In collaboration with the test bench specialist GEFASOFT, ARRK Engineering has developed a new high-precision HUD (head-up display) test bench, onto which the entire windshield can be clamped. This test bench can meet the strict specifications for full-surface measurement.

In collaboration with GEFASOFT, ARRK Engineering has developed a new high-precision HUD test stand onto which the entire windshield can be clamped.

Various optical properties can be recorded fully automatically and more precisely with a high degree of repeatability, as confirmed by a measurement capability test.

Flexible system for future expansion

GEFASOFT, with many years of expertise in the windshield and HUD sector, modify the software accordingly to realize the required test scope and measurement sequences. The system is also equipped with comprehensive access options and interfaces for extensions.

The flexible design of the test stand is also another highlight. GEFASOFT designed an automated conveyor line for moving the projector from the change position to the test position, in order to improve the workflow when inserting a new HUD projector.

In addition, the windshield master, which imitates the topology of the windshield for the test purpose, can be moved into a safe changing position and replaced in a few simple steps.

More precise measurement

For two-dimensional photometric measurements, an LMK 6 color camera from TechnoTeam was installed. The camera has high-resolution sensor, as well as a lens featuring a large field of view (FOV) that complements the standard setup for distortion measurement.

An LMK 6 color camera from TechnoTeam was implemented for the photometric measurements.

As measuring robot’s articulated arms cannot meet the strict specifications for the measurement tolerances, the camera is guided by a linear system, which achieves a positioning inaccuracy of less than a tenth in all camera positions with a maximum travel distance.

Mechanical stability of the test bench, which weighs around 3.5 tons, is also in high priority. High measurement and repeatability accuracy can be achieved in the series testing of HUD projectors that the measurement capability limits specified by the OEMs are undercut by a factor of five, as has been proven in relevant test series.

With optimized alignment of hardware and software by GEFASOFT, the high-precision measurement, including the documentation and traceability of the results, is fully automated and does not need to be monitored manually.

“We are now prepared for new generations of HUDs – be it AR HUDs, which were presented by OEMs at the IAA, or future technologies, for which the testing of the windshield as part of the complex overall system will become increasingly relevant,” concludes Sebastian Hensle, Group Manager Optical Systems at ARRK Engineering.