Mechanical Simulation is committed to making vehicle simulation available to users who need to "get the job done" without spending weeks of training to learn to use difficult software. We have designed the software for ease of use for the actual engineers who are doing the job, eliminating the need for expensive consultants. BikeSim, CarSim, and TruckSim are known for being much easier to learn and use than vehicle simulation has ever been, even though the math models have all the detail needed to simulate tests over the full nonlinear range of conditions that can be covered with rigid-body multibody system models.
User Interface and Database
Your main connection to the software is through the a VehicleSim (VS) browser. Click a single button to make a simulated run, then click another button to see an animation or view engineering plots of results. While using the Quick Start Guide for your software package (CarSim, BikeSim, etc.), you will be making new runs and seeing their results in less than an hour.
All properties that you set or adjust are represented in the graphical interface. Over 150 graphic screens are organized for you to access properties of the vehicle, control inputs, road geometry, plot settings, and animation settings. The VS browser GUI minimizes the time needed to build a vehicle description and set up run conditions. The database comes with an extensive array of examples and allows you to set up libraries of components, vehicles, tests, etc. This allows you to rapidly go back and forth between different runs to compare results and make changes. You can easily overlay plots and animations to quickly identify the results of your changes.
The vehicle and its properties are defined by parameters and tables that are measurable and available from a variety of sources including tests or suspension design software. The VS browser sets the standard for minimizing the time needed to assemble a complete vehicle description with detailed math models.
Tables for Nonlinear Relationships
Many of the vehicle properties, controls, and road properties are described with nonlinear tables. Starting in 2007, you can select one of many possible calculation methods, depending on your needs. These range from a constant, to a linear coefficient, to linear interpolation, to a spline, to 2D carpet plots. (There are currently 11 calculation options.)
Tables can be generated and/or transformed with a built-in calculator, or sent to Excel with a button click for more advanced work.
Outputs
The math models generate simulated time histories of hundreds of output variables. They provide the motion information for animations, and can be inspected graphically using the built-in plotter. The outputs are also converted automatically for post-processing analysis in Excel, MATLAB, and other software, for the same treatment you might apply to real test data.
Output plots and animations can be easily inserted into reports and PowerPoint presentations.
Help and Documentation
The documentation for VehicleSim products is provided in PDF files that can be accessed on line, or printed to provide old-fashined hard-copies. The documentation is covered by about 50 documents that cover broad topics such as the operation of a VehicleSim math model solver program, to detailed technical descriptions of model features such as tires, steering systems, controllers, etc.
Information is available from several methods at all times.
* Right-click on most screen controls and fields for pop-up help.
* Type F1 or click the help button to bring up the document best matched to the current screen, with details of every control and parameter on the current screen.
* Use the Help menu to access reference material for every screen in the browser program, reference manuals for major components in the VehcleSim software (the browser, the solver programs, the animator, the plotter, etc.), and tech memos covering specific topics such as example applications.
Multiple Databases
A VehicleSim database can include datasets for many vehicles, controls, and test conditions. Further, you can have multiple databases on your computer to further organize your work.
