Sierra-CP Engineering Chosen by Foton for Comprehensive E-Motor Testing Facility in China

Monterey, CA – December 6, 2013 –  Sierra-CP Engineering, a global engine, vehicle and emissions test company, announces they have been selected by FOTON to help them build their new E-Motor development facility in Beijing Peoples Republic of China.

Based in Beijing, FOTON has nearly 40,000 employees in nine Chinese provinces. In 2010 they sold over 680,000 vehicles, maintaining the global lead among commercial vehicle manufacturers.  With the latest anti-pollution initiatives recently ratified by the new Chinese Government, FOTON is ideally placed to lead the way in E-Motor and Hybrid vehicle development.

For FOTON, high quality and flexibility were critical selection criteria for choosing a trusted partner to help them build their new E-Motor development facility in Beijing.  After an exhaustive search, Sierra CP Engineering and EST their Beijing-based partner, were selected to develop the project based on 30 years of global experience. Sierra CP’s ability to demonstrate both high quality and flexibility in the approach they proposed to building one of the most advanced test facilities of its kind in China convinced FOTON that they were the ideal partners for this project.

When completed, the new facility will include test stands within climatic chambers that allow full dynamic and real world testing to be carried out under a wide range of climatic conditions. The facility was designed to put the new FOTON E-Motor packages through their paces as well as to simulate or test Battery Packs, Battery Management Systems, and Motor Control Systems. These new capabilities make it possible for them to test any part or combination of parts associated with an E-Motor or Hybrid powertrain.

A combination of 165kW and 440kW transient AC Dynamometers provide full road load and vehicle simulation. The climatic chambers surrounding the Units Under Test accurately simulate the environmental conditions experienced around the world ranging from -40 to +50^o  degrees centigrade. The test stands are complimented by high-speed data acquisition and controlled by the highly intuitive CADET V14 automation system. CADET was designed and developed by Sierra CP to provide integrated control and data acquisition for the total facility. It has the rare capability of ensuring backward capability with previous CADET software and I/O platforms, therefore ensuring the client experiences cost-effective and highly flexible operational use for the long term.

Uniquely, the larger 440kW system has been designed with the potential for future expansion. With the addition of a second transient AC Dynamometer, enhancements that include minimum operational test stand downtime will enable FOTON to provide cost-effective system development and enable full Hybrid or conventional powertrain tests to be undertaken.

The award of this prestigious contract against strong competition is further evidence of Sierra CP’s successful global expansion and their ability to offer a fresh approach that is cost-effective, innovative, and most importantly, flexible. This is proving to be a significant advantage for global customers like FOTON who are looking for that test system edge against their competition in this highly prized area of automotive technology.