CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
27 September 2004
Implementation Investments
LMS Virtual.Lab Motion Helps Toyota Racing Development Engineer Winning Racecars
LMS International announced that Toyota Racing Development (TRD) U.S.A. has selected LMS Virtual.Lab Motion to develop and optimize chassis and suspension systems for its race vehicles. TRD is continually challenged to optimize the dynamic performance and handling of their vehicles in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series, and LMS Virtual.Lab Motion will enable TRD racing engineers to efficiently model suspension setups, integrate them into full-vehicle models, and virtually test-drive these vehicles on digital tracks. The software integrates the full simulation and optimization process, allowing TRD to fine-tune racecar performance with digital models, thus bypassing the tremendous time and cost of building and testing multiple physical prototypes.
TRD conducted an exhaustive evaluation and selected LMS Virtual.Lab Motion to support the demanding task of tuning the dynamic response of race vehicle designs. The organization particularly values the powerful capabilities of the software to efficiently design, analyze and optimize suspension models. The full integration with CATIA V5 allows engineers to quickly model design changes, and to analyze the kinematic and dynamic performance of multiple design options in record time. Dedicated post-processing and visualization features enable engineers to effectively identify and optimize suspension changes. Integrated optimization capabilities support them in analyzing and tuning suspension designs for specific racetracks and other conditions.
"We expect LMS Virtual.Lab Motion to further increase our capability in suspension design and engineering," says TRD senior race engineer Skip Essma. "Its integrated modeling, simulation and optimization approach will enable us to efficiently investigate many design variants and gain valuable insight into vehicle behavior, as well as fully exploit every possible performance improvement. Through close cooperation with LMS engineers, TRD will build its years of racing experience into Virtual.Lab Motion to gain an integrated simulation solution that fully supports our specific racing needs and gives us a distinct competitive edge on the track."
Toyota Racing Development (TRD) U.S.A., Inc. plays a key role in providing Toyota with an enhanced performance image. A subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, TRD designs and builds Toyota racing engines and race cars in addition to building and marketing performance aftermarket parts for many Toyota vehicles. The TRD Race Vehicle Engineering team based in High Point, NC. is charged with developing race vehicles and technology for Toyota's North American racing programs. Toyota's 2004 entry into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series adds to a successful past that has witnessed Toyota Championships in IRL, CART, IMSA, and SCORE, and victories at the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 24 Hours, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and the Baja 500 and Baja 1000.
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