NATC’s trained, experienced staff conduct tests for commercial and military vehicles in accordance with regulatory and industry standards. Some of the standardization bodies include NHTSA, FMCSA, SAE, US DoD, DoE, Transport Canada, ISO, NATO and UNECE. We provide guidance to our customers for navigating various standards and, in some cases, develop specific tests to cover multiple standards in a single test to reduce the overall number of testing cycles required.
We perform standardized tests precisely in accordance with the test plans developed by government or commercial entities. Additionally, we consult the government or commercial entity regarding any ambiguity or special circumstances not covered under the test plans to ensure that the test results we provide can be used to satisfy the self-certification process for any vehicle tested at NATC. Vehicles exempt from certain regulations may still be tested in accordance with the applicable portions of the regulations. Further, we provide homologation assistance for vehicle sales in North American markets to determine which requirements need to be met for a specific vehicle type.
Standardized tests we conduct include, but are not limited to, the following.
- FMVSS: 105, 111, 121, 122, 135, 136, 210, 216, 223, and 224
(For our Canadian customers, we conduct similar tests to the corresponding CMVSS.)
- SAE: AS8090, J47, J88, J260, J336, J374, J384, J872, J880, J1040, J2014, J2180, J2181, J2188, J2721
- ISO 2631, 18106
- ASTM: F1805, F1922
- TOP: 1-2-501, 2-2-002, 2-2-500, 2-2-501, 2-2-602, 2-2-604, 2-2-607, 2-2-610,
2-2-611, 2-2-800, 3-2-812
- ITOP 1-2-505
- MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-209, MIL-STD-1472
- NATO AVTP: 03-30, 03-160
View our complete Standardized Test List. Read more about our standardized Transportability, Tire Testing and Winter Testing.
Standardized Brake Testing
NATC conducts brake tests on vehicles ranging from motorcycles to class 8 trucks, with the objective of these tests ranging from developmental testing to compliance testing for government agencies such as NHTSA. We perform brake tests to FMVSS, EC/ECE, ISO, SAE, ASTM, California Title 21, or other specifications as defined by our customers. We also offer specific, customized, brake tests for vehicle development, accident reconstruction/investigation, corrosion, and other customer needs.
Brake testing that is not in accordance with a government standard may use the same instrumentation and/or portions of the procedures as a baseline. Additional instrumentation may include steering response, position transducers, or additional pressure or temperatures sensors. If a customer has specific areas of concern, we develop a test plan to target those characteristics, such as braking during a variety of long mountain descents.
Tilt Table
Designed and built in-house by NATC engineering and fabrication personnel, the tilt table augments NATC’s vehicle dynamics testing capabilities. These capabilities include, but are not limited to, handling, roll stability quantification, end limit performance, side slope operation, fork lift capability, active suspension development, and a multitude of standardized tests in accordance with regulatory and industry standards. We conduct evaluations to determine the static lateral stability and rollover thresholds of the test article as well as roll characteristics based on chassis stiffness, and to estimate lateral acceleration. Testing may include vehicle component operation such as boom or water cannon operation. The same types of tests can be conducted on non-vehicular products such as shelters, skid-mounted assemblies, and containerized assemblies and systems.
Equipped with a high friction surface to inhibit sliding of the test vehicle, the tilt table rotates at a rate of approximately 0.09 degrees per second to determine the static roll properties of the vehicle and to prevent abrupt roll input into the test vehicle. With a surface area of more than 8,000 square feet and a lifting capacity of approximately 350,000 pounds, the tilt table can be used for many types and sizes of vehicles up to and including buses, tractor-trailer rigs, crash-fire rescue apparatus, ambulances, and heavy equipment used in construction, material handling, mining, and agriculture.
NATC Tilt Table Specifications
Length: 89 feet
Width: 9 feet (expandable to 12 feet)
Maximum Tilt Angle: 60 degrees
Surface Area: 8,000 square feet
Tilt Rate: 0.09 degrees/second
Angle Accuracy: + 0.1 degree
Net Lift Capacity: 350,000 pounds
Lifting Mechanism: Worm gearbox and synchronized precision screw jacks