Introduction
We demonstrate Abaqus capabilities in simulating wash/dry processes with the focus on the fabrics modeling. These include:
- Predicting the motion and deformation of single or cumulative fabric pieces (garments).
- Influence of the geometry of basket and lifters: shape, location etc.
- Influence of the basket rotation speed, rotation format on the motion/deformation of fabrics
The same technique for fabric modeling can be used for automobile airbag material modeling.
Fabric material model
The geometry of a single piece fabric used in this demo is shown in the figure below as its initial configuration.
Folded fabric
1) The fabric material model is anisotropic and nonlinear. Either experimental data or a user subroutine, VFABRIC, can be used to characterize the Abaqus/Explicit fabric material model, providing the nominal fabric stress as a function of the nominal fabric strains.
2) The material model was first confirmed with free falling of a piece of fabric before used to model the pieces used in simulating its motion in a tumbling drying / washing machine. Comparison between the real fabric and the simulated shape is shown below:
Stiffer fabric Softer fabric Real fabric
The dryer geometry
In this demo, the tumbling drying machine with 3 lifters is modeled using Abaqus/CAE. Shown below is the initial assembly with 3 pieces of fabrics included. General contact and friction are defined between the fabrics and the basket and among the fabrics themselves. The constant angular velocity of 2/3 cycles per second is applied to the basket.
Results
Some results of the deformed shape, and stress and strain contours for a single piece of the fabric are shown below:
Max. Mises Stress in-plane principal strain
Typical tumbling pattern
Animation
The whole tumbling animations are attached here.
Video Demo
A narrated presentation video showing the main setting-up procedure of the simulation is attached herewith.
