Using the Formula SAE (FSAE) databasewith MD Adams/Car R3

Recommended Steps (at a glance)

LearnAdams/Car

• Work through the tutorials accessible via the online Help, especiallyGetting Started with Adams/Car

• Put the special FSAE database files on your computer.• Start MD Adams/Car R3 and add the FSAE database into your session.• Open a suspension subsystem or full-vehicle assembly.

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UseFSAE

databaseas-is

• Open a suspension subsystem or full-vehicle assembly.• Perform simulation maneuvers of interest to you to get familiar with these

generic vehicle models.

CustomizeFSAE

models

• Modify the subsystems and/or assemblies to match your vehicle setup.• Perform simulation maneuvers of interest to you with your own vehicle

models.

Helpful Tutorials and Examples for Adams/Car R3

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Put the FSAE database files on your computer

• From the MSC Knowledge Base(KB), download to a convenientworking directory* on your computerthe zipped set of filesfsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb.zipcomprising the FSAE databasespecially created for use with MDAdams/Car R3.Adams/Car R3.(*For example, C:\Documents and

Settings\My Documents\myAdamsCar\fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb.zip)

• Unzip the files, being careful topreserve the same relative file &folder locations and the properAdams/Car database namefsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb

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Add the FSAE database into your Adams/Car

• Start MD Adams/Car R3 (if prompted, select the StandardInterface versus Template Builder).

• Menu-pick “File” “Select Directory” and browse to indicatethe location of the top-level FSAE database folder on yourcomputer.For example,For example,C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myAdamsCar\fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb

• Menu-pick “Tools” “Database Management” “Add toSession” to upload the FSAE database into your Adams/Carsession as follows:

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Open an Assembly from the FSAE database

a. Menu-pick “File” “Open” “Assembly”

b. In the“Assembly Name” field,right-click,

ba

right-click,pick “Search” <fsae_2008r1_MDR3>/assemblies.tbl

c. Select, for instance,fsae_full_vehicle.asy Select “Open”

d. Select “OK”

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c

c

d

Understand any Warning Messages

• It is not necessarily aproblem if you getWarning messages thatindicate that somecommunicators werenot assigned duringassembly.

• This is like having anelectrical outlet with noplug in it. The message is simply alerting you to that fact. It won’tnecessarily cause problems to leave them unassigned. If you wantedto avoid the Warning messages, you could remove the associatedcommunicators provided you are sure you won’t need them later.

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View your finished FSAE Full-Vehicle Assembly

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Simulate the default FSAE Full-Vehicle AssemblyStart with a simple, straight-lineacceleration maneuver; makesure that runs; then progressfrom there.

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Monitor the Straight-line Acceleration Simulation

The final SimulationTime shown (of 10seconds) indicatesthat the simulationproceeded to normalcompletion.

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Review your Results via Animation Controls

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Review your Results via Postprocessing Window

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