Stockholm, Sweden – 9th of November 2017 – Öhlins Distribution & Test Center (ÖDTC) in Germany has entered into a technical partnership with renowned vehicle dynamics company TRE, to offer customers unrivalled analysis and set-up support for their cars. The team from ODTC will be exhibiting at the forthcoming Professional MotorSport World show, Cologne, with full information about this exciting opportunity (on Stand 5045).
TRE, based in Neustadt, Germany has been successfully commissioned by manufacturers, race teams and private owners to measure vehicles from disciplines such as; Sportscars, GT classes, Touring Cars, Rally and Rally Cross, Formula Student and even F1. This reflects Öhlins own customer base with success throughout the motorsport sphere, highlighted most recently with a stunning 1-2-3-4 at the Nürburgring 24HR at the Nordschleife, located just 100 metres from ODTC!
The key to TRE’s work is their advanced dynamometer machines, including the flagship 7-Poster Rig specialising in Vertical Dynamics for the ultimate chassis dynamic data acquisition. This state of the art system features sophisticated all-four wheel actuators and three aero loaders to simulate downforce, aerodynamics and braking characteristics.
The facility offers a ‘Track Replay’ function which is an advanced method of replaying an entire lap around a racetrack of the customer’s choosing on the rig (including the Nordschleife). This test is based on real-life measured track data, including aerodynamic forces as well as pitch and roll effects. This offers the possibility to use consistently the exact same lap input without any driver or environmental factors influencing the results. Support during on-track data acquisition is also included.
As part of this partnership, ODTC offers its customers onsite damper development including re-valving according to settings derived from Öhlins in-house simulation software. This combined solution ensures that customers receive a full programme of dynamic analysis and settings optimisation during their visit to TRE.
The use of the TRE facility for Öhlins customers reflects the brand’s own ongoing commitment to provide the absolute highest level of technical competency.
Although based in Germany, ODTC has developed applications and set-up vehicles for customers from across Europe and beyond, so this opportunity is extended to these owners also.
ODTC General Manager Chris Witter explains the full story behind the partnership;
“As part of our strategy to increase the engineering capabilities at Öhlins DTC in Germany, we had been considering our own on-site 7-post rig to complement the two existing test rigs based at Öhlins Sweden and Öhlins USA. However, we were then introduced to TRE and after seeing their facility and focus towards motorsport, it became an easy and quick decision to build a relationship, which has now gone a step further with this new partnership between Öhlins D.T.C. and TRE. The partnership paves the way for both companies to mutually benefit from combined engineering expertise and experience, plus open up new business opportunities by offering an unrivalled level of technical competence within the field of vehicle dynamics and advanced suspension technology.
Suspension tuning has always been viewed as one of those mythical areas on the car and whilst it takes an experienced hand to find an optimum setting that provides good mechanical grip and handling, the test rig at TRE provides an objective means to finding the perfect suspension set-up. The ideal scenario is when a customer has a suspension set delivered by Öhlins that has the setting optimised for the customer’s vehicle and the circuit of their choosing, where for many the Nordschleife is a common request. The process commences with providing Öhlins a data input sheet in relation to the vehicle’s main parameters, such as corner weights and centre of gravity measurements, which are then processed through our in-house computer simulation software developed by our R&D department in Sweden. The output is then validated at the TRE 7-post rig, where the ‘track replay’ function ensures the rig is accurately simulating the race track of choice, before a final on-track test with the driver to see if all the theory has resulted in good subjective feedback and more important, a reduced lap time! Our recent success at the Nürburgring 24hrs race pays tribute to this, where Öhlins equipped cars finished not only in the top four positions, but also occupied 9 out of the top 12 overall.
We are confident that through our cooperation with TRE, customers that are serious about winning will receive not only the ultimate in damper technology, but also the optimum suspension set-up for the circuit of their choosing, which has been proven to win!”
TRE GmbH Managing Director Eckardt Doehrer comments on the importance of the technical partnership for both companies;
“We are also very happy to announce our technical partnership with Öhlins DTC in Germany, for us this is the best possible solution and a logical next step in our already very good and successful working relationship. Since Öhlins is considered a technological leader in its field, we feel honored to share such a close relationship. When the possibility of such collaboration arose, we at TRE were in no doubt that this would be a magnificent and unique opportunity for both companies to combine their well-known expertise. This enables both companies to make the next big step not only in vehicle dynamics and in suspension technology but also to offer a unique and extensive customer service.
Furthermore, we not only share a pure technological partnership with Öhlins DTC we also share the passion, working philosophy and the awareness that if you want to be successful in motorsport you always have to push boundaries and move forward. Since TRE has its roots in motorsport, this has always been part of our DNA.
When TRE was founded in 1997 and until the extension of our state-of-the-art vehicle dynamics testing facilities in 2015, our company has become well known for its expertise in vehicle dynamics and chassis development.
We at TRE are sure that this will be a very successful partnership. We would also like to thank Öhlins DTC for their support and confidence in our work.”
For more information visit www.ohlins.eu & www.tre-gmbh.com