Methods for including stiffness parameters from reduced finite element models in simulations of multibody systems

Abstract: Two methods using lumped element (lumped parameter) methods to model flexible bodies have been presented. The methods are based on the concept of using a Guyan reduced stiffness matrix to describe the elasticity of a body. The component to be modeled has been divided into two parts using FE software and the mass and inertia tensor for the respective part of the component have been retrieved. The first method has been based on including the elements from the stiffness matrix in compliant constraints. The compliant constraints have been derived and a prototype has been implemented in MATLAB. It has been shown that using compliant constraints and stiffness parameters from a Guyan reduced stiffness matrix it is possible, with highly accurate results, to describe the deformation of a flexible body in multibody simulations. The second method is based on springs and dampers and has been implemented in the simulation environment Dymola. The springs and dampers have been constructed to include coupling elements from a Guyan reduced stiffness matrix. It has been shown that using the proposed method it is possible, with highly accurate results, to describe the static deformation of a flexible body. Further, using dynamic simulations of a full robot manipulator model, it has been shown that it is possible to use the spring-damper model to capture the deformation of the links of a manipulator in dynamic simulations with large translations and rotations.