Suspension Explorer

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Introduction ​

Suspension Explorer is an interactive application for simulating and analyzing vehicle suspension kinematics.

It can solve coordinated bump, roll, and steer sweeps for a range of suspension configurations, from which relevant metrics and parameters are computed automatically. Both the suspension’s motion and the calculated metrics can be visualized within the application, though results can also be easily exported for further analysis.

Core functionality ​

Suspension Explorer allows you to:

  • Assemble a suspension system model from design-condition hardpoints and key configuration parameters.
  • Validate topology, mechanism compatibility, and initial geometry.
  • Drive one or more actuators through bump, roll, and steering motion.
  • Calculate corner and axle metrics from each solved state.
  • Visually inspect the suspension’s motion and calculated metrics directly in the application, or export results for further analysis.

A range of suspension architectures are supported, including double wishbone, MacPherson strut, and multi-link layouts.

How it works ​

Suspension Explorer treats a suspension system as a collection of idealized rigid parts connected by ideal joints. Relationships between these components are captured through the application of ‘geometric constraints’, which define mathematically how these items can move relative to one another. These constraint equations are combined with the user’s input motion targets to form a system of equations that must be solved in order to determine the suspension’s pose at each step of the motion. The solver solves these equations for each step, records the resulting positions and orientations of all suspension components, then computes a set of relevant metrics based on the solved configuration.

See Solver design for the analytical Jacobians, automatic differentiation, and dependency-aware point calculations behind this workflow.

For layouts without a physical steering axis, e.g., multi-link/five-link front suspensions, the application computes an instantaneous ‘virtual’ axis of rotation for steering-related metrics.

See Supported models for the implemented architectures, mechanisms, outputs, and important limits.

Further information

Suspension Explorer was written by a former Formula 1 vehicle dynamics engineer.

What it does not do ​

The solver calculates ideal geometry and motion. It does not yet model:

  • Compliance in bushings, tires, chassis, or suspension components.
  • Loads, stress, fatigue, strength, damping, or inertia.
  • Transient multibody dynamics.
  • Packaging and interference between components.

The open-core model ​

Suspension Explorer uses an open-core model, similar to Google Chrome or Visual Studio Code. This means that our core functionality is freely available, independent of the interactive app, and can be both studied and extended by users.

Those with prograing experience and more advanced use-cases may also benefit from using the core library directly, as this provides fuller access to functionality which is not readily exposed through a graphical interface.

The core solver’s source code is available on our GitHub.

Next steps ​