Accelerating Developments International (ADI) is based a few miles from Charlotte, NC, USA. It is here that the company has developed a machine called the KD-RIG – a semi-dynamic test rig for race teams and automotive OEMs that is used for vehicle suspension and chassis diagnostics. A unique feature is its use of real track data to more closely simulate the turns and surfaces of individual circuits.

The new design of KD-RIG has evolved from the previous K-RIG system, popular among NASCAR teams. KD-RIG replaces its predecessor’s hydraulic system with servos for more precise movement control and reduced maintenance costs, greatly broadening the spectrum of diagnostic scenarios. The system allows for up to eight times faster motions, and is coupled with high-speed data acquisition for optimum capturing of vehicle characteristics, such as bump steer and wheel loads.

KD-RIG’s advanced modular base allows for variable track width and wheelbase, while the system’s software can be tailored to the customer’s requirements. The tower system’s unique multi-axis design provides key benefits in wheel movement and vertical loading. The patented hub-mount system improves on conventional kinematics test systems and is claimed to bring a new level of data accuracy to chassis and suspension diagnostics.