Isuzu Australia has conducted electronic stability control testing and calibration exercises with Knorr-Bremse in Shepparton, Victoria.
While the bulk of Isuzu’s braking componentry, development and set-up is conducted in Japan by Isuzu Motors Limited (IML) and Knorr-Bremse, the local calibration and testing program at Isuzu Australia allows for fine tuning to suit Australian road conditions, wheelbase modifications and prevailing application use.
Utilising a medium-duty FTR 150-260 fitted with a test body customised for Knorr-Bremse, the truck was put through its paces to develop a new calibration for the EBS-5 control unit.
The testing took place earlier this year at the DECA (Wodonga TAFE) testing and training facility in Shepparton in Central Victoria on a medium-duty Isuzu FTR 150-260, fitted with a test body customised for Knorr-Bremse.
The test body featured flexible loading racks and extended outrigger wheels attached to the body sub-frame to enable a safe testing environment and assist with development of a new calibration for the EBS-5 control unit.
This control unit is factory-fitted to Australian-market MY22 Isuzu FTR 150-260 models and all MY22 FV models in the range, providing for an advanced ESC system.
What was unique about this particular FTR model was an extended wheelbase of 7.2 metres, which is a dimension beyond that available from the factory in Japan.
This wheelbase length is the longest possible while remaining within the ADR turning circle limit of 25 metres.
To determine the new calibration, Isuzu put the truck through a series of specific manoeuvres within the controlled environment of the DECA facility. Specialised Knorr-Bremse equipment on board the truck recorded and sent data back to the team throughout the manoeuvres.
According to Isuzu, the types of manoeuvres undertaken by the test truck were tailored to the way in which trucks are deployed within Australian industries and applications. The specific manoeuvres on the DECA skid pan helped the team to simulate what a possible roll-over situation would look like on the bitumen, being operated by an Australian driver in Australian conditions.
The ESC system being tested and calibrated would then intervene automatically for the test driver and help to prevent those incidences of rollover or loss of directional control. The system works by firstly removing the throttle from the driver’s control and then automatically applying appropriate braking to individual wheels to slow the truck down to a safe speed.
The data collected throughout the testing was critically analysed and fed back into the programming of the EBS-5 control unit.
The use of outriggers during this testing phase prevented any rollovers and determined the exact point at which it would happen on the test truck.
Further extensive on-road testing was conducted to ensure calibrations are correct and the systems are working as they should in an everyday situation.