Technicians install the steering columns under test into the test system either in a straight line or at the angle at which they are installed in a vehicle. The column connects to the test system at each end. At one end, the test system supplies the input torque or displacement while the other end is held in place. When evaluating the torsional performance of a design, Torrington engineers look at several parameters, the important ones being hysteresis, compliance, and clearance. Hysteresis is a measure of the energy lost in when cyclically applying a load to a test sample and then removing it.
Clearance is a measure of the free play exhibited by a unit under test.
Torrington engineers measure these parameters and use the data to optimize their steering column designs and provide the feel and performance desired by their customers. The original test system at Torrington used an x-y pen plotter to graph torque versus deflection. While this setup gave Torrington engineers the data they were looking for, it was cumbersome to use. Using the x-y plotter required an engineer to graphically interpret the plotted data and then perform manual calculations. Torrington recognized that automating this process, thereby eliminating manual interpretation and calculations, would allow the company to improve the productivity of test personnel as well as the quality of reported measurement results.