Jasper Engines & Transmissions, the nation's leader in remanufactured drivetrain products, has incorporated automated data acquisition into its gas engine live-run testing program.

The test stands at the Jasper, Ind., facility are being fitted with computers running a JASPER-written automated test program (using software from National Instruments). Over time, this conversion will occur on live-run test stands at the Crawford County and Willow Springs, Mo., facilities.

While computer-assisted programs have been used to monitor live-run testing in the past, it was the role of the operator to check the gauges and write down the correct numbers. Operators are expected to test a predetermined number of engines each day.   

Once the operator has the test stand ready, the engine is started and run at 1,400 rpm. From the moment the engine starts, the automated data acquisition system monitors critical readings and takes a data snapshot once engine temperature reaches 145 degrees. This can be from as little as five minutes for small four-cylinder engines, to as long as 15 minutes for big-block V-8s. "The data acquisition program collects readings on oil temperature, oil pressure, water temperature, vacuum and correct rpm range," said Jacob Adams, JASPER corporate engineer. "Once the live-run test is complete, the engine is shut down and the system can acquire compression data." 

The automated data acquisition program can shut down an engine during a test should readings exceed pre-determined parameters. The automated program gives JASPER a good standardization process for all of the live-run test stands.