Assembly process optimization and leakage testing for the EBS control valve at WABCO

Company overview

WABCO is a leading global supplier of technologies and services that improve the safety, efficiency, and connectivity of commercial vehicles, specializing in braking, stability, and transmission automation systems for trucks and trailers.

Executive summary

The implementation of custom assembly and testing equipment has provided significant advantages for WABCO, including:

• Significant acceleration of the manual assembly and leakage testing process for prototype valves.
• Increased confidence and reliability in leakage test results.
• Elimination of leaks at the testing device interface, ensuring measurement accuracy.
• Enhanced process efficiency through an innovative clamping solution.

Project objectives

WABCO required a solution that would:

• Substantially reduce the time needed for manual assembly of prototype EBS control valves.
• Provide a fast and reliable method for leakage testing the assembled prototypes.
• Ensure a secure, leak-proof connection between the testing device and the valve.
• Simplify the process of securing multiple ports for testing.

The challenge

The primary challenge was to accelerate the validation process for prototype valves, which involved both manual assembly and leakage testing. A critical requirement was to create a testing fixture that could form a perfect seal with the valve to ensure the accuracy of the leakage tests. Furthermore, the valve design featured several pneumatic ports at different heights, which complicated the clamping process and required an innovative approach to secure them all simultaneously and effectively.

The solution

Custom assembly sockets were designed and manufactured, which significantly accelerated the manual assembly process while maintaining high-quality standards. For testing, two manual sockets were created to check the tightness of the prototype valves responsible for pressure modulation in semi-trailer EBS systems.

A key innovation was the development of special heads for the testing sockets. These heads consist of carefully selected seals and a set of springs that provide a precise and adequate clamping force. This design completely eliminated the risk of leaks at the interface between the device and the valve. The unique construction of these heads also made it possible to secure numerous pneumatic ports of varying heights with a single DESTACO clamp, greatly simplifying and speeding up the testing procedure.

Key achievements

Accelerated prototyping

The custom-designed sockets significantly sped up the assembly and testing cycle for prototype valves.

Reliable leakage testing

The innovative head design, with its specialized seals and springs, provides a robust, leak-proof connection, guaranteeing the accuracy of test results.

Enhanced efficiency

The ability to secure multiple ports of different heights with a single clamp streamlined the testing setup, saving time and effort.

Quality assurance

The solution enables WABCO to perform faster validation of prototype components while ensuring the integrity and quality of the tests.