New test system for high-speed contactless 3D testing of car seats

Car seats for luxury-class vehicles are subject to stringent quality requirements. GÖPEL electronic has developed a new laser test system which can record and analyse the surface design of the seats in seconds. The high testing speed is particularly relevant for use in production lines with closely calculated cycle times. The so called LaRS (Laser Rotation System) can be integrated easily into existing production lines.

Aside from conventional features such as seat heating and seat occupation monitoring, luxury-class seats are equipped with other dynamic functions. While increasing security and the feeling of safety when driving, they also meet the demand for luxury. Lumbar support, comfort functions and the adjustment of side impact support to the particular driving situation change the shape of the seat. Due to the various upholstered linings, covers and types of installation procedures, electric characterizations alone are insufficient to make a reliable statement on the functionality of the seats. As a result, additional requirements have to be fulfilled to ensure a 100% coverage of all functions in the End-of-Line test (EoL test); a task which the LaRS testing system reliably performs.

The UUT (unit under test) is scanned by a vertical rotation of a sensor head attached in front of the seat. Taking the rotation and seat position into account, a 3D point cloud is then used to precisely determine any local deformations. Profile sections are also recorded to optionally assess the dynamics of the function to be tested – e.g. the fill rate and symmetry of the side bolsters. Information concerning the alignment and positioning of the seat or individual components can also be added as an optional feature to the scope of testing.

It takes just 5 seconds to scan the entire seat; in contrast, previously used systems based on point-type laser sensors took several minutes. Another benefit is the relatively small amount of space required to access the test object at any time. Furthermore, this self-contained system requires no extra protective guard or device with minimum footprint.

In production, the LaRS is operated using the GÖPEL electronic tester platform OsCAR. The interaction of measuring and sensor options and communication with the seat control unit makes OsCAR together with LaRS into an optical and electric universal tester.