UWindsor, Coventry collaborate to develop a tool to teach vehicle dynamics

University of Windsor and Coventry University are collaborating to help students learn about vehicle dynamics. The two universities’ engineering faculty are working together on a project to develop an open source software package.

Professor Mike Blundell of Coventry University discusses tire performance with engineering students at the University of Windsor (Photo: University of Windsor).

UWindsor professor Bruce Minaker of the Vehicle Dynamics and Control Research Group has been developing the software, called “Equations of Motion.” The open source software will be a great teaching aid for faculty in mechanical and automotive engineering.

Mike Blundell, professor of vehicle dynamics and impact at Coventry University, is currently assisting Minaker on the project. Blundell visited the University of Windsor for six weeks as has helped advance the project specifically when it comes to capabilities in tire modelling. Blundell is also delivering guest lectures on tire performance to University of Windsor students, while raising awareness of opportunities for exchange visits or research study at Coventry.

“This is an important aspect of the visit,” Dr. Minaker says. “We both hope this visit will provide a platform for ongoing two-way exchange visits for staff and students between our two institutions.”

Blundell says he has been delighted at the chance to work with colleagues here and is proud of his appointment as a visiting professor.

“This has proved to be a unique career experience for me and provides an opportunity to build a strong collaboration between our two institutions around the vehicle dynamics subject area,” he says. “The EoM software that Bruce has developed is already being used by our students at Coventry University and working in an open source software environment will help our students and future researchers develop the skills they need as we drive our research agenda.”

He presented the first paper resulting from the collaboration in June at the Joint International Conference on Multibody System Dynamics in Montreal.

www.uwindsor.ca