TESTING POWERTRAINS TO MOVE THE FUTURE
Following the company’s founding in 1967, early development work consisted of testing engine fuels, especially engine and transmission oils, using special test benches, as well as determining the knock resistance and ignitability of petrol and diesel fuels with knock-test-benches for the automotive and mineral oil industry.
Engine lubricating oil tests were carried out with certified single-cylinder test engines (MWM-KD 12 E / Petter W1 / Petter AV 1 / Petter AV B) as well as with suitable complete engines such as VW 1302 (oil coking), DB OM 352 or DB OM 616 / OM 102 (cylinder and ring wear).
Radionuclide technology (RNT) by thin-surface-layer activation of the cylinder liner and activation of the piston rings was used from early stages for wear tests on cylinder liners and piston rings.
Investigations of the knock resistance (octane values) and ignitability (cetane values) of gasoline and diesel fuels were carried out with “knock engines” such as the CFR or BASF octane value test engine and the BASF cetane value test engine.
As part of the gasoline-lead legislation to remove the lead-containing anti-knock agent (tetraethyl lead) in gasoline fuel, extensive studies were carried out with the BASF octane-value test engine.
From the 1970s, the testing of engine operating fluids for the purpose of engine durability development was carried out. Testing of sub-assemblies and components was added to the service portfolio and performed on full engine test beds.
From 2000, KST’s existing test bench area was expanded, and heavy-duty engine test benches installed, as well as turbocharger and exhaust gas aftertreatment system test beds inaugurated.
In 2010 the testing infrastructure expanded in the field of e-powertrains and hybrid powertrain applications.
By increasing the area of development for “alternative drives” such as testing hydrogen combustion engines and fuel cells as well as the development of synthetic fuels (e-fuels), KST stands as a proven and innovative test service provider and contract developer for the automotive industry after more than five decades since its creation.