Success in the automotive industry today requires highly specialized people who can communicate effectively and efficiently with one another. To achieve this, everyone needs to understand the final goal of the whole group. Our Advanced Vehicle Engineering Workshop will help you flush out those goals.

week one November 29 - December 4, 2010
week two December 6 - 11, 2010
at OptimumG Headquarters in Denver, Colorado, USA

In order to accommodate busy schedules, we are offering the Advanced Workshop in two parts. Those who are only able to attend for one week, can join us starting Monday, November 29 through December 4, but those wishing to extend their opportunity can participate until December 11. In order to attend the second week, you must have participated in the first week. The week will include breakfast and lunch each day of the workshop, several group activities throughout the week, binders to follow along with each presentation, and a CD with data examples and vehicle dynamics simulation exercises.

Many vehicle engineers are extremely specialized and highly knowledgeable in their specific area of the car. In this day and age of extreme competition, getting a team of engineers to work cohesively toward the common objective of overall gain in performance is easier said than done, because of a lack of appreciation and understanding of the design and development of a car.

With the help of our workshop, engineers can come away with a better understanding of how their specific area fits into the larger picture. Previous workshop attendees have reported an increase in the quality of communication among the various departments as well as new perspectives on already applied principles in racecar design, simulation and testing.

Who Should Attend

• Experienced vehicle engineers
• Graduates of our 3-Day Vehicle Dynamics & Data Acquisition Seminar
• Anyone interested in an in-depth education of vehicle dynamics and data acquisition

Topics Covered in Week One

• Vehicle dynamics & data acquisition pre-test. This personal and confidential test will assess your knowledge at the beginning of the Advanced Workshop. This test will be repeated at the end of the Workshop to show progress made throughout the week.
• Tire. As the only elements of the car in contact with the ground, we start the Advanced Workshop with the understanding of the tire as the most important component of the vehicle. Understand how the contact patch forces and deflections influence the grip, balance and performance of the car. We will also cover tire testing, analysis and how to acquire and use tire data in car design and setup.
• Aerodynamics. After a brief review of fluid dynamics and aerodynamics principles, this section will focus on aeromaps and how to integrate them in non-linear suspension vertical stiffness and car setup. Understand the complexity of wind tunnel choices, wind tunnel and on-track testing, as well as the advantages and limitation of aeromap knowledge application.
• Kinematics. Wrong kinematics cannot be “patched” by springs, antiroll bars and shocks. The definitions and comprehension of kinematics is essential to the efficient use of tires. We will present a particular kinematics approach that works well with OptimumG clients, and explain the differences between pure kinematics and K&C (kinematics and compliance) as well as the new notion of roll and pitch Force Motion Axis.
• Weight transfer. Learn step by step the weight transfer calculation in steady state and transient. There are many misconceptions regarding weight transfer, but guided exercises will show its usefulness on practical car setup. We will also focus on the interdependence of roll, pitch and yaw inertia, the influence of tire vertical stiffness, chassis torsion stiffness and chassis torsion damping on the weight transfer distribution.
• Damping & ride. A practical guide and assisted exercises will help focus our discussion on the dampers setting for enhanced vehicle performance. Diminish time spent on the track with spring and damping calculations, and learning how to choose and fine-tune suspension elements.

Topics Covered in Week Two

• Steady state & transient behavior. Become familiar with fundamental equations linking the tire model with steering input, yaw velocity and tire lateral forces, and how to apply these equations in steady state and transient car modeling. Appreciate the power of the combined use of sensors and tire models to define and refine car handling and overall performance.
  
• Brakes. We discuss the often neglected brake system and give useful tips on calculations and selection. Particular attention is paid to brake cooling and improvement of brake power, response and consistency thanks to conclusions drawn from specific data analysis.
  
• Gearbox & differentials. Learn the different types of differentials, why and how to choose one differential type over another, and how their settings influence the car handling in brake and power conditions.
  
• Chassis setup. Receive practical information and case studies on in-shop and on-track car setup.
  Past participants have reported that principles taught in this section led them to bring new ideas and perspectives to their respective companies and teams.
• Data acquisition. We’ll cover both technical and practical aspects of data acquisition, and learn
  the challenges and satisfactions with data acquisition system understanding, choice, installation,
  calibration, and efficient data analysis. OptimumG will focus on mathematical data analysis and its direct application on driver performance and car handling evaluation in order to make quick and reliable setup decisions.
• Simulation. Starting with simple Excel spreadsheets and moving on to complex modeling and simulation software, OptimumG engineers will present and conduct several guided exercises which simulate specific car handling and performance issues. These exercises will show the qualitative and quantitative interdependence of car design and set-up parameters on safety, performance and consistency.
• Team organization. Many vehicle engineers are extremely specialized and highly knowledgeable
  in their specific area of the car. In this day and age of extreme competition in the market, getting a team of engineers to work cohesively toward the common objective of overall gain in performance is easier said than done. Come away with a better understanding of how your specific area fits into the larger picture. Previous workshop attendees have reported an increase in the quality of communication among the various engineer, mechanical and managerial departments.

Interested?

For more information or if you would like to register for the Advanced Workshop, please contact Erin Meyer at erin.meyer@optimumg.com or +1 303 752 1562.