In order for trailers and semitrailers to circulate in the United States, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires specific specifications for laboratory tests conducted according to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 223, regarding the requirements for the rear impact guards on trailers and semitrailers. To learn more about this requirement, access the Laboratory Test Procedure | FMVSS 223 | Rear Impact Guards | NHTSA.

Our client designed the testing station and the mechanical structures for it, but they were looking for a reliable system that would provide documentation to certify that the guards installed on the tankers are suitable to meet the circulation requirements in the U.S.

In response to our client’s needs, we designed the Rear Impact Guards Testing System, which consists of:

• Control system based on an industrial PC with communication interface to a PLC
• Application/software for report generation
• Hydraulic system with the capability to regulate force and advance speed
• Instrumentation necessary to measure the applied force and deformation of the guards

This system provides the following benefits:

• Report generation with real-time data and graphs obtained during tests
• Monitoring of the test while it is being conducted
• Data historization

Example of the generated report, in accordance with FMVSS 223 requirements: