Composite Ply Orientation Optimization via Panel Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for designing composite parts, especially complex multi-layer and multi-panel structures like aircraft wings, face challenges in ensuring both desired strength and manufacturing efficiency, particularly when dealing with complex fiber orientations and stress applications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves subdividing the composite part into blocks with contiguous layers, identifying rules for fiber orientation stacking, generating a guide for fiber orientation, and selecting compatible sublaminates for each panel to ensure both strength and manufacturability, using Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machines or other techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If complex fiber orientation patterns are used to enhance part strength, then the strength and reliability of the composite part is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite part is divided into multiple panels, and each panel is further divided into blocks with contiguous layers. This segmentation allows complex fiber orientation patterns to be managed in smaller, more manageable units, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the required strength through optimized local fiber arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary planning of fiber placement paths and orientations before actual manufacturing. By pre-calculating optimal fiber orientation patterns and generating manufacturing guides, the system resolves complex design requirements into actionable manufacturing instructions, reducing on-site manufacturing complexity.
2Strength
If traditional design techniques are used to ensure part strength, then the strength requirements are met, but manufacturing efficiency is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes manufacturing parameters including fiber orientation angles, ply stacking sequences, and panel block divisions. By systematically varying and optimizing these parameters, the system simultaneously achieves desired strength requirements and improved manufacturing efficiency through automated fiber placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops that evaluate both strength requirements and manufacturing efficiency metrics. The optimization process uses feedback from strength analysis and manufacturing constraint checking to iteratively improve the design, ensuring both strength and efficiency goals are met.
3Productivity
If contiguous blocks of layers are used to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the ability to achieve complex fiber orientation patterns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality optimization by allowing different fiber orientation patterns in different blocks and panels. Each block can have optimized fiber arrangements tailored to local stress requirements, while maintaining contiguous layer structures for manufacturing efficiency. This local customization preserves adaptability without sacrificing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system resolves the contradiction by adding organizational dimensions - dividing the part into panels and blocks creates a hierarchical structure. This multi-dimensional organization allows contiguous layers within blocks (for efficiency) while achieving complex overall fiber patterns through the arrangement of multiple blocks and panels (for versatility).
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for composite part design. One embodiment is an apparatus that designs a composite part. The apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a design for the part. The controller subdivides the part into blocks that each comprise a contiguous stack of layers within the part, identifies rules that constrain how layers that have different fiber orientations are stacked within the part, generates a guide for a block that prescribes a fiber orientation for each layer of the block, and identifies sublaminates comprising that are compatible with the guide for the block. The controller subdivides the part into panels, and selects one of the compatible sublaminates for one of the panels of the block, based on compatible sublaminates for neighboring panels.