Laminate Composites

Laminate definition methods

There are two ways to define laminate properties for the elements in your finite element model:

The zone-based process, in which you create laminate physical properties and assign them to the mesh collectors.
The ply-based process, in which you define the layups’ global plies and how they drape on different polygon faces or 2D meshes in the model. Based on draping data, the software automatically generates the laminate physical properties implied by the global layup and assigns them to the appropriate elements in the mesh collector.

Depending on the model and the application, one approach may be more practical than the other.

The zone-based process	The ply-based process
Defines laminates as a physical property.	Defines global plies by selecting polygon faces or 2D meshes.
Defines laminates on 2D and 3D elements.	Defines laminates on 2D elements only. The 2D elements can be extruded to solid elements.
Does not capture ply orientations that change as a function of local curvature for undevelopable mesh surfaces.	Captures ply orientations that change as a function of local curvature for undevelopable mesh surfaces.
Requires the creation and management of multiple physical properties for parts with several laminate patches or ply drops.	A single physical property can reference different ply data for parts with several laminate patches or ply drops.
If you are modeling an assembly, requires only a single laminate physical property for a given laminate, since a physical property can be referenced by multiple mesh collectors.	If you are modeling an assembly, may require multiple global layups for a given laminate, since a global ply cannot be used across discontinuities between parts, and cannot be referenced more than once.
See Zone-based workflow for more information.	See Ply-based workflow for more information.

Example:

Ply-based process	Zone-based process

In a ply-based process, you need one laminate physical property with three global plies.

In a zone-based process, you need four different laminate physical properties.

Simcenter 3D Laminate Composites

Managing laminates and layups

Zone-based workflow

Ply-based workflow

Laminate glossary

Coordinate systems for laminates

Material and ply orientation

Element type support for laminates

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Laminate definition methods, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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