Help needed in spring simulation

[freeman01in]

Hi,
using the helix i managed to make a spring. But can i simulate the motion of the spring in catia. for eg. if i fix ends of the springs to 2 plates and try moving the plates then can i simulate the action of the spring in catia. if yes please tell me how to do it.
thank you

 

[MrCATIA]

I'm not sure I would call this "simulation" but you can vary the length of the spring based on 2 planes, as you described.

You want to use parameters and forumlas to help define the helix curve. The height of the helix can be a MEASURE BETWEEN distance between the 2 planes. The pitch of the helix is the height divided by the number of revolutions in the spring.

If you move the planes, the helix will change when you do an UPDATE.

Two other ways to simulate the spring are; 1. fake it with DMU Kinematics, or 2. use dynamic analysis software, such as LMS

 

[freeman01in]

Thanks for ur reply,
i will tell u what exactly i need. like u said i will make two planes for both the spring ends. but then i want to bend the spring and study how will it behave. though i am doubtful whether ne of the softwares can do this

 

[MrCATIA]

Freeman, having a bend in the spring does add some complexity but I think it can be done by using CATIA's parameters and associativity. How accurate does this have to be?

Take a look at the second link in another thread to see if this gives you some ideas:
http://www.3dcadforums.com/1161-what-exactly-law-curves-how-they-used.html

 

[amnon]

Hey

I saw such simulation made in INVENTOR 10

Best regards
Amnon

 

[jkralowell]

It is possible

You are in luck! This can be done: LMS Virtual.Lab Motion is a CATIA-based simulation tool. I am intimate w/it's Helical Spring element which supports ground ends, any helix shape and cross-sectional profile. You can drive it dynamically or quasi-statically, and it will capture geometrically nonlinear behavior; for example if the deformation becomes signifcant enough to cause coil-to-coil contact, you will see the coils impact against each other, sliding and rubbing along the helix, and even 'popping through' if you have strongly 'beehived' helix shapes.