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Mechanical Simulation
Table of Contents
1. Introduction........................................................................ 3
2. Viewing TruckSim Results................................................ 4
Start TruckSim ................................................................................ 4
Go to the TruckSim Quick Start Dataset......................................... 5
The TruckSim Run Control (Home) Window Layout .................... 8
Visualize the Simulated Test........................................................... 9
View Plots ..................................................................................... 12
View Model Information .............................................................. 15
5. Managing Data................................................................. 43
Make a New Plot Dataset.............................................................. 43
Add a Plot to a Procedure Dataset................................................. 47
Copy Data from One Database to Another ................................... 48
Look at a Configurable Function .................................................. 55
View a Tractor-Trailer Combination Vehicle ............................... 58
Browse the Example Database...................................................... 60
NOTICE
This manual describes software that is furnished under a license agreement and may be used or
copied only in accordance with the terms of such agreement. BikeSim, CarSim, TruckSim,
VehSim, and VehicleSim are registered trademarks of Mechanical Simulation Corporation.
1996 2013, Mechanical Simulation Corporation.
Last updated June 2013
ii
1. Introduction
This guide will introduce you to TruckSim 8.2. It shows the basics for simulating tests, viewing
results, and making changes to the vehicle and test procedure.
No experience with using the software is assumed. If you have used versions of TruckSim older
than version 8.2, we recommend that you work through this guide we have introduced new
capabilities that improve workflow and make the software easier to use. Although the older
methods may still work, this guide will help you improve your simulation productivity.
If you are involved with teaching others to use TruckSim, then we strongly recommend that you
go through this guide. TruckSim 8.2 has new capabilities intended to support occasional users.
TruckSim must be installed on your computer. If you have not yet installed TruckSim, log
into your computer as an administrator, launch the installation program
Setup_TruckSim_8.2.exe, and follow the instructions.
2.
You must have a license key to run TruckSim, as described during the installation.
3.
Start TruckSim
1.
Chapter 2
For the purpose of this tutorial, use the View menu to make sure options are set to Show
Button Toolbar, Show Button Labels, and Show Sidebar (Figure 4).
Chapter 2
Use the View menu to set the window size to match common settings in Windows. Small
size is standard (text is sized at 100%); medium matches when text is set to 125%; large fills
your screen.
2.
3.
Look at the TruckSim window title. If it ends with the category and name {* * Quick Start
(Figure 3), then you are looking at the right dataset; please continue
Guide} Baseline
with step 4. Otherwise, use the Datasets menu (Figure 5) to show all of the datasets in this
library. Select the dataset * * Quick Start Guide Example -> Baseline. After you make this
selection, the screen should appear much like Figure 3.
Figure 5. Use the Datasets menu to find the Quick Start Guide Example.
Alert If you or someone else has been using the TruckSim database, there is a
small chance that the Quick Start Guide Baseline dataset does not exist.
In this unlikely case, follow the instructions in the first two sections in
the next chapter to make a database with this Baseline example (these are
sections Make a New Database and Run a Simulation, starting on page
17). Then return here to follow the steps for viewing simulation results.
4.
Chapter 2
Figure 6. Right-click and hold for information about a button or other control.
Note
5.
The right mouse button is used throughout TruckSim to obtain tool tips.
Right-click and hold on buttons, fields, and various control objects to
obtain short summaries of their functions.
Click the Help button. This launches the Adobe Reader program with a PDF documentation
file for the current screen (Figure 7).
Chapter 2
document
. Click on a topic such as Results (Post Processing)
jump to that section of the document.
to
After you have gone through this tutorial, you can return to the documentation for the Run
Control screen. For now, close the PDF window.
Review You have adjusted the appearance of the TruckSim window and gone
to a dataset that you will use in this tutorial. You have seen built-in
help available by right-clicking, typing F1, using the Help button, and
using the Help menu.
Chapter 2
The right column, titled Results (Post Processing), provides access to animation and plotting
tools you will start using in the next section to evaluate the simulation run.
Right-click on the Animate button on the TruckSim Run Control screen for the button tool
tip. Then click the Animate button. VS Visualizer (the animation tool in TruckSim) will
show an animation of the run (Figure 9).
3.
VS Visualizer combines the results of a simulated test with a simulated video camera. If the
animation is running, click the pause button to stop it
while you adjust the camera.
Click and hold mouse buttons in the animation display region and use simple sweeping
motions to move the simulated camera:
a. Sweep (left, right, up, down) while pressing the right mouse button to circle around
the vehicle.
Chapter 2
b. Sweep up and down while pressing both the left and right mouse buttons to move the
camera closer or further away from the vehicle. (If you have a middle mouse button,
you can press this to accomplish the same thing.)
c. Press the shift key while pressing the right mouse button in the viewing area; sweep
in any direction to drag the viewing area. This changes the aim of the camera. Once
you move the mouse, a view of the current axis directions appears with a box at the
center of the viewing area (Figure 10).
Figure 10. View of the axes origin and direction when shift-dragging.
d. Go to the Help menu and select the item Help with mouse/keyboard controls or
press the F1 key. This brings up a window showing all of the controls affecting the
camera (Figure 11).
Consider the time controls at the bottom of the screen (Figure 12).
a. Notice the slider at the bottom of the screen
. As the animation runs, the slider
moves from left to right. The current time (e.g., 1.916 s) is also shown .
10
Chapter 2
d. When the animator is paused, use the or keys to move the slider forward or
backward in the animation. Hold an arrow key down; the auto-repeat causes a slow motion effect.
5.
The playback speed is normally real-time. However, you can control the speed interactively
with additional time controls.
left and right to adjust the time scale (shown in
a. Move the time multiplier slider
). This ranges from fast-forward (far right) to fast-reverse (far left) to
the field
slow motion (middle of the scale). If your mouse has the middle scroll wheel, this
will also work.
b. Move the jog/shuttle slider
left and right to temporarily adjust the speed. When
you release the control, the animation goes back to current time scale setting .
c. Restore the speed to 1x (real time)
6.
VS Visualizer normally renders scenes with 3D objects whose shapes are defined by sets of
polygons. To see the polygon edges, left-click anywhere in the 3D view to make it active,
then type Ctrl+W repeatedly to cycle through several viewing modes (Figure 13). You can
also change the render modes using the View menu.
7.
Exit VS Visualizer by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner of the window or by
typing Alt+F4. You should once again be viewing the TruckSim Run Control screen (it
may have been hidden in the background).
Review You have now gone through the main interactive controls for using VS
Visualizer. The following sections assume you are comfortable
manipulating the view and working with VS Visualizer. For more
complete reference information, use the TruckSim Help menu and
select the VS Visualizer reference manual from the Reference
Manuals submenu.
11
Chapter 2
View Plots
Although VS Visualizer offers a quick way to see a simulated test, the plotter is the tool most
frequently used to study the vehicle behavior. The plotter in TruckSim is called WinEP
(Windows Engineering Plotter).
1.
From the same Run Control screen, click the Plot button. In a few seconds, the WinEP
window will appear showing plots for variables of interest for the double lane-change
procedure (Figure 14).
2.
If this is the first time the plotter has been run on this computer, make some optional
adjustments for better viewing.
3.
a.
Check to see if the toolbar is visible (Figure 15). If the toolbar is not visible, show it
using the View menu.
b.
If the plot window is small, enlarge by double-clicking the title bar or clicking the
zoom box in the upper-right corner of the window, then click a tile button
, or
select a Tile option from the Window menu. After you exit the plotter, it will open in
the new layout the next time.
Each individual sub-window can be moved or re-sized as desired. Zoom in on any of the plot
windows by double clicking in the title. For example, expand the first plot: Lateral Tracking
vs. Station (Figure 16).
12
Chapter 2
13
Chapter 2
Press the Page-Down key to cycle through the open plots; press the Page-Up key to cycle in
the other direction. Other options for controlling and navigating among the windows are
provided under the Window menu.
This example has nine plots; all are useful in evaluating the performance of the vehicle.
Look briefly at each. Later in this guide, you will see that hundreds of variables are
produced by the TruckSim math models and can be easily plotted.
4.
To view a portion of any plot in more detail, click and hold the left mouse button in the plot
area and drag to create a rectangle. When you release the button, the plot will be re-drawn to
show the region you selected.
5.
To restore the original scaling, type Ctrl+R (a shortcut for the Format menu item Redraw
.
Original Scale). Alternatively, click the toolbar button
6.
The plotter can show the numerical X and Y values for any point in any plot.
a. Type Ctrl+D (a shortcut for the Data menu item Show Data Points), or, click the
toolbar button
. A cross-hair cursor appears on the first point in the first plot in the
active window.
Note
The cross-hair cursor is initially at the left edge of the plot area (the X-Y
axis origin). Because it lines up with the vertical and horizontal axes, it is
hard to see until it has been moved.
The values of the X and Y variables are shown in the status bar (the strip at the
bottom of the window) .
The cursor position
is controlled by key presses, button clicks, or by selecting an
item from the Data menu (under the sub-menu Cursor Position Info). Although the
menu is functional, it is mainly used as a form of built-in documentation for
reminding you which keys can be used to control the cursor.
b. Move the cursor to the right using the key. Move it more quickly using the Shift
key and key together (Shift+). Move it even more quickly using Ctrl+Shift+.
To move to the left, use , Shift+, and Ctrl+Shift+. There are also buttons in
the toolbar for moving the cursor in several increments:
c. To move the cursor to a different pair of variables in the same plot (assuming the plot
has an overlay of two or more pairs of variables), hit the Tab key, or click the toolbar
.
button
d. Use the Home and End keys to jump to the beginning and end of the plot. Or, use the
toolbar buttons
and
.
e. Use the and keys to jump to the maximum and minimum values. Or, use the
toolbar buttons
and
.
14
Chapter 2
Figure 17. View button in the lower-right corner of the TruckSim Run Control screen.
1.
2.
Scroll through this Echo file in the editor. The contents of the Echo file are organized in
several sections, going from top to bottom:
a. The top of the file has System Parameters that exist in any TruckSim model such as
the time step, start time, stop time, etc. The format of the file is described in the
reference manual for VS Commands and the VS Solver Programs, accessed from the
Help menu. The parameters are listed in alphabetical order.
b. The next section has Model Parameters (dimensions, masses, coefficients, etc.).
15
Chapter 2
16
If TruckSim is still running, then select the File menu item New Database from a
Consolidated Parsfile (this is the second item from the top), and proceed to step 2.
If TruckSim is not running, start it by using the Start menu shortcut: Programs->TruckSim
8.2 ->TruckSim, or by double-clicking a TruckSim icon on your desktop, or by using the
Windows 8 start screen.
When TruckSim starts, it brings up the dialog box you saw before (in Chapter 2) to select a
database (Figure 19). This time, you will not use an existing database. Instead, click the
and proceed to step 2.
button to create a new database
Figure 19: Create a new database for use with this Quick Start Guide.
2.
A window will pop up describing the next steps to be taken to create a new database from
the consolidated parsfile. Read the message and click Continue. You will then be given the
Windows file browser to locate a consolidated parsfile (extension CPAR, Figure 20). Locate
the file for this quick start guide: TruckSim82_Quick_Start.cpar and click the
Load button to continue.
17
Chapter 3
Note
As noted in the Introduction, this file is located in the same folder that
has the TruckSim programs. See page 3 for tips on finding this file if you
dont know where it is.
The Windows file browser will be shown again, prompting you make an empty folder for a
new TruckSim database (Figure 21). To do this:
a. Navigate to a place on your hard drive for the new TruckSim database folder. This
must be a location where you have read/write permission.
b. Click the button Make New Folder
c. The new folder will be highlighted with a name such as New Folder. While it is
highlighted, you can type a new name. Give it a suitable name, such as
TruckSim_Data_QS
. Warning: at this point, be careful not to click the New
Folder button again, or press the Enter key with the New Folder button selected (you
dont want to create a second new folder!). Carefully click the OK button
to
continue.
18
Chapter 3
19
Chapter 3
Figure 23. TruckSim Run Control Screen when first created from the CPAR file.
Review You have just gone through the steps needed to create a clean database
with only the data needed for the instructions that follow in this Quick
Start Guide.
The steps you have just taken for creating a new database are useful for
creating a clean database when starting a major new project; it is not
necessary to repeat these steps for everyday use of TruckSim.
Run a Simulation
You should still be viewing the locked TruckSim Run Control screen for the single example
simulation in your new database (Figure 23).
1.
3.
Click the Run Math Model button to make your first run. A status bar appears to show the
progress of the run (Figure 25). The TruckSim math model runs significantly faster than real
time, so this will take just a few seconds.
20
Chapter 3
Figure 25. Progress bar that is displayed when the math model is running.
When the run is complete, the progress bar disappears (Figure 26). Now that there are
simulation results to view, the Animate
and Plot
buttons are active. (If these buttons
are still dimmed, click the refresh button .)
Figure 26. The Animate and Plot buttons are active after a run is made.
3.
Click the Animate button to confirm that the simulation operated as intended. Close VS
Visualizer when done.
Review You have just made your first simulation run in TruckSim from the
Run Control screen. You will make many more the fun is just
getting started!
A window will appear that prompts you to enter a title for the new dataset (Figure 27). Enter
a new name in the title field: My New Test
. Click the Duplicate button
to confirm
the action, using your new name.
21
Chapter 3
Figure 28. The new Run Control dataset (after the speed is set).
2.
Check the box to show more options . More controls will appear in the bottom part of the
screen, including another checkbox to override driver controls .
3.
4.
Use the drop-down control for choosing a method for controlling vehicle speed and select
the option Constant target speed
. A yellow field appears next to the control
. Enter
the value 110.
Note
The blue link to a procedure dataset has a title that implies the test speed
is 70 km/h
. Because the override controls appear in the dataset after
22
Chapter 3
the blue link, this speed will override the value specified in the linked
dataset. This section of the Run Control screen provides convenient
controls to temporarily modify a procedure without permanently
changing it.
5.
6.
Click the Run Math Model button. As before, a status bar shows the progress of the run.
7.
When the run is complete, the Animate and Plot buttons should become active. However, if
they remain dimmed, click the Refresh button
. Click the Animate button to view the
new simulated behavior with VS Visualizer. After viewing the results, close VS Visualizer.
8.
In the lower-right corner of the screen, right-click the checkbox Overlay animations and
plots with other runs
(Figure 29) to read the tool tip, and then check the box. When
checked, results of multiple runs can be overlaid; potential links appear for selecting runs to
overlay.
Figure 30. Screen appearance when set to overlay results with the baseline run.
10. Next to the Animate button, right-click the checkbox Set run color
(Figure 31). The
tool tip indicates the vehicle color can be set here; check the box to reveal a color button .
11. Press the color selector button
yellow .
23
Chapter 3
The new color affects the display in VS Visualizer. It does not affect
images in the TruckSim GUI; for example, the image shown at the
bottom of the screen (Figure 30) will not change. The image on the Run
Control screen matches an image associated with the vehicle dataset
contained elsewhere in the database that uses the default color of the 3D
object.
12. Click the Animate button to view both runs in VS Visualizer (Figure 33). After viewing the
results, close VS Visualizer.
24
Chapter 3
Figure 34. Use the Datasets menu to return to the Baseline dataset.
Review In this chapter you created a new database for running through the
instructions in this Quick Start Guide. You ran simulations with two
vehicle speeds and overlaid results in VS Visualizer.
The method used in this section of setting test conditions from the Run
Control screen is often used to make quick variations of existing test
procedures. Later on, you will go into the procedure part of the
database to modify the procedure so it can be applied automatically to
future runs.
25
Links for datasets are shown in TruckSim with hypertext labels with blue backgrounds.
a.
Hover the mouse over the blue link for the vehicle
underlined, as done on many web pages.
b.
Click on the underlined text to view the linked dataset in the TruckSim window. After
clicking on the vehicle link, you should see the Vehicle: Lead Unit with 2 Axles
dataset in the window (Figure 36). The vehicle used for the baseline run is named LCF
Van 5.5T/8.5T.
Note
The Quick Start database initially contains this single vehicle description.
It is possible to make many runs involving this vehicle. It is also possible
to modify the vehicle properties. However, this Vehicle dataset is already
shared with two existing simulation runs, so if the vehicle is modified
and the existing simulations are re-run, then different results will be
obtained because the vehicle would have been changed.
26
Chapter 4
Select the File menu item New Dataset Plus All Linked Datasets (Figure 37). You will be
prompted to specify a category for new datasets that are about to be created (Figure 38).
Enter Modification #1 as shown, and then click the New datasets button. A pop-up
window will appear while TruckSim is working; when the datasets are all copied another
pop-up window will report how many datasets were duplicated (Figure 39).
27
Chapter 4
The duplicated Vehicle Lead Unit with 2 Axles screen has the same notes, figure, and blue
links; however, there are changes in appearance (Figure 40):
28
Chapter 4
c. If you right-click on any of the blue links, the tool tip indicates that the category of the
linked dataset is Modification #1 .
Click on the blue link for the rear axle suspension kinematics
kinematical data (Figure 41).
The new suspension kinematics screen has the new category name Modification #1
Right click on the data fields showing the height of the wheel center above the origin of the
sprung mass coordinate system
to view information about this parameter. Change the
value from 530 to 300. This change means the wheels are lowered relative to the sprung
mass (i.e., closer to the origin of the sprung mass coordinate system). Or, from the point of
view of the wheels, the sprung mass will be lifted for this axle.
In the original dataset, the center of gravity (C.G) for the axle was in line with the spin axis.
For consistency, make the same change for the G.G. height
. That is, change the value to
300.
. Thats because youve modified the new
Notice that the Undo button is now active
kinematics dataset. Click the Undo button (or type the Windows shortcut: Ctrl+Z) and see
the changes revert. When there are no more changes to undo, the button is dimmed again.
Once youve clicked Undo, the Redo button becomes active . Click Redo to restore your
changes (or use the shortcut Ctrl+Y). After youve restored all changes by repeated clicking
of the Redo button, it will be dimmed again as shown in the figure.
6.
29
Chapter 4
on a blue hyperlink (e.g., to get from the Vehicle Lead Unit with 2 Axles screen to the
Suspension: Solid Axle Kinematics screen), you can return using the Back button.
Click the Back button one more time to return to the Run Control screen, where you will
once again be viewing the Run Control dataset named Modified Vehicle #1 that you
created in step 1 (shown again in Figure 42).
Figure 42. Choose the new vehicle for the Modified Vehicle simulation.
Note
7.
The Run Control dataset is still linked to the original vehicle. The New
Dataset Plus All Linked Datasets creates new datasets, but does not
modify any existing datasets. Links to the original dataset remain intact
until modified manually, as you will do in the next step.
Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to the blue link for the vehicle
. TruckSim shows a menu of all of the datasets in the linked library (the Vehicle
Assembly library). Choose the vehicle from the category Modification #1.
You have now changed the vehicle associated with this simulation setup from the original
baseline to the vehicle with the modified rear suspension kinematical properties.
8.
Click the Run Math Model button to run the simulation with the new vehicle.
10. Click the Animate button to view the results (Figure 43). Right-click and drag horizontally
to see the side view of the vehicle, and confirm that the changes made to the rear wheelcenter locations relative to the sprung mass took effect. Close VS Visualizer.
30
Chapter 4
Check the box Overlay animations and plots with other runs
(Figure 44).
Figure 44. Controls for overlaying simulation results from multiple runs.
b. Use the drop-down control
c. Click the Animate button to view the simulation results from the two tests. When
finished, close VS Visualizer.
d. Click the Plot button to view plots of some variables of interest. For example, look at
the plot of roll angle (Figure 45). As you might expect, raising the sprung mass results in
the vehicle rolling a little bit more during the maneuver. When finished, close WinEP.
31
Chapter 4
Figure 45. Effect of raising the sprung mass on vehicle roll during the double lane change.
12. Compare the text Echo files for the two runs.
a. If necessary, use the drop-down control
conditions.
b. Click the View button
c. With the text editor showing the Echo file, find the TruckSim window (it might be
behind the text editor window).
d. Click on the blue link for Baseline. You should now view the Run Control dataset for
this run.
e. Use the View button and adjacent drop-down control to view the Echo file for this Run
Control example, as well. The text editor should be showing the Echo file for Baseline,
with a tab to access the other file (Figure 46).
32
Chapter 4
Figure 46. Using the ConTEXT text editor to view Echo files.
f.
Select the Tools menu item Compare. This brings up a dialog box (Figure 47). Use the
controls to set each file name to the two files that are open (
and
) and then click
. This displays a comparison window with differences in the
the Compare button
files highlighted in yellow (Figure 48).
33
Chapter 4
34
Chapter 4
Figure 49. Simulation runs are assembled from datasets selected from libraries.
In the previous section, you navigated between three screens and compared the text files
generated for the simulation run named Baseline and the one named Modified Vehicle #1. In this
section, you will learn about more navigation tools to quickly view any vehicle components of
interest that are used in a simulated test.
1.
(Figure 50).
The five buttons at the far left of the button bar all involve navigation. Right-click on each
(those that are not dimmed) to see the tool tip.
a.
The Forward
button undoes the most recent Back action. To test this, click Back
and then click Forward
to return to the view shown in the figure.
b.
Click Previous
to return.
to change datasets in the Run Control library, and then click Next
35
Chapter 4
c.
3.
The Go To menu
(Figure 51) has commands that duplicate the functions of the Back,
Forward, Previous, and Next buttons. Most commands have keyboard shortcuts for the
commands involving the PgUp and PgDown keys that you can use to quickly view recent
datasets. The menu also has a submenu showing the recently viewed datasets
. For
example, a Suspension kinematics dataset should be on the menu; select it. After confirming
that the view has changed, return by clicking the Home button .
The Libraries menu lists all libraries in TruckSim (about 200). If you select one, it goes to
the most recently viewed dataset in that library. The first library in the menu is Home:
TruckSim Run Control with a keyword shortcut of Ctrl+H.
5.
The lower part of the sidebar contains a linked data viewer that typically shows the most
recently viewed dataset from the Home: TruckSim Run Control library and all of the data
links that are used for that dataset (Figure 52). The area used by the viewer is adjustable.
Figure 52. The TruckSim Run Control screen with the Linked Data sidebar.
a.
Adjust the split between the notes and the link viewer with the horizontal double line
(click and drag).
b.
Adjust the width of the sidebar with the vertical double line between the sidebar and
dataset part of the window .
36
Chapter 4
6.
Figure 52 uses red marks to show the connection between the TruckSim Run Control
and the first item in the viewer
. Blue marks show the connection
dataset name
between the vehicle link
and the name of the dataset in the viewer .
The dataset that is currently in view is shown in bold in the link viewer. In this case, it is
TruckSim Run Control: Modified Vehicle #1 .
7.
9.
Notice that the map in the sidebar shows six tire dataset links
as would be expected for a
two-axle vehicle with dual tires on the drive axle. However, the main window has only two
links to tire datasets (
and
). The tire dataset for axle 1 is used twice and the dataset
for axle 2 is used four times, as specified with the check boxes ( and ).
37
Chapter 4
38
Chapter 4
Click the Duplicate button and set the name of the new dataset to Modified Vehicle
#2. (This name should be generated automatically, given that the name of the dataset being
duplicated was Modified Vehicle #1.)
2.
Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to the blue link for the vehicle
.
(Figure 56). This time, choose the first item on the menu: [Copy and Link Dataset]
You will be prompted to give a name for the new dataset (Figure 57). Change the Category
name to Modification #2
), define the title as Modified Vehicle #2
, and
click the button Copy and Link .
39
Chapter 4
Figure 58. Copy and Link to make a new suspension kinematics dataset.
4.
Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to the blue link for the front
suspension kinematics
and choose the first item on the menu: [Copy and Link Dataset].
When prompted, set the category to Modification #2 and the title to Modified
Front Suspension Kinematics #2, and click the Copy and Link button to finish.
You should see the name of the linked suspension kinematics dataset
change to match
the name you entered: Modified Front Suspension Kinematics #2.
5.
6.
40
Chapter 4
Figure 59. Edit dataset for modified front suspension kinematics #2.
7.
The linked dataset viewer shows the datasets referenced for the run named Modified
Vehicle #2
. It shows that the Vehicle Lead Unit dataset associated with this run is also
named Modified Vehicle #2
. Click the + button preceding the vehicle dataset to
expand the view to show all datasets linked to the Vehicle Assembly screen. The
Suspension Solid Axle System Kinematics dataset currently in view should appear in bold
. (If not, click the viewer Refresh button .)
In this section of the Quick Start Guide, you have created three new datasets: the new run
, the new vehicle assembly , and the new suspension kinematics dataset . All other
properties of the vehicle are represented with the same datasets that are shared with the
modified duplicate created in the previous section.
Go to the Run Control dataset by double-clicking its name in the dataset viewer
8.
9.
Change the run color to green and then click the Animate button to compare the modified
vehicle to the baseline (Figure 60). VS Visualizer should show that the green vehicle is lifted
at both axles. Close VS Visualizer when you are done.
41
Chapter 4
Figure 60. View of vehicle lifted at both axles (green) overlaid with the baseline.
10. Update the notes for this run to describe the change made to the vehicle (Figure 61).
42
5. Managing Data
TruckSim keeps vehicle and simulation data organized into libraries of dataset files. In the
previous chapters, you have worked mainly in a small database that you created following the
instructions in this guide. You created new datasets by copying existing ones and making small
modifications.
In this chapter, you will look at some more kinds of data in TruckSim. You will start by creating
a new dataset from scratch. You will see how to copy datasets from one database to another,
working with more examples from the database installed with TruckSim. You will then explore
the TruckSim database to see the types of vehicles and test maneuvers that are available as
examples.
43
Chapter 5
Managing Data
2.
3.
Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to the plot link
. Choose the
second item on the menu: [Link to New Dataset]. You will be prompted to give a name for
the new dataset (Figure 63). Leave the category blank
, set the title to Suspension
Jounce , and click the button Create and Link . The link is now blue and shows the
title for the newly created dataset.
Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to an unused data link for an
example run
. A menu is shown that includes all of the simulation runs in this database
(there should now be four). Choose any one, e.g., Baseline. After the run is selected
(Figure 65), a blue link appears for the selected run
and information is shown below to
help browse for variables names.
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Chapter 5
Managing Data
5.
a.
For the X axis, the default variable is Time, which is the first one listed . Make sure
it is selected. This is so easy to find that you do not have to use the drop-down controls
( and ).
b.
c.
At the bottom of the list of compression variables there are four names: Jnc_L1,
Jnc_L2, Jnc_R1, and Jnc_R2
. For more information, right click and hold while
one of these is selected (Figure 66).
d.
These are the variables we want to plot. Double click on each one; they should then
appear in the yellow field listing variables to plot
(Figure 65).
Click the Back button or Home button to return to the TruckSim Run Control screen.
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Click the Plot button. The plotter shows time histories of the jounce variables from the
original vehicle and the variant called Modified Vehicle #2 (Figure 67). Two things to notice
from these plots are:
Figure 67. Newly defined plot for suspension jounce at each wheel.
a.
The jounce variables from the modified vehicle cover a wider range. This is to be
expected because the modified vehicle was lifted and experienced more roll.
b.
The jounce variables started at zero for all wheels for both vehicles. The heights of the
wheel centers shown on the sprung mass screen define the relationships between the
wheel-center height and the sprung mass in the design configuration, which is usually
where jounce is defined as zero. Even though the variant (Modified Vehicle #2) is
lifted, the assumption is that this is the design, so the initial jounce is zero.
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Use the Show more plots control to set the number of more plots back to zero
2.
Figure 69. Add a plot definition to the dataset for the double lane change procedure.
This screen has driver controls, simulation start and stop conditions, road and potentially
other environmental settings, and plot definitions associated with the procedure. Notice that
the speed of 70 km/h used in the baseline procedure is set here .
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3.
Unlock the dataset, then press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to an
to view a menu of available plot datasets. Choose the dataset
unused data link for a plot
you created: Suspension Jounce . With this selection, the link should be blue.
4.
5.
Navigate from the run named Modified Vehicle #2 to the run named Baseline.
6.
Click the Plot button. You should see one more plot than has been available in previous
occasions where you viewed plots for this run (Figure 70). View the Suspension Jounce plot
to confirm that it shows the four jounce variables. After viewing, close WinEP.
Figure 70. Confirm that there is one more plot associated with this procedure.
Show the TruckSim File menu (Figure 71). Near the bottom is a submenu named Recent
Databases. It will show your Quick Start database dimmed, followed by any other databases
that have been used recently with the current version of TruckSim. Select the database that
was installed with TruckSim (e.g., TruckSim82_Data).
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2.
TruckSim will show a dialog box with options to open a new window for the second
database, or to use the same window. Click the New Window button.
You should now have two TruckSim windows (Figure 73). They can be distinguished by the
window titles, which always begin with the database name.
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Figure 74. TruckSim icons in the task switcher specify the associated database names.
4.
For now, minimize the TruckSim window for your Quick Start database (Figure 75).
Figure 75. Minimize the TruckSim window for your Quick Start database.
5.
Click the Lib Tool button in the TruckSim window for the full database (Figure 76).
This brings up the Library Tool window (Figure 77). Press the Library selector control
to
browse to the Plot Setup library. There are too many libraries in TruckSim to show in a
simple drop-down list, so a scrollable list is shown (Figure 78). Scroll as needed and select
the library named Plot Setup , then click the OK button .
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The Library Tool window is now set up to show datasets from the Plot Setup library
(Figure 79). Categories of Plot Setup datasets are shown . Initially, datasets in one of the
categories are listed in the Datasets box
and the Selected Datasets box
is empty.
a.
b.
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Figure 79. The Library Tool window, showing dataset from the Plot Setup library.
Figure 80. Specify the name and location for the exported CPAR file.
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Chapter 5
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TruckSim will show a progress window for a few seconds and then a Result window
when the export is complete.
c.
(Figure 79).
8.
Minimize the TruckSim window for the full database (e.g., TruckSim82_Data).
9.
Use the Windows task bar or type Alt+Tab as needed to bring the TruckSim window into
view that is associated with your Quick Start database (see Figure 74, page 50).
10. Select the File menu item Import Parsfile (Any Export Type) (see Figure 71, page 49).
TruckSim will prompt you to specify a file with a file browser; select the CPAR file you
created in step 7.
Next, TruckSim will prompt you with two questions about datasets that might be duplicated.
The first involves support files such as animator shapes and sound files (Figure 81).
Respond by clicking the button Do not overwrite.
and
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Each plot setup file has at least one support file that specifies the plot
format. It might also have a support file involving data transformations.
Most plot setup files share the same support files and therefore the
support files dont need to be imported repeatedly. Thats why the
message indicates that many datasets were skipped.
11. Go to the Procedures dataset (click on the blue link from the Run Control screen).
12. Press the mouse button on the drop-down control adjacent to an unused plot link
(Figure
84) to see all of the plot options that have been imported. Choose one (e.g., Spring Force
, from the Category submenu Suspension Forces and Moments ).
Figure 84. Choose among the many plot datasets that were imported.
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13. Return to the Home screen and click the Plot button to view the new plots. There should be
a plot showing time histories of the four spring forces (or variables specified by whatever
plot setups you added in step 12).
Close WinEP when you are done.
Review You now have two TruckSim windows available, each showing a
separate database. You have seen how to transfer data from one
database to the other.
Figure 85. The Procedure screen has a link to a Steering: Driver path follower dataset.
2.
Click on the blue link for a Steering: Driver path follower dataset named Double Lane
Change . This will bring the path follower dataset into view (Figure 86).
This screen shows a Configurable Function in which a lateral offset is calculated as a
function of station (longitudinal distance along a path). This information is given in several
places: axis labels for a graphic plot ; the caption above the table of numbers ; and text
under the plot that gives information about identifying data for the function in Echo files .
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Chapter 5
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Figure 86. The target path for the driver model is defined by a table of numbers.
The dataset shown in the figure specifies that the dependent variable (Lateral offset) is
using linear interpolation with flat-line extrapolation
calculated from a table of numbers
. A plot shows the relationship between the two variables .
3.
Unlock the dataset. Click the drop-down control that specifies the function type
to see
the available function types. Change the function type to Constant to see how the screen
changes. Repeat for each of the other types.
When you are through viewing the function type options, click the Undo button
repeatedly until it is dimmed, indicating that the dataset has been restored to its original
state.
4.
Use the Libraries menu to go to the Powertrain: Engine library. This name is part of the
submenu Powertrain. The Powertrain: Engine screen (Figure 87) shows a Configurable
Function in which an output (engine torque) is calculated from two known variables (engine
speed and throttle position). In this case, the calculation method is specified as 2D linear
interpolation and extrapolation
. Multiple plots are shown
and the table includes
multiple columns, each associated with a different value of throttle position
. To help
adjust the view for the table, a vertical splitter control
can be moved horizontally.
4.
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Chapter 5
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2.
Use the Windows task bar or type Alt+Tab as needed to bring the TruckSim window into
view that is associated with your full TruckSim database.
3.
Use the Libraries menu (Figure 89) to go to the Vehicle: Loaded Combination screen.
With the Vehicle: Loaded Combination screen in view, use the Datasets menu to go to a
dataset in the TS Tractor Trailers 2A Tractors category, such as 2A Tractor w/1A Van
Trailer, No ABS (Figure 90).
The Vehicle: Loaded Combination screen is used to combine vehicle units and payloads.
For the example shown in Figure 90 there is a two-axle tractor , a single-axle semi-trailer
, and a payload in the semi-trailer .
5.
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Chapter 5
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7.
You can view a simulation run involving this vehicle combination. To do this, use the Tools
menu and choose the option Find All References to This Dataset (Figure 91). TruckSim
will search the current database, and if any other datasets link to the current one, they are
listed in a pop-up window named Dataset References (Figure 92). Double-click on the
name of a dataset to view it.
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Chapter 5
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8.
The Dataset References window remains visible until you manually close
it. It is sometimes convenient to keep the window in view when there are
multiple datasets displayed, to quickly access any of them.
Click the Animate button to view the simulation results involving this vehicle. Close VS
Visualizer when you are done.
If it is not in view, go to the TruckSim Run Control screen by clicking the Home button or
typing Ctrl+H.
2.
Browse through the simulation runs using the Datasets menu and/or the buttons and PgUp
and PgDown keys. Use the Animate and Plot buttons to view existing results for simulation
conditions that you find interesting.
3.
Alternatively, you can browse through the vehicle libraries to find vehicles of interest and
then use the Tools menu command Find All References to This Dataset to locate runs
involving that vehicle, just as you did in the previous section. You might also browse
through the Procedures library to find test scenarios of interest and then use the Tools menu
to locate runs involving the test of interest.
Review You have almost completed the hands-on part of this guide for using
the software. The concluding chapter has just a little more, this time
involving more documentation that is included in TruckSim.
60
Figure 93. Information available from the Help menu and View button.
All of the documentation has been indexed to provide a rapid search capability. The second item
on the Help menu is Search Help. Select this item to bring up a search window (Figure 94) from
your installed PDF browser (typically Adobe Reader). In the figure, the index file is identified as
TruckSim_Help.pdx
and the example search phrase is tire models
. Click the
Search button
to bring up all occurrences of the phrase (Figure 95), and click on any of the
results to view that occurrence in your PDF viewer.
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Chapter 6
Figure 94. The Search window for PDF files (access with the Help menu item Search Help).
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Chapter 6
Figure 96. View button in the lower-right corner of the TruckSim Run Control screen.
1.
Figure 97. Text file listing all output variables available from a math model.
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Chapter 6
2.
Use the search feature in the text editor to search for Jnc_. (Use the Edit menu item Find
or type Ctrl-F to bring up the search dialog box.) You should find the variables that you
located in the TruckSim Plot Setup screen to create a new custom plot (Chapter 5).
Close the text editor when youre done.
3.
If you have Excel or another spreadsheet program on your computer, use the drop-down list
next to the View button (Figure 96) to select the item Outputs from math model
(Excel), then click View . The same information shown before in a text file is now shown
in a spreadsheet. The original sequence is in alphabetical order, as with the text version.
However, the spreadsheet includes other labels such as component, units, and type, and can
be sorted using any of those alternate labels.
For example, Figure 98 shows the names of the output variables sorted by component. The
figure shows how all variables related to suspension are grouped together, making it easier
to find the names of all suspension-related variables available for plotting.
Close the spreadsheet when you are done.
Figure 98. Spreadsheet showing output variables available from a math model.
4.
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Chapter 6
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It will only work if it is listed in the Mechanical Simulation license
database with your other license information. If it doesnt work, contact
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Simulation
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Once logged in, you will see a user section with backup copies of the software, updates, bug
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65
Chapter 6
2.
If you will be working with Simulink, you should read the tech memo Example:
Running with Simulink.
3. The VS Solver Programs manual (in the Reference Manuals submenu of the Help
menu) gives reference information about the solver programs such as input files, output
files, and basic format rules.
4. Details about the vehicle model are covered in Help documents linked to the relevant data
screens. Depending on your interest and expertise, you can read the documentation
concerning the parts of the vehicle that are of greatest interest to you.
Another option for quickly learning about TruckSim and its more advanced features is to take a
training course from Mechanical Simulation. This is highly recommended if you are new to
TruckSim. The classes expand upon the material learned in this guide by introducing new
examples and teaching many tips for using the software. Please see www.carsim.com for
details. For example, see www.carsim.com/events/ for upcoming webcasts, or subscribe
to our free newsletter at www.carsim.com/forms/newsletter.php.
66
Chapter 6
67
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