Real-Time Deformation Simulation and a Design Support System for Wire Harnesses

The layout design for the wire harnesses cannot be performed until a mechanical prototype is completed because of the necessity to determine the route and length in consideration of deformation. This paper proposes a real-time wire harness deformation simulation method that works together with a mechanism, and a design support system that allows virtual verification of wire harness layout using a 3-D product model. Real-time deformation simulation includes mechanical simulation calculating kinematics and harness shape simulation using a Bezier curve. The design support system allows interactive verification of exact length, maximum curvature and collision by simulating the behavior of a mechanism and a wire harness.