John KlintworthMSC.Software Ltd.
Evolving Composites Simulation Requirements and Solutions
2
Industry Trends
• Lower Carbon Fibre Costs• Sheet Material Replacing Random Fibres• Heavier Sheet Reinforcement Weights
– Fewer Plies for Required Performance• New Markets, e.g. Automotive, Energy
BUT: • Manufacturing Difficulties
– Need more manufacturing simulation• Less Redundant Material
– Need more structural simulation
3
Development Process
Aero. Shape Zone Layup Ply Layup Ply Details Certification
Simulate Simulate Simulate Simulate
Manufacture
OK!
feedback loop ...
4
Aerospace
• Wheel cover• >100 Plies modelled in
CAD• Transferred to CAE
automatically• Benefits:
– Correlation between CAD and CAE
– Verification and failure tools in CAE
5
Motorsport
• Monocoque• > 1000 Plies, > 100K
elements• Quick turnaround• Benefits:
– Rapid modification– Manufacturing link– Failure analysis– Crash model
6
Automotive
• Floorpan• Cheap, heavy fabrics• Manufacturing critical• Benefits:
– Predict producibility rapidly
– Account for stiffness and strength of sheared material
7
Marine
• America’s Cup Yacht• High performance• Variable loading• Benefits:
– Ply based model– Automated generation– Failure analysis– Manufacturing link
Stress Contours under Upwind Loads
By courtesy of
Team NZ & Matrix Applied Computing Ltd.
8
Energy
• Wind Turbine Blade• Up to 40 m long• Lowest cost• Local buckling, flutter• Benefits:
– Modify materials easily– Multiple analysis codes– Manufacturing data
9
Leisure
• Helmet• Fabric reinforcement• Sandwich construction• Must reduce cost• Benefits:
– Simulate manufacture– Account for shear-induced
thickening
10
Simulation Drivers
• Each industry has different structural requirements
• These affect the degree of modelling and simulation used
Aerospace Motorsport Automotive Energy Marine LeisureCost 1 1 1 1 2Performance 2Reliability 2Speed (of dev.) 1 2 2 2 1
Key Structural Requirements in Different Industries
11
Modelling
Aerospace Motorsport Automotive Energy Marine LeisureZone y yPly y y y y y y
Use of Modelling Techniques in Different Industries
• Ply modelling used throughout industries– Rapid modification– Link to manufacture
• Zone modelling used for preliminary sizing
12
Manufacturing Simulation
• Draping is now used universally• Forming only useful for extreme cases• Resin flow simulation in marine market• Curing limited to aerospace
Aerospace Motorsport Automotive Energy Marine LeisureDraping y y y y y yForming y yResin Flow y yCuring y
Use of Manufacturing Simulation in Different Industries
13
Structural Simulation
• Linear and failure analyses routine• Crash analyses emerging for motorsport,
automotive• Durability needed but unresolved
Aerospace Motorsport Automotive Energy Marine LeisureStatics/Dynamics y y y y y yFailure Analysis y y y y y yCrash y yDurability y
Use of Structural Simulation in Different Industries
x
ab
Failure Surface in Stress Space
M.o.S = (a-b)/by
14
Optimization
• Topology optimisation under research• Parametric techniques established for
multidisciplinary optimisation• System optimisation growing
Aerospace Motorsport Automotive Energy Marine LeisureTopologyParametric y ySystem y
Use of Optimization Techniques in Different Industries
15
Evolving Requirements
• Larger Models• Better Verification• Automated Data Transfer• Mirroring/Rotation• Solid Analysis• Nonlinear Analysis• Crash & Crush Analysis• Quicker Sizing• Account for Material Shear
16
Larger Models
• Requirements– 200000 elements– 2000 plies– 20000 PCOMPS– 200 loadcases
• Solutions– Remove bottlenecks– 2-1000 x faster
17
Better Verification
• Requirements– Audit model
• Solutions– Show Layup
• Element• Cross Section
– Show Laminate
18
Automated Data Transfer
• Requirements– Speed up ply import– Import and export
laminates– Export flow model
• Solution– CAD Ply import 1000x
faster– LAP interface– RTM-Worx interface
19
LAP interface
• Import materials and laminates during zone definition
• Export materials, laminates and loads during certification
Aero. Shape Zone Layup Ply Layup Ply Details Certification Manufacture
20
RTM-Worx interface
• Export materials, plies and layup
• Both warp and weft directions considered
• Simulate resin flow for RTM
• Curing analysis
21
ESAComp interface
• Import materials and laminates during zone definition
• Export materials, laminates and loads during certification
22
Mirroring/Rotation
• Requirement– Reduce
modelling time for symmetrical structures
• Solution:– Transform Layup
Mirror
23
Account for Material Shear
• Requirements– Account for shear
• Solution– Reference sheared
material properties
24
• Requirements– Solid model for
thermal analysis• Solution
– Extrude solids– Calculate equivalent
material– Create coordinate
frames
Solid Analysis
25
Nonlinear Analysis
• Requirements– Support MSC.Marc
• Solution– Update preference
26
Crash & Crush Analysis
• Requirements– Support MSC.Dytran, LS-DYNA, Pamcrash
• Solution– Update preferences
Element Failure Time
27
Quicker Sizing
• Requirements– Smeared Laminate– Discrete variables
• Solution– In MSC.Nastran 2001
LAM option New 2001 Membrane Bending Coupling Ply results Comments[A] [B] [D]
BLANK Y Y Y Y Default.SYM Y Y YMEM Y Y Y Wing skins.BEND Y Y YSMEAR Y Y Y Smeared.SMCORE Y Y (core N) Y Smeared with core.
Design Variables
0.00E+00
2.00E-01
4.00E-01
6.00E-01
8.00E-01
1.00E+00
1.20E+00
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Design Cycle
Thic
knes
s
28
Conclusions
• Simulation drivers vary widely across industries
• Ply modeling and kinematic draping are now universally accepted
• Resin flow and curing simulation show potential
• Crash and durability analysis developing rapidly
• Formal optimisation methods promise improved sizing
