Why is there not a single simulation product suitable for all aspects of traction modelling?
The investment required to develop a robust numerical engine for a simulator is considerable. In the electrical / systems domain the MATLABTM and SPICE engines dominate the marketplace and most products involve developing front-end user interfaces (e.g SIMULINK) for these engines. The proprietary MATLAB engine is a powerful mathematical tool capable of solving general purpose high order differential equations. The application of non-linearities and equation constraints transform it into an application specific simulation tool. MATLAB is therefore very powerful when a problem can be described behaviourally or systematically, and it is multi-disciplinary. Via SIMULINK and dedicated optional tool-boxes the MATLAB engine will solve electrical circuit problems, but its strength is in multi-disciplinary system simulation and numerical analysis. Conversely, the SPICE engine evolved with the primary purpose of modelling electronic circuits. It too has a powerful engine capable of resolving sys
