Design and Implementation of Animation Post-processor Based on ACIS and HOOPS in MWorks

A complete Modelica-based simulation platform usually consists of modeling tool, compiler, analyzer, solver and post-processor. The 3D animation function is essential to the post-processor of a platform that supports MultiBody system simulation. Taking advantage of the complementarity and interoperability between graphical engines ACIS and HOOPS, MWorks, as a new generation of multi-domain modeling and simulation platform, implements the 3D animation of its post-processor based on these two graphical engines, and provides plentiful animation functions. This paper firstly presents the overall design of the animation post-processor based on the analysis of visual features of the standard multibody library in Modelica; then describes its implementation, including mechanisms of geometry creation and display, data management and interactive interface; finally, verifies the effectiveness of the post-processor by some typical examples from the multibody library and application to aircraft landing gear simulation.