Reducing lead time for modeling in CAD simulation softwares

Flexible components, such as rubber hoses, are subject to large elastic deformations during movement of the rigid components to which they are attached. Currently, there is no inherent capability in any solid modeling software to accurately depict the shape of the hose between any two attachment points. Keil (2001) made the hose model in ADAMS/View simulation software. Keil (2002) stated that it is a very time consuming and cumbersome process to set up the model with the flexible beams and its associated joints for modeling of a flexible body without any user errors. This paper presents a method to automatically build a flexible element model using the principles of spatial orientation and vector mathematics. These accurate mathematical principles would maintain the precision in the flexible element model as suggested by Keil while reducing the time for building a hose model to minutes from hours