Lighting the way for crash testing in the UK
The latest state-of-the-art crash testing facility in the UK opened its doors in January 2023 . Completed in December 2022 , it delivers the largest capacity Servo Sled capabilities in the UK .
The facility design called for a collaboration between multiple inhouse and external highly-skilled , expert engineers with practical experience and knowledge of this specialist field . The lighting system being a crucial component , was no exception .
If you ’ re not familiar with the field , you might be wondering why the lighting aspect is so important or indeed such a challenge to get right . Historically , such laboratory installations used halogen lamps to deliver the substantial lighting levels required for filming the tests at speeds in excess of 1000fps . The lamps provided continuous lighting without any visible flickering on the high-speed filming .
The major issue with this approach , notwithstanding the huge energy requirements , was the level of heat generated by the lamps which constrained operation in this temperature controlled environment .
Our systems deliver the latest LED flicker free technology and are designed for the physical constraints of the laboratory they are to be installed in .
The test facility must operate within an internationally regulatory prescribed temperature range and if this is exceeded , with calibrated equipment surface temperatures being too high , the test is postponed so that the ambient temperature can drop and equipment can be maintained at the correct temperature range for a minimum of four hours before testing can resume as per the regulations .
To overcome this problem , another common approach is to use specialist high pressure lamps which generate less heat . However the draw back here is the size of the lamp , time the lamp takes to reach full brightness and the re-strike time after power off . This poses problems when performing system checks immediately before a test .
CWB Electrical Engineers has been building specialist crash test lighting systems for 15 years . We have systems above and below ground , in sled and full scale crash laboratories and can even remanufacture obsolete lighting units if required .
Our systems deliver the latest LED flicker free technology and are designed for the physical constraints of the laboratory they are to be installed in . They are manufactured in kit form to minimize disruption and on site assembly time . The system has no warm up time , instant re-strike and operate between 60-75 % more efficiently than conventional systems with very little heat radiation .
Our systems proudly sit in several of the worlds best known Proving Grounds in the UK .
For further information , please visit www . cwb-ee . co . uk
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