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I have a very specific need for a program to simulate the effects of "inflating" a 3d object. I am currently prototyping a design that will involve a flexible silicone object being inflated with air, and I need it to react a certain way. I am hoping for a solution to refine the design that is more elegant than trial and error. Basically, I need something where I can input a 3d model (stl or something similar), select a material or material properties, then select an internal region that will have increasing pressure. The most basic example of this would be inputting a simple 3d model of a balloon and simulating the balloon expanding. Sorry, I know this is a weird request, and I'm not sure if anything like this even exists. I have experience in Blender and other CAD environments as well as some basic coding, so it doesn't have to be too user-friendly as long as it works. I can provide any more info if that helps, I know the post is kind of confusing. Thanks!

Edit: After experimenting a bit I have had some level of success simulating in blender, but it is incredibly buggy and doesn't offer enough control.

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I would suggest trying Houdini. You can create an inflatable balloon object out of a mesh with any properties you desire. There is actually a beginners level tutorial that shows how to do exactly what you are talking about. An apprentice edition with very few restraints is available for free.

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