SCF Automation - Test bench systems and software solutions

Your partner for complex test systems, SW automation and modernization, conditioning units. With passion for process engineering, turbo chargers and fuel cells.

Our systems, consisting of software, switchgear and mechanical components, have a modular design. They are scalable and can be flexibly adapted to different test specimens and tests. They can be used and reproduced repeatedly with high quality. They are very easy to maintain and service.

Products

include as recurring common parts:

Software from the user interface to data saving of test results
Switchgear with safety technology, from the real-time computer to measurement and control signals.
System components with sensors and actuators for simulating physical variables on the test specimen.

By combining the modules, they form a functional unit that meets the customer requirements.

Software von der Bedienschnittstelle - Fraunhofer

Softwarecoding - Twincat - hotgas application

Services

Project management, engineering incl. CE conformity
Software coding using Twincat, Codesys, PAtools, PNOZmulti
Switchgear planning and design with EPLAN, VDE testing according to DIN VDE 0100
Overall system planning with test design and commissioning
Training and workshops
Maintenance & service, troubleshooting of existing systems

We assume functional responsibility for your technical system and adapt our products ideally to your individual requirements.

Solutions

Our case studies are showing our projects and their flexibility. The technical solutions are closely aligned with customer requirements, but are fundamentally based on the company’s extensive experience and knowledge. Each solution is an individual solution. The focus is on the overall function of the system and its value for the customer.

Fuel cell component test bench

Requirement:

The customer wants to test products that are used in aviation industries on hydrogen-powered fuel cells: Valves and humidifiers.

Execution:

SCF-A designs, plans and supplies a software and switching system that serves as an operating interface and enables the necessary system components to be controlled: compressed air supply in the first container. In a second container, two air conditioning units for setting the air volume, temperature and humidity, back pressure and blow-off units as well as a climate chamber. In addition, a water injection unit enables the introduction of liquid or vaporized water. The test specimen is tested in the climate chamber on a wet and a dry path.

Result:

The software is designed to be multifunctional for stationary testing of humidifiers as well as stationary and dynamic tests on valves. Operating points can be set as required with the existing control loops, measurements can be carried out with up to 2kHz and variable storage frequency. Operation is possible for the test bench operator in manual mode on site or fully automated with sequential processing of operating points.

Expansion of turbocharger test field

Requirement:

The customer wants to expand a test field for turbochargers for marine engines that is currently being set up with PAtools and control cabinets by three test benches and put them into operation.

Execution:

SCF-A is responsible for expanding the PAtools database, adapting software components to the new test benches and commissioning the entire test bench using the PAtools software.
SCF-A also supplies control cabinets for controlling the combustion chamber used to simulate the ship engine exhaust gases.

Result:

The system can be used to carry out compressor and turbine maps as well as other tests on the turbocharger. The control system used leads to a massive reduction in test time and thus to cost savings due to the savings in natural gas and compressed air.

Components for turbocharger test bench

Requirement:

The customer wants to use a hot gas generator, a back pressure unit and measuring tubes including a control system for a test bench for commercial vehicle turbochargers.

Execution:

SCF-A assumes overall responsibility for the system supplied, consisting of software, switchgear and system components. The software is implemented with an interface to the top-level system.

Result:

Highly accurate and dynamic adjustment of hot gas mass flows and temperatures guarantee highly accurate, reproducible compressor and turbine maps.

Fuel cell simulator

Requirement:

The customer wants to expand an existing hot gas test bench for testing electric turbochargers and passive components used in fuel cells.

Execution:

SCF-A designs software and switchgear for the fuel simulator with 2 operating modes: First, to adjust air volume, temperature and humidity.
Secondly, to adjust air volume, temperature and humidity, as well as differential pressure between compressor and turbine.

Result:

In addition to precise and fast control at the test specimen interfaces, the system can precisely record water quantities with condensed moisture content.

SW modernization turbocharger test field

Requirement:

The customer wants to modernize the software and user interface due to a change of operating system on the test bench computers. This means that new state-of-the-art operating and control software is required.

Execution:

SCF-A designs software and a migration concept to convert the test field from the old to the new software.
The user interface is based closely on the old software in order to avoid conversion difficulties for employees.

Result:

New control concepts make test bench control faster and more precise. Operating costs are saved.
The software runs on a current Windows operating system and employees can continue to work seamlessly with the new software.

About us

SCF-A develops and supplies high-quality solutions for testing and process engineering tasks.

SCF-Automation GmbH was founded in June 2022. Since September 2022 our office is located in the ACU Startup Center Unterschleißheim.

In 2024, the team consists of 8 members, with a total of more than 60 years of professional experience. All team members have experience in various test systems from Kratzer and the automation software company PAtools (now National Instruments).

Seven team members come from the former “hotgas” competence team of Kratzer-Automation, known as a supplier of turbocharger test benches and process engineering test systems.

Since 2024, we have been offering service and maintenance contracts for existing Kratzer test benches in the turbocharger test bench sector.

Thanks to our many years of experience in the automation of process engineering systems, we can offer expert knowledge for the structured design of complex systems. We also offer the implementation of high-precision and fast control systems that reduce testing time while saving costs and at the same time optimizing the quality of the test results obtained.