Photos

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

By Boating Staff

Updated: March 27, 2014

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Take a tour of BRP’s 400,000-square-foot facility in Sturtevant, Wisconsin to see how technology is being used to build the best Evinrude outboards yet.

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

The precision honing process allows Evinrude outboards to run full speed out of the box with no break-in.

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Key benefits to precision honing:
No break-in period
Protection against lean running

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

BRP Evinrude Sturtevant facility tour June 5, 2013 Sturtevant WI. (Darren Hauck/ AP Images for Evinrude)

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Evinrude E-TEC motors are modular, and many platforms share key parts.

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

BRP Evinrude Sturtevant facility tour June 5, 2013 Sturtevant WI. (Darren Hauck/ AP Images for Evinrude)

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

The emmissions testing measures the component particles of engine exhaust with accuracy down to one part per billion.

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Key benefits to emissions testing:
Lower emissions
Alternative fuels research

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Harnessing computing power gives Evinrude the opportunity to work out simple solutions to complex problems prior to production.

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

BRP Evinrude Sturtevant facility tour June 5, 2013 Sturtevant WI. (Darren Hauck/ AP Images for Evinrude)

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

BRP Evinrude Sturtevant facility tour June 5, 2013 Sturtevant WI. (Darren Hauck/ AP Images for Evinrude)

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

Key benefits to computer analysis:
Preproduction problem solving
Increased performance

Building and Testing Evinrude Outboards

BRP Cold Cell
It can get cold in Wisconsin, but not cold enough to simulate the harshest conditions an outboard motor might see. Which is why one of the new engineering test cells at the BRP facility in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, is essentially a walk-in freezer with a tank in which to operate and test outboard motors. The temperature inside this cold cell can be dialed down to 30 degrees below zero F, even in July, to gauge the effect of severe cold on materials and electronic components as motors are run through computer-
controlled duty cycles. Good news for arctic anglers and duck hunters, I suppose.