New US$10 million facility to support engine testing work for Caterpillar

Automotive Robotics Proving Labs Inc. and Purdue University officials announced that they plan to build a 50,000-square-foot engine test facility in the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A. Groundbreaking for the US$10 million facility, which will be built on a 5-acre site in the Purdue Research Park, north of Kalberer Road is scheduled in mid-2013. The complex will house several test cells and prototype build areas. Testing and analysis of existing and new engine designs for Caterpillar Inc. will be carried out in the complex, which is now being done at the company’s facility in Lafayette, Indiana. The new facility will be owned and managed by Automotive Robotics Proving Labs, which specializes in engineering services and in the testing of natural gas and diesel engines. The company is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. “We are excited about expanding our relationship with Caterpillar on this important project, and to develop a significant presence in the State of Indiana,” said Ravi Gudapati, president of Automotive Robotics Proving Labs. “This new facility supports Caterpillar by performing state-of-the-art testing on engines that meet tough new emission and fuel economy requirements.” (April 11, 2012)