ENGINEERING

Structural Simulation

Accurate simulation of composite structures relies on a thorough definition of the structural properties of its constituent materials. Such information is not often publicly available and will vary with fiber/matrix combinations, and minor process changes. It is therefore necessary to fully characterize the performance of composite materials to ensure that trustful materials cards can be produced for the subsequent Finite Element Analysis (FEA) development. A highly optimized structure can therefore be developed, with the layup/fiber orientation refined to make best use of the specific orthotropic properties. In addition to the creation of a weight and cost- efficient part, time to market is significantly reduced, with prototype phases being removed as precise simulation results can be relied on to replace traditional trial-and-error methods.