About Composites Design Import

Import of Composites Design requires different input depending on the chosen format.

This page discusses:

The proposed formats are:

  • Default format with plies group column with the following template:
    Plies Group Sequence Ply Material Orientation Starting Plane End Plane LEFT LIMIT Offset RIGHT LIMIT Offset 2
  • Default format without plies group column with the following template:
    Sequence Ply Material Orientation Starting Plane End Plane LEFT LIMIT Offset RIGHT LIMIT Offset 2
  • Long skinny part format (4 limits & 4 offsets) with the following template
    Plies Group Sequence Ply Material Orientation Limit 1 Offset 1 Limit 2 Offset 2 Limit 3 Offset 3 Limit 4 Offset 4

Default Format with or without Plies Group Column

Both formats require a reference plane.

For example, the data found in this spreadsheet

are used to create the grid reference elements, taking the reference plane into account. In the images below:

  • 1 is the reference plane.
  • 2 is the starting plane. 2000 is its distance to the reference plane (smaller double-headed arrow).
  • 3 is the end plane. 4000 is its distance to the reference plane (longer double-headed arrow).
  • The left limit is shown in pink.
  • The right limit is shown in red.




Other required inputs are:

  • The Grid panel.
  • The Ramp supports step.
  • The Construction Inputs such as the Parallel type and Parallel mode. See Specifying a Ramp Definition for more information.

Long Skinny Part Format (Limits and Offsets)

For the following data

import requires:

  • The Grid panel that contains the Reference Elements (S.1...S.6, F.1...F.6) to create the grid reference elements.
  • The Ramp supports step.
  • The Construction Inputs such as the Parallel type and Parallel mode. See Specifying a Ramp Definition for more information.

Note: The Ramp supports step is the default step used to create all the automatic ramp supports. If the offset values are not a multiple of this step, the import stops.
  • Either edit the offset values that are not a multiple in the spreadsheet and restart import.
  • Or continue and switch all the ramp supports with a value that is not a multiple of the step from automatic to custom.
    • The parallels are created in a new geometrical set.
    • The custom ramp supports are created using the parallels.

    For example, let us consider the creation of Ply.4 with an initial Ramp supports step of 10.

    1. Create Limit 1: S.1 with Offset=15
      • 15 is not a multiple of 10.
      • A Custom Curve is created and aggregated to the Grid Ramp Support associated to S.1
    2. Create Limit 2: S.6 with Offset=-15
      • 15 is not a multiple of 10.
      • A Custom Curve is created and aggregated to the Grid Ramp Support associated to S.6
    3. Create Limit 3: F.1 with Offset=-20
      • 20 is a multiple of 10.
      • A Parallel is created and aggregated to the Parallel/Parallel Grid Ramp Support associated to F.1
    4. Create Limit 4: F.3 with Offset=-20
      • 20 is a multiple of 10.
      • A Parallel is created and aggregated to the Parallel/Parallel Grid Ramp Support associated to F.3
    5. Create the contour of the ply from the 4 curves.
    6. Create the sequence and the ply with GLASS as material, -45 as orientation and the above contour.