The Pininfarina Wind Tunnel: A Strategic Asset to Ensure Performance and Comfort in the Automotive Field
The Pininfarina Wind Tunnel represents a state of the art strategic tool for automotive OEMs to achieve high-level standard in vehicles performance, energy consumptions and overall comfort through aerodynamic and aeroacoustics testing and validation.
The Ground Effect Simulation System reproduces the real vehicle motion conditions, while the Turbulence Generation System creates different conditions of controlled turbulence flow, also in compliance with WLTP cycle.
The Maximum wind speed of 250 km/h together with Pininfarina’s Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (3D-PIV), provide high accuracy velocity maps, which highlight critical points affecting drag coefficient therefore performances and consumption.
Aeroacoustics tests are becoming a fundamental element to guarantee the maximum driving comfort, particularly for Hybrid and Battery Electrical vehicles. The Wind Tunnel is equipped with special microphones and cameras capable of measuring both internal and external noises, helping to identify the source of noise and consequent definition of countermeasures. Noise Vision and Beam Forming support results visualization.
Pininfarina is able to provide qualified CFD services separately or in a complete package. The integrated process of simulation, testing, data correlation (CFD vs physical measurements) allows a successful verification in pre–production phases.
The Wind Tunnel is proved to be a powerful tool for testing ad developing products beyond automotive application like motorsport, motorcycles, aerospace, nautical, architecture, industrial and sporting goods.
Flexibility in timing and slots, availability of an internal model workshop with highly qualified personnel and two separate access areas, create the conditions to offer a complete turnkey testing process while granting an high level of confidentiality.
Marco Pintor, Senior Sales Executive