Tire Envelope Analysis using Altair Simulation.

Wheeled vehicles typically have suspension parts that move relative to their frame/body structure, and therefore require packaging studies to ensure adequate inter-component clearances. Vehicles which have fenders that enclose the tires to form a "wheel well" for protection from dirt and road debris, require additional design checks. This is to ensure adequate clearance between the tire and body under all operating conditions, specifically when the suspension is fully compressed and/or steering is at full lock. Such checks have usually been performed in the CAD environment, and some automotive OEMs even have proprietary in-house tools to enable it. This type of analysis is called Tire Envelope Analysis.

In this article, we present a methodology and toolset that has been developed using a custom layer on top of the Altair Simulation suite. The advantages over a CAD-based or proprietary approach include:

High-performance kinematics calculation with dedicated multibody solver, Altair MotionSolve.
Compliance effects from bushings and structure can be represented for tighter tolerancing.
Native CAD and graphics translators with accurate, automatic and fast meshing.
No proprietary workflows or paid plug-ins required.
Automation of entire workflow is possible for faster turnaround time and/or flatten the learning curve associated with an analyst-grade toolset.

The videos included go through the step by step process on how to create a Tire Envelope with a CAD File. For any questions regarding the workflow, please reach out to our dedicated support team.