Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls About this Guide 3 Learning the Basics 5 Introducing and Starting the Tutorials 11 Learning ADAMS/Controls with MATLAB 29 Learning ADAMS/Controls with Control System Import 45 Learning ADAMS/Controls with EASY5 57 Learning ADAMS/Controls with MATRIXx 77 Setting Simulation Parameters 101 Advanced Topics 107 2 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls Copyright U.S. Government Restricted Rights: If the Software and Documentation are provided in connection with a government contract, then they are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions stated in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 252.227-7013. Mechanical Dynamics, Incorporated, 2300 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105. 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All other product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Part number: 120CTGS-01 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls 3 About this Guide About this Guide Welcome to ADAMS/Controls ADAMS/Controls is a plug-in to MDI’s ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Chassis, ADAMS/Rail, ADAMS/View, or ADAMS/Solver that helps you add sophisticated controls to your ADAMS model. ADAMS/Controls lets you connect your ADAMS model to block   diagrams that you’ve developed with control applications such as EASY5 , MATLAB ,  or MATRIX . X ADAMS/Controls offers you the option of: (cid:1) Simulating the combined mechanical system and controller entirely within the controls application, (cid:1) Simulating entirely within ADAMS, or (cid:1) Solving the controls equations with the control package and solving the mechanical system equations with ADAMS. ADAMS/Controls also lets you interactively view the simulation results in ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Chassis, ADAMS/Rail, and ADAMS/View. What You Need to Know This guide assumes that you know how to run ADAMS/View or ADAMS/Solver. It also assumes that you have a moderate level of proficiency with one of the controls packages with which ADAMS has an interface. These include: EASY5, MATLAB, or MATRIX . X To use ADAMS/Controls, you need access to one of these controls packages so that you can prepare a controls block diagram, add it to your mechanical model, and simulate the combined system. For information on other MDI products, see the online Road Map to ADAMS Documentation. 4 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls About this Guide 1 Learning the Basics Overview ADAMS/Controls helps you connect your ADAMS mechanical system models to block diagrams developed with EASY5, MATLAB, or MATRIX . This chapter introduces X you to ADAMS/Controls and the basics of its interface features. It contains the following sections: (cid:1) How You Benefit from Using ADAMS/Controls, 6 (cid:1) How to Improve the Design Process with ADAMS/Controls, 6 (cid:1) Ways in Which You Can Use ADAMS/Controls, 8 (cid:1) About the ADAMS/Controls Four-Step Process, 9 (cid:1) How to Learn ADAMS/Controls, 10 6 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls Learning the Basics How You Benefit from Using ADAMS/Controls By combining mechanical system simulation tools and controls design tools, you can: (cid:1) Add sophisticated controls to an ADAMS model and simulate the combined system. (cid:1) Generate mechanical system simulation models directly from your ADAMS data without having to write equations. (cid:1) Analyze the results of your simulation in the ADAMS environment or the controls application environment. How to Improve the Design Process with ADAMS/Controls In the typical design process of a mechanical system with controls, the mechanical designer and the controls designer work from the same concept, but use different sets of software tools. The result is that each designer produces a model for the same problem. Each design is then subject to verification and testing, and the first time the two designs are brought together is during physical prototype testing. If a problem occurs during the interaction between the controls design and the mechanical design, the engineers must refine the control design, the mechanical design, or both, and then go through the entire verification process again as shown in Figure1 on page 7. Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls 7 Learning the Basics Figure 1. Design Process Before ADAMS/Controls With ADAMS/Controls, the two designers can share the same mechanical model. They can also verify from one database the combined effects of a control system on a nonlinear, non-rigid model. The physical testing process is greatly simplified, and the risk of having a control law that is developed for the wrong mechanical model is eliminated as you can see in Figure2 on page 8. 8 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls Learning the Basics Figure 2. Improved Design Process with ADAMS/Controls Ways in Which You Can Use ADAMS/Controls You can use ADAMS/Controls in the ways listed below. The simulation method you choose, interactive or batch, determines which application you use. (cid:1) ADAMS/Car, ADAMS/Chassis, ADAMS/Rail and ADAMS/View - By using ADAMS/Controls with one of these products, you can animate your model and view the effects of the control system and any structural modifications you make. This is the application you use if you are running an interactive simulation. (cid:1) ADAMS/Solver - For faster simulation results, you can run ADAMS/Controls directly with ADAMS/Solver, MDI’s powerful analysis engine. This is the application you use if you are running a simulation in batch mode. Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls 9 Learning the Basics Note: You also have the option with ADAMS/Controls to export either a linear or nonlinear version of your ADAMS plant to the controls application, or to import the controls system definition into ADAMS. Importing the control system  requires Mathwork’s Real-Time Workshop . About the ADAMS/Controls Four-Step Process The diagram in Figure3 describes the four-step process of combining controls with a mechanical system. The tutorials in this guide walk you through the detailed procedures for each step. Figure 3. ADAMS/Controls Four-Step Process Step One: Build the ADAMS model. S tep Two: S tep Three: Step Four: Identify the B uild the control Simulate the ADAMS inputs and system block model. outputs and export diagram. the plant model. (cid:1) Step One: Build the Model - The first step in working with ADAMS/Controls is to build or import an ADAMS model. The model should be complete and include all necessary geometry, constraints, forces, and measures. (cid:1) Step Two: Identify the ADAMS Inputs and Outputs - Define the inputs and outputs through the information or startup file in your ADAMS product. The outputs describe the variables that go to the controls application (the output from the ADAMS model is the input to the controls system). The inputs describe the variables that come back into ADAMS (the output of the controls application) and, therefore, complete a closed loop between ADAMS and the controls application. All inputs and outputs must be set up as variables. Optionally, export the plant system files from ADAMS for use in the controls simulation software. 10 Getting Started Using ADAMS/Controls Learning the Basics ADAMS/Car, ADAMS Input ADAMS Output Chassis, Rail, or View or ADAMS/Solver Controls Controls Output Application Controls Input (cid:1) Step Three: Build the Block Diagram - Build the control system block diagram with one of the following applications: EASY5, MATLAB, or MATRIX . Include the ADAMS plant in your block diagram, or if using X Real-Time Workshop, export the controls system and import into ADAMS. (cid:1) Step Four: Simulate the Model - Simulate the combined mechanical model and control system. Several different methods are available to run your simulation. How to Learn ADAMS/Controls This guide introduces you to the most basic concepts of Using ADAMS/Controls through a series of tutorials. You begin learning ADAMS/Controls with Chapter 2, Introducing and Starting the Tutorials. This material explains the basics of the ADAMS side of the ADAMS/Controls interface. After you complete Chapter 2, you continue with the tutorial that is associated with the specific controls application you are using, including EASY5, Control System Import, MATLAB, or MATRIX . X