Test Bench Solutions

Testing services and test bench engineering

ENGtron supports development engineers in planning, building and automating test benches, and in carrying out tests on its own in-house test benches.

Request a project Explore services
3×
in-house test benches
60 km/h
roller test bench for Pedelec & S-Pedelec
€0
licence fees for your test bench software
DAkkS
calibrated torque sensing

What ENGtron does

Services

Four services, one contact: from testing on our own benches to a test bench at your site.

E-bike testing

You quickly know whether range, power, cut-off and brakes deliver what the data sheet promises.

Development and regression tests on the roller test bench up to 60 km/h, for pedelecs and S-pedelecs.

More on e-bike testing

Drive and actuator testing

Efficiency, endurance and load changes for motor, gearbox or robot joint, measured with DAkkS-calibrated sensors.

On the drivetrain test bench, with hardware-in-the-loop on request.

More on the drivetrain test bench

Test bench engineering & retrofit

Your test bench measures reliably and runs safely again, also with the new EU Machinery Regulation in mind.

New build or modernisation of existing machines, including safety concept and commissioning.

Licence-free test bench software

You get the source code and are no longer tied to expensive licence models.

Operator interface, test automation and real-time control, tailored to your test bench.

More on the test bench software

Test bench engineering

A good test bench is not an off-the-shelf product. It is built from understanding what must be measured, and why.

That means no overengineered system with features you do not need, and no compromises where precision decides. We think from the measurement target, not from a component catalog.

ENGtron plans, designs, assembles and commissions its in-house benches itself and dimensions the hardware. Measurement and power electronics are selected and integrated deliberately, the control and closed-loop software is entirely an in-house development. Exactly this depth then goes into your project.

What ENGtron brings:

  • Hands-on experience operating test benches with precision torque sensing and EtherCAT-based measurement
  • System understanding across mechanics, drive control and data acquisition
  • Realistic assessment of effort, precision and limits, without a sales perspective
  • Interface between test bench technology and drivetrain development: experience in which data truly matters in development

Typical projects:

  • New build of a drivetrain-specific functional test bench
  • Expansion or modernization of existing test infrastructure
  • Setup of endurance or load-change test benches
  • Integration of measurement technology into existing test environments

ENGtron: test bench engineering with an operator's perspective.

Software and automation

Hardware measures. Software determines what comes from it.

As a fully built, ready-to-run complete system or as an engineering service directly at your site.

We do not build black boxes. You get a system you understand and can further develop yourself.

Real-time control, automation software and operator interface are in-house developments. ENGtron also offers this know-how as a standalone service, regardless of who built the test bench.

Controller development for test benches:

A test bench provides the test object with exactly the conditions defined in the use cases of the requirements specification. Among other things, this requires precise, stable control. ENGtron develops and applies controllers for all relevant operating modes and special cases:

  • Speed control: stable target speed under changing load conditions
  • Torque control: precise torque setpoint for reproducible test conditions
  • Power control: load-point-accurate power tracking
  • Position control: for angle-accurate or path-dependent test scenarios
  • Transition management: clean switching between control modes during operation

Operator interfaces for test bench operation:

The interface decides whether a test bench saves time in daily use or costs it. ENGtron builds it on Qt and Python, strictly separated from the real-time control: the interface may take its time, the control never may.

  • Operating instead of configuring: run setpoints, monitor limits, start and stop test runs without a detour through configuration files
  • Live visualization of every measured value at a 10 ms cycle time, from torque to temperature
  • Test sequences via Python or CSV setpoint files, repeatable instead of hand-clicked
  • Evaluation and export in the formats your team already works with

In-house test bench software instead of a licence model: annual licence fees turn into your own software that covers exactly your requirements, belongs to you including the source code and can be developed further at any time.

Test bench software

Software that belongs to you

Operator interface, test automation and real-time control, tailored to your test bench. No annual licence, and new features arrive when you need them, not when a vendor schedules them.

Request software
  • Licence-free No annual fee, no per-seat licence. The software keeps running, whatever becomes of the collaboration.
  • With source code You receive the source code. The software belongs to you, not to a licensor.
  • Develop it yourself Your team extends it whenever it wants. Or ENGtron carries on if you do not have that in house.

Not only for test benches: control and automation software for other machines too, regardless of who built them.

Testing focus

E-Bike test services for Pedelec and S-Pedelec systems

ENGtron takes over development-accompanying validation for Pedelec and S-Pedelec drive systems, from motor characterization to series readiness. No setup effort, no onboarding delay. Directly with the engineer.

In-house roller test bench at the Reutlingen test field, filmed during a running test.

Why teams bring in ENGtron

Development-accompanying testing on our roller test bench up to 60 km/h: simulate road loads, determine range (R200), record the power curve, test thermal behaviour under sustained load, compare variants and de-risk decisions faster. Got a specific question? Talk to us about customer-specific tests, ENGtron reproduces your scenario reliably.

System benchmark: DJI, Bosch, Pinion & more

ENGtron compared DJI, Bosch, Pinion and further systems under identical R200 conditions. The benchmark reveals clear efficiency differences and helps prioritize development decisions faster.

Development motormost efficient
7.35 Wh/km
DJI Avinox M1
7.76 Wh/km
Bosch CX Gen5
8.26 Wh/km
Pinion E1.12
8.92 Wh/km
Bosch CX Gen4
9.26 Wh/km

Real R200 measurement (2025), identical conditions: 20 km/h, 70 W rider power. Specific consumption in Wh/km, development motor most efficient.

Roller bench services:

  • Customer-specific tests for critical questions during development
  • Power curve with cadence dependency
  • Maximum load test (temperature/derating behavior)
  • R200 range test
  • Cut-off behavior at the upper Pedelec/S-Pedelec speed limit
  • Endurance tests
  • Test automation and regression tests according to the V-model for software and hardware changes
Request a project
Measurement technology and specs in detail

Measurement technology and specs

Torque sensors
HBM T210, DAkkS-calibrated, 0.1%
Measuring range
±200 Nm (brake roller), ±100 Nm (rider side)
Speed
Up to 60 km/h
Electrical power
Voltage and current clamp, traceable
Real-time system
Linux Real-Time, EtherCAT bus, 1 ms cycle time
Safety
Pilz PNOZmulti safety PLC, CE target documented
Control modes
Speed, torque, power and position control
Pedal torque profile
Application of a realistic sinusoidal torque curve per pedal revolution, per side
Electrical power accuracy
±2%
Energy / range accuracy
±1 to 2%
Mechanical power accuracy
load-dependent: approx. ±2% at R200

Cut-off behaviour at the speed limit

25 km/h 45 km/h 60 Assist power Pedelec S-Pedelec 25 km/h 45 km/h 60 Assist power Pedelec S-Pedelec

Schematic illustration. On the roller test bench the real cut-off behaviour is measured up to 60 km/h, reproducibly and under realistic load.

Second in-house test bench

Drivetrain test bench, expandable for system tests

A high-precision drivetrain test bench, expandable for system tests, for motors, gearboxes, complete drivetrains, robotic actuators and e-bike shifting systems (hub gears, derailleurs), with automated control and monitoring of the connected components, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) with real-time simulation and DAkkS-calibrated torque sensing. Ideal for functional testing of robotics drives and actuators.

In-house drivetrain test bench
In-house drivetrain test bench

High-precision drivetrain test bench with system-test capability

From torque calibration to endurance runs to full system tests: the bench drives, controls and monitors the complete drive system including battery, control units and further actuators, and tests it automatically. Reproducible test conditions, precise measurement technology and analysis by an engineer who knows his test bench.

Drivetrain test bench services:

  • Torque sensor calibration (DAkkS-traceable)
  • R200 range test (also possible on this bench)
  • Endurance and load-change runs
  • System and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) tests with active control and monitoring of the connected components
  • Efficiency measurements across operating points
  • Torque and angle sensor validation
  • Automated regression tests according to the V-model
  • Customer-specific tests
  • Functional testing for robotics: validation of robotic actuators (motors, gearboxes, drive units)
Request a project
Measurement technology and specs in detail

Measurement technology and specs

Torque sensors
2× HBM T210 (200 Nm), DAkkS-calibrated, 0.1%, same model as the roller test bench
Measuring range
±200 Nm, reproducibility ±0.2 Nm
Angle measurement
High-resolution motor encoder, higher on demand
Real-time system
Linux Real-Time, EtherCAT bus, 1 ms cycle time
Safety
Pilz PNOZmulti safety PLC
Control modes
Speed, torque, power and position control
Pedal torque profile
Application of a realistic sinusoidal torque curve per pedal revolution
Electrical power accuracy
±2%
Energy / range accuracy
±1 to 2%
Mechanical power accuracy
load-dependent: approx. ±0.4 to 1% at mid load

Control quality on the bench

0 40 80 Nm 0 1 2 s Setpoint Measured Ideal response

Control quality made visible: setpoint step, measured response and ideal response after controller tuning and control target (schematic)

Torque sensor calibration

0 200 100 200 Nm Bench reference (Nm) DUT reading (Nm) Offset Linearity Slope Perfect agreement DUT reading

Schematic illustration: the DUT reading plotted against the DAkkS-traceable bench reference. Offset, slope and linearity errors become visible and can be corrected.

Third in-house test bench

Brake test bench for bicycle disc brakes

Everyone describes the feel of a brake lever differently. On the brake test bench it becomes a characteristic curve: lever force, clamp force and lever travel, measured automatically and directly comparable with other brakes.

Brake test bench: characteristic curves of a SRAM Maven with lever force, clamp force and lever travel
Static brake characterisation of a SRAM Maven. The full video is on the references page.

What you get

Clamp stiffness, force ratio and hysteresis per brake, from three ramps with an identical sequence. For the SRAM Maven that is 155 N/mm and 45 : 1.

Brake test bench services:

  • Static brake characterisation: lever force, clamp force and lever travel
  • Comparison of brakes, variants and prototypes in an identical sequence
  • Key figures per brake: clamp stiffness, force ratio and hysteresis
  • Automated test case and automated evaluation
  • Customer-specific tests
Request a project Video and details in the references

Advantages

Your advantages

Lean structure, deep technical expertise, and direct engineer-to-engineer collaboration. No overhead, no middlemen, just precise engineering and reliable results.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who offers e-bike and pedelec testing according to DIN EN 15194?

ENGtron in Metzingen performs development-accompanying testing of pedelecs and S-pedelecs on its own roller test bench up to 60 km/h, including functional tests according to DIN EN 15194: R200 range tests, cut-off behaviour at the speed limit, cadence-dependent power curves and DAkkS-calibrated torque measurement with speed capture. Contact: max@engtron.de.

How does an R200 range test for e-bikes work?

In the R200 test the complete e-bike runs on the roller test bench under identical conditions: 20 km/h speed and 70 W rider power. The specific consumption in Wh/km is measured with DAkkS-calibrated torque sensing (HBM T210, 0.1%). This makes drive systems such as DJI, Bosch or Pinion directly and reproducibly comparable.

Who tests drivetrains and robotic actuators with hardware-in-the-loop (HiL)?

ENGtron validates motors, gearboxes, robotic actuators and complete drive systems on a drivetrain test bench with hardware-in-the-loop and real-time simulation: two DAkkS-calibrated HBM T210 torque sensors (200 Nm, 0.1%), Linux Real-Time with EtherCAT and 1 ms cycle time, automated endurance and regression tests according to the V-model.

Can torque sensors be calibrated DAkkS-traceably?

Yes. ENGtron calibrates torque sensors DAkkS-traceably on its own drivetrain test bench: measuring range ±200 Nm with a reproducibility of ±0.2 Nm. The schematic calibration chart on this website shows how offset, slope and linearity errors become visible and can then be corrected.

Can ENGtron test bicycle brakes?

Yes. On its own brake test bench ENGtron characterises disc brakes statically: a spindle pushes the brake lever in three ramps at 3 mm/s, force sensors measure lever force and clamp force. The result per brake is clamp stiffness, force ratio and hysteresis, so brakes, variants and prototypes can be compared directly.

Is ENGtron an accredited test laboratory according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025?

No. ENGtron is not an accredited test body according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. The services target development teams that need robust measurement data and reproducible results for internal development, variant comparisons and system optimization, without the formal effort of an accredited certification test and therefore at significantly lower cost.

How does a test project with ENGtron proceed?

In four steps: an initial call about your measurement task directly with the engineer, then a concept and quote with a realistic assessment of effort, precision and limits, followed by execution and measurement on our in-house test benches in Reutlingen or at your site, and finally solid data with clear recommendations. Requests: max@engtron.de.

Let's talk about your measurement task

Describe your task in two or three sentences, you will get an honest assessment of feasibility, effort and timing. No sales pitch, no detours.

Your project stays confidential. On request we work under NDA, gladly even before the first technical conversation.

Contact person: Maximilian Boger, M.Eng.

E-mail / Teams: max@engtron.de