Leaf Spring Builder

The Leaf Spring Builder is used to model leaf springs, using rigid bodies, beams, and contact forces. It can information about the number of leaves, the leaf shapes, cross-sections, material properties, contact properties, shackle length (if your spring employs a shackle), nominal axle load and other information, to create an MDL system definition, which can be imported into a suspension or full vehicle model.

The Leaf Spring Builder saves the data entered to build a model and it can be imported in a leaf spring property file format. If needed, modify the leaf shapes, section properties, material properties or other components of a leaf spring model, by opening the leaf property file in the Leaf Spring Builder, make the modifications and then build a new leaf spring system definition.

The Leaf Spring Builder user interface has four parts as shown in the following image: a browser for navigating and selecting a leaf spring components, an editor for entering and modifying data, a help section for describing the data entered, and a visualization canvas for viewing leaf shapes. When the data is selected in the tree browser, the Leaf Spring Builder displays the corresponding editor, help section, and visualization canvas. The selected data can then be modified using the editor and the modifications viewed on the visualization canvas.
Note: Avoid using space while entering the labels and variables.


Figure 1. Leaf Spring Dialog

Leaf Spring Builder - Toolbar

File Menu
The following options are available in the File Menu:
New
Opens a new session in the Leaf Spring Builder.
Open
Opens an existing .lpf file.
Save
Saves the built leaf property file in the required location.


Figure 2. File Menu Options
Tools
Upon selecting the Check Model option, the Leaf Builder Message window opens and checks for any errors in the built leaf model.


Figure 3. Tools Menu Options
Examples
Examples of pre-built leaf spring models are displayed in the list.


Figure 4. Examples Menu List
Upon clicking one of the models from the list, Spring_4leaves.lpf for example, the entire leaf model is displayed in the Leaf Spring Builder.


Figure 5. Leaf Spring Builder|Pre-built Leaf Spring Model Spring_4leave.lpf

Coordinate System Convention

  • X-axis: Defines the longitudinal axis of the leaf spring.
  • Y-axis: Defines the lateral axis of the leaf spring.
  • Z-axis: Defines the vertical axis of the leaf spring.
  • Origin (0,0,0) will be at the center of the top most leaf.
  • X and Z data should cover the longitudinal and vertical span of a leaf spring.
  • It cannot be changed.

Leaf Spring Components

The following sections explain more about each Leaf Spring Component in detail.


Figure 6. Leaf Spring Components