RecurDyn TrackLM (Low-Mobility Track) is a dedicated toolkit for quickly and accurately modeling the undercarriage of low-mobility tracked machines—such as excavators, bulldozers, and agricultural vehicles. It covers the sprocket, road rollers, carrier rollers, idlers, tensioner system, track links/shoes, and lateral guards. TrackLM shortens design–verification cycles significantly with in-UI tooth/grouser definition, automatic track-loop assembly, and track-specific Special Outputs.
Fast setup & automatic assembly: Define sprocket, rollers, idlers, and track links parametrically; the Track Assembly tool automatically closes the loop.
Accurate contact & terrain modeling: Analyze traction, slip, and sinkage on rigid, soil, and snow terrains with realistic behavior.
Special Outputs: Link poses and velocities, contact/friction forces, drive torque, etc., are generated as pre-named channels that streamline reporting.
Solver optimized for low mobility: Tuned for construction/agricultural duty cycles to deliver robust results.
Note: For platforms involving high speed and shock (e.g., military vehicles), use RecurDyn TrackHM. TrackLM is optimized for work machines.
Travel over flat and uneven ground: Assess speed, traction, and directional stability across terrain types.
Obstacle negotiation / grade climbing: Compare roller loads, body accelerations, and required drive torque.
Grouser & tooth geometry optimization: Study how grouser height/profile and sprocket tooth geometry affect the traction–friction balance.
Tensioning & pre-load tuning: Parametric studies to refine track tension, slip, and anticipated wear.
After defining the body and drivetrain, open the Track(LM) subsystem; add the sprocket, idlers, road/carrier rollers, tensioner, frame, and lateral guards.
Enter link/shoe dimensions and the grouser profile in the UI; you may also import the profile as XY point data exported from CAD.
Using Track Assembly, start from the sprocket and proceed counter-clockwise to close the loop; the subsystem is added to the database automatically.
Choose rigid / soil / snow terrain. Set friction coefficients, penetration/restitution, and surface properties to match the scenario.
Specify the time step (integration), gravity, speed/torque profile, boundary conditions, and loads; then run the simulation.
Use Special Outputs to rapidly report link-level positions/orientations, velocities/accelerations, wheel/roller loads, drive torque, contact forces, and energy metrics.
The Excel-based eTemplate lets you tabulate body, wheels, carrier rollers, tensioner, frame, and connection data and import them in one go. File paths (CAD, *.x_t), profile data (*.mat), and visual attributes can be applied automatically.
Rigid terrain: Ideal for kinematic validation and quick comparisons.
Soil / Snow: Use when you must capture traction, slip, and sinkage; grouser height and shape directly influence results.
Contact settings: Choose suitable penetration/restitution and friction; adapt the time step to contact stiffness for stability.
TrackLM produces pre-named channels (examples):
TrackLink#::Pos_ — Link reference marker position and 3-1-3 Euler angles
TrackLink#::Vel_ — Link linear and angular velocities
Wheel/Idler/Sprocket loads and torque — Carrier/road-wheel loads and drive-sprocket torque
Contact and friction forces — Terrain interaction and energy metrics
This structure standardizes reporting and makes it easy to compare KPIs across design iterations (peak torque, peak acceleration, wheel-load distribution, traction coefficient, etc.).
When higher fidelity is required, model track links as flexible bodies using the Link Converter and its recommended workflow (reference axes, meshing, and related tips).
Frequent mistakes
Incorrect local reference axis on the link → contact instability
Time step too large → contact miss/oscillation
Unverified tensioner pre-load → unrealistic slip/wear predictions
Too few links or wrong loop length → geometric mismatch
Grouser profile scaled incorrectly or missing points → scattered traction results
Before you press Run, check
Sprocket–idler–roller alignment
Number of links and correct pitch
Friction/penetration parameters matching the chosen terrain
Driving profile (speed/torque) and boundary conditions
Logging setup for Special Outputs
Rigid terrain demo — Kinematic validation; maximum speed and track stability
Grouser A/B test — Compare traction and torque demand for two different profiles
Soil-terrain obstacle crossing — Compare roller loads, body acceleration, and slip ratio
FE-TECH Advanced Engineering provides setup, training, and application consultancy for tracked undercarriage simulations with RecurDyn. We can deliver bilingual demo scenarios, parametric setups with eTemplate, and KPI-oriented reporting templates.
What’s the difference between TrackLM and TrackHM?
TrackLM targets low-speed/low-mobility work machines; TrackHM targets high-speed/high-mobility platforms (often military).
How do I define grouser and tooth profiles?
Design them in the UI or import XY point data exported from CAD.
Which terrains are supported?
Rigid, soil, and snow terrains come with example tutorials and ready workflows.
How do I standardize reporting?
Use Special Outputs to auto-name link-, wheel-, and contact-based metrics and build KPI reports on top of them.
RecurDyn TrackLM is a powerful, practical solution for projects requiring accurate contact modeling, realistic terrain behavior, and production-grade reporting in tracked construction machinery. Automatic assembly, in-UI grouser/tooth design, and pre-named outputs accelerate iterations, reduce prototyping, and support data-driven decisions.