Research & development

Research and development is at the heart of MAHLE Behr Industry's innovation leadership. We invest around 6% of our annual sales revenue in this sector. Our engineers' development work not only strengthens our market position but also provides our customers with future-proof products and processes for their own innovations.

MAHLE Behr Industry makes use of the Behr Group's research facilities to develop new cooling and air conditioning systems.

Behr Group's research facilities

We thereby have access to two fully equipped test centers in Stuttgart/Germany and in Troy, Michigan/USA, which are also contact points for our customers and partners. Thermal and climatic wind tunnels, test benches for all required performance and endurance tests, and state-of-the-art simulation tools are used to validate our products.

Focus on cost-benefit ratio
The focus of development work at MAHLE Behr Industry is on both technical innovation and continuous improvement of the cost-benefit ratio. That requires comprehensive know-how, efficient research methods, mature tools and highly qualified employees who collaborate across departmental and country borders. Using this approach we put in place comprehensive reliability management that is based on a sound validation process. For us, validation means establishing an intelligent link between simulation and experimentation to identify weak points at an early stage of development.

Wind tunnels stimulate road conditions in the laboratory
Our engineers test new developments and innovations by means of sophisticated testing methods that come very close to reality. They enable us to make precise forecasts of service life and probability of failure. Research and development is conducted at are our climate wind tunnels in Stuttgart/Germany and Troy /USA, where they form part of the local test centers. Roughly as high as a two-storey building, the wind tunnel provides sufficient space to accommodate not only large commercial vehicles, but also a large amount of equipment that simulates different climate conditions. Room-high fans generate wind speeds of more than 100 kilometers per hour. The air conditioning and heating unit covers temperatures that range from an Arctic minus 30°C to a desert-like plus 50°C. In addition, the precise amount of sunshine for every season, time of day, and environment can be simulated. Our wind tunnels include unique solariums with a radiation intensity of between 350 and 1200 watts per square meter, with a spectral distribution that corresponds to that of the sun. To simulate road conditions, two pairs of rollers housed in the floor of the measurement chamber can be adjusted automatically to the wheelbase of the respective vehicle.

Tracking down noise
The acoustic lab in Stuttgart/Germany is one of the most important testing facilities for developing new systems to ensure acoustic comfort. In their quest for the "sound of silence," the developers are reducing the noise of air conditioning and drive cooling as much as possible. In the acoustic lab, components, modules, and entire systems are tested for sound emission. To minimize ambient noise, our acoustic lab features rigid, nonabsorbing, anechoic measuring chambers. With our artificial head measuring technique, we can simulate human acoustic perception. We assess subjective perceived noise in our acoustic lab in collaboration with our customers and development partners.