Duisburg-Essen university: Chair of mechatronics
"Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Let me do and I understand (Confucius)."
At the chair of mechatronics at Duisburg - Essen's university, the students learn the field of vehicle dynamics in an interactive way with the aid of the simulation software, CarMaker. Parallel to the lectures in vehicle technology and vehicle dynamics, the students carry out their own virtual vehicle tests with CarMaker during the computer-based exercises. This process enables them to learn and understand the dynamic behavior of vehicles step by step. Furthermore seminar papers and diploma thesis' deal with interesting research projects executed with CarMaker.
In order to judge a vehicle's dynamics as globally as possible, vehicle dynamics simulations are done on a computer during the vehicle development time as well as test drives at the proving ground. These virtual test drives have the advantage that they generate repeatable results, which are free from outside influences. Thus the results of the virtual test drives can be shown explicitly in relation to the different vehicle parameters. Basic vehicle dynamics contexts as well as complex ones can therefore be systematically analyzed.
This characteristic makes vehicle dynamics simulation interesting not only for industry's vehicle development, but also for research and teaching at universities. The chair of mechatronics of Duisburg - Essen's university uses the vehicle dynamics software CarMaker to deal with different research projects and to convey more clearly the field of vehicle dynamics to the prospective engineers.
During the lectures on vehicle technology and vehicle dynamics, the Chair provides computer exercises, which enable the students to learn vehicle dynamics in an interactive way with CarMaker. The intuitive usability allows easy access to CarMaker, so the students are able to arrange different driving tests after only a short introduction. During and after the simulation, they observe the virtual test drives on the 3D-animation of CarMaker and analyze selected simulation variables. At the beginning, the intention of these exercises is to deepen the understanding of the students for the elementary vehicle dynamics concepts, like pitching, yawing, rolling or the sideslip angle. They learn step by step to judge the dynamic attributes of vehicles with regard to driving stability, comfort and safety. Students can integrate their own vehicle models within CarMaker using the C-interface, whose abstraction degree range from linear and non-linear single-track models to double-track models to complex multi body systems within the simulation environment. The performance is analyzed and evaluated on the basis of standard test maneuvers like steady-state turn, ISO lane change or ramp steer input. They also integrate vehicle safety systems like ABS, ASR and ESP, which are studied by the students within the scope of their seminar papers and diploma theses, in CarMaker.
Altogether you can say that the combination of lecture and computer exercises is a good combination of theoretical knowledge transfer and practical application. Thus the students get a deep comprehension of the importance of vehicle dynamics and learn about modern work and evaluation methods and how they are operated in professional vehicle development.
Besides the implementation in teaching, CarMaker is also used as a tool for different research projects. A current project at the Chair of mechatronics at Duisburg analyzes in cooperation with Matthias Holle, race driver and racing cars expert, the vehicle dynamics of a Honda S2000 tuned for race tracks. Driving maneuvers are simulated on a virtual proving ground with CarMaker and matched with measured data to bring down - in a further step - the vehicle's lap times in simulation using vehicle dynamics optimization.
In the scope of this work, the Honda S2000 was first represented with CarMaker true to the original. The race car was measured and the chassis kinematics modeled with IPG-KINEMATICS. Then the motor data of the Honda S2000 was also integrated in CarMaker and a virtual track of the Nurburg Ring was created using GPS-data in conjunction with IPG-ROAD. In order to compare the driving behavior of the virtual Honda S2000 with the real vehicle, test rides were taken at the Nurburg Ring. Therefore, the Honda S2000 was arranged with different sensors, which delivers the measured data for the subsequent vehicle dynamics analysis. The comparison of the roll steer gradient from the measured data and the simulation matched well. Consequently various vehicle parameters can be used and tested with CarMaker to optimize the performance of the Honda S2000.
The academic background of this project is to find out typical parameters, which describe the vehicle dynamics directly by the ordinary use of the vehicle without having to take common and complex tests, like steady state run. In this context, methods are researched that allow you to identify vehicle dynamics parameters by comparing and matching measured data from common drives with simulated test drives.
