R&D Test Systems is an international engineering company founded in 2005, with more than 200 employees (approx. 170 engineers) who turn challenges into world-class engineering.
The company is headquartered in 8382 Hinnerup, Denmark and has 9 offices in 5 countries.
R&D Test Systems’s goal is to become a global market leader of development, simulation, and test systems within the wind industry.
With broad industry knowledge and highly specialized engineers, they provide customers with the right expertise to archive their needs for development of OEM technologies and large-scale test systems.
R&D Test Systems is a part of American corporations MTS Systems Corporation and ITW.
Interview with Annette Lundø, Marketing Manager at R&D Test Systems.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Annette Lundø: We help our customers with development, simulation, and test. Our primary industries are wind and aerospace.
We offer specialists and teams for development projects for wind OEMs new technologies.
We develop and build turnkey test systems for the wind and aerospace industry. R&D Test Systems predicts that with the next generation of offshore wind turbines set to become bigger, more powerful, and having shorter development cycles, validation testing all along the wind turbine value chain will become essential. Testing will allow manufacturers to evaluate the new products under realistic conditions, thus estimating lifespan and maintenance requirements. This process can save millions of euros in warranty claims and downtime, and at the same time, add reliability.
We have all inhouse competences including:
- Project management;
- System integration;
- Mechanical design (CAD, FEM…);
- Hydraulic system design;
- Electrical design (HW, LW…);
- Software development.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
A.L: (R&D Test Systems news: https://www.rd-as.com/insights/ )
Test Systems
ZF Wind Power and R&D Test Systems to develop 30MW test bench. It will be the world’s most powerful test rig, simulating variable loading by applying wind loads to gearboxes, drivetrains or full powertrains. https://www.rd-as.com/insights/zf-wind-power-and-rd-test-systems-to-develop-30mw-test-bench/
New test method will reduce time-to-market for large wind turbine blades. The new test method will improve the quality of blade testing with faster, more realistic, and more efficient fatigue testing. https://www.rd-as.com/insights/new-test-method-will-reduce-time-to-market-for-large-wind-turbine-blades/
R&D Test Systems secures the largest test bench for China
https://www.rd-as.com/insights/rd-test-systems-secures-largest-order-to-china/
The world’s largest test bench (developed by R&D Test Systems) reuses 90% of its power consumption (HALT XL – highly accelerated lifetime testing). This test bench tests the wind turbine’s nacelle by simulating extreme wind conditions.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
A.L: Turnkey test systems tailored to the individual customer
https://www.rd-as.com/services-products/test-systems/
Wind products:
- Rain Erosion Tester -> https://www.rd-as.com/rain-erosion-tester/
- Blade test equipment -> https://www.rd-as.com/blade-test-equipment/
- Technology development –> https://www.rd-as.com/services-products/technology-solutions/
- Bolt-Check (verification of bolted joints) -> https://www.rd-as.com/bolt-check/
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
A.L: Development, test and validation.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
A.L: We are the leading engineering company of developing, installing, and commissioning test systems.
The wind industry is characterized by short development cycles and ever-increasing rotor diameters of wind turbines. The increasing size and complexity of the wind turbine blades demand that test systems also undergo continuous development to accommodate increasing requirements of the industry. In other words, The wind turbine manufacturer keeps exceeding themselves and building larger and larger offshore wind turbines. This is naturally also affecting the whole industry with new and increased demands, including test benches used to test the large wind turbine components.
By holding all competencies in-house, we can minimize the risks and reduce the turnkey solution’s delivery time.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
A.L: R&D Test Systems will, for ZF Wind Power, develop the world’s most powerful test rig, simulating variable loading by applying wind loads to gearboxes, drivetrains or full powertrains.
- R&D Test Systems has developed the world’s largest test systems at LORC’s test facilities
- Development projects funded by EUDP:
- Nacelle test bench foundation
- Merge project
- Bolt-Check tool (Bolt-Check has received a component certificate from DNV-GL, which means that Bolt-Check can be equated with torque and tension tools for service inspections of wind turbines)
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
A.L: We’ve had a very successful 2022 with securing our largest order to date, and several other success projects both commissioned and in the pipeline.