Next FiberSIM® Release Features Enhanced Automated Deposition Design™ Option
Julio Carrera
VISTAGY FiberSIM Product Development Manager
Right now, when FiberSIM® users run into a minimum course length issue while designing a component, they must manually identify where the bat ears, bird beaks or chamfers should be placed to alleviate the problem. And there is currently no way to identify in the design phase the manufacturing problems that result from the inability of the machine to lay down the tape at an angle that matches the ply boundary definition. Both of these things are going to change in FiberSIM 5.5, due out in Q2 of 2009.
VISTAGY is developing improved tools for resolving manufacturability issues in FiberSIM 5.5. It will be adding a feature to the Automated Deposition Design™ (ADD) optional module that will automate the creation and placement of bird beaks, bat ears and chamfers in the preliminary stages of design. Early identification of minimum course length issues will help streamline the product development cycle.
Automated tape laying machines have a minimum deposition angle between the path of the machine and the ply boundary. In version 5.5, FiberSIM will also provide a utility to identify portions of the ply boundary that violate this minimum angle in the design phase. It will be far less costly to identify this problem in the design phase rather than dealing with it when it reaches the manufacturing floor.
Included in the next release of the ADD will be an automated deposition machine database that will enable the user to define the tape laying and fiber placement parameters of their particular machines. The use of a machine database will help reduce errors because values will not be lost if, for instance, the user changes the automated deposition machine to be used for manufacturing.
Bottom line: While new manufacturing methods can significantly improve composite product quality, these are extremely complex materials to design and manufacture. The enhanced Automated Deposition Design option in FiberSIM 5.5 will help reduce that complexity, leading to faster cycle times and lower costs.
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