Challenge
Developing a more effective and precise method to model the intricate configurations and multibody dynamics of leaf spring suspensions proved to be quite a task. Traditional approaches were overly complicated, demanding significant resources, and made it nearly impossible to efficiently create customized suspension models for various vehicle programs.
Solution
General Motors collaborated with the Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA team to develop a multibody dynamics modeling tool using the SIMULIA Simpack solution. This tool aimed to streamline the process of simulating leaf spring suspensions, making it more efficient and accurate.
Results
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- Simpack's robust solver delivers fast and accurate simulation outcomes
- Boosts confidence in supporting future automotive innovations
Old ideas often remain relevant, but applying them to modern designs isn't always straightforward. Consider the leaf spring, a centuries-old suspension technology that remains popular today. Dating back to 17th-century France, this suspension system is still widely used due to its affordability and effectiveness.
"Leaf springs are a very old technology, but they're incredibly cost-effective and offer excellent suspension performance," said Ameya Apte, a vehicle dynamics and load simulation engineer at General Motors (GM).
Leaf springs are essentially long, flat steel strips curved into an arc and stacked together in a pack. Additional packs may include different shapes and numbers of leaves, offering countless configuration possibilities.
"Different leaf spring configurations provide varying suspension rates for a vehicle," Apte explained. "A smaller vehicle would require a smaller leaf pack with fewer leaves, whereas a larger vehicle would generally need a larger leaf pack with more leaves. The primary factor affecting leaf design is the load carried by the rear axle, which determines the desired ride and handling characteristics."
Simulation plays a crucial role in analyzing the interactions between the leaves within each spring.
"If you're examining the internal stresses within a leaf, it's virtually impossible to do so through testing alone, but you can achieve this through simulation," Apte noted. "Similarly, measuring the force between two leaves would require a load transducer, but this can also alter the model itself."
However, from a simulation modeling perspective, incorporating those multibody dynamics was a complex and resource-intensive endeavor. As a result, creating tailor-made leaf springs for each vehicle program was time-consuming, prone to errors, and difficult to standardize as a process.
"Leaf springs have been around for hundreds of years, so people might think it's a simple technology to model, but the opposite is true," Apte said. "One challenge with leaf springs is that the leaves articulate with the suspension, necessitating the modeling of friction between them. Additionally, the bushings connecting the chassis to the leaf springs have frequency-dependent properties that must also be modeled."
Automakers typically use finite element analysis solutions to model and simulate the complex geometries, materials, and physics involved in vehicle design. However, for GM's leaf springs, Apte sought a multibody dynamics tool that would facilitate the more efficient modeling of these complex systems. He and his team utilized SIMULIA technology to develop the tool they required.
"The tool we created enables us to produce leaf springs that are both standardized and tailored for specific applications," Apte stated. "Users simply input the parameters they desire for the spring—such as the number of leaves in a pack, their distribution across the primary, secondary, and auxiliary packs, their shapes, tapering, and so on. With this information, the tool generates a model that can predict vehicle dynamics performance and loads."
Two key factors contributed to the tool's success. One was the extensive support provided by SIMULIA's technical, backend, and R&D teams. The other was SIMULIA Simpack—a technology for developing and simulating high-fidelity multibody systems.
Apte was particularly impressed with Simpack's solver, which far surpassed other tools he had worked with.
"With Simpack, you practically don't need to adjust solver parameters to get a model to run," Apte remarked. "You might tweak parameters to optimize runtime or improve fidelity in certain parts of the simulation, but generally, you don't need to do this to run a model. That robust solver is invaluable because it allows us to examine the results, understand the underlying physics, and then send the model to our design engineers."
In addition to enabling more efficient leaf spring simulation, the tool also provides accurate results, allowing Apte and his team to simulate with confidence. "If a simulation for leaf springs takes a day to complete with FEA tools, with Simpack it can be done within an hour," Apte said.
Looking forward, Apte believes the solver in this tool will endure, even as the industry evolves and new technologies emerge.
"I think the physics solvers we have now will be enhanced, rather than replaced, by disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain," Apte stated. "The time it takes to bring a new vehicle to market has decreased significantly over the decades, and we see potential to reduce it further with new tools. In the long term, mastering these new tools and envisioning how to combine them to create optimal applications will be a major part of our work."
Curious about the latest advancements in simulation? Seeking advice and best practices? Want to discuss simulation with fellow users and Dassault Systèmes experts? The SIMULIA Community is the place to find the latest resources for SIMULIA software and to connect with other users. The key to unlocking innovative thinking and knowledge-building, the SIMULIA Community provides you with the tools you need to expand your expertise, anytime and anywhere.
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