In recent years, the motor vehicle industry has shown a tendency of replacing electro-mechanical components by mechatronic systems with intelligent and autonomous properties. The integration of hardware components and implementation of advance control function characterize this replacement. In this text, we have applied the system approach and system engineering methods in the initial phase of vehicle active suspension development. An emphasis has been placed upon the interrelations between computer-aided simulation and other elements of development process. The benefits of the application of active suspension simulation are numerous: reduction of time to market, the new and improved functions of mechatronic components/devices, and the increased system reliability. In suspension model development, we used CAD/CAE tools, as well as the multipurpose simulation programs. For simulation, we used the quarter-car model. The modeling was carried out through the state-space equation, after which we designed two variants of controller for the suspension system - proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and neural network controller.

Chapter Contents:

• Abstract
• 11.1 Introduction
• 11.2 Classification of mechatronic suspension systems
• 11.3 Design development process
• 11.4 Active suspension system modeling
• 11.4.1 Model of the system in state-space
• 11.4.2 Synthesis of active suspension digital system
• 11.4.3 Active suspension control using PID controller
• 11.4.4 Active suspension control using neural network
• 11.5 Conclusions
• References

Inspec keywords: three-term control; time to market; neurocontrollers; mechatronics; control engineering computing; automobiles; systems engineering; computer aided engineering; suspensions (mechanical components); CAD; mechanical engineering computing

Other keywords: neural network controller; mechatronic devices; intelligent properties; motor vehicle industry; CAE environment; hardware components; vehicle active suspension development; CAE tools; proportional-integral-derivative controller; quarter-car model; CAD tools; mechatronic systems; system engineering methods; state-space equation; mechatronic components; advance control function; autonomous properties; time to market reduction; vehicle suspension system control; computer aided simulation

Subjects: Road-traffic system control; Neurocontrol; Mechanical engineering applications of IT; Civil and mechanical engineering computing; Mechanical components; Design; Control system design and analysis