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Motion
Set up and run a motion analysis, plot the results, and export the results.
Motion Setup
Complete the motion setup by creating veloctiy initial conditions and flexible bodies.
Flexible Bodies
Convert rigid bodies to flexible bodies and review flexible body modes before running a motion analysis.

Welcome
What's New
Discover new features and enhancements.
Get Started
New to Inspire? Learn the basics here.
Tutorials
Start using Inspire with our interactive tutorials.
Parametric Modeling
Create parametric sketches, geometry, and PolyNURBS with construction history and variables.
Implicit Modeling
Create implicit models with primitives, lattices, point clouds, fields, offsetting, Booleans, inverting, smoothing, morphing, and filleting.
Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
Motion
Set up and run a motion analysis, plot the results, and export the results.
- Motion Connections
  Define motion connections by grounding parts and creating rigid groups and joints.
- Motion Forces
  Apply motors, actuators, springs, and gravity to define the elements for a motion analysis.
- Motion Setup
  Complete the motion setup by creating veloctiy initial conditions and flexible bodies.
  - Variables in Inspire Motion
    Designate variables as the values of certain Motion entities such as spring stiffness, initial condition rates, actuator inputs, and motor inputs.
  - Design Exploration in Motion
    Use Inspire Design Exploration to perform Inspire Motion DOE and optimization studies.
  - Translational ICs
    Use the Translational IC Sets tool to define translational velocity for one or more parts.
  - Rotational ICs
    Use the Rotational IC Sets tool to define rotational velocity for one or more parts.
  - Flexible Bodies
    Convert rigid bodies to flexible bodies and review flexible body modes before running a motion analysis.
    - Create a Flexible Body
      Convert one or more rigid bodies to flexible bodies. A flexible part will have flexibility properties that allow it to deform under loads.
    - Mesh Controls
      Use mesh controls to assign an element size to parts or faces.
    - Review Flexible Body Modes
      Review and animate flexible body modes using the Analysis Explorer.
    - View Flexible Parts as a Table
    - Flexible Body Contact
      Two methods are available for enhancing the behavior of flexible bodies: FlexContact+ and FlexContact+ for Joints. Both methods involve a form of geometry-based contact to improve flex body results accuracy, capturing realistic behavior of contact area stress/strain and stress/strain near joint locations.
    - Connection Radius
- Motion Analysis
  Run a motion analysis, plot the results, and extract the results for use in structural (FE) analysis and optimization.
Fluids
Prepare and run a computational fluid dynamics simulation.
Design Explorer
Evaluate designs by using geometric variables and applying a design-of-experiments (DOE) or optimization method. We recommend fully constraining your sketch when sketch variables are used in the design exploration.
Manufacture
Set up and run a basic porosity or thinning analysis.
Print 3D
Prepare and run an additive manufacturing simulation, and export a file for 3D printing.
Rendering
Adjust the materials and environment of objects in the scene to create a photorealistic image.
Inspire Python API
Learn how to access the Inspire Python API including online help, quick start demos, and the Extension Manager.
Reference
View the glossary, frequently asked questions, and errors and alerts.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.

Flexible Bodies

Convert rigid bodies to flexible bodies and review flexible body modes before running a motion analysis.

Inspire Motion supports two kinds of bodies: rigid and linear flexible. The rigid body operates in 3D space where it can undergo large overall motion, be attached to other bodies via joints, and/or get into contact with other bodies, but it cannot experience any deformation. The linear flexible body can do the same, but can also undergo small deformations. The flexible component is obtained by carrying out a Component Mode Synthesis (CMS) analysis. This entity has mass and inertia properties just like a rigid body. In addition, it has flexibility properties that allow it to deform under loads. The deformation is defined using a set of spatial mode shapes and time-dependent modal coordinates. Such a body is linearly flexible, meaning that it cannot handle non-linear or plastic deformations. A linear flexible body is useful in situations where deformations of the body due to large forces have a meaningful impact to the overall behavior of the system and the forces at the pivot points.

Use the FlexBody tool to convert rigid bodies to flexible bodies and review flexible body modes. You can also include stress and strain in the analysis.

Location: Motion ribbon, Setup group