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JANUARY 30, 15:21 EST
WARREN, Mich. -- U.S. Army combat vehicle designers needed virtual prototyping software tools to help them develop new truck and battle tank technology, as well as help them tap into new technologies developed for the commercial automobile industry. They found their solution in the ADAMS virtual prototyping software from Mechanical Dynamics Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich.
Officials of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) National Automotive Center (NAC) in Warren, Mich., are adopting the Mechanical Dynamics Functional Digital Car solution to strengthen their collaborative relationships with automotive manufacturers on innovative future combat systems development, company officials say.
The Functional Digital Car solution is a standard set of Mechanical Dynamics virtual prototyping tools that enables systems integrators to use a common set of models with which to create virtual prototypes of entire automotive systems.
The NAC, an element of TACOM, is the U.S. Department of Defense lead in developing dual-needs automotive technologies in partnership with companies, colleges, and government agencies by integrating commercial and military research to improve the performance of military ground vehicles.
"It's critical for the Army to leverage the best technology available, and within the auto industry, ADAMS is the dominant software package for virtual prototyping," says Dennis Wend, executive director of NAC.
"We want to work more efficiently and effectively with OEMs and suppliers, and the adoption of ADAMS will help us do that," Wend says. "Working from the same models, we will jointly be able to test out new ideas, simulate the effects of design changes, and gain the benefits of lower development costs and cycle times."
Several NAC programs are using virtual prototyping, such as the Commercially Based Tactical Truck (COMBATT), to adapt a modified commercial pick-up truck to perform light tactical wheeled vehicle (LTWV) missions.
Using modified Dodge 2500/3500 and Ford F-350 vehicles to improve off-road mobility and payload capacity, COMBATT is to reduce the cost of developing and procuring a new LTWV by using commercial technology for military needs, taking advantage of high-volume commercial production lines and reducing overall design and development costs, Mechanical Dynamics officials say.
Another program, the 21st Century Truck Initiative, seeks to develop commercial truck and propulsion systems that dramatically cut the fuel use and emissions of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses while enhancing safety, affordability, and performance.
Fuel constitutes 70 percent of the bulk tonnage needed to sustain a military force on the battlefield, equal to approximately 600,000 gallons per day, company officials say.
TACOM leaders bought several different seats of the ADAMS Full Simulation Package, ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Flex, and ADAMS/Tire, as well as ADAMS/Insight for web collaboration and ADAMS modules for durability, vibration, controls, and animation, company officials say.
ADAMS software enables engineering teams to build and test virtual prototypes of complex mechanical designs by simulating full-motion behavior on their computers. This helps manufacturers produce solid products quickly and inexpensively
For more information contact Mechanical Dynamics by phone at 734-994-3800, by fax at 734-994-6418, by e-mail at info@adams.com, by post a t2300 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48105, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.adams.com.
Military & Aerospace Electronics
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