Building Gearbox Dynamometer

Author: Mateo Peña Doll I built this custom gearbox dynamometer (aka dyno) to test marine transmissions I design and build from the ground up. Typically, my transmissions serve as a lower-unit gearbox for hydrofoiling electric boats. As a consulting mechanical engineer in the electric marine industry, I needed a way to run up to 1000 hours of durability testing on the transmissions I develop. But with dyno labs charging $100+ per hour, outsourcing was not an option for me. The solution? Build my own AC Dynamometer. What started as a necessity quickly turned into a fully integrated, data-driven test rig, complete with custom torque measurement, water cooling, CAN bus integration, and a Python-based dashboard. This project became a thesis-level deep dive into mechanical testing. From designing the 8020 aluminum frame, tuning motor controllers, to calibrating strain gauges, I picked up what felt like a degree in control systems and test engineering. Many things I learned the hard w ... Read full article.