sfirstline,uptothestartofproduction.”
TheTechnicalDevelopmentDepartment,incollaborationwithQualityControl,isresponsibleforexaminationsandtests.“Nocarwillgotothecustomersuntilthepre-productionmodelshavesuccessfullypassedallthetests,”Dytrychexplains.Termssuchas‘quality’and‘success’areofcourseverysubjectiveandeachcarmanufacturersetsthebarfor‘testsuccessfullycompleted’atadifferentlevel–whilstcomplyingwithlegallimitsandrequirements.Dytrychusesanexamplefromtheworldofsportstoexplainthispoint,“IfItellmyself,Iwillrun100metresin20seconds,Icanofcoursesayafterwards:Great,Ididit!ButatŠKODA,ourtargetis10seconds.Withregardstoourquality,weareattheforefrontinternationallyintheSUVsegment.”
ThistargetwasofcoursealsoappliedtothelatestŠKODAnewcomer,theKODIAQ.AsitisanSUV(SportsUtilityVehicle),testingitthoroughlywassomethingspecial.“Yes,wehavemanyyearsofexperienceintestingSUVs;theYETIhasbeenavailablesince2009.ButtheKODIAQentersanotherdimension,evenwhenitcomestotesting,”explainsDytrych.Biggerwheels,moregroundclearance,newmeasurements–theteststandshadtobeadjustedtoreflectthis.AndthenDytrychaddswithanothersmile,“Theteamwasveryhappytotakethecartoitslimitsduringthetestdrivesallovertheworldandontheteststands.”
WHATDOESAŠKODAHAVETOENDUREBEFOREGOINGINtoPRODUCTION?
HEREARETHEFIVEmostimportanttestscenarios.
#1DIGITALANDCLEVERLYCALCULATED:VIRTUALDEVELOPMENT
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There'sahugecrash-butnobodyhastosweepupafterwards!Computer-aidedaccidentsimulationsareincreasingly
beingusedtocomplementconventionalcrashtestsatŠKODA.Theultimategoal:
greatersafetyforalloccupants.“Successfulvirtualdevelopmentrequirescloseteamcooperation–acrossthewidestrangeofdepartments.Andallofthiswouldnotbepossiblewithoutexperiencedandpassionatecolleaguesineverydepartment.”DrTomášKubr,HeadofFunctionalityDevelopment,Computations,SeriesProductionCareEverybeginningisvirtual:longbeforerealprototypesarebuiltfromsteelandsheetmetalintheprototypingphase,simulationsarerunduringtheconceptphaseusingdigitalprototypes.“TheengineersatŠKODAcalculate,forexample,thestiffnessofthebodywork,theacousticcomfortofthecompletecarorthevehicle’scrashbehaviourinvariousaccidentscenariosandmanymoreloadcases,”saysDytrych.
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Runningsimulations,i.e.developingvirtually,isimportantandnecessary,becausethedemandsonthecars–forexamplewithregardstocomfort,safetyandefficiency–haveincreasedconsiderablyinrecentyears.
Fromtheearlydevelopmentstagesuptobeingreadyforproduction,ŠKODAcanrealisticallytestpartsandstructuresduringvirtualdrivesandtests–fromcomponentstothecompletevehicle
“ThedemandsonorganisationandITaremassive,becausethequantityofinformationanddataandtheircomplexityissogreat.The‘pure’computingpowerrequiredisalsoimmense:if,forexample,allthecrashsimulationswehaverunontheŠKODAKODIAQwereprocessedbyabog-standardPC,theywouldtakemorethan500yearstocomplete,”explainsDrTomášKubr,HeadofFunctionalityDevelopment,Computations,SeriesProductionCare.
Today,modelsthatareonlytestedvirtuallyarenolongerafuturevisionatŠKODA.Dytrychexplains:“WearepushingdevelopmentwithoutusingprototypesatŠKODA.WehavegainedvaluableexperienceworkingonthenewSUPERB;individualderivativesoftheCOMBIforexamplewereonlytestedvirtually.”
Eveninenginedevelopment–averycomplexandspecificfield–alotisinitiallysimulatedonthecomputer.Prototypesofthepowertrainsareonlybuiltafterthisandarethentestedonvariousteststands,beforefinallybeingsubjecttoon-the-roadtestswithtestcars.
#2THEWEATHERTODAY?EXTREME!AVISITTOTHECLIMATECHAMBER
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Heatlampson,temperaturetothemax:TheŠKODAKODIAQintheblazingheatofa
climateteststand.Theclaim:Evenatextremetemperatures,thetechnologymustfunctionreliably-throughoutthe
lifetimeofthecar.Wrapupwarm!TheclimatechambersontheŠKODAfactorysiteinMladáBoleslavandatmanyotherGrouplocationsaresomeofthemanyhigh-techteststands.Here,notonlyentireprototypes,butalsopartsandcomponentsarecooleddowntominus40degreesCelsius.“Theclimatechambersareagoodexampleofthegreateffortswearemaking.Hereitisaboutfindingouthowmaterialsbehave:byhowmuchdotheyexpandinheat,byhowmuchdotheycontractwhenitiscold.Intotal,ŠKODAcarriesoutthousandsofhoursoftestsintheclimatechamber,”explainsPetrKraus,HeadofCarSafety.
Anditisnotjustindividualpartsarethoroughlytestedinthechambers:theengineerspayparticularattentiontocomponentsthatconsistofseveralparts.“Whenseveralindividualpartsareconnected,itisparticularlyintriguing.Afterall,everymaterialbehavesdifferentlyinheatorcoldandtheconnectionbetweenthepartsmustbesolidandwork–eveninthecaseofanaccidentandinanytemperature,”explainsPetrKraus.Inthiscase,theexpertsattheice-coldteststand
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speakof‘warping’or‘expansion’.Theworstcasescenario:ifthepartswarptoomuch,theconnectionbecomesloose.Orthegapdimensions–thedistancebetweentwoparts–arenolongercorrect,whichnotonlycomesacrossasinharmonious–itcanalsobedangerous.
Theextremetestsintheclimateteststandsalsoensuresafetyfordriverandpassengers,asrestraintsystems,airbagsandsafetybeltsarealsotestedinfreezingconditionsandblisteringheat.“Theairbagmoduleitselfandalsoitsenvironment–dashboard,steeringwheelorseatsforexample–havetobesafeandfullyfunctionalduringthesehighlydynamictests,”saysPetrKraus.Ofcourse,thefunctionalityofothermoveablepartsisalsotested.Afterall,doorlocks,electricwindowsandotherelectricdevicesshouldalsoworkproperlybetweenminus40andplus80degreesCelsius,andwhetherit’s5percentor95percenthumidityintheinterior.Whatevertheyaretestinginthecoldscenario,“Attheclimateteststand,youshouldalwaysbewrappedupwarm,eveninsummer,”jokesíDytrych.“Whowouldliketocatchacoldwhenyouhavebeautifulsummerweather!?”
ThereisanotherteststandatŠKODAinMladáBoleslavwhereyoushouldnotbeweather-sensitive,althoughitisawetratherthanacoldone:“Werunthemostdiverseprogrammesinoursprinklerfacility,fromdrizzletoheavyrain,”explainsDytrych.Whatdotheytesthere?Ifwatergetsthroughdoorsandslidingroofsintothecar,ifallthesealsaretight.Andofcourse,aŠKODAhastobewaterproofeveninunusualpositions,forexampleifonewheelisonthepavement,thereforedistributingthestressonthebodyunevenly.
#3TESTTHEBEST:REALTESTDRIVES
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Histerritoryisthestreet-andthat'swherethepre-productionmodelsofthe
ŠKODAKODIAQwereintensivelytestedandfinelytuned.Theprototypeswere
disguisedontheroad,forexamplehereinNorwayinthesummerof2016.
Awaytheygoontotheroad–andoftenoffitaswell.Evenifmanydrivingsituationsaresimulatedonthecomputerintheearlydevelopmentstages,ŠKODAwon’tletanymodelontothemarketwithoutrigorousreal-lifetests.“AtŠKODAwetestthevehiclesinnormalandalsoinextremeclimaticconditions.Thevehicleshavetofunctionproperlyinextremecold,meaningevenbelowminus30degreesCelsius,andalsoinextremeheat,thatisabove40degreesCelsius,”explainsVladimírBanýr,HeadofCompleteVehicleTesting.“Ouraspirationis:everythinginthecarhastoworkperfectly.Andatanytime:insunshine,rain,snow,onslipperyandicyroads,incountrieswhoseroadsaredustytracks,oftenalsoinroughterrain–andofcourseonanynormalroad.”
Inordertotesteverythingproperly,thetestsarerunallovertheworld.“Wearelookingforextremeconditionsandvisiteverycontinent.Wherewearegoingexactlyis,ofcourse,usuallyasecret,”explainsVladimírBanýrandsmiles.Thiswasalsothe
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casewiththeKODIAQ:“DuringthetestdriveswithourlatestSUV,weparticularlyfocusedonthenewassistancesystems,rideandacousticcomfortanditsoff-roadcapabilities,”Dytrych,adds,“Wehavedrivenfarmorethan2millionkilometreswiththeKODIAQprototypes.”
Managementmatters:BoardChairmanBernhardMaierpaidcloseattentiontothefinalcalibrationdrives.Maier:"TheŠKODA
KODIAQisattheforefrontofŠKODA'sextensiveSUVcampaign"
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ChristianStrube,ŠKODABoardMemberforTechnicalDevelopment:“TheŠKODA
KODIAQoffersallofourbrand’sstrengths:well-thought-outfunctionality,superiorinteriorspaceandexcellentvaluefor
money.”Thetestsarenotjustachallengeforthematerialbutalsofortheteamaccompanyingthetests.“It’satoughjob.Thetestengineerswhogoontheinternationaltestdriveshavetobeveryflexibleandarerarelyathome,”saysDytrychandaddsproudly,“Ifyouwanttogettoknowatight-knitgroupwhichisabsolutelypassionateabouttheŠKODAbrand,thenit’sthem.”
TheplacewherethefirstrealtestdrivesoftheŠKODAKODIAQtookplaceisnotreallysecretanymore:fordecades,allVolkswagenGroupbrandshavesenttheirlatestsecretprototypestothesouthernedgeoftheLüneburgHeathnearEhra-Lessientodotheirfirstrounds.Thesiteiswellsecuredandsovastthatevenpaparazziwhoshootsecretmodelsforcarmagazineshavenochancetogetdecentpictures.Accesstothesite,whichmeasuresapproximately11millionsquaremetresandhas100kilometresoftesttrack,isbyspecialpermissiononly.
“EveniftheŠKODAKODIAQisnotapureoff-roader,rightfromthestartwehavetesteditsoff-roadcapabilitiesandimprovedthem,”saysDytrych.“Theconditionsin
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Ehra-Lessienareidealforthis,too:inclineshavegradientsofbetweenand5and32percent.”
DisguisedontheroadinNorway:Inparticular,thenewassistancesystems,thedrivingandacousticcomfort,aswellastheterraincapabilitieswereexamined
duringtheŠKODAKODIAQroadtests.
#4THEACIDTEST:HYDROPULSTESTSTAND
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Thetoughesttestonacaristheso-calledendurancetest:Thetestsonthehydro-
pulsesystemusuallytake130hours,whichisequivalentto8000kilometresintougheroperatingconditionsor150,000kilometresascustomerswouldnormally
drive.Shaken,notstirred:“ThemostspectacularteststandforaprototypeisdefinitelyourHydropulsstation,”explainsDytrych.Whathappensonthisteststand?Thevehiclesaremountedontoahydraulicsystemwhichtransfersforcestothebody.“Thistestscenarioallowsustocollectinitialinformationabouttheprototypevehicles’stiffnessandstrengthintheearlydevelopmentphase.”
HowdoestheHydropulsteststandworkexactly?“Ourroadsimulatorhas16channels.Thismeanswecanhavefourdifferentinputsoneachwheel:forcesinthreedifferentdirectionsaswellasbrakingtorque,”explainsJanNovák,HeadofDurabilityandFatigueTestsatŠKODA.“Thiswaywecreatestresssituationsfortheentirecar–evenharderonesthanwecouldproduceinrealityontheroad.”
Avarietyoftestscenarioscanbedriven.Particularlyinterestingisthecontinuousrun.“Thistestnormallytakes130hourswhichcorrespondsto8,000kilometresofintenseoperation.Youcancomparethisdistancetothewearof150,000kilometres
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ofnormaldrivingbyacustomer,”saysNovák.Expertscallthistestscenario,whichtakeschassisandbodytotheirlimits,thevibrationresistancetest.
Theloadoneachindividualwheelduringthistestonthestandisofcoursenotrandom–realtestdrivesprovidetheblueprint.“Theforcesandtorquestheprototypeisexposedtoontheroadsimulatorhavebeenrecordedbeforeduringrealtestdrives;forexample,ontheverydemandingcircuitatourGrouptestingsiteinEhra-Lessien,”saysJanNovák.ThesestressesarethenreproducedbythesystemontheteststandatŠKODAinMladáBoleslav.
The16-channelroadsimulatorisnottheonlyspecialfacilitythatamazesvisitorstothelabsatŠKODAinMladáBoleslav.Theso-calledfour-stampfacilityisalsoimpressive.JanNovákdescribes:“Itdoesnotonlyallowustotestmechanicalloadsbutalsotosimulateclimateconditionswhilstdriving.Itenablesustoruntestsfromminus40degreestoplus80degreesCelsius.”
#5OPENANDCLOSE,OPENANDCLOSE:FUNCTIONTESTS
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Fordaysonendandwithoutinterruption,therobotopensandclosesthecardoor
oftheŠKODAKODIAQuntilitiscertainthatthequalityandfinishareperfect.All
movablecomponents,amongotherthing,arethoroughlytestedinfunctiontests.
“Should,forexample,ahingeorcomponentbreakduringthetest,ourengineershavetocomeupwithasolution–andtheteststartsagainfromthebeginning.”DrTomášKubr,HeadofFunctionalityDevelopment,Computations,SeriesProductionCareDoesthetailgateopenandclosewithoutanyproblemsevenafterseveralyears?Anddothedoors,thebonnetandthewindows?These,thesupposedlysimplestfunctionsonacar,aretestedparticularlyintensivelybeforethestartofproduction.“It’sgoodthattherearerobots,”explainsDytrych.Withasmileonhisfacehethenasks,“Orwouldyouliketoopenandcloseadoor100,000times?”Nopersonwouldwant–orbeable–todothis,particularlybecausetherobotalwaysdoesthejobusingthesameforcesfollowingaprogrammedreal-lifepattern.Thismakestestresultscomparable.
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Airoutlets,glovecompartment,handles,locks,everythingthatcanbemovedisthoroughlytestedintheŠKODAfunctiontests.Inordertosavetime,thesetestsoftenrunparallelandnotoneaftertheother.Thisisvisuallyimpressive:thesynchronisedopeningandclosingofdoors,tailgatesandbonnetslookslikeaperfectlyrehearsedballet.“Despitetheparalleloperation,thistesttakessixweekswithoutanybreak,”explainsPetrKraus,HeadofCarSafety.Andifsomethinggoeswrong?“Should,forexample,ahingeorcomponentbreakduringthetest,ourengineershavetocomeupwithasolution–andtheteststartsagainfromthebeginning.”The‘masterpiece’isthecontinuousrunintheclimatechamber.Theaim:evenatminus40degreesandplus80degreesCelsius,everythinghastoworkproperly.“Theremustn’tbeanyminiaturecracksorfractures,orrattlingandsqueakingnoises,”saystheexpert.
FurtherimportantstepsonthewaytoseriesproductionaretestsontheacousticandtheEMCteststand.Inparticularthelatter,testingtheelectromagneticcompatibilityofallcomponents,isbecomingmoreandmoreimportantbecauseoftherapidlyincreasingnumberofmicrochipsinthecar.
Threemonthsbeforestartofproduction,themomenthasfinallycome:thetestingphasehasbeencompleted.TheŠKODA–nowalmost‘readyforproduction’–cancommenceitslastinspectiondrive.“Duringthecovereddrives,boardmembersandteamsofexpertshavealastopportunitytoassessanddiscusstheresultofyearsofwork,”saysDytrych.“That’sthefinalstepbeforethestartofproduction.”
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