Case Study: Volvo Car Corporation improves suspension development and reduces prototype cycles with Hexagon Adams-Marc co-simulation

Adams-Marc co-simulation provides efficient and accurate method of simulating misuse load events

Volvo Car Corporation needed to accurately simulate severe "Level 2" vehicle misuse events, such as skidding against a curb, which involve component plasticity and buckling. Their existing multibody dynamics software, Adams from Hexagon, was only sufficient for less severe "Level 1" events with linear material response. This limitation forced them to rely on expensive physical prototype testing late in the development cycle to verify their designs.

Hexagon implemented a solution using their new Adams-Marc co-simulation capability, which allowed for the first time to include nonlinear structural behavior in the dynamics simulation. This enabled Volvo to accurately model the complex physics of Level 2 events virtually. The results from Hexagon's solution matched physical test data, allowing Volvo to evaluate alternative designs earlier in development. This is expected to lead to a lighter suspension for improved fuel economy and a substantial reduction in the number of costly prototype verification cycles required.

Volvo Car Corporation

Anders Wirjei

Technical Expert