Vibtec supports the development of a new bobsled for the Swiss Bobsleigh Association
A new bobsled – engineered & made in Switzerland – is to help the Swiss bobsleigh association „Swiss Sliding“ get back to the top of the world and break into the phalanx of the German bobsledders. The Swiss are putting a lot of effort and high-tech into the development of their new bobsled in order to become the decisive milliseconds faster and beat their rivals in the ice track.
When riding in the ice track, vibrations have an important impact on the steering and driving ability of the bobsled, which is why Swiss Sliding visited Vibtec’s vibration test lab with its first prototypes. The investigations in the test lab were led by Prof. Dr. Matthias Scherge from Snowstorm.
Another guest was Michael Vogt, currently the best Swiss bobsled pilot. Besides evaluating the extensive measurement data from the vibration test rig, his expertise is absolutely crucial. He evaluates the vibrations perceived on the test stand and their influence on the bobsled’s steering and driving ability. This allows him to give the Swiss bobsled developers valuable tips for improving the prototypes.
Picture on the left: Preparation of the new bobsled for the measurements on the dual shaker test rig
Further tests are already being planned in the subsequent development phases, also using the 3D scanning vibrometer. The prototypes were tested on the innovative Dual-Shaker vibration test system, which consists of two parallel and synchronously operated shaker tables. The Dual-Shaker enables heavy and large-volume test specimens to be set up and tested in a particularly practical manner.
