Once again, Berghof Automation, the testing experts of the Berghof Group, have succeeded in developing an intelligent concept for bumper testing – the electrical bumper test with minimal operating effort. Highlights: The system is maximally flexible, tests independently of variants – and does so in a cycle time of less than 30 seconds.

Just recently, the experts at Berghof Automation achieved new best values in cycle time, flexibility and degree of automation with their new robotic bumper inspection system. They are once again causing a sensation with a new concept for testing bumpers.

This new highly standardized and highly flexible concept, developed and realized for one of the largest suppliers of components for the automotive industry, concerns electrical testing of all elements of the automotive component. With this concept, the Automation team is adding a further expansion stage to its existing portfolio of bumper testers – in addition to the simple test table and the highly complex robotic test system for optical and electrical bumper checks.

This new test system is characterized by a high degree of standardization: Berghof Automation can build all such systems identically – according to expansion stage – up to a standardized coupling. This creates maximum flexibility for the customer and short development and set-up times for Berghof Automation, which significantly reduces purchasing costs. Berghof Automation only adapts the test item receptacle to the respective test item model on a project-specific basis. However, Berghof also works with a modular standardized test item receptacle (removable frame) here, depending on the variant.

The standardized coupling makes it possible to mount every possible test item variant in the test system. A single system can therefore test all current as well as future variants. If necessary, front and rear bumpers or different variants can be tested simultaneously on a single system.

The system, therefore, is not only suitable for integrating into an existing production line, but also, for example, for using as an emergency test station if individual systems fail where several test systems are being used. In addition, the test system has rollers and can therefore be moved around in the factory. The Berghof Automation team, therefore, provides an emergency concept  as a free option should the need arise.

Each customer can choose the respective expansion stage according to their requirements. New test item variants are activated via the Berghof test application – creating and setting up the variant and test sequence is quick and easy. For a new variant, the customer therefore only needs a new suitable test item receptacle. For a change of model, the changeover times are less than two minutes because only the removable frames have to be changed. The system itself is a one-time investment for different series, follow-up variants and mixed operation – the customer does not have to convert it or even buy a new one.

And the test sequence itself is child’s play, so to speak: The optimized testing time of less than 30 seconds is achieved by feeding and removing the bumpers in parallel. This is because the test system contains a total of two removable frames. So while a bumper is being tested, the worker or a driverless transport system can simultaneously remove a bumper that has already been tested and hook the next test item into the system. This not only ensures short cycle times, but also minimal personnel costs. It is also possible to work with a driverless transport system during loading and unloading and, if desired, to have the contact between the bumper mount and the test system coupling performed automatically.

Despite the high degree of standardization, this new concept for bumper testing still has adjusting screws for customer-specific special solutions: The system has optional RFID technology for automatic variant detection or optional hardware coding (e.g. traceability via coding of the test item receptacles). It is also possible to integrate the customer’s existing transport systems into the bumper test concept and to adapt them to customer-specific test carts.

In summary: With this bumper tester for variant-independent testing of bumpers, Berghof Automation now also has a highly standardized test system in its portfolio, with the software developed in-house playing an important role. At the same time, the system offers customers the highest possible flexibility, minimal cycle and changeover times, and high cost-saving potential.