How to model a small conveyor?

Hello,

My name is Hamza. I am a mechanical engineering student. My project for know is to model a small conveyor using simscape multibody library. The purpose of this modelization is to know if my stepper motor is capable of actuating this conveyor. I have searched a lot on youtube and other ressources but I didn't find the solution yet. I traied to use "Box to Belt Force" block but I didn't know how yo use it. I also have some problems in the positionning of the mass on the belt as it shown in the images. Please, if anyone can help solve this problem. Or if someone has some other suggestions. I would be very grateful.

Answer 1

[Jan Janse van Rensburg]

You could make use of this little project: Conveyor - Link only active till may 28 2025

Open the Project file there should be a few examples on how to use Simscape Multibody to model conveyors - it makes use of actuation but providing 0 as the movement, but providing both derivatives of the of the Movement actuation based on the speed produces a result where the solid remains stationary but anything in contact with it will "feel" as if it is moving.

[Hamza]

Hello Jan.Thank you a lot for your help.

I have managed to model the contact between the box and the belt of the conveyor. But I still don't know how to model the link between the drive drum and the belt. If you have some more examples. Can you send them to me please.

I also tried to use simscape multibody contact forces library. But I have faced a lot off difficulties.

[Jan Janse van Rensburg]

You would be able to sense the Contact forces and friction forces between the belt and the object - but determining the torque requirements may require some more editing of the example I sent you, you would need to model the inertia of the belt (You could maybe approximate it with a rotating mass) and then you'd want the interaction between the contact of the component and the belt to affect the torque requirement on keeping the same conveyor speed. I think this will be possible. You'd need to have some kind of kinematic surrogate for the belt-inertia.

I hope this helps unfortunately I don't have the current bandwidth to invest time in this :(