Rear view cameras play a crucial role in ensuring vehicle safety and minimizing accidents. As part of a project for a leading OEM, MVI PROPLANT has reconstructed existing test benches to enable precise calibration of the reversing cameras of new vehicle models. Project manager Jörg Schübler explains the details of this project in an interview.
Are obstacles behind the vehicle detected accurately and in good time? Are the guide lines on the screen displayed correctly? A vehicle must fulfill these important safety aspects in order to be safe on the road. MVI PROPLANT was commissioned as an expert to equip seven test stands with a target so that rear view cameras can be precisely calibrated. In addition, lighting was installed that switches on automatically as soon as the test stand is occupied by a vehicle.
Expansion of the test benches
Since July 2024, MVI PROPLANT has been working on adding a test function to the existing system so that vehicles with a lower level of driver assistance systems can also be adjusted on these devices and the reversing cameras can be calibrated. “Our colleagues in Wolfsburg took over the necessary drawings of the substructure as well as the e-planning and creation. We measured the mats for the calibration,” reports the experienced project manager. To ensure this accuracy, an accredited surveying office was commissioned, which works according to defined standards and guarantees the precision of the measurements.
The challenge: precise target marking
“The aim was to develop an efficient and reliable solution that would enable highly accurate calibration,” explains Schübler. “One of the biggest challenges was to position the targets with an accuracy of 0.1 cm.” The height specification in particular made planning difficult, as the limit value could not be exceeded and sure-footedness had to be guaranteed. This precision is necessary in order to make the tests reliable and reproducible. Thanks to close coordination with the surveying office and the OEM, this hurdle was successfully overcome.
Innovative lighting solution
“We opted for an innovative and efficient approach to control the lighting on the test benches,” explains the project manager. Instead of modifying the existing test software, the team accessed the PLC (programmable logic controller) programming of the test benches directly. This step enabled uncomplicated and efficient control of the lighting without the need for additional hardware. Now the lighting switches on automatically as soon as a car is on the test bench, which further optimizes the calibration of the reversing cameras.
Achieved goals and customer benefits
Jörg Schübler is satisfied and summarizes, “We were able to achieve the following goals in this project:
– Precise calibration: the reversing cameras can now be calibrated on the existing test benches with maximum accuracy.
– Solution-oriented: Due to general conditions, it was not possible to access the lighting test software, hence the development of an alternative solution.
– Increased efficiency: Direct control of the lighting via the PLC programming saves time and resources.
– Cost savings: By expanding the functions of the test benches, the capacities can be optimally utilized.
The project team has worked closely together to overcome the challenges. By combining expertise from the fields of design, automation, electrical planning, electrical engineering and measurement technology, it was possible to develop a tailor-made solution. The customer benefits from an optimized calibration procedure that ensures the quality of the rear view cameras and at the same time makes production processes more efficient.
Outlook
“Although the project has not yet been fully completed, the results so far are very promising,” says Schübler. The “Audi Rear View” project shows how an innovative and targeted approach can solve challenges in production. MVI PROPLANT’s solution offers an efficient and reliable.
