Nürburgring circuit modelled by rFpro to allow representative engineering simulation 19.07.2014: Nürburgring circuit modelled for the first time with sufficient accuracy to allow representative engineering simulation Breakthrough in modelling software will provide vehicle manufacturers

Nürburgring circuit modelled for the first time with sufficient accuracy to allow representative engineering simulation     



Breakthrough in modelling software will provide vehicle manufacturers with competitive edge against rivals competing for Nordschleife lap records



Specialist software company rFpro has modelled the entire Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring, Germany, with an accuracy never before achieved. The data has been incorporated into the company’s latest simulation software, TerrainServer, and allows real chassis engineering development in a virtual environment with every bump, kerb, ripple and camber from the actual track.
 

“Established simulator technology is fine for driver training in terms of which way the corners go but limited for use in vehicle development,” explained rFpro’s technical director, Chris Hoyle. “Our model of the Nordschleife sets a new standard, enabling customers to carry out suspension tuning or the development of chassis systems such as stability control with a simulator, and arrive at the circuit with a better optimised package.”
 

Over four man-years of effort were required just to update the graphics to support the new model, indicating the scale of the engineering achievement in mapping such a long circuit (over 20.8km).


Surveying was carried out by 3D Mapping Solutions GmbH with state-of-the-art phase-based LIDAR laser imaging technology resolving the entire track surface (over 250,000 m2) in 3D with an accuracy better than 1mm in Z (height) and 1cm in X and Y (position). This represents a ten-fold improvement over the resolution previously available.
 

Having an accurate digital circuit model of a track that you visit regularly provides benefits both for your real car testing and for your simulation, according to Hoyle. “Simulation is nothing without correlation against real test data in order to update and improve the mathematical vehicle models,” he said.


“At the same time, simulation allows more effective preparation for the real tests so vehicle developers can achieve more during their test window; essentially the two approaches benefit each other.” 


Back at base, on the simulator, OEMs also benefit from the ability to speed up development by testing all year round, 24 hours a day, regardless of weather or track availability, on a consistent and repeatable road surface, and from improved confidentiality through keeping secret prototypes hidden until later in the development cycle.
 

The method of data capture, using technology mounted on a small SUV, means the process can also be applied to public roads, whether urban, rural or inter-city highways, allowing vehicle makers to simulate specific road surface types and features. This means new models can be evaluated over the kinds of terrain found in different continents, ensuring compatibility with specific market conditions long before physical prototypes exist.
 

During 2013 rFpro built a total of 402km of digital circuit models for their simulator clients, including proving grounds, test tracks, race tracks and public roads.  Since 2007 rFpro has captured and modelled over 50 circuits and test tracks and thousands of kilometres of public road to incorporate in its library of models for use with TerrainServer.




About rFpro



rFpro is a specialist software company that has developed driver-in-the-loop simulators for vehicle dynamics applications, offering the fastest video and audio pipelines, an architecture for soft-real-time model execution and an optically correct off-platform vision system optimised for motion profiles suited to ride and handling development.


This specialised area of driver-in-the-loop simulation is all about closing the loop through the driver and the vehicle model as quickly as possible while delivering a high quality and immersive environment.

To deliver complete DIL simulators for the engineering development of vehicle dynamics, and the control systems and active safety systems that affect vehicle dynamics, rFpro works in partnership with motion platform providers such as McLaren, Ansible Motion and MOOG. The company’s products can wrap around vehicle models from all the popular modelling environments, including Dymola, SIMPACK, Simulink, AVL-VSM, CarSim, CarMaker, LMS AMESim, VI-Grade and C/C++.
 



Richard Doherty - photos autopresspoint