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Van Raam produces uniquely special needs bicycles and specializes in tricycles, transport bikes, scooterbikes, wheelchair bikes, tandem bikes, double rider bikes, and low step trough bikes (also known as comfortbikes). Each model is also available as an electric bike (Pedelec).
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Test engineer Gebby and the bicycle-test bench at Van Raam
As the manufacturer of special needs bicycles, we are not only producing special bicycles, we also develop, design, produce and test the bicycles. You can read more about Gebby Schreurs, test engineer at Van Raam. You will learn more about his position and the bicycle test bench of Van Raam, including a video of the test bench.
Gebby Schreurs: Test engineer at Van Raam
About 12 years ago, Gebby started as a bicycle mechanic at Van Raam where he assembled tricycles, side-by-side tandems, wheelchair bikes and other Van Raam bicycles. After a few years he switched to the department Quality as end controller and since 2015 he is working as test engineer at Van Raam.
As a test engineer Gebby is responsible for building and testing new prototypes. For new models or changes, Gebby is the first person who builds the bike, checks the receipt and helps with starting the production of the new Van Raam Model. Last year he assembled the first renewed OPair and renewed VeloPlus wheelchairs bikes.
Bicycle test bench developed for testing Van Raam bicycles
Testing of the prototypes happens on a special bicycle test bench, who is developed and build by the Research & Development department of Van Raam. The test bench meets all safety requirements and machine guidelines and is drawn by mechanical engineer Jan-Willem Tornij in the 3D draw program Solid Works. Rick de Jonge is electro engineer and was responsible for the control system of the test bench and building the test bench is done by Gebby himself.
The best part of my job is that I can build a bicycle and test it afterwards in practice to see if all is correct
GebbyThe test bench is a kind of treadmill with multiple bumps running over 3 axes. The bicycle will be placed on the bench and the axe in the middle will be tuned to the length of the bike.
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The test bench is made so that it is suitable for all Van Raam bicycle models, from the smallest Midi tricycle to the big Fun2Go side-by-side tandem.
For safety, the test bench is shielded by steel fences and is equipped with an emergency stop system.
Test bench: from theory to practice
Theoretical strength calculation from the bicycle frame are made with Solid Works Simulation. With the bicycle test bench, the frames are actually tested in practice.
Endurance tests will be held with complete Van Raam bicycles, to test the strength of the steel frame (and the parts who are attached to it) and bring out the weak points.
Endurance test wheelchair transportbike VeloPlus
In the video below you will see the bicycle test bench from Van Raam in practice. The VeloPlus wheelchair transportbike is standing on the test bench with in total 270 kg of weight (140 kg in front on the place of the wheelchair, 110 kg on the place of the driver and 20 kg on the luggage carrier). The goal of the test is to decide/control the maximum load of this wheelchair bike.
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During the endurance test, which will take 125 hours, the wheelchair bike rides on the test bench a distance from 1.000 km with a speed of 8 km per hours.
During the test, performs Gebby, if necessary, small repairs like replacing a flat tire and updates the test report. After the endurance test, he analyzes the whole frame of the bike to see if there are some defects. When this happens, there will be some adjustments to the frame done to improve this type of bicycle.
During an endurance test, the bike rides approximately 65 km per workday. People have no idea how long it takes to make a good test of the bike
GebbyNext to the bicycle test bench, we have a test bench for the wheels and an automatic tester for the batteries at Van Raam.
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