Creative thinking and opportunity has driven Mustang for over 35 years. Mustang has identified and followed industrial trends, Government mandates, safety standards and the ever-present push for increased performance and productivity: all are challenges facing vehicle manufacturers, repair shops, and fleet operators. Mustang meets the industry’s needs with high performance test systems and you reap the benefits.
By designing and manufacturing its entire product line, Mustang can alter any component to tailor a product to the customer’s specific needs. The expansion capabilities of Mustang’s software packages and control systems ensure future flexibility. As a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and integration of dynamometer products, Mustang Dynamometer supplies dynamometer systems for leading automotive manufacturers, OEM’s, tier one suppliers, fleet operators, R&D houses, race teams, centralized and decentralized emissions and safety inspection programs, and many other leading companies throughout the world.
Founded in 1975, Mustang, with corporate headquarters in Twinsburg, Ohio, has over 75,000 square feet of manufacturing floor space incorporating complete engineering, balancing, metal fabricating, machining, painting, assembly and testing operations. Research and development are also a critical part of our operation. These operations are designed to assure the delivery of high-quality products while achieving significant production rates, more than 150 dynamometer systems per week.
After being moved to Ohio in 1986, Mustang expanded its engineering staff and efforts were concentrated on adding to the product line. The first product developed was an Eddy Current (EC) Power Absorber Unit (PAU) based chassis dynamometer. Existing chassis dynamometers at the time used water brake power absorbers, which are very complex to install, and the response times inherently slow. The EC PAU system was very well accepted in the market and sales immediately grew, which is where the Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) story of Mustang begins.
During this period of I/M growth Mustang also solicited work in other non-chassis dynamometer related fields, which started the Mustang Advanced Engineering (MAE) group.
The other fields Mustang developed expertise in include:
- Engine testing
- Turbine testing
- Transmission testing
- Transaxle testing
- Electric motor testing
- Vehicle testing
- Component testing
- Gearbox testing
- Direct connect wheel end load testing
- Drivetrain testing
- Tow dynamometers
- Special projects for the military. (i.e. torpedo testing, tank sighting system calibration equip.)
- Other non-vehicle related testing
Many of these products were installed in many different environments.
- Environmental chambers
- Noise/Vibration/Harshness (NVH) laboratories
- Open air testing sites
- Emission laboratories
- EMC/RFI chambers
- Wind tunnels
- End Of Line (EOL) production equipment
- QC in production facilities
- Performance laboratories
- Durability laboratories
Mustang’s early (1970s & 1980s) PAU of choice was the variable speed DC motor/dyne, the air cooled eddy current and the Water Cooled Eddy Current PAU. As technology developed so did Mustang and our expanded choices of PAU’s. We currently design equipment with Exotic Permanent Magnetic AC technologies, Ultra Low Inertia Dual Rotor AC motors, Servo Motors, Brushless DC, Switch Reluctance Motors, Induction AC, Hydraulic Motors, Water Brakes, Oil Shear Brakes and Inertia loading devices. The expansion into current and future technologies has allowed Mustang to compete in many testing applications for Automotive, Defense, Aerospace, Medical, Off-road equipment, Industrial Applications, Energy Applications, etc. As an active and opportunistic driven company Mustang is always exploring new opportunities and expanding our product and engineering capabilities.
These non-chassis dynamometer applications increased the Mustang engineering staff size and expertise. This expertise continues to allow Mustang to solicit many different projects. During the late 80’s and early 90’s PC software development for machine control was in its infancy and Mustang was at the forefront of the industry and Mustang was the first to apply PC computer control to many test stand applications. Mustang applied computer based controls to test stands with graphical operator interfaces capable of sampling, save and recall data. These early software and control tasks have allowed Mustang to develop a highly skilled software and control department with a vast background of skills in machine control, data acquisition and operator interfaces. As one retiring engineer stated “This is the most interesting job I ever had, there is nothing we can’t do”.
There may be some exceptions to that statement, although Mustang has been involved in many small to large projects as a sub-contractor and as a prime contractor. Mustang has installed complete test facilities starting with a building shell with no floor, to engineering, fabricating, installing and starting up a complete axle test facility. This included an electric power system with a new 2,500 kVa transformer, cooling water system with pump house and reservoir tank, large 100’ x 60’ bed plate floor system, dual control rooms, axle test stand and associated test equipment, over head cranes, custom control systems and future expansion capability. There are other project examples found later in our relevant experience and customer list.
Reverting back to the infancy of the Mustang Advanced Engineering in the 1980’s, the control system for the newly designed EC chassis dynamometer revolutionized the industry by incorporating a personal computer as the operator interface/data acquisition device. The control systems used by competitors at the time were completely analog, using potentiometers and gauges for control of the equipment. The Mustang system was completely software controlled, using a graphical user interface. The Mustang engineering department capitalized upon the design concept, adding many new models to the product line, each with different axle weight and loading capabilities.
The computer controlled, eddy current dynamometer became the system of choice for use in both the automotive diagnostic market, and the rapidly emerging vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) market. Mustang’s involvement with the I/M programs led to the design of a complete line of vehicle safety inspection equipment, including alignment testers, brake testers, speedometer testers, joint play testers, suspension testers, etc.
Mustang soon became the supplier of choice in the I/M market, supplying the lion’s share of equipment to various systems integrators. As the I/M market became larger, the systems integrators began asking Mustang to supply not just the equipment and the control software but to assist in the installation and support of the supplied equipment as well as other ancillary pieces used in the projects.
As a result, Mustang made the next step in its growth process; the ability to supply turnkey I/M systems. In 1994 Mustang supplied over 450 integrated 2WD and 4WD electric AC and inertia weight chassis dynamometers with lab grade emission analyzer systems rack mounted with complete CVS sampling systems into various state programs. The installation task took Mustang to over 120 different sites around the country.
In 1996 Mustang supplied over 750 decentralized idle test analyzers for the Atlanta, Georgia I/M program, gaining valuable experience in directly marketing analytical systems in a market once dominated by former customers.
In 1997 Mustang’s main competitor in the newly emerging decentralized testing system business, Environmental Systems Products (ESP), approached Mustang and asked to contractually join forces. Mustang became the sole dynamometer supplier and ESP built the analyzer cabinet system for this new emerging decentralized testing system business, which at the time was estimated to be worth $500M. Mustang developed an assembly line and started to build chassis dynamometers at rate in excess of 30 a day.
In late 1998, Mustang completed a new 27,000 square foot facility adjacent to corporate headquarters. The new facility contains a complete safety inspection lane, several dynamometers, and a training center. This area is exclusively dedicated for demonstration and research & development purposes.
In early 1999, Mustang received a contract to supply not only centralized emissions and safety testing equipment for the City of Memphis’ I/M program, but to supply the central overhead software data collection system as well. The newly developed software package commonly referred as Vehicle Information Database (VID), makes Mustang the only company in the world that can manufacture, integrate, install and operate a complete centralized vehicle inspection program.
By 2005 Mustang had built approximately 15,000 Chassis Dynamometers for the decentralized chassis dynamometer market. These chassis dynamometers consist of an AC motor with a variable frequency drive and air cooled eddy current power absorber, inertia weight, rollers and embedded dynamometer controller.
This ends the I/M group history and begins the Mustang Advanced Engineering group story.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Mustang was contracted to build many different pieces and types of specialty machine equipment, and some of these projects grew into product lines such as tow dynamometers, transmission test stands, and engine dynamometers. In the late 1980s Mustang was receiving orders for test stand components and smaller standalone type systems; not the highly integrated systems delivered today. This was a very controlled technology growth path for Mustang. The technology growth and system integration capabilities started to increase rapidly as more and more complex projects were completed and the PC/Windows operating system brought testing into a new era.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Mustang started to build more complex machines for multinational customers, starting with a large EOL testing System for Daewoo Heavy Industries in Korea to test large 45,000 lb./axle wheeled cranes, excavators and off road equipment. The system consisted of a large chassis dynamometer and brake tester. That project was immediately followed by:
- IBM/Stewart and Stevenson’s EOL chassis dynamometer for the militaries tactical assault vehicles
- Ford’s large 500 HP truck dynamometer
- Ford’s outdoor extreme weather chassis dynamometer
- Donaldson’s wheel end truck dynamometer
- Alpha Engineering’s engine dynamometer
- Saturn’s engine dynamometer
- GM’s tow dynamometer (2 systems)
- Ford’s tow dynamometer (10 systems)
- Goodyear tow dynamometer
- Freightliner EOL chassis dynamometer controls
- Sundstrand Corporation control system for turbine application
- MTD Products lawn mowers EOL testing (1-vehicle per minute)
- Honda of America: EOL tester with integrated brake and chassis dynamometer
During the Late 1990s and Early 2000s Mustang started to gain market share by supplying complete tightly integrated systems including installation, and start-up services. GM Advance Technology Vehicle (ATV) ordered two hybrid dynamometer test stands to be used in the EV1 electric vehicle development. The dynamometer system was delivered completely tested to the Indianapolis based facility. The system consisted of:
- A dual ended high torque 400 HP AC dynamometer
- Dual torque meters on each shaft
- A high speed 7:1 gearbox with top speed of 15,000 rpm
- Full regeneration of power to power grid
- Isolation transformer
- 12-diode bridge controller
- Multi-phase isolation transformer for Zig-Zag configuration
- Dyne motor controller
- DC power supply
- Chiller cooling system
- Power analyzer
- Data acquisition and boom box
- Test Cell interface
- DC power supply capable of 0 to 600 VDC and 0 to +/- 500 Amps
- Chiller and cooling system for test article
- Power analyzer
- Data acquisition and boom box
- Distributed PC control system
This system was then followed by two transmission test stands for Allison used for design and calibration of the new electric hybrid transmissions. The transmissions have two electric motors internally installed on two planetary gears. The transmission can charge and discharge large batteries located in the vehicle or can be driven by an attached engine. This project required a great deal of engineering with Allison to the point that, using MatLab, the whole control scheme for the dynamometer was modeled and the system was exercised in simulation prior to building the system. One portion of the control scheme used a ‘Black Box’ engine model supplied by the engine manufacturer in which Mustang supplied input to, and received outputs from, the ‘Black Box’ model without knowing how the model actually operated. The final control scheme had over 20 operating modes. The first of the dynamometer systems consisted of:
- 315 HP input dyne
- Speed capability of 12,000 rpm
- Torque capacities up to 1,500 lb-ft (peak)
- Liquid cooled motor mounted on a base with an integrated reservoir, heat exchanger and cooling system.
- Very compact due to room size constraints
- 3:1 high speed gearbox to achieve the 12,000 rpm from the 4,000 rpm input motor
- B-lock quick exchange collars
- Shaft mounted torque flanges
- Torsional damper for ~10Hz dampening to output dyne
- Coupling guards, dual clamshell type
- 635 HP output dyne
- Speed capability of 4,000 rpm
- Torque capacities up to 6,600 lb-ft (peak)
- Liquid cooled motor mounted on a base with an integrated reservoir, heat exchanger and cooling system.
- Very compact due to room size constraints
- Motor drive package was designed for independent motor use so the motors can be operated independently as a standalone dyne.
- Automax PLC controller back bone to operator PC
- 21 control modes for the system allows for operator to be sitting in a chair with a foot actuated throttle to simulate driving the vehicle with a shifter.
- Driveline system
- Output dyne
- Control System
Other notable projects include:
- Funk – axle testing facility installation
- Honda – EOL ABS motorcycle test stand
- Honda – ATV EOL test stand with 28 second cycle time (2 systems)
- Chrysler – EMC chamber AWD chassis dynamometer
- Nissan – EMC chamber AWD chassis dynamometer
- Military Truck Parts – transmission dynamometer
- Club Car – EOL golf cart test stand with 45 second cycle time
- Club Car – vehicle lift for production line
- Club Car – AWD AC laboratory chassis dynamometer with course simulation
- Richard Childress Racing – 1,200 HP/10,000 rpm engine dynamometer
- ESW – 500 HP diesel engine dynamometer
- Omnibus – 540 HP diesel engine dynamometer system
- Johnson Matthey – 400 HP engine dynamometer
- UNICOR – transmission test stand for tank transmissions
- XL Hybrids – 48-inch roll emissions dynamometer
- Southern California Edison – AWD 48-inch emissions dynamometer
- University of Alabama – AWD 48-inch roll emissions dynamometer
- CA ARB – emissions dynamometer for off road vehicles
- Yamaha – AWD R&D Chassis Dynamometer for UTVs with bump profiles and robotic driver
- Kawasaki – Zero Turn Lawn Tractor Chassis Dynamometer with individual deck spindle dynamometers, wheel load dynamometer and complete robotic control
- Kubota – EOL Chassis Dynamometer
- Red River College – 6×6 AC Chassis Dynamometer for a climate chamber
- Autocar Truck – EOL Truck Dynamometer and ABS Tester
- AGCO – End of Line Testing Facility for Challenger Series Tractors
- Tesla – four AWD AC Endurance Chassis Dynamometers
- Rimac – AWD EOL Chassis Dynamometer for Electric Vehicles
- Bird – Two axle AC Dynamometer for Scooter products
- ATC – EOL transmission test stand for testing up to 100 transmission a day
- Blachford – 1,500 HP truck 50” roll NVH chassis dynamometer
- GM Electromotive – train drive motors qty 3 – 1,300 HP/15,000 lb-ft torque/3000 rpm
- CAT – track testing EOL test stand
- NAVISTAR – complete EOL testing of all assembly plants internationally
- Harley Davidson – Qty=3 production testing booths for soft tails motor cycle production line
- Lawrence Tech- independent AWD chassis dynamometer for vehicle stability research
- Calsonics – 48” AC electric AWD chassis dynamometer for a wind tunnel
- Ford – chassis dynamometers for wind tunnel and extreme climate chambers
- Penske Racing – 1,750 HP 50” chassis dynamometer for race simulation
- ARL – Viper project, Helicopter main transmission, 4,000Hp with 6dof mast loading system
- Anniston Army Depot – Transmission repair facility, test cells, transmission & HSU test stands
- TARDEC – 1,000Hp Engine Test Stands, Controls and large-scale data acquisition
- Proterra – Electric vehicle production and R & D test stands
- Volvo – Large tow dynamometer
- CAT – Extreme tow dynamometer
- French Military – large multi-function push/pull tow dynamometer
- Hyundai – Automotive push/pull tow dynamometer
- Eaton Dynamitic – Brake and clutch material inertia test stands
- Hays Brakes – Brake and clutch material inertia test stands
- Toro – EOL Mower Test Stands