RACE is a multibody simulation software. Multibody simulation is a method of simulating the behaviour of rigid or flexible bodies connected by kinematic (e.g. perfect hinge joint) or elastokinematic (e.g. flexible) joints. RACE is a full featured elastokinematic analysis software that not only shows how your suspension system will move but also how it will flex and deform under loading.
Multibody simulation is a powerful tool used by all vehicle manufactures to design suspension systems. The elastokinematic analysis capability of multibody simulation is its key strength. In any suspension system, there is no such thing as a rigid joint, rigid link or rigid mounting point. Everything in a suspension system flexes under load. The key to good suspension design is to design the suspension system to flex and deform in a way that gives the driver confidence and delivers controlled, predictable vehicle behaviour.
Purely kinematic analysis can be performed in any modern CAD package but multibody simulation is required to get a true understanding of how a suspension system will perform in the real world.
RACE uses over 50 measures known as as Key Performance Indicators or KPIs to measure suspension performance. The KPIs used in RACE are described in the next section of this guide.