AOS High-Speed Cameras and Sled Testing – A Perfect Match

Essential Tools in Sled Testing - High-Speed Cameras

In modern vehicle safety development, sled testing is a vital step for evaluating occupant protection systems under controlled and repeatable conditions. Instead of crashing an entire vehicle, only a section -such as a seat or cabin module - is mounted on a sled that replicates real crash forces. High-speed cameras are essential for understanding the dynamics of impact, improving occupant protection systems, and accelerating vehicle safety development.

High-speed cameras play a crucial role in these tests. Recording thousands of frames per second, they capture the split-second motion of airbags deploying, seatbelts tightening, or dummies moving - details that happen too fast for the human eye.

The footage provides engineers with clear, visual insight into how safety components perform during impact, helping identify even the smallest timing or design issues. Combined with sensor data, high-speed video also verifies and refines simulation models, making crash testing more accurate and efficient.

By turning ultra-fast events into visible data, high-speed cameras help manufacturers improve occupant safety, speed up development cycles, and ultimately build safer vehicles.

Since the very beginning of AOS Technologies at the turn of the millennium, the high-speed cameras designed and manufactured by AOS have been a prime choice for sled testing applications. From the start, AOS cameras have featured battery backup systems to safely store critical high-speed footage in the event of a power loss.

Needless to say, these cameras - tested and certified by an independent laboratory to withstand shocks of up to 150 g - are built solid and robust, enduring even the most demanding and repetitive sled tests.

Over the years, multiple innovations have reinforced their reputation: a built-in G-sensor that can serve as a primary or secondary trigger, and the Rescue Flash function that automatically stores recorded data into non-volatile memory immediately after triggering. These features make AOS cameras the preferred choice for sled testing worldwide.

Contact us to learn more about our cameras and the wide range of accessories designed for fast, reliable, and efficient high-speed testing solutions.

The Dynamics of Sled Testing

By using crash test sleds research and test engineers in the automotive safety field can simulate repetitive crash tests using controlled and repeatable methods. A crash simulation sled operates either as an acceleration device or an impact (deceleration) sled, depending on the phase of the crash being replicated.

An acceleration sled propels the test object with a specific pulse generated by the propulsion system. It simulates the acceleration phase of a crash. Typical applications include testing seat belts, child restraints, and other occupant safety systems under controlled acceleration forces, as well as studying occupant movement during the initial impact phase - essentially, the start of motion.

Alternatively, an impact sled (also known as a deceleration sled) simulates what happens when a vehicle suddenly stops. The sled is propelled toward a target and then brought to a stop using brakes, deformable barriers, or crush tubes. This setup is commonly used for airbag and overall occupant safety system testing, representing the stop of motion.

For all these dynamic tests at the component level, high-speed cameras provide crucial insights into the test object’s performance. These tests require high speed cameras that are rugged, shock-certified, and capable of high download speeds, paired with specialized accessories.

As a leader in high-speed imaging for sled testing, AOS Technologies offers cameras designed to “ride the sled” as well as accessory equipment for comprehensive high-speed image data acquisition.

Riding the Crash Test Sled – AOS High-Speed Cameras in Action

As one of the known leaders among manufacturers of high-speed cameras for crash sled testing, AOS Technologies AG was invited to film a commercial-style video showcasing the dynamics of an impact involving a crash test dummy secured in a safety seat.

Of course, a little drama never hurts - so to emphasize the intensity of the impact, we added some shattered windshield glass to the backdrop of the sled. The result? A striking, dynamic video that speaks for itself.

While this setup was made for visual impact, the underlying reality remains the same: every day, AOS cameras capture crucial high-speed footage that helps make vehicles safer and protects passengers at the highest possible level. Recording at 1,000 frames per second - and in certain sequences up to 4,000 fps - our cameras deliver precise, reliable results in demanding, repetitive test environments.

For engineers and researchers, having equipment they can rely on is key. AOS high-speed cameras and accessories are engineered and manufactured to meet the toughest requirements of automotive crash and sled testing.

At AOS Technologies, we are proud to provide imaging solutions that help make our “world in motion” safer - frame by frame.

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