CAD pre- and post-processors for multibody vehicle dynamics models.

摘要

Multibody dynamics (MBD) software is growing in use for vehicle design as it becomes accessible to design engineers. These programs provide valuable predictions of vehicle behaviour and can significantly reduce the time required to analyze various design concepts. To simplify their use and provide graphics support, many MBD developers have suggested linking the multibody codes to CAD software packages.; This thesis illustrates the development of a graphical user interface for the A'GEM multibody vehicle dynamics software developed at Queen's University. The goal has been to integrate the graphical drawing tools and database of a CAD program with the input and output files of the A'GEM software. The CAD program is customized to act as a graphical pre-processor for A'GEM, and it links to animation software that provides post-processing graphics. The user is able to draw the vehicle model with the CAD program and interpret the simulation results using animation. The animation of kinematic motions and dynamic mode shapes provides insight into vehicle behaviour, while the graphical display provides a visual check on the model's geometry. Graphical modelling with the CAD processors is completely described, and then validated with vehicle models including an off-road truck and a forced steering rail vehicle.