Building a Simple Suspension Model in MotionView

Welcome to the Multibody Dynamics for Automotive Applications using MotionView and MotionSolve blog series. In this blog, we will take a deep dive into the multibody dynamics simulation process of building a simple car suspension system using MotionView software. This exercise is the foundation for assembling a complete vehicle system model, covering key aspects like spring-damper modeling, defining constraints, and parameterizing symmetrical components.

Introduction to the Simple Car Model

In multibody dynamics for automotive applications, creating modular subsystems allows engineers to develop, test, and reuse components efficiently. This MotionView tutorial starts with a basic suspension system, which will later be integrated into a full vehicle dynamics simulation.

To begin, we import the base model in MotionView for automotive engineers. The model consists of:

• Three bodies: Ground, knuckle, and wheel-tire assembly.
• Two graphics: Representing the knuckle and wheel.
• Two joints: A revolute joint (wheel to knuckle) and a cylindrical joint (knuckle to body).
• Three motions: Simulating wheel rotation, steering motion, and static ride motion.
• Five hardpoints: Defined as pairs, ensuring symmetry between left and right components.

Adding a Spring-Damper System to the Suspension Model

To enhance our multibody dynamics automotive simulation, we add a spring-damper system between the knuckle and ground body.

Steps to Create a Spring-Damper Entity in MotionView

• Open the spring-damper panel:
• Right-click the Spring-Damper icon or navigate to Model > Add > Force Entity > Spring Damper.
• Select "Coil Spring" and enable "Pair":

This ensures both left and right suspension components are created simultaneously.

Specify Connectivity:

• Body 1: Ground Body.
• Body 2: Knuckle.
• Point 1: Knuckle top.
• Point 2: Knuckle center of mass.

Enable "Symmetric Properties":

Assigning properties to one side automatically updates the other.

Set Stiffness and Damping Values:

• Stiffness = 100 N/m
• Damping Ratio = 10 Ns/m

Modify Visualization Settings:

• Adjust spring coil radius for better visibility.

Once added, the spring-damper system plays a critical role in automotive engineering simulation, allowing engineers to analyze suspension behavior.

Animating and Validating the Model in HyperView

• To verify the model’s correctness, we simulate and animate the multibody dynamics analysis using HyperView.

Steps to Animate the Model

Run the simulation in MotionView.

• Load results in HyperView.

Enable force visualization:

• Go to Vector > Force and select X, Y, Z components.

Adjust display magnitude:

• Set scaling factor to 0.2 for better visualization.

The animation confirms correct spring-damper behavior, ensuring that forces act realistically on the suspension system.

Conclusion

This MotionSolve tutorial demonstrates the fundamentals of multibody dynamics modeling in automotive multibody simulation. The spring-damper system is a crucial element in vehicle dynamics software, allowing engineers to analyze ride performance and optimize design parameters.

In the next blog, we will convert this suspension system into a reusable subsystem and integrate it into a full vehicle model. 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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