The Huber Unimotive 08w is a dynamic temperature control system specifically engineered for the demanding requirements of automotive component and battery testing. Part of the Unimotive series, the 08w delivers 12 kW of heating and 14 kW of cooling capacity (at 20 °C) across a working temperature range of -45 °C to +95 °C, with a temperature stability of ±0.01 °C. The system operates directly with a water-ethylene glycol mixture (e.g., Glysantin®) and incorporates Huber's proven Unistat thermodynamic technology for exceptionally short heating and cooling times. All Unimotive models are controlled via the Pilot ONE 5.7″ colour touchscreen, which provides adaptive, self-optimising temperature control and supports the most common industrial communication standards—including Profibus, Modbus TCP, Ethernet, OPC-UA, RS232, and USB—for seamless integration into automated test benches.

Unistat Thermodynamic Technology — Speed and Precision for Automotive Testing

• Rapid Thermal Response: The Unistat technology at the core of the Unimotive 08w enables extremely short heating and cooling times, transferring the target temperature to the test specimen quickly and with high precision. This is critical in automotive test environments where reducing the duration of each thermal cycle directly increases test throughput—for example, a battery life-cycle test that must run hundreds of charge/discharge cycles at different temperatures.
• ±0.01°C Stability for Repeatable Results: The self-optimising adaptive control algorithm continuously adjusts heating and cooling output to maintain the temperature at the setpoint with a stability of ±0.01 °C. This level of stability ensures that test results are reproducible across different test runs, different test benches, and different facilities—a fundamental requirement for automotive validation testing where test data must withstand regulatory and customer audit scrutiny.
• Water-Glycol Operation — No Thermal Oil Required: The Unimotive 08w is designed for direct operation with water-ethylene glycol mixtures that include corrosion protection (e.g., Glysantin®). For high-temperature applications up to +150 °C, the Unimotive XT models add a fully integrated variable pressure superimposition system without requiring external nitrogen gas tanks or other additional infrastructure.

Integrated Pump and Fluid Management System

• 145 L/min Magnetic Drive Pump: The standard magnetically coupled, speed-controlled pump delivers a maximum flow rate of 145 L/min at up to 5.4 bar pressure. This high flow rate ensures effective heat transfer between the temperature control unit and the test specimen, minimising the thermal gradient across the test setup. The magnetic coupling eliminates shaft seal wear and leakage, reducing maintenance requirements over the lifetime of the unit.
• 14.8 Litre Filling Volume: The internal filling volume of 14.8 litres provides sufficient thermal buffer capacity for stable temperature control while minimising the total volume of glycol mixture required, reducing fluid costs and simplifying fluid changes when switching between different test fluids.
• Optional Flow Control Cube (FCC): The separately available FCC unit enables precise measurement and control of flow rate and pressure in the temperature control circuit. It is integrated between the Unimotive system and the test specimen, transmitting measured values directly to the Unimotive controller for closed-loop flow regulation. For larger test setups requiring multiple parallel flow circuits, the system can be expanded with additional Multi-Flow Control Cubes.
• Optional Automated Drain & Refill (ADR) System: The ADR system allows the connected application to be drained with compressed air and refilled using quick couplings. The drained thermal fluid is returned to the Unimotive unit and can be reused, saving both time and glycol costs when applications must be changed frequently in a production test environment.

Pilot ONE Touchscreen Controller and Industrial Communication

• 5.7″ Colour Touchscreen with Intuitive Navigation: All important operating parameters and temperature values are displayed on the Pilot ONE touchscreen. The graphical user interface includes a favourites menu, one-touch operation, and a graphical display of real-time temperature changes. An integrated programmer allows creation of individual temperature profiles for cyclic temperature tests directly on the controller without external software.
• Multi-Protocol Communication for Automated Test Benches: The Pilot ONE controller supports Profibus, Modbus TCP, Ethernet, and OPC-UA as standard, enabling direct connection to automated test systems (ATS), laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and centralised process control systems. The controller also provides 2× USB (Host and Device), Ethernet, and RS232 interfaces for local data logging, firmware updates, and service diagnostics. E‑grade "Professional" is included as standard, providing the full suite of programming and communication features.
• Remote Control and Setpoint Specification: Temperature setpoints, program profiles, and operating mode selections can be specified remotely via any of the supported communication protocols. This allows the Unimotive 08w to be fully integrated into an automated test sequence where a central test executive software controls the temperature profile in synchronisation with other test equipment—such as battery cyclers, vibration shakers, or environmental chambers—without operator intervention.

Applications

• Automotive battery testing: thermal cycling, performance characterisation, and life-cycle testing of Li-ion battery modules and packs for electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications
• Material and component testing: temperature-dependent stress and load tests on automotive parts (engine components, plastic interior parts, electronic control units) as part of quality control and new model validation
• Environmental simulation and corrosion testing: combined temperature and humidity control when the Unimotive unit is integrated with a climatic chamber, enabling simultaneous ambient and specimen temperature control
• Paint, fuel, and additive testing: reliable temperature control for test series and quality checks on automotive fluids and coatings
• Any automotive test application where rapid temperature changes, high control accuracy, and seamless integration into automated test systems are required