Search Results

The dynamic characteristics of a vehicle are an important part of the driver's experience. Ford Motor Company is actively pursuing a leadership role in this arena. To achieve this goal, all the necessary information to complete the vehicle dynamics picture of a vehicle must be gathered in an efficient and well-organized manner. A process was developed to fingerprint a vehicle so that this information could drive vehicle tuning, new Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) models, correlate existing CAE models, support problem resolution and conduct target setting. This paper will discuss a Vehicle Dynamics Fingerprint Process in detail and explain the steps involved.

Globalization in the automotive industry has resulted in a tremendous competitive advantage to those companies who can internally communicate ideas and information effectively and in a timely manner. This paper discusses one such effort related to objectively testing vehicles for steering and handling characteristics by implementing standard test procedures, data acquisition hardware and analysis methods. Ford Motor Company's Vehicle Dynamics Test Section has refined a number of test procedures to the point that, with proper training, all design and development engineers can quickly acquire, analyze and share test results. Four of these procedures and output are discussed in detail.

This paper will describe the development of an in-vehicle data acquisition and analysis system. The problem facing the Vehicle Dynamics Test Section of Ford Motor Company was to replace an antiquated data recorder with a versatile in-vehicle data acquisition system capable of supporting vehicle dynamics testing and development. The following criteria for a system was developed: Quick and easy quick software and hardware setup Off-the-shelf hardware wherever possible User-friendly software Flexible Open-ended and modular design Rugged Cost effective Utilizing the above criteria a number of commercially available systems were evaluated and found to be lacking. Therefore it was decided that a system suitable for vehicle dynamics testing would have to be developed.

Rear end break-away, or skate, is a phenomenon that occurs when live axle equipped vehicles are driven aggressively on rough, winding roads. This paper reviews instrumented dynamic testing of a specially built vehicle. Initial testing linked skate to the tramp oscillation mode of the rear axle. Two variables were evaluated for reducing skate: shock absorber valving and shock absorber placement. The principal conclusion of this work is that although some reductions in skate are possible by adjusting shock absorber valving, optimum control of skate is facilitated by packaging the shock absorbers near the wheels.