A Smooth Contact Algorithm Using Cubic Spline Surface Interpolation for Rigid and Flexible Bodies

Juhwan Choi, Jin Hwan Choi, ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Portland, August 2013, Volume 7A: 9th International Conference on Multibody Systems, Nonlinear Dynamics, and Control, 7 pages.

Abstract

The contact analysis of multi-flexible-body dynamics (MFBD) has been an important issue in the area of computational dynamics because the realistic dynamic analysis of many mechanical systems includes the contacts among rigid and flexible bodies. But, until now, the contact analysis in the multi-flexible-body dynamics has still remained as a big, challenging area. Especially, the most of contact algorithms have been developed based on the facetted triangles. As a result, the contact force based on the facetted surface was not accurate and smooth because the geometrical error is already included in the contact surface representation stage. This kind of error can be very important in the precise mechanism such as gear contact or cam-valve contact problems. In order to resolve this problem, this study suggests a cubic spline surface representation method and related contact algorithms.

How Multibody Dynamics Simulation Technology is Used

In order to get more accurate and smooth contact analysis results, RecurDyn has a contact based upon a cubic spline surface interpolation. This contact provides a more accurate penetration depth than a contact based upon facetted triangles.

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