NEiAdvanced Composites

by Noran Engineering

NEiAdvanced Composites (Laminate Tools) is a Windows application to aid engineers in the design, analysis and manufacture of laminated composite structures. For the designer, the software provides an intuitive means for quickly specifying laminate designs that accurately reflect the ply-based physical composition of the structure. Analysts benefit because NEiAdvanced Composites helps improve the communication of structural details and the generation of the analysis model. This saves time, which can now be applied to the process of design verification and optimization. For the manufacturer, this software highlights potential problems and provides accurate and complete manufacturing data, including the flat pattern shapes for each ply. This eliminates trial and error prototyping and minimizes material waste.

Features

• Layup Surface Definition
  • Specify layup surface
    • Imported STL file
    • Imported shell mesh
  • Define finite element model
    • QUAD4, TRIA3 shells
  • Verify mesh topology
    • Branches
    • Normal Boundaries
    • Connectivities
    • Feature Angles
    • Material Orientations
       
• Material Specification
  • Define manufacturing characteristics
    • Initial thickness
    • Initial warp/weft angle
    • Maximum shear
  • Associate analysis material
    • Specified by user
    • Imported from analysis model
  • Modify rapidly
     
• Ply Specification
  • Select appropriate application method
    • Painting (coatings or foams)
    • Projection
    • Draping (fabrics)
  • Select flexible projection options
  • Select flexible draping options
    • Woven or Undirectional materials
    • Principal Axes: None, Geodesic, Planar
    • Extension Type: Geodesic, Energy, Maximum
    • Splits
    • Limit 2D Fabric Size
    • Specific order of draping
  • Modify rapidly and retry simulation
  • Import plies from external Layup/fml files and Nastran input files
     
• Layup Specification
  • Add/Insert/Replace/Show/Delete plies
    • Define multiple ply instances
    • Control side of application
    • Define angular offsets
  • Define laminate offsets
    • Multiple area
    • Top, Middle or Bottom offset
    • Arbitrary value
  • Modify rapidly
     
• Analysis Model Creation
  • Generate analysis models in Nastran format
  • Select laminate orientation for analysis code
  • Minimize data within a user-defined tolerance
  • Ignore thickening for preliminary analysis
  • Choose equally spaced thickness and orientation variables
     
• Data Sharing
  • Share data with composites tools
    • MSC.Patran Laminate Modeler Layup file
    • FiberSIM .fmd/fml files
  • Share data with laminate analysis tools
    • Export materials, laminates and element loads
       
      
• Visualization
  • Verify plies
    • Material
    • Application direction
    • Reference direction
    • Selected area
    • Maximum strain
    • Warp and weft angles on each element
    • 3D Draped pattern with degree of shearing
    • 2D Flat pattern
  • Verify layups
    • Orientation and separation of surface plies
    • Laminate surface
    • Stacking sequence on element
    • Cross section through arbitrary plane
    • Exploded ply view
    • Solid realistic representation
  • Verify analysis model
    • Properties and laminates for elements
    • Layer orientation by vector plot
    • Layer thickness by model plot
       
• Access Results
  • Read results from Nastran .f06 files and .OP2 files, and Femap .FNO files
  • Display stress or failure results (text + graphics)
    • Per load case
    • Per layer
    • Per global ply
    • Per element, layer-by-layer
    • Worst element group
       
• Failure Calculation
  • Use layered stress or strain results
  • Select required criterion
    • Maximum
    • Tsai-Wu
    • Hill
    • Hoffman
    • Hankinson
    • Cowin
    • User-defined
  • Define allowables
  • Select required results
    • Reserve Factor
    • Margin of Safety
    • Critical Layer
    • Critical Component
    • Failure Index
    • Text Summary
       
• Manufacturing Data Creation
  • Create ply book for one or more plies in lay-up
    • Text ply index
    • Images of plies on model
  • Export 3D draped pattern shape for selected plies
    • IGES, DXF
  • Export 2D flat pattern shape for selected plies
    • IGES, DXF
  • Export Mould Surfaces
    • IGES