Implementation of an inverter test setup for electric vehicles : Semi-automated testing with an interactive interface

Given the growing tendency of electric mobility within the automotive sector, this thesis presents the implementation of a semi-automated inverter test bench meant for load testing and extracting performance-related figures from this crucial electric vehicle (EV) drivetrain component. The primary goal is to propose a flexible and practical platform, capable of providing the means to draw conclusions on production viability and flaws of inverter boards. The testing infrastructure integrates real-time automatized data acquisition, configuring the necessary parameters from a centralized LabVIEW Guided User Interface (GUI). The connection with lab instruments and sensors is achieved through a LAN network, given its practicality and effectiveness for this level of implementation. In particular, the focus of the research question is on solder layer quality and the effects it may have on the results. To study this phenomenon, electrical loads of different nature were used, including real electric motors and Resistive-Inductive (RL) loads. Comparing each case’s results, the impact of soldering joint defects is demonstrated to some extent, also exposing the limited capabilities of the used methods (based on voltage difference and on-state current measuring, temperature and X-ray scans). Local temperature increases were observed, proving the point of some related studies that will be later reviewed. On the other hand, the employed real EV inverter highlighted the importance of matching load characteristics with the design of the board, as well as the importance of optimized control methods. The study concludes that the proposed test bench solution offers a practical and scalable solution for load performance testing and early solder fault detection on the electric mobility field. Future work following this basis could lead to fully automated setups and integrated, higher-precision measurement methods capable of bringing more straightforward conclusions.