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Creating a dynamic flexible part

Hi all,

Been a solidworks users for a long while but have a new challenge. I need to create an elastomer diaphragm that will dynamically stretch based on the movement of the mated parts.

This version is roughly .030 thick and 1.1 in diameter. The outer perimeter, roughly a .075 lip, will be clamped secure.

The center area, a diameter of about .700, is sandwiched between two washers that will reciprocate back and forth. In real world, the diaphragm will stretch some distance, say .100, in either direction as the washer sandwich cycles.

I need to make a part that will imitate this movement dynamically in a model. I know it can be done as one of my techs (now gone along with the model) did it several years ago on SW 2001 !!

I'm trying splines, stretches, deforms, etc but have had no luck so far.

Any help is really appreciated.

Thanks

Doug

Reply to
Doug
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Potential techniques depend on how you want to use the data.

Dynamic assy motion? Animator? Shown in discreet positions?

If you want to do Dynamic assembly motion, you've got to fake it. Probably use two separate parts that move independently, and kind of vaguely looks like a single part deforming.

If you want to use Animator, you have to use an in-context technique, probably a loft.

If you want to show the part in discreet positions, you could do just about anything using configurations, although a loft would again work well.

Reply to
matt

Have you looked at Ship In A Bottle?

Reply to
JKimmel

Hi,

Have not heard of Ship in a Bottle. A sample or demo provided by Solidworks?

This will be for visual use, as a tool to show vendors / customers what happens to the diaphragm during operation.

I have a model all but complete w/ a rigid diaphragm that I can post tomorrow to give a better idea of the entire mechanism.

Would post today but the flu has hit hard.

Thanks for the input.

Doug

Reply to
Doug

Ship in a bottle is commonly used to benchmark solidworks computers. It is an "animation" driven by a macro that rebuilds the part a specified number of times. The part that is relevant to a flexible diaphragm is the "wave action" in the animation. You can find it at:

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Reply to
JKimmel

Found it !

After looking at this this, it appears the macro is simply using equations to shift the shape of the wave model by set distances. Looks cool but isn't really going to work for what I am doing.

I am going to post a model on a new thread to give a better idea of what I have in hand.

Thanks for the input

Doug

Reply to
Doug

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