Software for Suspension Design 1

[GregLocock]

Real suspension design packages are too expensive for normal people to buy.

At work I use ADAMS, and dread to think what the license rates are. More usefully you might consider Working Model 3D, but that is still pretty expensive, at around $10k. It has the advantage that it is Windows based, and is quite easy to use. It took a friend of mine 2 days (with a few hints from me) to put a full vehicle model together that would drive over a bump correctly, doing the same thing from scratch in ADAMS would take weeks, particularly for a new user.

Still, 10k is a lot of dosh, so you might want to look at

http://askoh.com/freecad/

I've tried it, it does work. It doesn't seem to have all the non-linear spring types (splines) that make ADAMS such a powerful program, but you should be able to model one wheel as it goes through its full articulation quite easily.





Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[PVI]

have a look at

http://www.solid-dynamics.com

!

this is a fast and easy to use software !

Phil

 

try solid dynamics stuff : VERY EASY to use

http://www.solid-dynamics.com

 

[GregLocock]

Just in case anybody else tries to download the demo - it would appear that you need a functional copy of Solidworks to use the demo. It looks nice.

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[ProEpro]

http://www.mitchellsoftware.com/

This is the home of Wm. C. Mitchell's RACING BY THE NUMBERS. I used an older version of this software to design my Formula SAE car's suspension. It was a geometery only package then. The curent cost is $1895. It only does suspensions but it does them well. It is used by several winning professional teams. The math behind it is well proven. It is very easy to use. Just change the values in a table for the type (A arm, strut...) of suspension you have.

I strongly recamend it. ProEpro

http://www.whitelightdesign.com

 

[PVI]

Greg

No need to get a functional copy of Solidworks... a standalone version does exist...

 

[GregLocock]

Oh well, if they are trying to sell copies of it they'd better make the installation less obtuse, I gave up. Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[c2s]

I've been looking for an add-in to AutoCad to accomplish basic Kinematics. To date, I've not had much luck. Does anyone know of such?
Kevin

 

[apropos]

Hi Greg

By chance have you visited the following web site?

http://www.gmecca.com/byorc/designsoftwarecontent.html

I was looking for suspension modeling software and found them on Google.

Down loaded Susprog3D Demo over the weekend and hope to see how it works later this week. Are you familiar with this product?

 

[GregLocock]

No, but it looks sensible. Does it handle compliant bushes, rather than rose joints? Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[GregLocock]

I've just had a look at Susprog3d. It uses ball joints rather than compliant bushes for the mounting points, so it is not suitable for some suspensions. It also only works for certain suspension types - this is good, as it means that you don't have to decide how to measure toe and so on, as the designer has already worked that out.

The help system is very good indeed, puts the one in ADAMS to shame! I spent more time reading the help than playing with the program to be honest, it was that informative.

I haven't run a full analysis yet, I'm in the middle of a very long run doing something else, which is taking 10 minutes to solve 1 microsecond.

Incidentally the models included for the VT and AU are of V8 supercars, ie using the Falcon based rear suspension, not the road car's suspension.

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[mrfox]

Theres a demo disc with mitchell included in "race car engineering and mechanics" by Paul Van Valkenburg. the demo is pretty good, lets you mess around with pretty much everything, only catch is that you can't save the files properly (but there is a way to do it). for a starving student (me) who just likes to mess around with this stuff, thats good n'uff.

book is a good read too.

 

[GregLocock]

And of course there is the classic "Racing by the Numbers"

I have used it a long time ago (on an XT!), the latest version looks very useful

http://www.mitchellsoftware.com/prod01.htm

So far as I can tell it assumes that your suspension is a true mechanism, that is it doesn't understand bush rates at the pivots.
Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[HDS]

Greg
Mitchell's software is purely kinematic and does not consider deflections of any members or bushings. In the manuals he describes the models he used in detail. The manuals are actuly a usefull resource for learnign about suspension systems.