Flex Joint Connector This component can be used to model ball joints, hinges and universal joints with specified rotational stiffness. It will introduce one extra element with zero length at the segment end to which it is attached, and add 6 degrees of freedom to the system model. The translation directions of freedom are suppressed by use of linear constraint equations. This should be used with care at super nodes with user defined boundary conditions for rotations in Slender system to avoid singularities in the FEM solution procedure. Non-linear stiffness properties should be used with care. A smooth curve should be used to define the non-linear stiffness. This component cannot be used in combination with bar elements. Flex joints are generated using master slave, where the translation are from the master. Stiffness in rotations are user input. When modelling ball joint is recommended to use the flex-joint component whenever possible. Ball Joint Connector Internal Fluid