Virtual durability test rigs for automotive engineering

In recent years so-called ‘virtual test rigs’ have become more and more important in the development process of cars and trucks. Originally, the idea was to substitute expensive durability tests with computer simulation. Meanwhile, the focus has changed towards a more cooperative usage of numerical and laboratory rig simulation. For many safety critical issues laboratory tests remain indispensable. In early development stages, when no physical prototypes are available yet, numerical simulation is used to analyse and optimise the design. In this paper, we show how to build numerical simulation models of complex servo-hydraulic test systems and their test specimen using multi-body simulation for the mechanics in combination with simulation models for the hydraulics and controls. We illustrate this at two industrial application examples: a spindle-coupled passenger car suspension rig and a tyre-coupled full vehicle rig. We show how the simulation models are used to design and optimise better test rigs and to support the test rig operation by preparing the physical tests with new specimen, i.e. by performing numerical simulations including numerical drive file iteration before the physical tests start.     

Development of evolutionary cone type LSD for SUV/RV utilizing the axiomatic approach and the ultrasonic nano crystal surface modification technology

Surface topology, cone angle and the forces acting on the cone of the clutch type limited slip differential (LSD) are major design parameters for the bias ratio and the noise condition. Therefore much research has been dedicated to these developments but the results have been used to submit patents. A new cone type limited slip differential for sport utility vehicles and recreational vehicles, which has a very simple structure and easy compliance with the vehicle performance, has been developed by the axiomatic approach and the ultrasonic nano crystal surface modification (UNSM) technology. The design criteria and optimal value of the design parameters are determined by the axiomatic approach utilizing CAE tools. Test methodologies in a test rig and in a vehicle were also developed. Test results showed good performance of bias ratio and noise level but durability is still under testing. This study is an extension of F2006P266, FISITA 2006.     

侧撞和翻车车身被动安全性试验台的研制

为了提高和发展汽车安全性的研究水平和能力研制了车身结构件安全性试验台.该试验台能够按照美国汽车安全法规和即将实施的国家汽车安全法规进行相关的车身结构测试.试验台具有4个几何参数可调性,因此结构紧凑,测量精度高.试验台不仅能够测试汽车车身的强度、刚度以及抗撞性能,还可用于相当广泛的其他零部件的试验.试验台不但能测试侧门强度,实时计算并显示平均力、最大力和被测汽车所吸收的能量,而且采用图像测量法精确测量车身刚度,以评价汽车安全性,为研发提供可靠详细的依据.     

扭转梁式后桥A0级车整车动力学性能的开发及验证

以扭转梁式后桥A0级车整车操稳性能开发为例,描述整车动力学性能正向开发及验证过程。设计阶段通过竞争车型主观评价及客观测试完成主、客观指标目标的确定,采用虚拟样机技术实现整车性能指标到系统及零部件性能客观指标的分解;验证阶段通过不同阶段悬架系统至整车级的虚拟分析优化及试验验证,实现设定的整车动力学操稳性能目标。虚拟样机技术及试验验证相结合有效地应用于扭转梁式A0级车整车动力学操稳性能的正向开发过程。     

Design of an Active Wheelset on a Scaled Roller Rig

The article describes the application of a 1:5-scaled roller rig with a two-axled experimental vehicle to the design of a torque-controlled railway wheelset. Particular attention is drawn to the scaling problem and the dynamic similarity laws behind it and in addition to the chosen scaling strategy. For the controller design of the active wheelset the experiments with the scaled vehicle were combined with multibody computer simulations. The complete mechatronic system has therefore been modelled using the SIMPACK-MATLAB/Simulink interface. The steering behaviour, typical for this particular active wheelset, is demonstrated by results from roller rig experiments.     

A railway vehicle multibody model for real-time applications

Hardware in the loop (HIL) techniques are widely used for fast prototyping of control systems, electronic and mechatronic devices. In the railway field, several mechatronic on board subsystems are often tested and calibrated following the HIL approach. The accuracy of HIL tests depends on how the simulated virtual environment approximates the physical conditions. As the computational power available on real-time hardware grows, the demand for more complex and realistic models of railway vehicles for real-time application increases. In past research activities, the authors worked on the implementation of simplified real-time models for several applications and in particular for an HIL test rig devoted to the type approval of wheel slide protection systems. The activity has then been focused on the development of a three-dimensional model of the dynamics of a railway vehicle for more complex applications. The paper summarises the features and the results of the study.     

A numerical model of a HIL scaled roller rig for simulation of wheel–rail degraded adhesion condition

Scaled roller rigs used for railway applications play a fundamental role in the development of new technologies and new devices, combining the hardware in the loop (HIL) benefits with the reduction of the economic investments. The main problem of the scaled roller rig with respect to the full scale ones is the improved complexity due to the scaling factors. For this reason, before building the test rig, the development of a software model of the HIL system can be useful to analyse the system behaviour in different operative conditions. One has to consider the multi-body behaviour of the scaled roller rig, the controller and the model of the virtual vehicle, whose dynamics has to be reproduced on the rig. The main purpose of this work is the development of a complete model that satisfies the previous requirements and in particular the performance analysis of the controller and of the dynamical behaviour of the scaled roller rig when some disturbances are simulated with low adhesion conditions. Since the scaled roller rig will be used to simulate degraded adhesion conditions, accurate and realistic wheel–roller contact model also has to be included in the model. The contact model consists of two parts: the contact point detection and the adhesion model. The first part is based on a numerical method described in some previous studies for the wheel–rail case and modified to simulate the three-dimensional contact between revolute surfaces (wheel–roller). The second part consists in the evaluation of the contact forces by means of the Hertz theory for the normal problem and the Kalker theory for the tangential problem. Some numerical tests were performed, in particular low adhesion conditions were simulated, and bogie hunting and dynamical imbalance of the wheelsets were introduced. The tests were devoted to verify the robustness of control system with respect to some of the more frequent disturbances that may influence the roller rig dynamics. In particular we verified that the wheelset imbalance could significantly influence system performance, and to reduce the effect of this disturbance a multistate filter was designed.     

On the performance of rheological shock absorber models in full vehicle simulation

A comparative study of the performance of three rheological automotive shock absorber models as well as of an extended force-velocity relation in full vehicle simulation is performed. Simulation results for both the shock absorber test rig and a full vehicle crossing a single obstacle are compared with measured data. While the gain of accuracy by the extended force-velocity relation is marginal, the rheological models in general yield a noticeable improvement, which, however, in full vehicle simulation is less significant than in test rig simulation. Among the rheological models studied here, the one consisting of a nonlinear spring-dashpot element with an element modelling friction by a continuous transition from the compression to the extension range in parallel and a quadratic approximation of the static gas force exhibits the best global performance.     

On the performance of rheological shock absorber models in full vehicle simulation

A comparative study of the performance of three rheological automotive shock absorber models as well as of an extended force–velocity relation in full vehicle simulation is performed. Simulation results for both the shock absorber test rig and a full vehicle crossing a single obstacle are compared with measured data. While the gain of accuracy by the extended force–velocity relation is marginal, the rheological models in general yield a noticeable improvement, which, however, in full vehicle simulation is less significant than in test rig simulation. Among the rheological models studied here, the one consisting of a nonlinear spring–dashpot element with an element modelling friction by a continuous transition from the compression to the extension range in parallel and a quadratic approximation of the static gas force exhibits the best global performance.     

Damper Models for Heavy Vehicle Ride Dynamics

A laboratory rig for testing hydraulic dampers using the 'hardware-in-the-loop' method is described, and the accuracy of the test method is investigated. A mathematical model of a hydraulic shock absorber is then developed. The model is suitable for vehicle simulations and has seven parameters which can be determined by simple dynamic measurements on a test damper. The shock absorber model is validated under realistic operating conditions using the test rig, and the relative importance of various features of the model on the accuracy of vehicle simulations is investigated.     

声传递向量法在汽车驱动桥声辐射中的应用

为了分析和控制汽车动力传动系统的辐射噪声,应用声传递向量法对动力传动系统进行结构声辐射仿真研究.以汽车驱动桥为例,运用声传递向量仿真算法,计算得到驱动桥壳体表面辐射声压级、外场域点声压级等声学响应,并且在研制的汽车驱动桥性能试验台上进行试验.结果表明:仿真结果与试验结果吻合良好,声传递向量法在进行汽车动力传动系统声振分析时具有很高的可信度和良好的识别能力,是汽车产品设计过程中适用于结构声振分析的可靠仿真方法.     

基于模态应力恢复的汽车零部件虚拟疲劳试验方法

基于有限元模态分析、柔性多体动力学求解和疲劳寿命预测的相关理论,通过模态应力恢复得到了汽车零部件疲劳载荷历程,并将其应用于虚拟疲劳试验,解决了汽车设计过程中无法快速、准确预知零部件疲劳寿命的难题。该试验方法应用于某车双横臂独立前悬中的下横臂,在较短的时间内获得了该零件的预测疲劳寿命、寿命安全系数及危险部位等信息。结果表明该虚拟疲劳试验方法可作为汽车设计过程中的有效试验手段。     

Damper Models for Heavy Vehicle Ride Dynamics

SUMMARY

A laboratory rig for testing hydraulic dampers using the ‘hardware-in-the-loop’ method is described, and the accuracy of the test method is investigated. A mathematical model of a hydraulic shock absorber is then developed. The model is suitable for vehicle simulations and has seven parameters which can be determined by simple dynamic measurements on a test damper. The shock absorber model is validated under realistic operating conditions using the test rig, and the relative importance of various features of the model on the accuracy of vehicle simulations is investigated.     

汽车部件虚拟装配技术的研究

分析阐述了虚拟装配技术的原理和一般过程,给出了虚拟装配的具体设计流程;以汽车轮毂为例进行虚拟装配设计,并对结果进行相应的装配检验,成功地在虚拟环境下完成了对产品的装配设计.     

变压差气道稳流试验台的应用

气道性能(涡流强度、流量系数)对发动机的动力性、经济性和排放有重要影响。气道稳流试验台是目前最常用的综合评价进气道流动特性的实验装置,根据测量方法的区别可分为变压差和定压差。其中变压差试验方法相对于传统的定压差试验,具有快捷、高效的特点,减少气道稳流试验中的调整气道压差为恒值的操作程序。本文基于TUST-101气道稳流试验台的实际应用,对比了2种试验方法的差异,并根据实际应用对试验台进行部分改进以提高精度。     

新型剖分变径链式CVT虚拟样机

传统的无级变速器存在金属带式CVT直母线偏移的问题,而新型剖分变径链式CVT突破了传统的CVT结构方式。文章分析了新型剖分变径链式CVT的传动原理,在用CATIA建立的主传动部分三维模型的基础上,通过转换软件MSC.Simdesigner把其导入到ADAMS中,建立虚拟样机,进行动力学仿真分析,研究其传动特性,验证了该CVT传动方案的可行性。表明提出的剖分变径链式CVT设计方案,可以传递更大的转矩,消除了金属带式CVT直母线偏移的问题,为其物理样机的研制奠定了一定的理论基础。     

车用催化剂劣化因素的试验研究

阐述了车用催化剂劣化的因素 ;采用发动机台架试验评比的方法 ,对发动机台架快速老化催化剂与装车使用后的催化剂进行了性能评价试验 ;通过理论和试验研究 ,对上述两种催化剂失活的原因作了分析。     

麦佛逊悬架总成参数对整车操控性能的影响分析

基于悬架K&C特性试验数据、整车操纵稳定性道路试验客观评价数据库资源、车轮和悬架几何定位参数测试数据及CARSIM参数化仿真技术,针对麦佛逊式前悬架的设计开发,运用试验统计学中的DOE方法分别在时域和频域内进行整车操控性客观仿真试验,并对虚拟试验结果进行参数敏感性分析,得到了麦佛逊式前悬架影响整车性能的关键总成参数及其...