My F1 simulator McLaren MP4-23 project - Repozess

[MadMatt]

I don't want to pollute your thread with my stuff but I'm gonna post this message

You are right about the break, I have to do this more often and it is important to relax during the day. A lot of people forget about this !

Proficient would not be the correct word I think (I am using Catia V5 R19 btw). I have built few small parts from A to Z including studies of the bearing life, and so on, and I think I can model pretty much everything, although I'm not that familiar with the GSE module. I prefer to work on "solid" parts (therefore the body part of the car is not my cup of tea ). Have a look at my (stopped) sportscar project if you wish : viewtopic.php?t=9338 (I had to stop last year due to a lot of work at school).

One time I also have to have a look at Keyshot, it looks really interesting, thanks a lot for your advice ! =D>

Well the interface is not that difficult to do, actually I think its the "fun" part of my project. And yes what I am doing with this project is that the user is entering the car information (aero, engine, transmission), then everything gets loaded into my Simulink model to make the calculation and after the simulation the results can be seen in the user interface or exported to an Excel file for further analysis. It is also possible to save the setup of a car, create other setups, save them, so you don't lose what you've done. It is of course possible to load the car setup you want through the interface ! Again, it is not as difficult as it sounds ! However, the Simulink model IS quite complex ! At the moment, if I "screenshot" all the parts of the model, it won't fit an A2 page (and I have made it as much compact as possible).

A last thing is that I cannot really post too in-depth information about this project (hence why I haven't created my own thread) because there are other teams around internet and they could come on this and you know, we don't want to give other teams a chance to beat us (eventho we finished only 8th this year). I wouldn't mind personally, but if my school comes across the thread...

But I am looking forward to updates on your work, it looks really great ! =D>

[repozess]

No worries about polluting my thread mate...i enjoy speaking to intelligent people...glad i could help !
I believe strongly in sharing one's knowledge and helping out

Is your sportscar project going to be resurrected one day ?

Im going to do some research on Simulink...i'm curious and intrigued on what it can do...evrything you mentionned is exactly what i need my application to do....I must admit, someone like you...with the skills that you have, would be a valuable asset to my project in the long run !

I understand about secrecy...no worries at all !!
You said other teams ? and what type of series do you participate in ??

thx for the interest by the way

[MadMatt]

I'm not that intelligent, I just like to learn !

I don't know if I will have time to work again on that sportscar project, I am gonna start new studies in September so it will depend if I have time or not, but I prefer to think it'll be busy so I can't be disappointed !

Simulink is not difficult, you just have to learn how to use the basic blocs and then they have a very good help function with examples and good explanations on ALL functions blocs they have ! 3 or 4 months ago I had never ever used Matlab (or Simulink) so I would say that if you give it some time, you can do it ! I am sure you have the capability to learn this software, and if you do so, I would be glad to help you if you've got questions on how to use it (if I can answer ). So I am not so skilled. I just make it look so with nice GUI and so on !

Here is the thread about the competition, if you want to have a look : viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12672

You're welcome, your project looks really nice, I hope you can go to the end of it ! =D>

[repozess]

Don't put yourself down mate...you just proved to yourself that you are by your comments on your last post
I did some reading about the Eco Shell Marathon...very interesting !

Although i know i could learn Simulink but i'm not interested in doing so simply because of time issues and my brain is already computing 4 different CAD packages my focus is on my Mp4-23 Sim Project...but thank you for offering your help...actually i will in the future require some of your insight...if you don't mind ?

I am very confident that by the end of 2012 the Sim will be completely modeled, maybe earlier..so yes..i will go to the end

I'm also working as we speak on a seemless design setup using HD/3D projection system that will totally immerse the ''driver'' visually in his/her environment...I cannot go into it for now, but i won't be like anything that you have ever seen anywhere...I'm sure you know, there are plenty of companies on the web claiming they have the best most realistic simulators in the world...well my opinion is that some are just and not realistic one bit...actually some are crap just by looking at them...either bad design or badly put together...or both !

I'm able to be very critical on this subject because i used to design cockpits and flight simulators mainly for pilot training

Do not give up your sportscar project mate...i've looked at it and you have the skills

Cheers !

[krisfx]

Repozess
couple of questions,

I'm learning solidworks at uni (useful for FS and other stuff) - is it worth learning catia too if i'm ever going to design decent F1 parts? and how easy is it to translate your skills over to catia? - The wheel you made is very impressive btw, my skills have come as far as a rudimentary wing, although my current coursemates are hovering around "extrude this box and add it to an assembly"

Cheers

[repozess]

Hey Krisfx,

When you look at both packages in core concept (in terms of mechanical design, drafting, assembling parts, mating parts, extrudes, lofts...etc...) they're pretty much the same in both cad softwares or any other for matter !!!

Now where the BIG differences arise is in the "modules" or "workbenches" which CATIA has ( "way lots more") specifically catering to the Aerospace and Automotive industry...for example Class A surfacing, composites, and i can go on and on...Solidworks doesn't have those modules nor those precise surfacing capabilities..

I could go on for pages about the differences between the two....so...to answer your question !!!

You don't need to learn CATIA if you are already seeking your teeth in Solidworks which is a fantastic tool for small to medium sized assemblies. Solidworks is perfectlyu able to do what you want in terms of mechanical design except for very complexed shapes which its not conceived for sadly...You're SKILL LEVEL will determine how your final design will looks...It requires lots of cups of coffee and patience to learn CATIA trust me !

FYI...For my sim project i want the class A surfacing advantage just because i love clean, airtight, organic shapes which is represented in all f1cars...that's why i'll be using Either Catia or Rhino 3D (cheaper and easier to learn then CATIA and excellent class A package) which i mentioned in a previous post...

I'm sure you know as well that CATIA and Solidworks are under the same ''Banner'', think of it has Big brother vs little brother
so translating your skills over won't be that difficult...but remember...like anything else you have to understand its ''inner'' workings before you can start to go crazy on designing anything...a good designer has a template of steps like a pilot has his/her checklist once you master the process of designing....i assure you you will do magic

I hope i've answered your question with satisfaction... and thx for your interest !
Just take the time to learn...you'll thank me in a year

Cheers!

[krisfx]

Hey Krisfx,

When you look at both packages in core concept (in terms of mechanical design, drafting, assembling parts, mating parts, extrudes, lofts...etc...) they're pretty much the same in both cad softwares or any other for matter !!!

Now where the BIG differences arise is in the "modules" or "workbenches" which CATIA has ( "way lots more") specifically catering to the Aerospace and Automotive industry...for example Class A surfacing, composites, and i can go on and on...Solidworks doesn't have those modules nor those precise surfacing capabilities..

I could go on for pages about the differences between the two....so...to answer your question !!!

You don't need to learn CATIA if you are already seeking your teeth in Solidworks which is a fantastic tool for small to medium sized assemblies. Solidworks is perfectlyu able to do what you want in terms of mechanical design except for very complexed shapes which its not conceived for sadly...You're SKILL LEVEL will determine how your final design will looks...It requires lots of cups of coffee and patience to learn CATIA trust me !

FYI...For my sim project i want the class A surfacing advantage just because i love clean, airtight, organic shapes which is represented in all f1cars...that's why i'll be using Either Catia or Rhino 3D (cheaper and easier to learn then CATIA and excellent class A package) which i mentioned in a previous post...

I'm sure you know as well that CATIA and Solidworks are under the same ''Banner'', think of it has Big brother vs little brother
so translating your skills over won't be that difficult...but remember...like anything else you have to understand its ''inner'' workings before you can start to go crazy on designing anything...a good designer has a template of steps like a pilot has his/her checklist once you master the process of designing....i assure you you will do magic

I hope i've answered your question with satisfaction... and thx for your interest !
Just take the time to learn...you'll thank me in a year

Cheers!

To date, you're the only one on F1T to answer my in thread cad questions so yeah you've answered it very well, i'd be interested in knowing the processes you used to create these bits, ( know you want to keep it tight) but it'd be very helpful in my quest to piss off my Formula Student team by designing better parts than them =D

[N12ck]

May I recommend Autodesk Krisfx, it is great, relatively easy to use (to complex for a full f1 car for me) but for small parts it is great and with many add-ons you can use for analysis,

[silente]

I worked with solid works and now i work with CATIA.

CATIA has an enourmous potential, you could actuallz do whatever you like with it (if you know how, of course! ), but IMHO Solid Works can do (at least for mechanichal parts, i am not an expert about surface modeling) at least 80-90% of what Catia does but it's a lot easier, faster and user friendly.

Hey Krisfx, would you like to design a Formula Student or just some parts? where are you from?

Don't want to go out of topic anyway, maybe you can write me a pm if you want to share. I had some experience with FS some years a go.

[krisfx]

May I recommend Autodesk Krisfx, it is great, relatively easy to use (to complex for a full f1 car for me) but for small parts it is great and with many add-ons you can use for analysis,

Yeah, I can't get round Autodesk, the UI confuses the --- out of me!

[N12ck]

I see, it took me quite a while, but once you grasp it it is brilliant (although my version is a very very old version),Mainly use it for 2d stuff

[krisfx]

I worked with solid works and now i work with CATIA.

CATIA has an enourmous potential, you could actuallz do whatever you like with it (if you know how, of course! ), but IMHO Solid Works can do (at least for mechanichal parts, i am not an expert about surface modeling) at least 80-90% of what Catia does but it's a lot easier, faster and user friendly.

Hey Krisfx, would you like to design a Formula Student or just some parts? where are you from?

Don't want to go out of topic anyway, maybe you can write me a pm if you want to share. I had some experience with FS some years a go.

Ah thanks, PM'd you

[krisfx]

I see, it took me quite a while, but once you grasp it it is brilliant (although my version is a very very old version),Mainly use it for 2d stuff

ah cool!

I need to start designing some form of race vehicle though, and then learn the math behind it in uni

[repozess]

Hey Krisfx,

When you look at both packages in core concept (in terms of mechanical design, drafting, assembling parts, mating parts, extrudes, lofts...etc...) they're pretty much the same in both cad softwares or any other for matter !!!

Now where the BIG differences arise is in the "modules" or "workbenches" which CATIA has ( "way lots more") specifically catering to the Aerospace and Automotive industry...for example Class A surfacing, composites, and i can go on and on...Solidworks doesn't have those modules nor those precise surfacing capabilities..

I could go on for pages about the differences between the two....so...to answer your question !!!

You don't need to learn CATIA if you are already seeking your teeth in Solidworks which is a fantastic tool for small to medium sized assemblies. Solidworks is perfectlyu able to do what you want in terms of mechanical design except for very complexed shapes which its not conceived for sadly...You're SKILL LEVEL will determine how your final design will looks...It requires lots of cups of coffee and patience to learn CATIA trust me !

FYI...For my sim project i want the class A surfacing advantage just because i love clean, airtight, organic shapes which is represented in all f1cars...that's why i'll be using Either Catia or Rhino 3D (cheaper and easier to learn then CATIA and excellent class A package) which i mentioned in a previous post...

I'm sure you know as well that CATIA and Solidworks are under the same ''Banner'', think of it has Big brother vs little brother
so translating your skills over won't be that difficult...but remember...like anything else you have to understand its ''inner'' workings before you can start to go crazy on designing anything...a good designer has a template of steps like a pilot has his/her checklist once you master the process of designing....i assure you you will do magic

I hope i've answered your question with satisfaction... and thx for your interest !
Just take the time to learn...you'll thank me in a year

Cheers!

To date, you're the only one on F1T to answer my in thread cad questions so yeah you've answered it very well, i'd be interested in knowing the processes you used to create these bits, ( know you want to keep it tight) but it'd be very helpful in my quest to piss off my Formula Student team by designing better parts than them =D

Lots of suggestions came your way i see...Autodesk is fine too...I used Inventor for a while...just don't like it ! besides...extrudes, fillets, chamfers, are pretty much all the same in all cad packages...Use what you're most confortable with ...its the first step !!!

Cheers !

[repozess]

Hey Krisfx,

When you look at both packages in core concept (in terms of mechanical design, drafting, assembling parts, mating parts, extrudes, lofts...etc...) they're pretty much the same in both cad softwares or any other for matter !!!

Now where the BIG differences arise is in the "modules" or "workbenches" which CATIA has ( "way lots more") specifically catering to the Aerospace and Automotive industry...for example Class A surfacing, composites, and i can go on and on...Solidworks doesn't have those modules nor those precise surfacing capabilities..

I could go on for pages about the differences between the two....so...to answer your question !!!

You don't need to learn CATIA if you are already seeking your teeth in Solidworks which is a fantastic tool for small to medium sized assemblies. Solidworks is perfectlyu able to do what you want in terms of mechanical design except for very complexed shapes which its not conceived for sadly...You're SKILL LEVEL will determine how your final design will looks...It requires lots of cups of coffee and patience to learn CATIA trust me !

FYI...For my sim project i want the class A surfacing advantage just because i love clean, airtight, organic shapes which is represented in all f1cars...that's why i'll be using Either Catia or Rhino 3D (cheaper and easier to learn then CATIA and excellent class A package) which i mentioned in a previous post...

I'm sure you know as well that CATIA and Solidworks are under the same ''Banner'', think of it has Big brother vs little brother
so translating your skills over won't be that difficult...but remember...like anything else you have to understand its ''inner'' workings before you can start to go crazy on designing anything...a good designer has a template of steps like a pilot has his/her checklist once you master the process of designing....i assure you you will do magic

I hope i've answered your question with satisfaction... and thx for your interest !
Just take the time to learn...you'll thank me in a year

Cheers!

To date, you're the only one on F1T to answer my in thread cad questions so yeah you've answered it very well, i'd be interested in knowing the processes you used to create these bits, ( know you want to keep it tight) but it'd be very helpful in my quest to piss off my Formula Student team by designing better parts than them =D

Lots of suggestions came your way i see...Autodesk is fine too...I used Inventor for a while...just don't like it ! besides...extrudes, fillets, chamfers, are pretty much all the same in all cad packages...Use what you're most confortable with ...its the first step !!!

Cheers !

I Will PM you...regarding some easy to follow tricks that i use