Virtual Design Allowables for Composite Materials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current finite element methods (FEM) systems lack the capability to effectively determine virtual design allowables for composite materials, which are essential for assessing the safe operational limits of structural objects made from these materials, particularly in terms of properties like stiffness, stress, and thermal conductivity.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize a reverse engineering process to determine micromechanical material properties from available test data, generate finite element models, and analyze them to produce a set of virtual allowables, including properties such as stiffness, strength, and thermal conductivity, by integrating these properties into a FEM system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If virtual design allowables are determined for composite materials using FEM systems, then the accuracy of material simulations is improved, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of material simulationsVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the determination of design allowables into distinct virtual test procedures (tension, compression, shear, bearing, etc.) that can be independently defined and executed. Each test type represents a separate module in the test matrix, allowing the complex overall process to be broken down into manageable, reusable components that can be selectively applied to different composite material architectures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables parameter changes by allowing users to modify test conditions, material properties, and architectural parameters in the virtual test matrix. The FEM models can be reconfigured with different micromechanical properties, loading conditions, and constraints to simulate various real-world testing scenarios, providing flexibility without requiring system redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a comprehensive test matrix is created to determine all necessary design allowables, then the reliability of composite material assessment is improved, but the time required for analysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of composite material assessmentVSAvoidanalysis time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-defining a comprehensive test matrix that includes all necessary virtual tests (tension, compression, shear, bearing, etc.) before the actual FEM analysis. The test matrix is prepared in advance with all loading conditions, constraints, and evaluation criteria specified, allowing the analysis to proceed systematically without delays for test setup or interpretation during the computation phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies discarding and recovering by selectively executing only the relevant tests from the comprehensive test matrix based on the specific composite material architecture and application requirements. Not all tests need to be performed for every material - the system can discard unnecessary tests while recovering and reusing the pre-defined test frameworks and FEM models for future analyses of similar materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Manufacturing precision

If micromechanical material properties are determined through reverse engineering from available test data, then the manufacturing precision of virtual models is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring properties increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of virtual modelsVSAvoiddifficulty of determining micromechanical properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies inversion by using reverse engineering - instead of directly measuring micromechanical properties through complex micromechanical testing, the system takes readily available macroscopic test data (from standard composite material tests) and inverts the analysis to back-calculate the underlying micromechanical properties. This reverses the traditional measurement approach, making the difficult-to-measure properties accessible through standard test data and FEM-based inverse analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9977841B1System and method of virtual determination design allowables for composite materials

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 E XSTREAM ENG SA

AI summary

A method for determining virtually a set of design allowables for a composite material is disclosed. The method includes receiving information about the composite material and a given set of architectures, available test data of the composite material, and a test matrix identifying desired tests to be performed virtually on the composite material and different set of architectures. Using the material information and available test data, a reverse engineering process is used to determine micromechanical material properties. Finite element models of relevant test specimens are generated according to the test matrix and integrating the micromechanical material properties, and are analyzed. A set of allowables and associated properties is generated based on the finite element analyses results.