www.vistagy.com
Alex Edwards, General Manager Europe24 June 2008
Improving composite part development through an integrated design, analysis and
manufacturing engineering process
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Overview
About VISTAGY, Inc.
Introduction to FiberSIM
Optimisation of composite design through collaboration between analysis, design and manufacturing– Strategy to enable improved efficiency and performance
Demonstrating a parallel workflow for composite part design and analysis
Questions
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About VISTAGY
Founded in 1991– Originally named Composite Design Technologies, Inc. – Privately held company with headquarters in Waltham,
Massachusetts, USA– Worldwide sales and support
Technology Partnership– Renault F1 Team
Partnerships– Dassault– Siemens– PTC– MSC Software
Over 200 customers worldwide
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VISTAGY Airframe Design Suite
Quality Planning Environment (QPE)– In-process inspection– First Article Inspection planning and execution for parts
and assemblies
FiberSIM– Definition and manufacturing of composite detailed parts
Airframe Design Environment (ADE)– Engineering definition of parts, assemblies, fasteners
Airframe Manufacturing Environment (AME)– Manufacturing planning for parts, assemblies, fasteners
• Define Intermediate manufacturing states• Define Conditions of Supply
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Catia V3
Unigraphics
Pro/ENGINEER
Catia V5
Catia V4
FiberSIM History
Quality PlanningEnvironment
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
3D Annotations,Cross sections etc.
Grid/StructureBased Design
Variable Offset SurfaceTechnology
Model Based Design
Optimized UI
Auto Deposition DesignOption
2005 2006 2007
PreliminaryMockup Solids & Weights
Model Merge
Skin Transfer
Simulation
Flat Pattern
Laser Projection
Composite Engineering Environment
Template Based Documentation
AnalysisInterface
Fiber Placement
RTM
XML
2008
SimXpertIntegration
Comanche
B787A350 XWB
V-22
F-22
S-92
Premier
JSF Boeing
JSF LMTAS F-35
CRJ700
GE90
CRJ1000
C-Series
A400M
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World’s Leading Supplier of Composites CAD
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Background
Composite part design is difficult
Analyst, Design Engineer and Manufacturing Engineers have different requirements and priorities
– Zones/regions, load cases, elements, properties etc.
– Design rules, drop-offs, transitions, reinforcements, mating part interfaces
– IML/OML tooling, springback, hand/auto deposition, minimum course lengths
Making design changes is difficult and time consuming
No opportunity for optimisation late in the design process
Results in over engineered parts
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Detail Design Starting Point
GeometryLoft SurfacePart BoundarySystem Lines
Stress Data
Laminate Specfor “Bays”
Stacking Table
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Loft SurfacePart BoundarySystem LinesStress Data
FiberSIM Starting Point
⇒NO MANUAL GEOMETRY CREATION - All boundaries are created automatically based on FiberSIM logic and engineering specs for transitions⇒Changes can be effected without manual geometry editing and are mainly automatic
FiberSIM Results:
Fully UpdateableDesign – key tonext stage ofintegration
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Complex and Differing Engineering and Manufacturing Requirements
Design begins with a full barrel loft section
Sections are distributed to multiple designers
Each designer defines layers of coverage and builds the IML surface
The sections are merged together
IML Surface auto generated
Ply boundaries are projected to the IML surface in reverse sequence
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Improving the Development Process
Analysis Shorter Development Time
More Optimized Structure
Design Manufacturing
ManufacturingDesign
Manufacturing
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Simulation and Design: Communication Problem
PropertiesE11 E22 νννν12PCOMP
Load cases
Ply CoverageDrop-Off
SpliceDesign Rules
CAD DesignerStress Analyst
?
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Abstraction and Structure in Composite Design and Simulation
Stress Analyst CAD Designer
Structure LayoutLaminate Specs
Structure LayoutLaminate Specs
Abstractions
CAE CAD
StructureGeometry
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Key Elements of CAD-CAE Collaboration
Shared system geometry through native CAD interfaces
– Zones and Meshes are precise– “Logical” links between definitions (naming, context, other)
Fully updateable design model– Maintains design intent– Ability to make changes fast– IML surface generation for tooling, mating parts and DMU
etc.
High level communication between CAE and Composite Design Tool
– No intermediate steps such as manually created complex spreadsheets and documentation
Greater Efficiency for the analyst– Removal of non value-add model set-up for the analyst
Works for multiple part types– Not just panels
www.vistagy.com
Demonstrating a parallel development workflow
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Aerospace Panel: System/Structure Geometry
ZONE1ZONE2
Bays Frames
StringersZONE3 ZONE4ZONE5
ZONE6ZONE7
ZONE8ZONE9
ZONE10
ZONE11ZONE12
ZONE13 ZONE14 ZONE15
ZONE16ZONE17
ZONE18 ZONE19 ZONE20
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FiberSIM-SimXpert Enhanced Optimization Workflow
Zone LaminateOptimization
TransitionOptimization
ValidateTrue
Laminate
ValidateTrue
Laminate
Region Based Property Assignments
Region Laminate Specifications
Fib
erS
IM
Per Element Properties
Region Laminate Specifications
Sim
Xpe
rt
Work in Parallel
TransitionSpecifications
Sizing Laminate
UpdatesUpdates UpdatesUpdates
Detailed Analysis
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Initial zones defined within CAE
SimXpertThickness Plot
Analyst completes initial sizing
Orientation of each layer tailored for maximum strength and stiffness to reduce number of layers
Neutral file created for ingestion to FiberSIM
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... which Result in FiberSIM Zone/Plies
Simple import of neutral data format from CAE
Layers of coverage generated automatically
Designer can start to apply design rules
Additional details including automatic generation of IML surface for mating parts, manufacturing requirements etc.
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Design Optimization Driving Zone Changes...
Sizing Specification from CAE adds thickness changes to some zones
This can be done either in CAE or CAD product
Zone Modification
SimXpertThickness Plot
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... which Result in FiberSIM Zone/Ply Changes ...
Ply and Laminate changes incorporated with simple import of Laminate Specification change
Design intent is maintained and rules automatically applied
IML surface automatically re-generated for mating parts
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... and can be Validated as a Ply-Based Analysis
Drop-offs and thickness variations are expressed with fidelity of mesh
– using FiberSIM generated mesh control curves
FiberSIM Simulation provides true thickness and fiber orientations
Load-cases are run against true Lay-up
– Failure indices– Stress, strain
Analysis for springback– Can be used to design
tool surface– Pass data back to design
SimXpertThickness Plot
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Design: Generate springback corrected tool surface
Nodal displacements from analyst – cloud of points
Use CAD tools to warp surface
or
Create a new tool surface, then automatically transfer composite definition to the new surface
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CAD / CAE Link for Composites: Key requirements are met
Productivity Enhancements for the Analyst – Automatic generation and assignment of properties
• By Region • Per Element
Direct communication of laminate specifications to design– Uses analysis property data directly– Eliminates the need for Excel and manual entry of stacking table– Applicable to many part types not supported by Excel based methods
Supports parallel work – Analyst and Designer can work simultaneously and independently– Efficiently exchange periodic updates – Made possible by FiberSIM’s unique ability to update design while
retaining design intent
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CAD / CAE Link for Composites - Impact Analysis
Parallel Work, Productivity⇒Compressed Schedule⇒Reduced Manpower
Rapid Iterations ⇒More Design Studies⇒Reduced Weight and Cost
Validation of True Laminate (As-designed As-manufactured)⇒Reduced Uncertainty⇒Predictable Performance⇒Reduced Weight and Cost
www.vistagy.com