Multibody Modelling of a High Speed Routing System for Automated Letter Handling

Abstract

The article presents a complex multibody model developed to simulate the interaction among letters, a routing system and a storage box in a high-performance transport system for the automated mail handling. The general features of the system and the goals of the modeling activity are first outlined. Then, approaches adopted to represent the flexibility of letters (large elastic displacements) and their interaction in term of multiple contacts with the transport line, the switch geometry, and storage mailbox are presented. Model validation and simulation results are discussed and compared with actual working conditions in the real system. A few applications of model results to design choices are presented.

Keywords:

• Flexible bodies
• Flexible body contacts
• Letters
• Mail handling
• Multibody dynamics

Notes

^#Communicated by M. Ceccarelli and V. Mata.