About Flex Physical Simulation

The following topics are discussed:
 

• Flex Physical Simulation Overview
• Cross-sections
• Material Properties
• Flex Added Values

Flex Physical Simulation Overview

Flex Physical Simulation is a physics-based realistic cable solver that allows you to simulate the behavior of cables using integrated CAD-CAE tools during the product design process.

Components such as flexible tubes, hoses, wires, and electrical wires permit deformation; they are very flexible so that their shape adapts to the context in which they are used. This behavior is taken into account in design and simulation processes through Flex cable solver

Flex Definition

A flexible slender body (flex) is constituted of a 3D curve/line called neutral fiber and a variable cross-section.

Example of a variable cross-section:
 

Cross-sections

Sections are two-dimensional views of slices through objects. Only orthotropic cross-sections are supported by Flex. An orthotropic cross-section has two symmetry planes; the shear section has to fit with the centroid of the section. The table below illustrates the various orthotropic cross-section types:

circular cross-section	annular cross-section
rectangular cross-section	arbitrary orthotropic cross-section (elliptic)

Material properties

Flex Physical Simulation cable solver permits specific local deformation modes (Flexible Behavior) for the flex:

• traction-compression mode (in axial direction)
• torsion mode (around axial direction)
• bending-shearing mode (in orthogonal planes containing axial direction)

Examples of more or less flexible flex cables subjected to gravity and imposed displacements at their extremities:

FLEX Added Values

Flex cable solver allows you to model and simulate the realistic behavior of flexible cables (material and geometric properties).

Flex cable solver provides you with a strong realistic picture of the cable behavior as shown in this example below. In yellow, the standard solver is used. In blue, Flex solver is used.