Dellner Bubenzer Upgrades German R&D Centre

Dellner Bubenzer has relocated and upgraded its research and development centre to the company’s production site in Kirchen, Germany, bringing testing, engineering and manufacturing activities together under one roof.

The new 700 sq m testing area includes an 8-tonne overhead crane, climate chambers and an upgraded flywheel test bench installed on a reinforced 50 sq m foundation.

At the centre of the facility is a large-capacity flywheel dynamometer capable of friction speeds of up to 130 m/s, 25 MJ of energy and maximum braking power of 3.5 MW. A second smaller flywheel dynamometer and an 880 kN sword test bench extend the available testing range.

The facility allows Dellner Bubenzer to carry out full-scale testing of industrial braking systems under simulated operating conditions, measuring parameters such as braking torque, rotational speed, energy and braking power.

Environmental testing is also possible using a climate chamber capable of temperatures ranging from -50°C to +180°C.

“This is a much more integrated solution than before, allowing us to test industrial braking systems, thrusters and other solutions,” said Rene Hamann, Engineering Director at Dellner Bubenzer.

He added that some new prototypes undergo at least two million operating cycles before reaching the market.

The relocated centre brings nine R&D staff into closer proximity with the company’s wider 24-person technical department and is expected to support further development in electronics, monitoring and data-driven testing.

Dellner Bubenzer also plans to expand the centre’s role in quality assurance, including brake lining testing, supplier evaluation and batch verification.