×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Contact US

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Funky 4 link design

Funky 4 link design

Funky 4 link design

(OP)
Hello everybody, I'm new here. I run a custom suspension shop in Arkansas, specializing in custom air-ride installation. http://www.intensegravity.com/kaltrendz/ if you're interested.

I'm looking for software that will allow me to simulate a 4 link suspension. The type I use most is a triangulated 4 link. I use autocad 2000 to design, and I have some control with the rotation command but it's sketchy at best. Any info would be appreciated.

RE: Funky 4 link design

Thread800-23573

Suspprog3d is getting the local thumbs up, price goes up at the end of the year. The guy who writes it seems very responsive.


Cheers

Greg Locock

RE: Funky 4 link design

(OP)
That program is way too involved for what I am wanting to do. All I want to see is rotation of multiple objects in real time. Basically take a drawn-to-scale 1D autocad drawing and specify rotation from multiple points, set anchor points and watch it all actuate in real time. Is there something out there along those lines?

RE: Funky 4 link design

Have you used it succesfully? I have spent an hour messing about with it and concluded that it was powerful but obtuse.

Cheers

Greg Locock

RE: Funky 4 link design

(OP)
Well I downloaded it, and I believe it is exactly what I need. Now I will just need 2 or 3 years to figure out how to use the friggin thing. I think I'm going to need an eng. deg. to accomplish that. Why can't anything good be simple?

RE: Funky 4 link design

I sympathise. Actually there is a fairly simple alternative, but it is so good it costs $$$ - working model 3d.

Cheers

Greg Locock

RE: Funky 4 link design

If you can get your hands on Solidwork, inventor, pro engineer of similar then you will be able to similate any suspension setup nicely.

You will probably find it quicker to learn susprog than one of these packages anyway!

RE: Funky 4 link design

(OP)
Maybe I'm too simple minded, but wouldn't it be somewhat simple for someone to create a program like autocad, where you simply draw something to scale, set anchor points, rotation points, and point of force and animate it all? That's all I really need, the 'engineering' (as in the actual physical properties of the whole thing, stress points, etc) I don't need. I just wanna watch it move without having a degree! Is that too much to ask for??? :P

RE: Funky 4 link design

You should look into the Working Model program that Greg mentioned.  There is a 2-d version that has the capability to do exactly what you are asking (I think), but I'm not sure how much money you will have to fork over to get it.
Good Luck
bhart

RE: Funky 4 link design

Also if you are using the autoCAD suite and have acces to 3dstudio VIS/MAx you should be able to set it up under that using IK. then you can set up key frames by moving your ends and all should work fine. Actually I only know for sure about 3DStudio MAX, though Gmax "should" be able to do what your looking for. Good luck. Also if free is in your list you can get blender3d but be careful thats an X inhouse game design tool so the learning curve is steep but look for ika tutorials and you should have a blender simulation in a few hours.
Again good luck.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members! Already a Member? Login


Resources

Low-Volume Rapid Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds
Learn methods and guidelines for using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printed molds in the injection molding process to lower costs and lead time. Discover how this hybrid manufacturing process enables on-demand mold fabrication to quickly produce small batches of thermoplastic parts. Download Now
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Examine how the principles of DfAM upend many of the long-standing rules around manufacturability - allowing engineers and designers to place a part’s function at the center of their design considerations. Download Now
Taking Control of Engineering Documents
This ebook covers tips for creating and managing workflows, security best practices and protection of intellectual property, Cloud vs. on-premise software solutions, CAD file management, compliance, and more. Download Now

Close Box

Join Eng-Tips® Today!

Join your peers on the Internet's largest technical engineering professional community.
It's easy to join and it's free.

Here's Why Members Love Eng-Tips Forums:

Register now while it's still free!

Already a member? Close this window and log in.

Join Us             Close