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

Recommended Steps (at a glance)

Work through the tutorials accessible via the online Help, especially Getting Started with Adams/Car

Learn Adams/Car

Use FSAE database as-is

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. Perform simulation maneuvers of interest to you to get familiar with these generic vehicle models.

Customize FSAE models

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

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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 convenient working directory* on your computer the zipped set of files fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb.zip comprising the FSAE database specially created for use with MD Adams/Car R3. (*For example, C:\Documents and
Settings\My Documents\myAdamsCar\ fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb.zip)

Unzip the files, being careful to preserve the same relative file & folder locations and the proper Adams/Car database name
fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb

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Add the FSAE database into your Adams/Car

Start MD Adams/Car R3 (if prompted, select the Standard Interface versus Template Builder). Menu-pick File Select Directory and browse to indicate the location of the top-level FSAE database folder on your computer. For example,
C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myAdamsCar\fsae_2008r1_MDR3.cdb

Menu-pick Tools Database Management Add to Session to upload the FSAE database into your Adams/Car session as follows:

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Open an Assembly from the FSAE database

a. Menu-pick File Open Assembly
a

b. In the Assembly Name field, 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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Understand any Warning Messages

It is not necessarily a problem if you get Warning messages that indicate that some communicators were not assigned during assembly. This is like having an electrical outlet with no plug in it. The message is simply alerting you to that fact. It wont necessarily cause problems to leave them unassigned. If you wanted to avoid the Warning messages, you could remove the associated communicators provided you are sure you wont need them later.

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View your finished FSAE Full-Vehicle Assembly

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Simulate the default FSAE Full-Vehicle Assembly

Start with a simple, straight-line acceleration maneuver; make sure that runs; then progress from there.

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Monitor the Straight-line Acceleration Simulation

The final Simulation Time shown (of 10 seconds) indicates that the simulation proceeded to normal completion.

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Review your Results via Animation Controls

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Review your Results via Postprocessing Window

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