Composites Webinar Series

Manufactured by Hexagon, the Absolute Arm and Vision System 3D are an integrated hardware and software tool set, designed to scan and digitalize composite fiber orientations of semi-finished carbon composite parts by combining geometrical scans and image processing. The resulting digital twin empowers engineers to identify material orientations as built.

The Hexagon software Explorer 3D enables the exportation of three-dimensional fiber orientation information in HDF5 format, which subsequently can be imported and mapped seamlessly on a finite element mesh through Ansys Composite PrepPost (ACP) HDF5 interface. This webinar spotlights the workflow of scanning and digitizing fiber orientations through Hexagon to receiving Ansys simulation results that detail the sensitivity of differing material orientations from their as-designed states.

Speakers:

Dr. Christian Brauner, FHNW
Dr. Oliver Dodbrich, FHNW
Fabio Pavia, Application Engineer II, Ansys
Thomas Hirche, Lead Application Engineer, Ansys

Composite press form manufacturing processes influence the composite material characteristics, which lead to differing geometric properties and structural responses from a designed state. AniForm’s composite forming simulation software predicts process-induced material variations over the part domain, including draped fiber orientations, in-plane fiber fabric shear distortions and ply thickness change.

With Ansys Composite PrepPost, a user can take the variable layup and material properties into account to predict the structural response more accurately. Engineers can now benefit from the composite CAE HDF5 interface of both software tools to seamlessly transfer composite layup data from manufacturing simulation in AniForm to the structural simulation in Ansys. Design-related decisions for composite parts and manufacturing tools can be made with increased certainty early in the development process and, as a result, reduce costs by enabling a first-time-right part design.

This webinar highlights how AniForm conducts forming analysis of a part. Additionally, we will spotlight how to transfer layup data through the HDF5 interface. Lastly, we will discuss how to perform a structural analysis with Ansys Composite PrepPost with process dependent variable layup and material properties.

Continuous fiber 3D printing introduces a paradigm shift in the way thermoplastic composite parts are designed and built. 9T Labs’ fibrify software, based on Ansys SpaceClaim, enables engineers to design parts with optimal fiber angles. Fibrify also controls the 3D printing hardware in real time. The software can now feed Ansys finite element simulations to seamlessly evaluate 3D printed composite designs.

The data transfer is enabled through an interface between fibrify and Ansys Composite PrepPost (ACP) HDF5, so the entire CAE chain from design to finite element simulation to manufacturing is closed, eliminating the need to interpret design data. In this webinar, we discuss the workflow from fibrify to Ansys ACP to optimize component behavior and production costs.

Speakers:
Chester Houwink, 9T Labs
Thomas Hirche, Lead Application Engineer, Ansys
Jan von Rickenbach, R&D Engineer II, Ansys