The customer's problem
A manufacturer of high-voltage heating devices for thermal management in electric vehicles commissioned AUCOTEAM to perform a full validation of new variants. The requirements included functional testing under realistic conditions with an 800 V DC power supply, reproducible coolant conditioning and residual bus simulation via CAN or LIN. In addition to climate, corrosion and leak tests, mechanical stresses such as shock, vibration and stone impact, as well as IP protection class and electrical safety tests, were to be covered. In addition, the customer required service life verification according to OEM specifications based on the standards LV 124, ISO 16750 and VW 80000. The timeline was tight; the documentation had to comply with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and be comparable across multiple product variants.
Solution by AUCOTEAM
AUCOTEAM designed and built a modular test bench capable of accommodating up to six test specimens. The system provides a high-voltage supply of up to 800 V DC with 15 kW of power and connects the heating units via CAN or LIN. A water-cooled conditioning system with high power reserves regulates the flow rate between 2 and 90 l/min and controls the medium temperature from −40 °C to +98 °C. The measurement architecture records 16 temperature channels, pressure drop, leakage rates and electrical parameters in real time. Soft and hard safety features with insulation monitoring ensure safe HV operation. The implementation is based on the AUCOTEAM “Heart of Test” test rack with a standardized GUI, automated sequence control, variant management and integrated reporting. This allowed us to consistently map functional, environmental and endurance tests within a unified test logic.
Key Features of the AUCOTEAM Solution
The use of reusable rack modules shortened the commissioning process and enabled a quick campaign launch. The environmental tests covered climate cycles, salt spray and corrosion, UV exposure, vibration and mechanical shock, as well as IP protection rating tests, leak tests, splash water, ice water immersion and exposure to corrosive gases. The required endurance tests (e.g. L 02, L 03) were conducted in automated operation with monitored duty cycles, thermal cycles and load profiles. Uniform data management and time stamping ensure traceability across all variants. Test reports and raw data are stored in a structured format and are directly usable for OEM audits. The project was carried out from 2023 to 2024 and extended further to several phases in order to include additional heater variants.
