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What Order Do Components Break? Applying Factors of Safety and Peak Loading Using OptimumKinematics Forces Module
As with any aspect of vehicle analysis, simulation is a multi-faceted tool that is only as good as the user can make it function. In addition to performing simulations that looks at how to achieve peak vehicle performance, a...

Optimum Kinematics Forces Module – Track Replay
While there are plenty of methods that can be used to calculate the worst-case scenario for a vehicle’s suspension, there is no better way to know than from track data. Rather than estimating the performance envelope of a vehicle by considering the maximum forces that...

OptimumKinematics Forces Module – A Case Study
OptimumKinematics aids users in the design and setup of their suspension in an intuitive and straightforward manner, providing useful analysis tools with a user-friendly visual interface. OptimumKinematics is the easiest way for engineers to understand and maximize...

Considering Compliance: Using the OptimumKinematics Forces Module to Determine the True Toe Gain
The Forces Module in OptimumKinematics is one feature that can not only benefit the performance of the car through optimization of component design, but also optimization of vehicle setup. Using OptimumKinematics Forces Module the user can use the Multiple Iteration...

OptimumG Announces New Software Pricing
OptimumG announced this week their move towards a subscription based software licensing on all of their software solutions including OptimumKinematics, OptimumTire and OptimumDynamics. This move was done in order to stay true to their company’s mission. OptimumG’s...

Characterising tracks for set-up solutions
OptimumG’s Claude Rouelle explains why, and where, you might want to make use of an asymmetric set-up on your racecar. Having difficulties convincing someone to use more camber on the right-hand side than on the left for a counter-clockwise circuit; running higher tyre pressure on one side than the other; using different damper settings?

Claude Rouelle’s 101 tips for Formula Student competition participants
Building a Formula Student car? Then you need to read OptimumG engineer Claude Rouelle’s 101 top tips for teams chasing FS glory. In Part 1 of this new mini-series he runs through his first 25 points.

The four secrets for chassis happiness
Claude Rouelle explores the possibilities of qualifying and quantifying a racecar design or set-up through grip, balance, control and stability. In the racing industry, I often find engineers that perform simulations in the same way barmen create cocktails: by (sometimes randomly) mixing ingredients and varying quantities until they eventually find something that matches their taste.

Getting more from your yaw diagrams
Our analysis of yaw versus lateral acceleration continues with Claude Rouelle’s explanation of the yaw moment diagram and how to interpret it. We will start this article by reviewing some basic concepts. As we have seen in the previous articles on the yaw moment versus lateral acceleration method, an understeering car is defined as a car that doesn’t have enough yaw moment and an oversteering car is a car with too much yaw moment.