Abstract
KEYWORDS
- virtual prototyping, digital mock-up, guiding system, dynamics.
ABSTRACT
- In the last years, on the basis of advanced design prototyping software, automotive engineers have the possibility to build models of not just subsystems but entire vehicles, and then to simulate their behavior and optimize the design before building an expensive physical prototype. Functional Virtual Prototyping (FVP) is software based engineering process that enables modeling mechanical system, simulating its motion under real operating conditions and, finally, optimizing the form, fit, function, and manufacturing characteristics in a fraction of the cost of traditional hardware prototype processes. In addition to FVP, which investigates product function and operating performance, Digital Mock-Up (DMU) is to quickly assess form and fit of entire assemblies of three-dimensional solid models comprising a product. This paper presents a lot of aspects regarding the modeling and analysis of the guiding system (suspension & steering) of the motor vehicles using DMU and FVP, as follows: the components of the virtual prototyping platform, and the connections between them in a prototyping scheme; the virtual prototyping phases (build - modeling parts, constrain the parts, create forces acting on the parts; test - measure characteristics, perform simulation, review animation, review numeric results as plots; validate - import, superimpose test data on plots; refine - add friction, define flexible bodies, implement force functions, define controls; optimize - perform design sensitivity, design of experiments, and optimization studies). At the same time, using the „multibody system” analysis and simulation software ADAMS/Car, the virtual prototype of a passenger car is developed. The prototype is analyzed in dynamic regime, having in view to evaluate the vehicle’s behavior. Virtual measurements are made in different points / areas of the vehicle, and for a series of parameters (displacements, accelerations, forces). In this way, we can quickly exploring multiple design variations, testing and refining until optimizing guiding system, without going through expensive physical prototype building and testing.