Hi Rodney,
the files of the pieces would be needed, in addition to the set.

Hello Marcelo

Here are the parts i need help with, the clip is to be pressed over the "T section", its designed to hold a sheet in place, I want to see the deflection when the clip is pressed into position, there are two clips, one make of a plastics and the other make of spring steel with rollers
tks

Hi Rodney,
I downloaded the SolidWORKS files but noticed some problems that I couldn't figure out yet, causing the calculations to fail and the program to crash!

I also noticed that the sketches of the pieces are not as well defined as they could be (horizontal, vertical conditions, symmetry, etc.) and that generates some difference that is noticeable to the naked eye when you look at one of the sets from the front.

Anyway, aside from these issues, I managed to do a partial test with large deformations and I don't notice major inconveniences (I did it in 3D with symmetry, but maybe it's better to do it in 2D).

If you give me a few days I will try to help you and make a tutorial, but just today and tomorrow I am complicated with my times.
Best regards!

PS: I leave you images that can be used to redo some of the drawings and calculations that you were testing.

PD2: another vital thing is that you "capture screens" of all the errors and warnings that the program gives you, so I can orient myself on what may be happening. Include in them all the steps you are doing to create the study, set boundary conditions, solid contacts, etc. etc.

Hello Marcelo
My first objective was to see how the clip deforms when being pressed over the T section, i was concerned if the clip was to weak in the center it would bend to much in the center and the legs would not go over the T section property, If i can see where its bending more I can strengthen it in those areas, I presumed the people using the clip would just stand on the top of it to get it over the T section, it will also be interesting to how much gripping force it clip exerts

Hi Rodney!
If you only need to know those two questions, you don't need a complex simulation but two very simple ones with half a model (symmetry):
1) you impose as a boundary condition a displacement equal to the maximum distance that the clip must open to pass over the "T" section. With this, the clip will be deformed to its maximum value, indicating the tensions it experiences (if they are high, you will have to modify it).
2) you impose as a boundary condition a displacement equal to the one that occurs during the work (when the clip is deformed holding the material) and, again, the simulation will indicate what tensions the clip experiences and what force is being exerted in the area of Contact.
In a while I'll try to make you a draft in SolidWorks with these two simulations.
Best regards!

Here's the first simulation, to see what happens during the "full open" of the clip.

I attach the file of the clip, from SolidWorks2017, in which I added a configuration called "CAE" that corresponds to the half of the piece that I use for the simulation with symmetry.

The other case would be similar, but we need to know the thickness of the part clamped by the clip, in order to impose a displacement according to said thickness as a boundary condition.

Hi Marcelo
I do not know the material thickness, can we use 2mm as an average thickness for the material, it is a canvas type of material, I presume it tough as a forklift needs to driver over it

Hello Marcelo

Please can you send me a video of the simulation, I would like to see it in real time
Do the legs go over the T section, that was one on my concerns it may bend to much in the center and the legs will not go over the T section

I see that now there is 0.2mm between the "T" and the clip teeth... with which I will do the test "pushing the clip teeth" 1.8mm (as if the thickness of the fabric were kept at 2mm) to see what happens.

Hi Rodney,
This is the result obtained by imposing those 1.8mm in the middle area of the clip's teeth. You will notice that each tooth moves a different amount due to the flexing of the clip.
The approximate tightening force is about 37 Kg (which is overvalued because we have assumed that the fabric does not yield, it does not squash, but in reality it will be somewhat less than this force and will be distributed among the different teeth).
I hope this helps you.
Best regards!
PS: I leave you the SLDPRT again because now it has added this second FEM study.

Hi Marcelo

With regards to the clip, I have used the incorrect terminology, I appreciate it will be difficult to simulate it in real time, I was just interested to seeing it in motion

Hi Marcelo

You are very welcome to to use the hoisting engine control (Lilly controller) as you wish, this is why we put our dawning's on Grab cad for others to use and enjoy our works, I find this piece of machinery fascinating, it was designed over 100 years ago and the principles are still applied in the newer Lilly controllers today
Please note the gear ratios may not be correct as I just drew the Lilly controller from the original patient I found on the internet, I had to make up my own sizes when I drew it

Hi Rodney,
I finally opted to do the non-linear simulation, including a piece of cloth, and I notice some problems in the design.
Despite having used a fabric that is only 1mm thick (we had talked about an average of 2mm) it seems obvious that the clip can not catch it as you expected, since the tooth at the bottom does not manage to close on the "T".
I think the clip lacks interior height for it to work.
I will try to test it and, for now, I leave you the video of the current behavior.
Best regards!

Just in case, the video is in mp4 format.

Hi Rodney,
I leave you the video of a non-linear simulation in which I modified the internal height of the clip (I increased it 2 mm) and used the 1mm thick fabric.
I think the design of the interior of the clip needs improvement in general. It would be necessary to draw it in the closed position around the "T" and the fabric of the real thickness to be used and, obviously, to think that in such a condition "it cannot be free of tensions" because it will not be able to press the fabric. That is, the geometry of the clip (when it is not acting) must be more closed than the one it adopts when it is around the T with the cloth so that it works in the desired way.
Best regards!

Hi Marcelo I appreciate all what you are doing for me as I really struggled with this simulation, I do not understand some of the terminology you use and what is critical and essential to the simulations as I am self taught in Solid works, What must I correct in my drawings?

tks