An Object-Oriented Graphical Interface for Dynamic Finite Element Modeling of Belt-Drives

An object-oriented graphical interface, which includes integrated pre-processor, post-processor, and finite element solver, for predicting the dynamic response of belt-drives is described. Three classes of objects are used in the model: geometric objects, support objects, and finite elements. The user can graphically construct a belt-drive by inserting the geometric objects and changing their properties. The user can also add support objects such as physical materials and time-histories of known quantities. The pre-processor automatically generates the finite element model of the belt-drive and submits it to the solver for analysis. The post-processor is used to display the analysis results, which include an animation of the motion of the belt-drive and various types of graphs of response quantities (such as time-history, frequency, snapshot and time-averaged graphs). The graphical output of the pre-processor and the post-processor can be displayed either on the computer screen or in an immersive stereoscopic virtual-reality facility.