Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Faltenbalg mit Simulation der Formänderung
© freepik / Fraunhofer ITWM
Faltenbalg mit Simulation der Formänderung

Efficient Simulation in Vehicle Engineering

The image shows a bellows in focus: simulation of the change in shape.

© freepik / Fraunhofer ITWM

From Ribbon Cables to Interior Trim – Simulation of Flexible Flat Structures

Simulation of Flexible Structures in Vehicle Construction: Efficient Models for Flat Cables, Bellows, and Trim

There are many flexible flat structures in vehicles: from small ribbon cables and bellows to large interior trim panels. We develop and use simulations to optimize the design of these components for assembly and operation – even in the early stages of development.

As different as flat cables, bellows, and interior trim may be, we usually resort to shell models for their simulation. Depending on the requirements, we develop special methods and always ensure that the parameterization is practical. Some of our methods have already been incorporated into the commercial products IPS Bellows and Grommets and IPS Flat Cables.

Surrogate Models and AI Approaches for Fast Calculations

Efficiency remains a key challenge, especially for real-time applications. Although 2D shell models save one dimension compared to 3D solid models, they still have many degrees of freedom. To speed up calculations, we rely on surrogate models such as Neural Networks. We train these to mimic the behavior of complex shell models. After training, the surrogate models deliver solutions in real time.

Simulation of the Deformation of a Ribbon Cable
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Simulation of the Deformation of a Ribbon Cable
Interior Trim During Assembly: Simulation of Deformations
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Interior Trim During Assembly: Simulation of Deformations
Flexible Flachbandkabel
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Flexible Flachbandkabel werden beispielsweise in der Computerhardware oder Unterhaltungselektronik verbaut. Wir simulieren flexible Flachbandkabel als elastische Streifen mittels geometrisch exakter Cosserat-Schalen.

Example: IPS Module for Simulating Flexible Flat Cables

Highly flexible ribbon cables are key components in modern computer hardware and consumer electronics (see figure on the right). At Fraunhofer ITWM, we model them as »elastic strips« with geometrically exact Cosserat shells – based on our methods for modeling flexible cables and hoses with Cosserat rods.

Unlike a rod cross-section, the cross-section of a strip can deform in the transverse direction. This behavior can be easily understood using the example of a paper strip, which also warps transversely when subjected to spatial deformation. It is precisely this cross-sectional deformation that is shown in our simulation in the IPS software, which visualizes the realistic deformation of ribbon cables.

Simulation of a Flexible Flat Cable

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