[Tex/LaTex] There is a more compact way for drawing this quarter-car model

technical-drawingtikz-pgf

I have written this code:

\documentclass[tikz,border=10pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
\pagestyle{empty}

\begin{tikzpicture}

    % Sprung mass
    \shade[top color=gray, bottom color=white, shading angle={135}]
        [draw=black,fill=gray!20,rounded corners=1.2ex,very thick] (1.5,.5) rectangle (6.5,2.5);
    \draw (10,1.5) node {Sprung mass};      
    \draw (4,1.5) node {$M$};

    \draw[->,very thick] (1.5,1.5) -- (0,1.5) -- (0,0);
    \draw (0,-0.5) node {$Z$};

    % Suspension
    \draw[-,very thick] (2.5,.5) -- (3,0.25) -- (2.5,0) -- (3,-.25) -- (2.5,-.5) -- (3,-.75) -- (2.5,-1) -- (3,-1.25) -- (2.5,-1.5) -- (3,-1.75);
    \draw (2,-0.5) node {$K_s$};

    \draw[-,very thick] (5,.5) -- (5,-.3);
    \draw[draw=black,fill=black,very thick] (4.7,-.3) rectangle (5.3,-.5);
    \draw[-,very thick] (4.5,-.3) -- (4.5,-.7) -- (5.5,-.7) -- (5.5,-.3);
    \draw[-,very thick] (5,-.7) -- (5,-1.75);
    \draw (6,-0.5) node {$C_s$};
    \draw (10,-0.5) node {Suspension};

    % Unsprung mass
    \shade[top color=gray, bottom color=white, shading angle={135}]
        [draw=black,fill=gray!20,rounded corners=1.2ex,very thick] (2,-1.75) rectangle (6,-2.75);
    \draw (10,-2.25) node {Unsprung mass};      
    \draw (4,-2.25) node {$m$};

    \draw[->,very thick] (2,-2.25) -- (0,-2.25) -- (0,-3.75);
    \draw (0,-4.25) node {$Z_u$};

    % Tire
    \draw[-,very thick] (3.75,-2.75) -- (4.25,-3) -- (3.75,-3.25) -- (4.25,-3.5) -- (3.75,-3.75) -- (4.25,-4) -- (3.75,-4.25) -- (4.25,-4.5) -- (3.75,-4.75) -- (4.25,-5);
    \draw (3.25,-4) node {$K_t$};
    \draw (10,-4) node {Tire};

    % Road
    \draw[-,thick] (0.5,-5) -- (0.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (1.0,-5) -- (0.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (1.5,-5) -- (1.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (2.0,-5) -- (1.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (2.5,-5) -- (2.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (3.0,-5) -- (2.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (3.5,-5) -- (3.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (4.0,-5) -- (3.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (4.5,-5) -- (4.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (5.0,-5) -- (4.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (5.5,-5) -- (5.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (6.0,-5) -- (5.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (6.5,-5) -- (6.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (7.0,-5) -- (6.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (7.5,-5) -- (7.0,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (8.0,-5) -- (7.5,-5.5);
    \draw[-,thick] (8.5,-5) -- (8.0,-5.5);
    \draw[->,very thick] (8.5,-5) -- (0,-5) -- (0,-6.5);
    \draw (0,-7) node {$Z_r$};
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

and the result is this one:

Quarter-car model

The question is not how draw this model, but if there is a better and shorter way to draw it with a simpler code than mine.

Best Answer

This is my try using Tikz. It was quite a work, but the code should be substantially shorter and easier to understand.

Changes and implementations:

Used a foreach command to draw the little diagonal lines. One line instead of all of those you had to write.
In order to make the connector shape, I tweaked Jake's solution fixing the thickness and so on.
Set the node properties inside a \tikzset. This way you only need to type one keyword to activate multiple options. Result: saving of space.
I did the nodes first and the paths later for organization purposes. The nodes at the right were originally made with labels, but writing them using nodes was easier in terms of positioning.
The zigzag lines were created using decorations, and positioning nodes at the midway position. They all use the properties inside of snake arrow, so if you edit there, all paths using this key will be modified.
Positionings, calculations, arrows, decorations were all done using the Tikz libraries, check the preamble. This might come in handy for you in the future.

Output

Code

\documentclass[tikz,border=10pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}

\usetikzlibrary{arrows, calc,decorations.pathmorphing,positioning,decorations.markings}

\tikzset{
    shadedrec/.style={
        rectangle,
        draw=black,
        top color=gray, 
        bottom color=white, 
        shading angle={135},
        text width=3cm,
        inner sep=1em,
        rounded corners=1.2ex,
        very thick,
        text centered},
    snake arrow/.style={
        decorate,
        decoration={zigzag,amplitude=3mm,segment length=5mm,post length=0mm}},
    damper/.style={
        very thick,
        decoration={markings,  
        mark connection node=dmp,
        mark=at position 0.5 with 
        {
            \node (dmp) [very thick,transform shape,text width=.3cm,rotate=-90,minimum height=3pt,draw=none, fill=black,outer xsep=2pt, outer ysep=1pt] {};
            \draw [very thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(-.6pt,0)$) -- ($(dmp.south east)+(-.6pt,0)$) -- ($(dmp.south west)+(-.6pt,0)$) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(-.6pt,0)$);
            \draw [very thick,rotate=-90] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);
        }
    }, decorate}
}

\begin{document}
\pagestyle{empty}

\begin{tikzpicture}

% Shapes

    \node[shadedrec, anchor=center] (S1) at (4,3) {$M$};
    \node[shadedrec, anchor=center, below=2 of S1] (S2) {$m$};

%Nodes side
    \node[anchor=center,text centered,right=2cm of S1.east] (sm) {Sprung mass};
    \node[below=of sm] (susp) {Suspension};
    \node[below=of susp] (usm) {Unsprung mass};
    \node[below=of usm] {Tire};

% Paths

%side arrows
    \draw[->,very thick] (S1.west) -- ++ (-1.5,0) -- ++ (0,-1.5) node[below] {$Z$};
    \draw[->,very thick] (S2.west) -- ++ (-1.5,0) -- ++ (0,-1.5) node[below] {$Z_u$};

%zigzag lines
    \draw[very thick, snake arrow] ($(S1.south west)!.5!(S1.south)$) -- ++ (0,-2) node[left,midway,xshift=-1em] {$K_s$};
    \draw[very thick, snake arrow] (S2.south) -- ++ (0,-2) 
        node[left,midway,xshift=-1em] {$K_t$};

%Connector shape
    \draw[damper] ($(S2.north east)!.5!(S2.north)$) -- ($(S1.south east)!.5!(S1.south)$) node[right,midway,xshift=1em] {$C_s$};


% Road
    \coordinate (A) at ($(S2.west)+(5.5,-2.45)$);
    \draw[->,very thick] (A) -- ++(-7,0) -- ++ (0,-1.5) node[below] {$Z_r$};

\begin{scope}[shift={($(S2.west)+(-1.5,-2.45)$)}]

    \foreach \x in {0.5,1,...,7} { %This one draws the little diagonal lines
    \draw (\x,0) -- ({\x-.5},-.5);
    }

\end{scope} 
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] How to draw a quarter car model in LaTex? Which is basically a two masses and spring system

I could not understand your question properly, especially the free body diagram part. However, will this be useful?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx} % to add figure environment that comes with caption
\usepackage{caption} %if you don't want to float your figure for using \captionof
\usepackage{tikz}           
\usetikzlibrary{calc,patterns,decorations.pathmorphing,decorations.markings,circuits}
\begin{document}
Using \verb|graphicx| package:
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
     \begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.style={draw,outer sep=0pt,thick}]
     \tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={zigzag,pre length=0.3cm,post length=0.3cm,segment length=6}]
     \tikzstyle{dampener}=[thick,decoration={markings, mark connection node=dmp,mark=at position 0.5 with {
     \node (dmp) [thick,inner sep=0pt,transform shape,rotate=-90,minimum width=15pt,minimum height=3pt,draw=none] {};
     \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(2pt,0)$) -- (dmp.south east) -- (dmp.south west) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(2pt,0)$); \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);}}, decorate]
     \tikzstyle{ground}=[fill,pattern=north east lines,draw=none,minimum width=4cm,minimum height=0.3cm]

     \begin{scope}
     \node at (0,0) [draw,rectangle, minimum width=2cm,minimum height=1cm,anchor=south,,transform shape](m1) {$m1$};
      \draw [very thick, -latex](m1.north) -- +(0,1);
     \node at (0,-2) [rectangle, minimum width=2cm,minimum height=1cm,anchor=north,,transform shape](m2) {$m2$};
     \draw [very thick, -latex](m2.north) -- +(0,1);
     \draw [spring] (-0.5,-2) -- (-0.5,0) node[midway,left=0.3cm] {k1};
      \draw [dampener,label=D1,] (0.5,-2) -- (0.5,0)node[midway,right=0.4cm] {d1};
      \node (ground1) at (0,-5)  [ground, anchor=north] {};
%        \draw [ground] (-1,-5) -- (1,-5);
      \draw [spring] (-0.5,-5) -- (-0.5,-3)node[midway,left=0.3cm] {k2};
 %     \draw [spring] (-0.5,-5) -- (-0.5,-3)node[draw=none,midway,left=0.3cm] {k2}; % If you don't want borders around lables use [draw=none]
       \draw [dampener] (0.5,-5) -- (0.5,-3)node[midway,right=0.4cm] {d2};

      \end{scope}
        \end{tikzpicture}
        \caption{My figure}\label{fig:myfigure1}
      \end{figure}

Following will not float, we use \verb|\captionof| from \verb|caption| package. The package \verb|graphicx| not needed for this case.

\begingroup
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.style={draw,outer sep=0pt,thick}]
     \tikzstyle{spring}=[thick,decorate,decoration={zigzag,pre length=0.3cm,post length=0.3cm,segment length=6}]
     \tikzstyle{dampener}=[thick,decoration={markings, mark connection node=dmp,mark=at position 0.5 with {
     \node (dmp) [thick,inner sep=0pt,transform shape,rotate=-90,minimum width=15pt,minimum height=3pt,draw=none] {};
     \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north east)+(2pt,0)$) -- (dmp.south east) -- (dmp.south west) -- ($(dmp.north west)+(2pt,0)$); \draw [thick] ($(dmp.north)+(0,-5pt)$) -- ($(dmp.north)+(0,5pt)$);}}, decorate]
     \tikzstyle{ground}=[fill,pattern=north east lines,draw=none,minimum width=4cm,minimum height=0.3cm]

     \begin{scope}
     \node at (0,0) [draw,rectangle, minimum width=2cm,minimum height=1cm,anchor=south,,transform shape](m1) {$m1$};
      \draw [very thick, -latex](m1.north) -- +(0,1);
     \node at (0,-2) [rectangle, minimum width=2cm,minimum height=1cm,anchor=north,,transform shape](m2) {$m2$};
     \draw [very thick, -latex](m2.north) -- +(0,1);
     \draw [spring] (-0.5,-2) -- (-0.5,0) node[midway,left=0.3cm] {k1};
      \draw [dampener,label=D1,] (0.5,-2) -- (0.5,0)node[midway,right=0.4cm] {d1};
      \node (ground1) at (0,-5)  [ground, anchor=north] {};
%        \draw [ground] (-1,-5) -- (1,-5);
      \draw [spring] (-0.5,-5) -- (-0.5,-3)node[midway,left=0.3cm] {k2};
 %     \draw [spring] (-0.5,-5) -- (-0.5,-3)node[draw=none,midway,left=0.3cm] {k2}; % If you don't want borders around lables use [draw=none]
       \draw [dampener] (0.5,-5) -- (0.5,-3)node[midway,right=0.4cm] {d2};

      \end{scope}
        \end{tikzpicture}
        \captionof{figure}{My figure}\label{fig:myfigure2}
      \endgroup
       \end{document}

enter image description here

[Tex/LaTex] More elegant way to achieve this same camera perspective projection model

WOW! This is really quite elegant.
You could have made your life a lot easier though, if you had used the TikZ 3D coordinate system, defined as \draw (0,1,2)--(2,3,4); and, if needed, adjusting the x,y and z coorinates by \begin{tikzpicture}[x={(1cm,0cm)},y={(0cm,1cm)},z={(0.73cm,0.73cm)}] or something alike. This changes the lengths with which the x,y and z are projected onto x and y.

As an alternative, you could have used thetikz-3dplot package to rotate your camera perspective about azimuth and elevation. Really just a two liner:

\tdplotsetmaincoords{70}{110}
\begin{tikzpicture}[tdplot_main_coords]

for 70 degree azimuth and 110 degree of elevation.

When rotating, you have to remember though, that TikZ has no real 3D support, as in:
z-buffering is not (yet?) supported. You might therefore have to adjust some colors after rotation. This is because, with rotation, the drawing order can change. Then things are in front of others, because of the time they are calculated, not where they are in 3D. This is explained in the tikz3dplot example manual, chapter 3.3.

Also, the use of relative coordinates helps to focus on the contents, rather than the creation of the figure. \draw (2,3,4)--++(0,0,1); takes you towards z by one, from where you used to be.

On a rather unrelated note, you should load the TikZ-packages in the preamble, otherwise you would have to reload them in every scope. This would slow down compilation speed, for larger documents.