LMS software to accelerate durability engineering processes for suspension components and axle-systems.
LMS announces that ZF Lemförder, the chassis technology division of ZF Friedrichshafen AG has standardized on LMS software to accelerate its durability engineering processes for suspension components and axle-systems.
LMS and its Durability Alliance partner Instron Structural Testing Systems, IST, have installed new test rigs at the ZF Lemförder Fahrwerktechnik AG & Co. KG Technical Center in Dielingen, Germany. LMS tools cover their entire durability testing process, both on the physical rigs and in computer simulations. LMS TecWare load-data management software will be used to develop and optimize the load scenarios to be reproduced on the rigs. LMS/IST RS TWR, Time Waveform Replication software, will control the mechanical and hydraulic rigs, and acquire the measurements from the structures being tested. With this installation of LMS FALANCS, ZF Lemförder is also moving into more virtual durability development.
The tight integration between the preparation of the test scenarios, and the implementation of the tests through test rig control, significantly increases the accuracy, focus and speed of the work done on the test rig and therefore shortens the engineering process.
Where LMS TecWare and TWR ensure that the behavior of the physical test rig is as representative of real conditions as possible, LMS FALANCS software carries out virtual durability analyses based on the finite element model. With the FE model of a suspension component or front or rear axle system, and the input loads from road tests, it simulates the effect that small design changes would have on performance under any number of different conditions.
ZF Lemförder will be able to replace a significant number of physical prototypes with virtual prototypes. Even a single virtual prototype within a test cycle provides information that improves the efficiency of testing done on subsequent physical prototypes. Engineers can eliminate the design flaws detected during virtual testing, and by focusing on the remaining weak spots, they can further optimize their testing efforts on the more challenging engineering problems. The ZF Lemförder installation is the most recent of several Durability Alliances system deliveries to Germany - other clients include Daimler Chrysler, BMW, Volkswagen and Opel.
About ZF Lemförder:
The R&D Center of ZF Lemförder is the competence center for suspension and chassis technology for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. More than three hundred engineers are designing products and developing processes on World class level for all well-known customers world wide. The testing department is specialized in testing technology, test field and road tests, measuring technology and experimental acoustics. Comprehensive investigations regarding function and lifetime behavior of suspension components, chassis modules and axle systems are carried out.
As the chassis technology division, a majority holding in ZF Lemförder has been in the possession of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the world’s largest, independent drive and chassis technology specialist, since 1984. As a global player, the ZF group generated turnover of 7.0 billion Euro last year with 56,000 employees in 117 plants and 22 countries. ZF Lemförder employed some 6.800 staff in twelve countries worldwide. Based in Lemforder (Lower Saxony), the group generated global turnover of nearly 1,8 billion Euro in 2001.
About The Durability Alliance:
The Durability Alliance is a strategic partnership between LMS International, IST and TEAM and intends to provide integrated solutions that accelerate and improve the quality of durability engineering in all phases of product development. The founding companies of this alliance integrated and streamlined their products and services for durability engineering on a global basis, and permanently coordinate future product developments.
The portfolio of solutions from the members of The Durability Alliance includes best of class products for physical testing. IST’s systems for physical simulation, including RS Labsite and RS TWR software with their family of digital Labtronic controllers; the TEAM Corporation’s CUBE TM; LMS TecWare software for load data processing and fatigue analysis. Solutions for virtual prototype engineering enclude LMS Virtual.Lab Durability for predictive durability analysis, and LMS Virtal.Lab Motion for ‘virtual test track’ prototyping.
About LMS International
LMS is an engineering innovation partner for companies in the automotive, aerospace and other advanced manufacturing industries. LMS enables its customers to get better products faster to market, and to turn superior process efficiency to their strategic competitive advantage. LMS delivers a unique combination of virtual simulation software, testing systems, and engineering services. We are focused on the mission critical performance attributes in key manufacturing industries, including structural integrity, handling, safety, reliability, comfort and sound quality. Through our technology, people and over 25 years of experience, LMS has become the partner of choice for most of the leading discrete manufacturing companies worldwide. LMS, a Dassault Systèmes Gold Partner, is certified to ISO9001:2000 quality standards and operates through a network of subsidiaries and representatives in key locations around the world.
LMS announces that ZF Lemförder, the chassis technology division of ZF Friedrichshafen AG has standardized on LMS software to accelerate its durability engineering processes for suspension components and axle-systems.
LMS and its Durability Alliance partner Instron Structural Testing Systems, IST, have installed new test rigs at the ZF Lemförder Fahrwerktechnik AG & Co. KG Technical Center in Dielingen, Germany. LMS tools cover their entire durability testing process, both on the physical rigs and in computer simulations. LMS TecWare load-data management software will be used to develop and optimize the load scenarios to be reproduced on the rigs. LMS/IST RS TWR, Time Waveform Replication software, will control the mechanical and hydraulic rigs, and acquire the measurements from the structures being tested. With this installation of LMS FALANCS, ZF Lemförder is also moving into more virtual durability development.
The tight integration between the preparation of the test scenarios, and the implementation of the tests through test rig control, significantly increases the accuracy, focus and speed of the work done on the test rig and therefore shortens the engineering process.
Where LMS TecWare and TWR ensure that the behavior of the physical test rig is as representative of real conditions as possible, LMS FALANCS software carries out virtual durability analyses based on the finite element model. With the FE model of a suspension component or front or rear axle system, and the input loads from road tests, it simulates the effect that small design changes would have on performance under any number of different conditions.
ZF Lemförder will be able to replace a significant number of physical prototypes with virtual prototypes. Even a single virtual prototype within a test cycle provides information that improves the efficiency of testing done on subsequent physical prototypes. Engineers can eliminate the design flaws detected during virtual testing, and by focusing on the remaining weak spots, they can further optimize their testing efforts on the more challenging engineering problems. The ZF Lemförder installation is the most recent of several Durability Alliances system deliveries to Germany - other clients include Daimler Chrysler, BMW, Volkswagen and Opel.
About ZF Lemförder:
The R&D Center of ZF Lemförder is the competence center for suspension and chassis technology for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. More than three hundred engineers are designing products and developing processes on World class level for all well-known customers world wide. The testing department is specialized in testing technology, test field and road tests, measuring technology and experimental acoustics. Comprehensive investigations regarding function and lifetime behavior of suspension components, chassis modules and axle systems are carried out.
As the chassis technology division, a majority holding in ZF Lemförder has been in the possession of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the world’s largest, independent drive and chassis technology specialist, since 1984. As a global player, the ZF group generated turnover of 7.0 billion Euro last year with 56,000 employees in 117 plants and 22 countries. ZF Lemförder employed some 6.800 staff in twelve countries worldwide. Based in Lemforder (Lower Saxony), the group generated global turnover of nearly 1,8 billion Euro in 2001.
About The Durability Alliance:
The Durability Alliance is a strategic partnership between LMS International, IST and TEAM and intends to provide integrated solutions that accelerate and improve the quality of durability engineering in all phases of product development. The founding companies of this alliance integrated and streamlined their products and services for durability engineering on a global basis, and permanently coordinate future product developments.
The portfolio of solutions from the members of The Durability Alliance includes best of class products for physical testing. IST’s systems for physical simulation, including RS Labsite and RS TWR software with their family of digital Labtronic controllers; the TEAM Corporation’s CUBE TM; LMS TecWare software for load data processing and fatigue analysis. Solutions for virtual prototype engineering enclude LMS Virtual.Lab Durability for predictive durability analysis, and LMS Virtal.Lab Motion for ‘virtual test track’ prototyping.
About LMS International
LMS is an engineering innovation partner for companies in the automotive, aerospace and other advanced manufacturing industries. LMS enables its customers to get better products faster to market, and to turn superior process efficiency to their strategic competitive advantage. LMS delivers a unique combination of virtual simulation software, testing systems, and engineering services. We are focused on the mission critical performance attributes in key manufacturing industries, including structural integrity, handling, safety, reliability, comfort and sound quality. Through our technology, people and over 25 years of experience, LMS has become the partner of choice for most of the leading discrete manufacturing companies worldwide. LMS, a Dassault Systèmes Gold Partner, is certified to ISO9001:2000 quality standards and operates through a network of subsidiaries and representatives in key locations around the world.
