Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
(OP)
I am trying to model a braided rope in Solidworks. Can anyone advise me on how to do this. I have tried many things and have been unsuccesful. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
Thank you!!
Thank you!!






RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Is the rope straight, or does it hang between its ends. A straight rope would be a couple of helices, with the circle sections overlapping a bit.
I heard somewhere that ropes and chains hang in a hyperbolic cosine. Modeling this with helices will be fun!
JHG
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Timelord
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
can you explain how i can create a weave with multiple strands with the flex command? This was one of my attemps earlier that was unsuccessful. I also tried projecting a profile on a curved surface. Is there a way to how a helix follow a guided curve? Would this work?
Thank you!
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
You are going to have to search a manual or the internet for whatever rope braid you are using. Perhaps a boy scout manual or an outdoor survival book will tell you something. There are many ways to braid ropes.
There are ways to fake geometry like this, but not if you are doing FEA.
JHG
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
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RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Use the flex command to twist the extrusion as needed, then add bends via the flex command.
I have created braided wire like this. It takes a little practice, but works.
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Is this more like what you are trying to model?
If so, I am not sure SW can do this without a lot of work.
John H. Dunten, CD
Certified Drafter
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
You mention FEA. If this is the primary aim, could a bit of lateral thinking create a really simple model to test. i.e. multiply up the strands?
I must confess I know as much about FEA as the first chapter of the Cosmos Works Designer manual, so this might be completely rubbish advice.
Regards
WP
www.whitney-paine.com
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
MadMango,
That occurred to me too. I figure you can push a rope if it is short enough, but maybe then you should not consider it a rope. See thread1103-224665: Bolts vs Screws for what happens when a semantics discussion gets out of control. :)
I do not see how any analysis is going to work here without a precisely accurate model of the braid. No handy dandy visual trick is going to work here.
Is this a metal or plastic rope, or is it a rope made of some grossly non-homogenous material like what ropes are traditionally made of?
JHG
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
That is exactly what I am trying to model!!
Any suggestions anyone?
Thank you!
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
I would create a basic model close to it, then apply appropriate materials to it.
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
You are correct that an analysis won't work without a precisely accurate model. This is why I am inquiring about methods to develop a model.
The material is metal, I have all the values I need in order to run an analysis, i just need to develop the model.
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
The actual response of that material to a load will depend a lot on factors which will be hard to capture in an FEA program. Specifically the wires may or may not slide against one another depending on friction and the applied load. Additionally there could be significant change in the orientation / configuration of the strands with respect to the load.
You may have more success experimentally determining the behavior of the rope and applying appropriate material properties to a geometrically simpler shape for further analysis.
Eric
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
I agree 1-million % with EEnd. You are way better off performing some real world tests.
-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional
Certified COSMOSWorks Designer Specialist
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Thank you.
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)
ctopher's blog
RE: Modelling a rope in Solidworks 2006/ 2007
"found at the end"
--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2008 SP4
Nvidia Quadro FX 1000
AMD Athalon 1.8 GHz 2 Gig RAM