When the flexibility of a part needs to be accounted for in a Multi Body Dynamics (MBD) simulation, the rigid part needs to be replaced by a flexible representation (a flexible body).
See Create Flexible Bodies for Adams using Patran to create a flexible body.
The various options to use MNFs in Adams View or Adams Car to represent parts as flexible are rather straightforward, but when using them in Vi-Rail, one intermediate step is required.
In Adams View or Adams Car
Flexible parts can be used
- directly as new parts, or
Flexible part create/use options in Adams
- by replacing an existing flexible part with a new flexible part, or
- by replacing an existing rigid part with its flexible representation
For the latter two cases, it is best to ensure that the locations of connections (joints, springs and dampers) coincide with the interface nodes specified in the flexible body (described in the procedure to create flexible parts).
In Vi-Rail
In Vi-Rail, one additional step is required:
In the template builder, create an interface part for each attachment point between the flexible body and other parts.
This step will ensure that forces and moments at these attachment points are automatically requested and easily accessible after an analysis.
See Extracting loads for FEA from Multi Body Dynamics (MBD) Software to extract loads for use in Finite Element Analysis (FEA), especially for topology optimisation purposes.
