Modular and automated test system for sim racing pedals

Asetek SimSports

Introduction to the case

Asetek is a Danish company known for its liquid-cooling systems for computers, which set new standards in performance and efficiency. Since then, Asetek has entered the market with Asetek SimSports®, delivering high-end sim racing steering wheel and pedal product lines designed to meet the needs of the most demanding sim racing enthusiasts and professionals.

Asetek SimSports® contacted us in autumn 2022 for assistance in developing a new test system. Asetek had an existing test system that could not test all the required functions. In addition, Asetek regularly experienced system faults that caused significant downtime on the existing tester—an issue that was given high priority as production was to be outsourced to Malaysia and China. Outsourcing made validation and test quality even more important than before. This was because Asetek did not want to scale production abroad until the process included automated tests that could assure production quality and minimize the risk of operator error.

Challenge

Asetek had an existing test system that could not test all the required functions and resulted in frequent downtime. At the same time, they wanted to outsource production, which placed high demands on automation and test quality assurance.

Technology

Development of a modular and automated test system with electric actuators, sensors, and integration with WATS Test Data Management for global data collection and analysis.

Result

A stable and user-friendly test system with shorter cycle time, higher test coverage, and improved quality assurance, enabling production to be outsourced to Malaysia and China with full control of the data.

“In addition to being pleased with the ongoing sparring and exchange of ideas with GPower, most importantly we are extremely satisfied with the modular test system that GPower has delivered. Both their compact tester and fixture work exactly as we had hoped—and in fact even more so. The new tester significantly reduces cycle time, even though it performs more tests.”
– Lasse Wachmann, Senior Test and Validation Engineer, Asetek SimSports.

Requirements and specifications for the test system

In addition to Asetek’s requirements that the production test should be user-friendly for the operator and test all functions, more specifically the system had to be able to:

Test the entire pedal range via automatic actuation of the pedals with electric actuators capable of applying more than 500 N of force
Calibration of pedal travel
Validate LED strips using light sensors
Test connections to other external accessories

Automation strengthens both development and product quality

Asetek also had a requirement regarding data collection, with the purpose of comparing their production in Denmark, Malaysia, and China, respectively. For this part of the project, WATS Test Data Management is used—a system that provides a complete overview of global production data. WATS ensures that Asetek’s test data is easily accessible and that they can quickly act on deviations in production based on the right data foundation.

The mechanical solution is well thought out, significantly reducing time spent on changeovers. The quality assurance of the test system means that we can now outsource our production to both China and Malaysia, which was the starting point for the project.

– Lasse Wachmann, Asetek SimSports

At GPower, we were responsible for, among other things:

Development of a modular and automated test system for sim racing pedals
Design and implementation of a mechanical test fixture with electric actuators (up to 500 N load)
Implementation of functional testing, calibration, and validation (including LED and external connections)
Integration of WATS Test Data Management for global data collection and analysis
Optimization of cycle time, changeovers, and production usability

GPower’s delivery of software and hardware is miles ahead of the competitors’. In addition to focusing on a solution for the here and now, GPower consistently kept the future in mind in terms of scaling our production. We clearly see GPower as our future test partner.
– Thomas Ditlev, VP, Global R&D, Asetek.