modeling a classic ’ideal’ cable

[2ms1]

Is there any way to model a classic cable as in the kind used in systems of pulleys and blocks, etc. from engineering textbooks?


I actually want to model a tendon. But I'll skip the friction and all for now. I just want something that can represent a wirerope/cableideally, ie doesn't stretch, no friction, no problems with flex or anything, just simply something that can have tension/pull.


We tried simply using a ton of universal ball joints back to back but computer choked on that.

 

[Kaz Z06]

2ms1,


If your rotational range of either end is not very large, try modeling 2 wheels/pulleys (your bodies w/ rotational joints) connected by a spring at the points which would be tanget from their location in space (just like a rope from one pulley to the next). Adjust the stiffness of the spring to simulate that of atendon and the motion and force (and even stretch) should work out. You could replace the spring with a solid link that has a pin joint at the tanget point on each wheel as well. Or, make a slider connection between two rods/links, attach the free end of each link tothe tangent pointsof the rotating bodies and add a spring to the slider joint to simulate stiffness.


Hope this gives you some good ideas.


Kaz Z06