The steering gear on a vehicle is fundamental, safety-critical equipment. Simple cyclic durability testing is no longer sufficient as more, increasingly demanding test scenarios have become prevalent. Product validation, durability, characterization, and quality control testing are now required, as well as a number of specific protocols such as life testing, which combines physical and environmental loading. These complex requirements demand flexibility in the design of test equipment. Electrically Assisted Steering (EAS) is a relatively recent development. The different packaging and functionality of EAS systems, compared to their hydraulic predecessors (and electrohydraulic counterparts), has required new approaches to the design and construction of appropriate test rigs. IST's background in servohydraulic test equipment, digital controllers, and test software inevitably placed it in a prime position to provide rigs for these new steering systems.
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