Abstract
In automotive development there is a growing demand for tools that enable the simulation of flexible surfacelike components. In comparison to conventional software tools IPS already offers a fast simulation for specific flexible shell structures, like bellows and grommets or flexible flat cables. For trim parts, interior and exterior panels there are currently no commercial software solutions that can support simulations in real time.
In a joint development project with a German OEM from automotive industry (Audi AG) a practically useful approach has been developed that provides an enormous computational speedup for flexible surfaces, enabling frame rates in the range of 50 – 90 Hz, which is sufficiently fast for interactive simulations in the IPS desktop. In our presentation some typical application examples are shown. We expect that in the future this improved simulation technology will enable assembly simulations of flexible surface-like parts in virtual or extended reality (XR) environments.