Deformed Tube

[SaberRaide]

I have interesting design challenge. I need to model a 0.5" OD (.032 wall thickness)straight tube deformed into the as installed condition, meaning I need to model in the bending which occurs to the tube when clamped at three different locations. I can only use the GSD workbench. The clamps have an ID of 0.5" with a tube engagment width of 0.654".

The center of the points of the clamps A, B, and C are (0,0,0); (19.191,0,-.262); and (42.161,-.926,-.137). the planes normal to the centerline of the clamp are 90 deg at clamps A and B, but the plane normal to the centerline at clamp C is canted by 7 degrees.

I have attempted using a couple of different splines to simulate the as installed condition.

Any ideas?? Remember I can only use the GSD workbench.

 

[SaberRaide]

I figure out a solution. I created three planes at the centerline for the attach fastener. Each plane has the ability to vary the angular dimension between the rib and the centerline of the clamp. This simulates the clamps ability to pivot about the fastener centerline. Then I created three centerlines to simulate the effective width of the clamp. I then created a spline common to the center points of the clamps and constrained each point of the spline to its respective clamp centerline. After that it was just a matter of adjusting the tensions at each point in the spline and pivoting the simulated clamps to create the deformed tube centerline.