Development of Oil Damper Test Equipment Capable of Simulating the Actual Conditions of Railway Vehicles

Railway vehicles are equipped with multiple oil dampers, whose characteristics have a great effect on riding comfort for passengers as well as on the safety of vehicles. The technical specifications of these dampers are therefore essential in vehicle design. We have developed test equipment to allow estimation of oil damper characteristics without the need to perform field tests, making it possible to operate an oil damper three-dimensionally to simulate the actual running conditions of railway vehicles. This paper gives an outline and describes the specifications of the test equipment and the automatic identification of oil damper characteristics.