“put to the acid test” - skoda-storyboard.com

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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.”

Wouldyouliketolearnmore?Pleasecontacttheresponsibleperson.