We are experimenting with the usage of Flexible Parts in house recently, and trying to build a use case for utilizing this functionality instead of creating an assembly or many instances to essentially call out the same part in various positions (specifically a door hinge in this use case).
First off, I've tried utilizing a crude sketch to help control the position of the legs on the hinge as simply as possible. I left one leg essentially fixed and locked to a datum, then have the other one rotating off center from that one. Easy enough. I then modeled simply, and set the part to be flexible. Again, simple.
I have modeled this part in to both Creo 3.0 and 4.0, and essentially get the same result once i model this into an assembly. We like to set up some of our assemblies with mechanism's to test for clearances and such, so in a crude example, I modeled two place that will pivot using this "flexible" hinge. I modeled in the first place as fixed, and the second on a pin, then modeled in the hinge with its angle set to be the angle between the two plates. Now as i start to drag the moving part around, the hinge acts as expected as shown below in various positions.
Then at some point, it hits a threshold, and it starts to flip about its axis. The mating surface remains parallel to where i need it to be, but obviously needs to flip 180 degrees.
Has anyone else experienced this issue? I have tried modeling this in many different ways and the result is always the same, even when I start to insert a large and detailed datum structure. Is there anything I can do to model this differently to prevent this from happening? Or does this appear to be a bug in both versions of Creo?
I have attached images and the files to this request.
Additionally, is there a way to set limits on the flexible hinge model to prevent it from opening or closing too far? Reason I ask is that I plan to make a Gas Shock next, and would like it to only be able to work for certain limits. Same would apply for this hinge where it can go past the flat by a little, but eventually it will/can move to an impossible position.
Any help or assistance would be greatly appreciated.