BILSTEIN 7-Post Test Rig:
Every track in the world –
in one place

Welcome to the BILSTEIN Competence Center, the building where irresistible driving dynamics are developed.

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Welcome to the BILSTEIN Competence Center, the building where irresistible driving dynamics are developed.

7-POST VERTICAL DYNAMICS TEST RIG

Unique test technology at the heart of our Competence Centre

Decades of experience in developing dampers, combined with state-of-the-art simulation and evaluation software, enable the BILSTEIN Competence Centre to provide first-class engineering service and support.

With the innovative test rig, premium car manufacturers, development service providers and racing teams can simulate any racetrack in the world. With its seven actuators, the 7-Post enables the best vehicle set-up to be found from over a trillion possible vehicle set-ups.

Save time and money with the 7-post test rig

There is no doubt that suspension development is becoming increasingly complex. With ever shorter development cycles in the automotive industry, we can offer our customers significant time savings with our 7-post. Instead of hours of testing on the track, we can perform up to 100 tests per day. Simultaneously, this time saving also saves a lot of money. By running parts of the development and tuning work on the test rig, expensive track hire and high logistics costs are eliminated. Our location at the Nürburgring significantly reduces travel time for many race teams and OEMs. We are truly at the heart of the automotive industry.

Data reproducibility coupled with BILSTEIN expertise

On the test rig, the conditions are always the same. As a result, measurement results are reproducible, giving you greater confidence. What’s more, your test team won’t be at the mercy of the weather.

Equipped with the latest hardware and software, our team of experts will help you take these valuable data sets to the next level, using their expertise and experience to analyse, evaluate and conclude – taking your development to the next level.

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Precise analysis of Automotive suspensions

How the 7-post test rig works in detail

With the new 7-post test rig, a powerful vertical test rig with seven hydraulic cylinders, the driving behaviour of a wide range of vehicles can be simulated: From road vehicles and prototypes to racing cars. ‘Four hydraulic cylinders simulate road excitation in a vertical direction,’ explains test bench engineer Andreas Simon. Acceleration sensors and suspension travel sensors on each wheel and on the chassis measure the vehicle and wheel movements resulting from the excitations of the hydraulic cylinders. The spring/damper design can then be optimised on this basis. ‘The three additional hydraulic cylinders simulate the body behaviour of the vehicle and enable an even more precise analysis of the complex driving dynamics,’ says Simon.

A wide variety of route profiles and road conditions are simulated: From bad roads with bumps and manhole covers to complete race tracks. Another variant is particularly interesting for OEMs: ‘We can also run completely synthetic signals that never occur on the road in this form. They can significantly help the developers to understand the vehicle and its behaviour at certain frequencies,’ reveals Simon. Manufacturers and racing teams alike can use the advanced test rig to gain a precise and complete understanding of the suspension in the shortest possible time and, together with the BILSTEIN engineers, can investigate and optimise the driving behaviour at certain parameters and develop the best possible settings. This is especially true for top-level racing. Simon: ‘The higher the level of the racing series, the more complex it becomes.’

Experience the 7-Post in action

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Overview of the 7-Post technical specs

Wheelbase: 800mm – 4500mm

Track Width: 1050mm – 2400mm

Max. Vertical Wheel Actuator Acceleration @ 100Hz: 32g

Max. Vertical Wheel Actuator Velocity @ 7Hz: 5.5. m/s

Max. Vertical Wheel Actuator Amplitude @ 7Hz: +/- 125mm

Forces per aeroloader: 20 kN downforce, 10 kN upforce

Aeroloader positioning: Front axle 1 aeroloader, rear axle 2 aeroloader

Distance aeroloader in longitudinal direction of verhicle: 1650mm – 4800mm

Distance aeroloade in lateral direction of vehicle: 1300mm – 2200mm

Dynamic Wheel Actuator Force: Limitation load cell with +/- 25kN (Assuming dynamic wheel load variation by a factor of 3, the maximum load being 850kg per post)

Body Control. Grip. Comfort.

Generate your road-specific set-ups!

Find your car’s sweet spot

We don’t leave you with a large amount of data that is hard to read and even harder to digest. We transform the data from the test rig so that you can work with it straight away. This makes the data actionable and allows you to optimise your setup immediately. If you are an OEM, this means you get valuable data that allows you to optimise your prototype before it even goes into production. If you are a race team, our data set will prepare you perfectly for your upcoming race. Together with BILSTEIN engineers, the 7-Post data set will set you up for success.

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Evaluation exmaples of suspension and car characteristics

Damping Characteristic

To derive damper curves, the damping forces of each vehicle are measured in-depth. Applying vehicle specific and targeted frequencies on the 7-Post provides realistic and pragmatic damping force results, allowing more thorough set-ups.

Center of gravity

To provide data for intelligent set-up definition and realistic vehicle dynamics simulation, extensive tests are carried out to determine the centre of gravity height. By moving the four-wheel actuators of the 7-Post, the wheel loads of the tested vehicles change. This response can be measured and used to calculate the centre of gravity height.

Road-specific set-ups down to the last detail

We go one step further and analyse the smallest details: Here you can see a modal analysis for unsprung mass or road classification. This allows the vehicle setup to be better adapted to the relevant track sections.

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Unsprung mass front (pewheel)

Track classification

Ready for the perfect setup?

Let’s see what we can do for you!

Book your free online consultation meeting

If you want you can also directly book a meeting with our 7-Post Team instead of sending a message through our contact form. In the free of charge 30 minute video call you can meet the team behind the test rig and ask them your questions personally.

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Contact us via form

Interested in booking the 7-Post? As an alternative to using the ‘Book a meeting’ service, you can send us your enquiry using the contact form below.

BILSTEIN 7-Post Test Rig:Every track in the world –in one place