For information about the changes that impact all ADAMS products, click here.

To see a list of the ADAMS 12.0 supported partner products, click here.

For 12.0, MDI documentation has been enhanced to include:

• Online help for ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Driveline, ADAMS/EDM, ADAMS/Engine, ADAMS/Hydraulics, ADAMS/Insight, ADAMS/Vibration, and ADAMS/View. The online help provides you with quick access to information about how to fill in a dialog box and basic procedures. It also contains an index and search capability, as well as pop-up definitions of terms. 

You can access the online help by opening a dialog box and pressing F1. You can also use the commands on the Help menu in a product.
 

• More tutorials. We've added more tutorials in the following online guides: 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Aircraft - A new guide with many tutorials on using ADAMS/Aircraft. 
• Using ADAMS/AutoFlex - Contains three tutorials for defining flexible bodies and reference material for general use of ADAMS/AutoFlex. 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Valvetrain powered by FEV - Contains new tutorials for using the new ADAMS/Engine component valvetrain. 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Basic Cranktrain powered by FEV - Contains new tutorials for using the new ADAMS/Engine component cranktrain. 
• Using ADAMS/EDM - Contains a tutorial for using this new product. 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Driveline - Contains two new tutorials for creating a driveline template for an all-wheel-drive transmission and for creating an entire gearbox model.

 
• Updated online guides. In addition, we've:
  • Created a new guide on translating finite element model data to ADAMS.
  • Continued to expand our template-based guides
  • Added more information on ADAMS/Controls
  • Made it easier to learn about the argument for a statement in the guide, Using ADAMS/Solver. Just click on an argument in the format description of a statement to go directly to the description of that argument.
  • Added many more descriptions of functions to the guide, Using the ADAMS/View Function Builder

ADAMS/Aircraft Landing Gear is a specialized environment for modeling landing gear and aircraft during various landing-gear test conditions. It lets you create virtual prototypes of aircraft and landing-gear subsystems and analyze these virtual prototypes much like you would analyze the physical prototypes or test aircraft.

ADAMS/Aircraft enables you to closely analyze the landing-gear subsystems of a Functional Digital Aircraft™. The following figure shows the elements of the functional digital aircraft, which should essentially be a virtual version of your complete, functional aircraft. Similar to a real aircraft, the digital aircraft is an assembly of many unique subsystems. ADAMS/Aircraft allows you to model subsystems and components with varying levels of fidelity. 

ADAMS/Aircraft Landing Gear allows you to:

• Use a standard tool appropriate for both initial design and analysis throughout the aircraft life cycle. After design changes or validation of components, you can quickly refine your models throughout your design cycle, and perform again the exact same tests/simulations to reevaluate the effects of the changes.

• Leverage work across many other functional groups in your organization. The database structure and standardized data formats in ADAMS/Aircraft facilitate the sharing of models and data between organizations, including suppliers and customers, thereby enabling efficient engineering communication.

• Expert users - After you verify and validate your virtual aircraft, you can publish these models for others to use. Designers, structural analysts, dynamicists, fatigue analysts, and performance analysts can use the same models and databases to perform their own analyses.
• Standard users - You can use published models to perform your own studies, on an already validated model.

• Test your virtual components and subsystems to verify and validate their behavior as an isolated unit, as you would with the actual hardware. You can therefore minimize unknowns when you assemble the virtual full aircraft.

• Analyze design changes much faster and at a lower cost than physical prototype testing. You can, for example, change tires with a few mouse clicks instead of waiting for a mechanic to install them before testing your design again. After you have a new validated component or subsystem, you can quickly replace the old one with the new one, and simulate again.

• Focus on analysis rather than on re-coding legacy software. Typically, in-house legacy code requires modifications when significantly-different designs appear. ADAMS/Aircraft enables you to quickly build new subsystems, without having to modify equations of motion, and so on.

• Vary the kinds of analyses faster and easier than modifying instrumentation, test fixtures, and test procedures. After your virtual prototype is validated, you can use it in many different types of tests. If you can think of a real test, it can be set up and conducted in ADAMS/Aircraft.

• Quickly run standard sets of load conditions for different configurations by using ASCII files you develop or by using properly formatted files developed by other organizations.

• Exchange data with CAD and FEM software, such as CATIA^® and NASTRAN^®. Note that this requires the purchase of additional software. For example, CAT/ADAMS is required to exchange data with CATIA, and ADAMS/Flex is required to exchange data with NASTRAN.

Online help for ADAMS/Aircraft dialog boxes 

The Landing Gear Toolbox are trademarks of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

• ADAMS/Aircraft Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Aircraft

Maintenance and support

Although no new features have been introduced, ADAMS/Animation has been maintained and tested to ensure that the familiar functionality continues to be operational. To that end, all known bugs reported in ADAMS/Animation have been resolved. In addition. ADAMS/Animation has been tested and verified on all available platforms (UNIX only).

Transition to ADAMS/PostProcessor

As the ADAMS/Animation product reaches the end of its life, it is suggested that you transition your ADAMS postprocessing tasks to ADAMS/PostProcessor. The current release of ADAMS/PostProcessor contains several new features to close the gap between ADAMS/Animation, including clearance studies and improved lighting. During the current development cycle, detailed benchmarking shows a favorable performance comparison. These new features, along with features unavailable in ADAMS/Animation, such as flex body support and advanced plotting, make ADAMS/PostProcessor more suitable for many postprocessing tasks. During the transition period, licenses of ADAMS/PostProcessor are provided in parallel with ADAMS/Animation.

The next release of the ADAMS product line will not include ADAMS/Animation.

ADAMS/Animation Release Notes

Meshing of Parasolid objects

Extrusion

The following capabilities are now available:

• The AFI file named CENTERLINE_PARAMETERS contains a block containing (when used) the list of the points defining the centerline.
• The ADAMS/AutoFlex dialog box now allows you to select (and store in the appropriate data table) centerline reference frames. 
• When reading in an AFI file, ADAMS/AutoFlex checks for the presence of the CENTERLINE_PARAMETERS block. If it is present, the locations stored in the CENTERLINE block are compared with the ones of the object written in the CENTERLINE_PARAMETERS block. Then, if the locations are different, you can choose to update dialog box values with current reference frame positions. 

Attachments

• Master node (external marker or location) and picking the temporary-created mesh nodes that will be slaves in the connection. 
• Master node and defining a sphere centered on it, with variable radius. In this case, the intersected nodes belonging to the temporary mesh and sphere will be slave nodes in the connection. 
• Master node and defining a cylinder centered on it, with axes definable by pointing any admissible location in ADAMS/View. In this case, the intersected nodes belonging to the temporary mesh and cylinder will be slave nodes in the connection.

The Truck Frame Modeler is available when ADAMS/AutoFlex is accessed as a plug-in to ADAMS/Car. The Truck Frame Modeler assembles a given list of previously modeled components (such as cross-member and rails) into one single flexible body frame.

ADAMS/AutoFlex Release Notes 

New suspension test rig 

• Include a real tire model (.tir) for suspension simulations.
• Swap the real (sometimes called live) tire with a semi-rigid model. 
• Specify additional loads acting between the road part and the wheel part. In particular: 
• Cornering lateral force 
• Damage lateral force and damage radius (application points of damage forces)
• Traction forces at the wheel hub
• Braking forces at the contact patch 
• Overturning moment
• Aligning torque
• Braking torque
• Control the suspension with a force-based approach. 
• Drive the suspension with a set of closed-loop controllers whose feedback channels can be: 
• Displacements at the wheel center
• Displacements at the contact patch
• Wheel vertical forces 
• Perform total vertical force and roll angle sweep analysis.

Scale factors for conceptual suspension module 

Integration with ADAMS/Driveline 

Support EDM MIMO models in ADAMS/Car

Online help for ADAMS/Car dialog boxes 

Quasi-static analysis supported through the DCF

For more information see the guide, Running Analyses in ADAMS/Car.

• ADAMS/Car Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Car

What is ADAMS/Chassis?

ADAMS/Chassis architecture 

XML data
The first time you run ADAMS/Chassis 12.0, your 11.0 data will be transformed into a 12.0 XML database. All vehicle data is stored in XML, in a three-level hierarchy: 

• System files - Contain information about the particular vehicle configuration you are working with, and reference subsystem files. 
• Subsystem files - Are closely related to the old ADAMS/Chassis data files (.fst, .sst, .rst, and so on).
• Property files - Are smaller files that contain properties for one component in your system, such as a bushing or a spring. 

New data attributes

The new XML data format also represents an enhanced set of modeling objects. In many cases, new attributes have been added to existing elements to provide you with new modeling features. A sample list of these new features is shown below (see the ADAMS/Chassis Release Notes and the ADAMS/Chassis Online Reference Guide for a more detailed listing).

• Symmetry. For all left-right objects, you have the choice to specify symmetric or asymmetric properties. For symmetric, you can specify the left or right data. Parts, bushings, and other objects have symmetry properties.
• Part Inertial Reference Frame. You can optionally specify an inertial reference frame for each part.
• Connector Orientation. You can override the default orientation for each bushing in your model with either Euler angle specification or ZPXP specification.

Python templates 

ADAMS/Chassis graphical interface 

Key features of new Visual Editors include:

• Spline data is grouped with the relevant object
• You no longer have to manage spline ID’s
• Component attachment for springs, dampers, and so on, is specified directly using names (Frame, Subframe, Lower control Arm) instead of numbers (10,11,1)
• Visual editor for 3D splines
• Copy and paste with Microsoft Excel (Windows only)
• Detailed comment blocks available for all objects
• Import function in subsystem data file for saved alignment settings
• Radio-button interface for construction options
• Hierarchical tree editor for groups of parameters

Modeling methods 

Manufacturing tolerance option for bushings
A new feature for bushings (connector objects in Release 12.0) allows you to simulate the effect of manufacturing tolerance. You can set optional XYZ offset parameters for the I and J markers of all bushings. This allows you to determine which tolerances will most affect your system performance.

This feature is available when you setup an experiment with ADAMS/Insight. For each connector you will see i_marker_tolerance (XYZ) and j_marker_tolerance (XYZ) factor candidates.

Dual-path strut mount bushing option
A dual-path strut mount option is available for strut-type suspensions (Front and Rear Macpherson, Rear Quadralink Strut). This option lets you model the top mount as a dual-path bushing. With this approach, you specify inner and outer bushing properties, and a rotational stiffness for the attachment between the inner and outer mounting parts.

This feature is available through a construction option in strut property files.

Double-cardon joint modeling option
A double-cardon option is available for use with steering column templates. With this option the lower universal joint is replaced with a double-cardon joint.

This feature is available through the construction option in steering column subsystem files.

Subsystem templates 

Tilt-bracket steering column templates
A new steering column template is available for tilt-bracket steering columns. With this column type, the upper column is attached to a tilt bracket, which has a pivot point forward of the wheel. You can place slider joints in either the intermediate or upper steering column shafts to allow articulation of the column during tilt adjustment. The tilt setting (in degrees) is a user-specified parameter that lets you fix the tilt angle during a simulation.

Simulations 

Frame compliance event
The frame compliance event is a new half-vehicle event that helps calculate the displacement/rotation of the wheel centers during body attachment displacement. The analysis involves moving each body attachment (one at a time) 1 mm in XYZ. The result of this analysis can be used to construct a compliance matrix for your suspension to help determine where local body compliance most affects system performance.

Integration with ADAMS/Driveline

You can now export data from ADAMS/Driveline to ADAMS/Chassis. The export utility creates an .xml powertrain subsystem file compatible with ADAMS/Chassis. This subsystem file contains the bulk of the driveline model, as well as some parameters that aid the connection of the driveline subsystem to the rest of the ADAMS/Chassis system.

Integration with ADAMS/PostProcessor

Integration with ADAMS/Insight

Expanded factor candidate list
When you setup your experiment in ADAMS/Insight, a more complete set of factor candidates is available. Virtually every parameter from your model is available for variation in an ADAMS/Insight experiment.

“Do-It-All” batch option
The setup panel in the ADAMS/Insight interface box now provides the option to build, run, and post process your trial runs with one button. After these steps are complete, ADAMS/Insight automatically launches with your completed experiment.

• ADAMS/Chassis Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Chassis

Controls available as a plug-in

We simplified the process of defining inputs and outputs of the ADAMS plant to connect to a control system. You can identify a set of variables as the plant input and output (called PINPUT and POUTPUT, respectively) and use them to connect the plant and control system. Subsequent reconnections are simplified by the use of previously defined PINPUTs and POUTPUTs. You can use the same plant input and output definitions with linear and nonlinear plant export, and with the new control system import (see the following feature).

ADAMS/Controls now supports the import of control systems into ADAMS/View from MATLAB, using code generated by MATLAB Real Time Workshop (RTW). MATLAB RTW exports the control system as a set of C code files. You can compile these files into an object library which you can then import into ADAMS and link to the ADAMS plant. The simulation with the control system then runs entirely within ADAMS using the ADAMS integrators. Imported control systems can have continuous or discrete states.  The RTW Import function is not yet supported for the template-based products. 

• ADAMS/Controls Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls

The guide, Getting Started Using ADAMS/Driveline, contains two new tutorials: 

• Driveline Template Tutorial 
• Gearbox Tutorial

Improved integration with ADAMS/Car 

Integration with ADAMS/Chassis

ADAMS/Driveline 12.0 has an export to ADAMS/Chassis feature. This export utility creates an .xml powertrain subsystem file compatible with ADAMS/Chassis. This subsystem file contains the bulk of the driveline model, as well as some parameters that aid the connection of the driveline subsystem to the rest of the ADAMS/Chassis system.

New and improved driveline maneuvers 

New static loadcase analysis
We added an additional quasi-static maneuver. The static-loadcase analysis allows you to evaluate the driveline loads and displacements due to an external load condition. The static loads are stored in a property file that you specify when submitting the analysis. 

The simulation is a sequence of static equilibrium under different environmental conditions: at each static phase, the model is under the load condition specified in the property file. You specify the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical acceleration, and the torque value along the x, y, z of the reference marker. You can also specify the reference marker using a communicator. 

New RPM-sweep analysis
We also added another dynamic maneuver. The RPM-sweep analysis allows you to evaluate the driveline dynamic behavior when the engine passes from an initial RPM value to another one. You only need to specify the initial and final RPM values.

New torque-converter element 

New clutch-connector element 

Online help for ADAMS/Driveline dialog boxes 

• ADAMS/Driveline Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Driveline

ADAMS/Driver Release Notes

ADAMS/Durability extends the capabilities of ADAMS/PostProcessor to animate dynamic stress or strain on flexible bodies, or plot time histories of nodal stress or strain measures, such as von Mises, maximum shear, principal, or individual components of stress or strain. These stresses or strains are obtained from popular Finite Element Analysis programs, such as NASTRAN (69.X), ANSYS (6.0), or ABAQUS (6.3) during the creation of the modal neutral file.

With ADAMS/Durability you can choose to perform conceptual stress or strain studies in ADAMS, or more detailed stress or strain analyses in NASTRAN or ANSYS using ADAMS results of flexible bodies. You can export flexible body modal deformations to ANSYS or NASTRAN. ADAMS/Durability provides a special DMAP alter for importing these modal deformations and recovering stress or strain in NASTRAN. For ANSYS, ADAMS/Durability provides customized macros for importing modal information and recovering stresses or strains.

FEA-loads export in ADAMS/View now runs significantly faster. Forces due to contact incidents are now supported. Time history output of component forces to DAC or RPC files for a subsequent load-based durability analysis is provided. In addition, we enhanced the FEMDATA and OUTPUT statements with ADAMS/Durability for outputting component loads to the various file formats directly from ADAMS/Solver. 

See the guide, Using ADAMS/Solver, for updates to the OUTPUT and FEMDATA statement.

ADAMS/Durability provides a convenient interface to nCode's FE-Fatigue for performing fatigue life prediction of components in your ADAMS simulation. Both linear and modal superposition fatigue analyses are supported. Time histories of component loads with correct polarity can be output in DAC or RPC format, and a unit load FEA input file for computing corresponding unit stress cases can be created for linear superposition in FE-Fatigue. 

Alternatively, a flexible body's modal coordinates can be output in DAC or RPC formats and the modal stress or strain data to nCode's partial FES file for modal superposition in FE-Fatigue. In both cases, a Load Association File (LAF) relating the time history data to the unit or modal stress data is automatically generated for input into FE-Fatigue. Results of an FE-Fatigue analysis in universal file format can be imported and displayed on the flexible body in ADAMS with ADAMS/Durability.

To greatly improve simulations, use ADAMS/Durability to filter out noise or unwanted frequencies in test data before importing into ADAMS/Solver. A variable ordered, Butterworth, two-pass digital filter from MATLAB is available in the ADAMS/Durability toolkit for filtering experimental data in DAC or RPC III file formats. Four types of filters are provided: High-pass, Low-pass, Band-pass and Band-stop.

• ADAMS/Durability Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Durability

Multi-input/multi-output (MIMO) cross-coupled bushing element in ADAMS/EDM 

Amplitude or frequency-dependent models 

Stretching methods

Input stretching
This is the value that scales the input signals given to the ED model.

Output stretching
These are the values that scale the outputs of an ED model. If a force of 100N is calculated and the scale factor 0.5 is given, the ED model returns the force 50N.

VFORCE time stretching
This allows you to scale the EDM sample rate. If the original sample rate is 100 and the time stretch is 0.5, the adjusted sample rate is 50.

• ADAMS/EDM Release Notes
• Using ADAMS/EDM guide which includes a tutorial on running ADAMS/EDM

New lighting control

ADAMS/Engine Basic Cranktrain (new module)

You can use this module to model cranktrains for any type of engine based on rigid bodies. You can use the models to determine free forces as well as internal forces. One of the outstanding features of this new module is the way the model fidelity can be adjusted to the task at hand in the engine development process at all times, while retaining most of the data from the previous step. For example, you can model the crankshaft as rigid, torsional flexible, or entirely flexible using the ADAMS beam elements just by changing an option menu in a dialog box. Also, several refinement levels are available for the bearings up to 3D hydro-dynamic bearings, which account for the misalignment of the shaft due to bending, for example. This general philosophy of ADAMS/Engine is also reflected in every element class of the cranktrain module.

Cranktrain wizard
You can use the wizard to quickly generate new templates. The wizard automatically creates all the engine components such as pistons and connections, bearings, as well as the gas forces. The result is a fully functional and parametric template. The W18 or an inline 12 layout, for example, are no problems.

Environment
A number of elements, such as gas force, temperature, and oil viscosity element, available in this category.

Engine data element
The engine global data element is the basis for most of the parametrics in the engine. This element mainly serves as a depository for engine parameters, such as bore and stroke.

Crankshaft
You can model the crankshaft as rigid, torsional flexible, or fully flexible. The mass properties, as well as the stiffness properties, are automatically derived from user input. You can define the counterweights to optimize the balancing of the system and minimize the bending stresses in the shaft, for example.

Engine mounts
Three different types of engine mount elements are included: a simple representation based on linear stiffness and two frequency-dependent mounts that represent rubber and hydro mounts.

Flywheels
Single-mass and dual-mass flywheel elements are available. The dual-mass flywheel accounts for the frequency-dependent behavior, which is based on the spring stiffness and its friction between the two parts.

Vibration damper
Visco and rubber vibration dampers are included. Both are frequency dependent elements. You can approximate the detailed coefficients based on the general parameters, such as loss angle and dynamic stiffness, or you can set them directly. 

Piston, conrod, and piston pin
Simple elements representing the piston, conrod, and piston-pin are available. You can either enter the mass and inertia information or derive it from the auto-generated geometry.

Balancing shafts
You can add balancing shafts to the system to compensate for forces and moments.

Virtual test rig
The test rig consists of up to five rotating masses coupled with rotational spring-dampers. You can select this number of masses in the virtual test rig to represent the real-world test rig. You can perform standard events, such as RPM sweep and list of RPMs.

Requests
Every component has a number of predefined outputs, such as the oil film thickness in the bearing. Beyond this, you can add your own request at any time.

ADAMS/Engine Valvetrain

For all other components with compliance, such as the hydraulic lash adjuster, there should be a noncompliance component equivalent added to the template as well. The elements are then added to the kinematic-active and kinematic-inactive group such that the template can be switched from being a kinematic to being a dynamic model. 

In Standard Interface, you can run a cam-generation analysis through the Tools à Generate Cam menu. During this analysis, all elements in the kinematic active group are activated and all elements in the inactive group are deactivated, such that the cam profile can be synthesized from the valve lift input through the kinematic chain of the valvetrain.

New crosshead element
You can access the new crosshead (bridge) element through the Build à Valve Train à Crosshead menu in the template-builder interface. You can switch the crosshead element to be compliant or rigid.

New pivot follower element
You can access the new pivot follower element through the Build à Valve Train à Followers menu in the template-builder interface. This new element is a follower, which pivots about an attachment point compared to the typical translation layout of follower mechanisms. It is used with pushrod designs most of the time.

New rocker arm element
You can access the new rocker arm element through the Build à Valve Train à Rocker Arms menu in the template-builder interface. This new rocker arm element represents a rocker arm, which pivots about a point and consists of two parts connected using a rotational spring-damper element reflecting the bending stiffness of the component.

Silent chain
We added silent chain capability to ADAMS/Engine Chain Drive to let you simulate silent chain systems using a similar approach to that implemented for the roller and bush chains. This means that every link is modeled as a rigid body. The contacts between the links and the sprockets, and between the link and the guides are modeled through GFORCEs considering the detailed profile of the parts. We've also extended all chain requests to function with this chain type.

New involute sprocket element
You can access the new involute sprocket element through the Build à Timing Mechanism à Chain menu and use it to model sprockets, which have a tooth profile based on the analytical involute function. You can find more details on the profile description in the online help for this element. 

New silent chain link element
You can access the new silent chain link element through the Build à Timing Mechanism à Chain à Silent Chain Element menu. Here you can define the properties, wrap the chain, and add requests. You can define the profile of the silent chain links based on up to 14 sections per tooth. These sections can be either points (2 points = line) or arcs such that it is possible to model all sorts of profiles. Prior to wrapping the chain, you can check the profile directly in the dialog box, using the profile viewer.

Switchable model complexity
You can now decide if a detailed representation of the chain or a constraint-based modeling approach should be used in a model. The new constraint-based approach allows for a coupling between the sprockets of the chain drive under consideration of the sprocket tooth number, therefore the ratio. The motion of the guides will be ignored.

Switchable model complexity
You can now decide if a detailed representation of the timing belt or a constraint-based modeling approach should be used in the model. The new constraint-based approach allows for a coupling between the pulleys of the timing belt under consideration of the pulley tooth number, therefore the ratio. The motion of the deviation pulleys will be ignored.

Separate friction coefficients
You can now decide to use different friction coefficients for each side of the belt.

Switchable model complexity
You can now decide if a detailed representation of the belt or a constraint-based modeling approach should be used in the model. The new constraint-based approach allows for a coupling between the pulleys of the belt under consideration of the pulley diameter, therefore the ratio. The motion of the deviation pulleys will be ignored.

Online help for ADAMS/Engine dialog boxes 

Waterfall plot

You can now create a waterfall plot to compare the frequency spectrum of an objective from different rotational speed conditions. You define the objective by selecting components from the dashboard in the same way you select components for the dependent axis of a plot.

ADAMS/Engine performs for each component an FFT for a given angular interval or an interval of a start and end number of rounds of the independent component. The result is clipped in frequency, rotational speed, and amplitude. The calculated rotational speed is the average of the interval.

• ADAMS/Engine Release Notes 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Accessory Drive 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Chain Drive 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Cranktrain 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Timing Belt 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Engine Valvetrain

Improved control for flexible body damping

In previous releases, specification of damping ratio for flexible bodies was limited to simplified, defaults, or through damping subroutines. Access to flex body damping has been expanded to allow a function expression for CRATIO. Damping ratio expressions can be also be defined in terms of two new intrinsic variables, FXMODE and FXFREQ, to access the flexible body's modes and frequencies.

Obtain flexible body states from user subroutines

You can now obtain information about flexible bodies through user subroutines. SYSARY has been expanded to provide access to flex body modal coordinates and their time derivatives. A new access routine, NMODES returns the number of modal coordinates in a specific flex body. Another new access routine, MODINF returns the active mode numbers and their corresponding frequencies.

Contour plots for MFORCE in ADAMS/PostProcessor 

When you define MFORCES for flexible bodies, you can display the force magnitudes in ADAMS/PostProcessor. This is useful for verifying the MFORCE definition while debugging models. The MFORCE color contours are displayed in Cartesian coordinates. For each view, you can control the legend position, scale, and number of gradients.

Flexible bodies supported by the new C++-based Solver

Expansion and transition of the new C++-based Solver continues with support of flexible bodies. The transition created the opportunity to make many improvements over the traditional implementation. These improvements create some differences in behavior which are noted below:

• The C++ Solver creates the analysis frame at the undeformed center of mass, not the finite element model origin:
• Inertia invariant two can therefore be neglected.
• ADAMS results become more invariant to finite element modeling choices; for example, selecting the origin. 
• The C++ Solver assumes the flexible body's normal modes are orthogonal to the rigid body modes: 
• Inertia invariant three and four can therefore be neglected. 
• This assumption requires that the structure cannot be constrained in the finite element model; that is, no SPCs.
• Neglecting inertia invariants two, three, and four results in a computationally less expensive implementation.
• Only the new formats for INVAR5 and INVAR9 in matrix file are supported. In an early version of the mnf2mtx translator, the format of the INVAR5 and INVAR9 matrices was flawed. Although the formatting error has since been corrected, the FORTRAN Solver continues to support the earlier format. The C++ Solver, however, will only support the new format, and a matrix file with the old format will result in an aborted simulation. Therefore, if either the C++ Solver issues any of the following error messages, you should use either the MNF toolKit or ADAMS/View to obtain a new flexible body matrix file with the new format: 


• INVAR5 matrix should have (number of selected modes) rows and (3 times the number of selected modes) columns. 
• INVAR9 matrix should have 3*(number of selected modes)*(number of selected modes) rows and 3 columns.


• MFORCE is not supported yet.

ADAMS/Flex Release Notes

Dynamic pipe models 

• Fluid inertial effects 
• Nonlinear pipe friction 
• Waterhammer (pressure spikes) 
• Acceleration/deceleration of fluid 
• Eigenfrequency analysis (ADAMS/Linear and ADAMS/Vibration)
• Pressure dependency of eigenfrequencies 
• Exit and entrance losses of the pipe 
• Capacitance, fluid, and wall flexibility of the pipe 
• Speed of sound (or pressure wave) in a pipe causing time delays to the response of the pipe 

1. pipe_2ff 

Inputs flow rates and outputs pressures. 
 
2. pipe_2pp 

Inputs pressures and outputs flow rates. 
 
3. pipe_2pf 

A port inputs pressure and outputs flow rate, B port does the opposite: inputs flowrate and outputs pressure.

Sum-of-flows components for 2, 3, and 4 flows 

The new sum-of-flows2 replaces the old sum-of-flows component for 2 flows, which has been removed from the menus. The old sum-of-flows for 2 flows remains available to ensure upward compatibility. 

Individual volume definition on each junction 

4-port junction component 

We added a new 4-port junction component.

Input parameters include the initial pressure in the junction and the volume of the junction.

Connection and Orientation toolbox

Parameters for dead volumes at cylinder end 

Cylinder models cylinder1f and cylinder2ff 

For more information, see the ADAMS/Hydraulics online guides.

Online help for ADAMS/Hydraulics dialog boxes 

Flow source now accepts negative flow 

ADAMS/Hydraulics Release Notes

Optimization (single objective, multi objective)

You can specify a uniform or normal probability density function along with a tolerance for all the factors of interest. ADAMS/Insight then creates a Workspace (run) matrix and facilitates running the required simulations. A Work Space Review option is now available to numerically and graphically evaluate the distributions and the responses after the simulations have completed.

A Sweep study is an investigation strategy where you simply alter the value of the factor(s) evenly over a range. The Number of Runs specifies how the factor interval will be divided. Sweep studies provide an easy way to investigate the impact of a single variable on the response(s). Sweep studies are sometimes referred to as design studies.

This new feature allows you to view the model configurations defined by your design space in ADAMS/View, ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Engine, or ADAMS/Rail without actually running the simulations.

We extended the ability to view the regression model. You can efficiently evaluate the quality of fit with the streamlined model browser. Graphical investigation is also available with scatter plots and histogram charts.

• All ADAMS/Insight tables support Microsoft Excel-type features, such as cut and paste, sorting, and column and row resizing.
• We introduced a Workspace Column Calculator. This enables you to perform academic DOE investigations for training, correct sampling misunderstandings, and apply DC offsets (for example, data was collected in feet but you want meters). 
• We extended the import and export capabilities. You can import Inclusion Responses or Inclusion Factors from another experiment into the current experiment. This enables you to establish a catalogue of experiments. You can export a Visual Basic (.bas) file with the functions response surface polynomials written out as Visual Basic functions.

• ADAMS/Insight Release Notes
• ADAMS/Insight online guides

Clearance studies

You can now conduct clearance studies in ADAMS/PostProcessor. You can select pairs of parts or individual geometry for clearance checking. Flexible bodies are supported and can be treated as non-deforming to improve performance on early designs. You can plot measurements of the minimum distance and the Cartesian coordinates of the minimum distance between two objects. A graphical representation of the minimal distance is visible in the animation.

Report mode

A new mode has been added to display html-based rich text documents on ADAMS/PostProcessor pages. The reports can contain formatted text, tables, and images.

Tabular display of plot data

You can now display plot data as graphical plots or tables of results data. You can use the same powerful access to results channels, including surf mode and multi-axes plots in the tabular display. You can also export tabular display of data to external files for use in other programs.

Usability improvements

Several usability improvements have been made in ADAMS/PostProcessor to allow better display of results for presentation and communication, as well as interaction with the standalone ADAMS/Solver. Some of the improvements are highlighted below. For more information on these improvements, refer to the ADAMS/PostProcessor Release Notes.

• Improved lighting, including light reflections and multiple light sources
• Improved control of avi movies (Windows only)
• Animation loop control (Play Once, Directional Loop, and Bi-directional Loop)
• Print to common image formats such as jpeg, png, and tif
• Cut and paste curves between plots
• Ability to read in Solver dataset (.adm)

ADAMS/PostProcessor Release Notes

Improved ADAMS/Rail solver

New contact configuration file capability 

• Values of friction coefficient depending on the track distance
• A scaling factor for the friction coefficient as a spline versus lateral displacement
• Wheel-rail friction coefficient as a spline versus creepage

To make postprocessing easier, we now provide the ability to customize the wheel request. You can customize the contact request names using a request map configuration file. In the file, you can specify the result name for each wheel request and the type of numeration you want for the wheelset (that can be dependent on the wagon order, as it was in the previous versions, or can be calculated with an incremental order). In the same file, you can customize the wheel requests activity, so that you can define which request you want to have active by default and which one you do not want active.

When you submit an analysis, you can select Auto-Configure Request Activity: this utility automatically manages the request activity according to the simulation type and the contact type you selected.

We modified the Curve Manager so you can specify a PRM file that contains comments. Now you can also visualize the track layout in the Curve Manager.

We improved the closed-loop stability analysis to have a more efficient computation method for the critical speed:

• You can specify a critical damping for the curve plot (0%, 5%, ...).
• The initial velocity value can be bigger than the critical speed value. 
• You can run a stability analysis with different conicity values. In this case, a combined plot will be automatically added in ADAMS/PostProcessor.

When submitting a dynamic analysis, you can now select the cruise control option, which lets you:

• Maintain the initial velocity.
• Specify a velocity profile as a function of time or distance in a velocity profile file.

The new wheel–wheelset user-defined element (UDE) and graphical interface allows you to specify the inertia values in the local or in the global reference frame. 

As a graphical feature, we added a cylinder to the element graphic to show the part rotation for an easier interpretation of the animation. Furthermore, you now can associate shell geometry to the wheel–wheelset element to have more detailed graphics for your elements.

We created a specific RSGEO interface to allow you to check the contact table interactively. ADAMS/Rail calculates the contact table and automatically creates the following plots:

• Rolling radius difference to the nominal rolling radius versus relative lateral displacement between wheel and rail.
• Contact ellipse longitudinal half diameter versus relative lateral displacement between wheel and rail.  
• Contact ellipse lateral half diameter versus relative lateral displacement between wheel and rail.
• Contact point coordinate on rail versus relative lateral displacement between wheel and rail. 
• Contact point coordinate on wheel versus relative lateral displacement between wheel and rail.

To improve the capability of creating requests against the centerline, we created a new UDE that contains the kinematics reference for the track curves. You only have to select the body and the position for the request, and ADAMS/Rail automatically creates the request.

The rail configuration dependency on track distance has been activated for all components representing the track in the TRK file: 

• gauge
• vertical distance
• rail inclination
• rail profile (rail ID)

• ADAMS/Rail Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Rail

Dynamic simulation improvements

The continuous improvement in ADAMS/Solver's ability to solve complex dynamic systems has resulted in several updates. These updates include WSTIFF support for the SI2 formulation, a new stabilized index 1 formulation that allows error control on LaGrange multipliers for increased accuracy, and an update to the INTEGRATOR statement to allow control and access to the modified corrector. A Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg 45 integrator has been provided for increase performance for early design phases.

Improvements for simulations with flexible bodies

ADAMS/Solver has been updated to support improved usability for models with flexible bodies. These updates include support for CRATIO, defined by a function expression and two new intrinsic variables for CRATIO expressions (FXMODE and FXFREQ).

For more information, see the ADAMS/Flex What's New section.

Improvements for General State Equations (GSE)

In support of ADAMS/Controls, the General State Equation (GSE) has been expanded to handle discrete systems. GSE's can be defined to contain discreet systems, continuous systems, or a combination of both (sampled). In addition, support for feed forward only systems has been included. See the GSE documentation in Using ADAMS/Solver for more information on this functionality.

User subroutine access routine improvements

Several improvements have been made to allow access to more information in user-written subroutines. SYSARY now provides access to the direction cosines between two markers. SYSARY also provides access to flex body generalized coordinates (and time derivatives). Access routines NMODES and MODINF return flex body modal information to the subroutine.

For more information on how to apply these routines, see the guides, Using ADAMS/Solver and Using ADAMS/Flex.

XML formatted results file (XRF)

ADAMS/Solver can now write simulation results in an XML-formatted file. This format follows ADAMS' direction for an industry-standard, open format. The information in the new results format contains information traditionally found in the request (.req) and result (.res) files. Output steps are written to the xml results file during the simulation for easier monitoring of long simulations. The traditional .req and .res files are still available and written by default.

Improvements to REQUEST statement

We expanded the REQUEST statement to merge the functionality of requests and measures. You can now:

• Associate units with requests output data.
• Group data from multiple requests into a single results set for easier postprocessing.
• Create requests by referencing existing variable statements.

Important changes

As new functionality is added to ADAMS/Solver and more is learned about how it is used, it is sometimes necessary to phase out old functionality which may cause conflicts with new functionality or can no longer be supported.

The following changes are highlighted to inform you of functionality that is being discontinued or undergoing significant changes. Please proceed with your modeling efforts with these changes in mind.

• GFORCE-based contacts introduced in 10.1 no longer supported. Transition to CONTACT statement.
• Support for the DSTIFF Integrator is discontinued.
• Continued transition from standalone user executables to dynamic-link libraries (dll).

New C++-based Solver

Although the current, FORTRAN-based, Solver is the default, and fully functional Solver for this release, we continue to work towards transition of the next generation, C++-based, Solver. This change provides several benefits for extendibility, modularization, and other efficiencies. The C++-based Solver is rapidly closing the functionality gap and will fully replace the current Solver.

We encourage you to review the special considerations for using the C++-based Solver (see the C++ Solver Quick Reference Guide) and, whenever possible, you should use the C++-based Solver in your current modeling efforts in order to understand the differences. This release includes considerable new functionality for the C++-based Solver as noted in the following list.

• Added support for latest Integrator improvements (SI2 and Modified Corrector).
• Added experimental planar part.
• Added support for flexible bodies with enhanced functionality.
• Improved performance relative to FORTRAN-based Solver.
• Allow Drag-Sim functionality in interface products (Dynamic Designer and ADAMS/View).
• Additional Solver command support including CONSUB.

ADAMS/Solver Release Notes

Equation method, Interpolation method, and Equivalent Plane Contact method 

You can use existing 5.2.1 tire and road property files with ADAMS/Tire 12.0 by adding
header, units, and model blocks. 

For the appropriate data blocks that you must add to the property files, see the ADAMS/Tire Release Notes.

University of Arizona Tire 

To make the University of Arizona Tire model available with ADAMS/Tire, we revised the tire property file format to use TeimOrbit format. The property file format is the same as that for Fiala.

FTire extended to 3D

Motorcycle tire model

Tire data library

SWIFT tire

ADAMS/Tire Release Notes

Redesigned ADAMS/Vibration dialog boxes

Redesigned ADAMS/Vibration menus

ADAMS/Vibration features dialog boxes for creating and modifying input channels and output channels that are dedicated to the ADAMS template-based products (ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Rail, ADAMS/Driveline, and ADAMS/Engine). In the Template Builder, you can create and modify input channel and output channel location, orientation, and function. You can also modify input channel functions in the Standard Interface. 

Transfer function plotting

When plotting the frequency response and transfer functions, you can now directly plot the global frequency response on one output channel, given by the common contribution of all the specified input channels for the related vibration analysis. 

Forced vibration animation improvements

Performing design studies and design of experiments

You can now plot the frequency response functions for every output channel against every input channel, for the single system modes. This allows you to directly estimate the contribution of every single mode to the frequency response functions. 

For an ADAMS/Vibration analysis, you can request the calculation of modal energy distribution. You can include modal coordinates and kinetic, dissipative, and strain energy in the generated results, for a user-specified mode range.

When performing your ADAMS/Vibration analysis, you can now request to include/exclude the contribution of the damping during the linearization.

Online help for ADAMS/Vibration dialog boxes 

• ADAMS/Vibration Release Notes 
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/Vibration

Improved lighting control

The visual display of models in ADAMS/View and ADAMS/View-based products, such as ADAMS/Car, has been limited because of the single, fixed light to illuminate the model. This release improves the visual display dramatically with advanced lighting control. You can access the following lighting controls from the Settings Menu:

• Control two-sided lighting
• Display diffused light reflections
• Multiple (up to nine) light sources
• Control light source angle
• Control light ambiance and intensity

Improved simulation and results control

The user interface for Solver Settings has been replaced with a consolidated and consistent dialog box. This dialog box aims to more closely resemble the functionality accessible to the standalone Solver. For example, ADAMS/View fully supports the new xml-based results file including control over the file's output and format.

In support of the merger of requests and measures functionality, ADAMS/View supports the ability to define labels and units for output channels and requests.

ADAMS/Flex and ADAMS/Durability support

ADAMS/View and ADAMS/View-based products, such as ADAMS/Engine, have been improved to better handle visualization of flex bodies as well as support new ADAMS/Flex and ADAMS/Durability functionality. The improvements in support of flex body support are:

• Improved control over caching of flexible bodies
• Interface support for damping expressions
• Visualization of modal forces on flexible bodies (color contours)
• Visualization of stress and strain recovery (color contours)
• Improved loads export options to FEA, physical test, and fatigue file formats

Online help for ADAMS/View dialog boxes 

Usability improvements

In a continuing effort to support users of ADAMS/View and ADAMS/View-based products, such as ADAMS/Aircraft, several general usability improvements have been made as listed below.

• Improved lighting, including light reflections and multiple light sources.
• Print to common image formats such as jpeg, png, and tif.
• New interface object, tabbed containers, for grouping objects in dialog boxes.
• Control-f keyboard shortcut for "Fit without ground".
• Improved reliability for IGES and STEP formats (with ADAMS/Exchange).

Important changes

In the course of the development and support of ADAMS/View and ADAMS/View-based products, it is required to make some changes that require discontinuation or significant changes to specific features. This is required to avoid conflicting functionality, respond to changes in providers of third party functionality, and provide a high-quality and maintainable product. The changes listed below highlight the changes for this release:

• Level of Detail (LOD) is discontinued.
• Optimization uses OPTDes instead of DOT.
• Obsolete command language commands and parameters removed.
• Dialog-Box Builder always stays in front when customizing interface objects.
• Part Modify interface updated to control initial conditions and ground part.

• ADAMS/View Release Notes
• Getting Started Using ADAMS/View

Two-dimensional contact

In this release of MECHANISM/Pro you can now define two types of two-dimensional contacts. They are:

• Curve-Curve
• Circle-Curve
  

ADAMS/Solver models a contact as a unilateral constraint:

• a force that has zero value when no penetration exists between the
  specified geometries, and
• a force that has a positive value when penetration exists between
  two geometries.

You can only define two-dimensional contacts between bodies that are constrained in the
same plane.

Improved simulation time

MECHANISM/Pro now uses an embedded solver to simulate your mechanism. This means that
the time required to perform a simulation is reduced and ADAMS/Solver no longer needs to be installed on your system to simulate mechanisms inside Pro/ENGINEER.

MECHANISM/Pro Release Notes