Integrating Rear Suspension and Vehicle Body in MotionView

Welcome to the Multibody Dynamics for Automotive Applications using MotionView and MotionSolve blog series. In this blog, we will explore how to extend a front suspension system model into a complete vehicle system by adding the rear suspension and integrating it with the vehicle body. This is an essential step in multibody dynamics for automotive applications, as it allows for comprehensive vehicle dynamics analysis. 

By following this MotionView tutorial, you will learn how to: 

• Import a vehicle body system into the existing multibody dynamics simulation. 
• Establish attachments between the suspension system and vehicle body. 
• Parameterize key points using attachments. 
• Create a rear suspension system by duplicating the front suspension. 

Importing the Vehicle Body System 

To begin, we import the vehicle body into the parent system in MotionView. 

• Go to Model > Import/Export > Import. 
• Select the "vehicle body system" file from the Chapter 14 folder. 
• Click Import and OK to load the model. 
• Once imported, the vehicle body appears as a cuboidal box, containing: 

Hard points such as Vehicle Center Front and Vehicle Center Rear (stored as point pairs for symmetry). 

Attaching the Suspension to the Vehicle Body 

In multibody dynamics automotive simulations, attachments enable modular connectivity between different subsystems. Here’s how to define them: 

1. Creating an Attachment for the Wheel Center 

• Select "Suspension System" in the Project Browser. 
• Go to the Attachments Tab > Click Add. 
• Label it "V Center Point" and select Type: Point (Pair). 
• Set Variable Name: pcore_WC (point for wheel center). 
• Click OK to create the attachment. 

2. Resolving the Attachment 

After defining an attachment, we must resolve it by linking it to the vehicle body system: 

• Expand the Vehicle Body System > Expand Points. 
• Select "Wheel Center Front" > Click OK. 

Now, this wheel center point dynamically updates based on the vehicle body’s position. 

Parameterizing Suspension Hardpoints 

Rather than manually entering coordinates, we parameterize the wheel center location: 

• Expand "Simple Suspension" > Expand "Points" > Select "Wheel Center". 
• Go to the Left Tab (master side).
• For X-coordinate, click Function Builder > Attachments > Wheel Center Point > Left Point > X Value > Add > OK. 
• Repeat the process for Y and Z values. 

This ensures that the suspension adapts dynamically to vehicle modifications. 

Creating the Rear Suspension System 

To efficiently build a rear suspension system, we reuse the front suspension model: 

• Import the updated suspension system as "Simple Suspension Rear". 
• Rename the original to "Simple Suspension Front". 
• Resolve Attachments for Rear Suspension: 
• Change Wheel Center Attachment to Wheel Center Rear. 

This demonstrates the power of modular modeling in multibody dynamics software, allowing easy replication of components. 

Fixing the Vehicle Body and Running the Simulation 

To prevent uncontrolled movement, we add a fixed joint: 

• Right-click "Vehicle Body" > Add Constraint > Joint. 
• Set Type: Fixed Joint. 
• Define Body 1: Vehicle Body and Body 2: Ground Body. 
• Select Origin: Vehicle CG. 
• Run the Simulation and vrify results in HyperView. 

The animation confirms that the front and rear suspensions move as expected, completing our vehicle system modeling. 

Conclusion 

By integrating suspension systems with the vehicle body, we enable a realistic multibody dynamics analysis. This automotive simulation software approach allows engineers to modify parameters easily and reuse modular subsystems. 

In the next blog, we will enhance this model by creating parameterized datasets for tuning suspension stiffness and damping values dynamically. Stay tuned! 

This blog is part of our ongoing Multibody Dynamics blog series. If you missed the previous posts, check them out here.  

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