Animating cables in KeyShot

[Dan Wolf]

I'm creating renderings that include a cable threaded through several pulleys (part of a crane model).  I'd like to create animations but I don't have software to change the cable geometry as the pulleys move farther apart or closer together.  Does anyone have recommendations of software that can do this and import data into KeyShot to use in an animation?  I'm starting with a CAD model (PTC Creo) if that helps.  With our work budgets, free or inexpensive is better (and I can use it sooner), but I might have the opportunity to purchase something next year.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[guest84672]

Maya, 3DS Max or Cinema 4D are the obvious solutions that come to mind. We can import these types of animations you are describing from any of these application  either directly or using the alembic file format.

[Will Gibbons]

I'll add blender to the list since you mentioned 'cheap or free'. While CAD applications support motion studies and rigid animations, deformations will need to come from a polygonal modeling tool.

[mattjgerard]

Blender would totally be worth a try. Here's a quite detailed post about it that popped up in my quick google search-

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/75673/how-to-let-a-cable-hang-so-that-it-look-realistic

[Dan Wolf]

Thanks for the suggestions and helpful links!  I'm looking into using Blender for now.  I've been watching some Blender Guru videos, cool stuff.