The contribution of compute simulation methods to traction propulsion development

A guide is given to how computer simulation may be employed in the railway traction environment. The methodology of successful simulation has been divided into three principal areas; system identification, control algorithms and modelling verification. Emphasis is placed on the need for accurate modelling, on which the design of complex drives can be reliably based. The use of good simulation is a prerequisite to advanced drive design and manufacture, giving the practising engineer insight into performance and access to results, which otherwise could not be available until a prototype was tested, if at all. Conversely, poor simulation leads to false assumptions and errors, which may leave the engineer less able to achieve design requirements than without simulation