Managing Drop-Off

You can easily override default plies drops with instant feedback on changes.

For more information, see Manage Drop-Off.

Before you begin: Plies must have been generated from a virtual stacking based on layer levels.
  • Main Stacking Sequence pilots the drop-off order at plies generation. The lower drop value corresponds to the drop of the first ramp support curve, the next lower drop value to the second ramp support curve, and so on.
  • The layer levels identify the generic staggering of plies on the ramp support curves.
  • Manage Drop Off lets you specify an alternative order locally on the ramp support definition, to locally reorganize the curves order and make it persistent.
  • Change Drop-Off in Ramp Support is available even for plies not generated with Drop-off order based on layer leveloption.
  • Drop-off order is taken into account at next plies generation so that actual curves of used ramp support are reordered.

Before starting Manage Drop-Off, create a sub-staggering segment locally the reference element and regenerate plies: A new ramp support is created that is used locally to define area to modify.

  1. From the Grid Design section of the action bar, click Manage Drop-Off


  2. Select a ply contour or a ramp curve.
  3. Select a second ply contour or ramp curve associated with the same ramp support.


  4. In the message that appears, select the default or sub-staggering to modify, and click OK.
    The drop-off is previewed in the dialog box:
    • Standard pan and zoom are available in this viewer.
    • The ramp support curves available within the section limits are displayed as vertical dotted lines. The plies are displayed as horizontal full lines, in different colors.
    • A ply selected in the dialog box viewer is highlighted in the 3D area.
    • Ply data information is displayed above the viewer.
  5. In the 2D Viewer:
    1. Select or clear plies using Ctrl Key, or Select All or Select Similar Plies.
    2. Click anywhere in the 2D Viewer to clear the selection.
    3. Select plies using a trap.
    4. Use the arrows to change the drop of curve of selected plies.
    5. Select Reverse to reverse the drop off pattern of selected plies.
    6. Select the Allow Snap to Curve check box to drop all selected plies on a selected curve.
  6. Modify the drop-off as required.

    For example, from

    to

    The preview in the 3D area is updated accordingly.

  7. Check the repaired contours, if any.

    Drop-off changes may lead to auto-intersection contours as shown below where C1 is replaced by C7.

    In that case, the list of input curves is modified to repair the contour. A panel displays the list of repaired contours.

    Note: Since the list of curves is modified, you cannot use the initial curve to revert to the ply initial shape.

    1. Select the Show Diagnostic List check box to display the list of repaired contours.

      Available only if repaired contours exist.

    2. Select an entity in the diagnostic list.
      Both the old and the new contour bodies are highlighted in the 3D area.
    3. Run a plies generation as proposed to update data and repaired contours.

The ramp support curves, input of the plies contours, are changed, and drop-off order information is stored on the corresponding ramp support.

Note: Whereas it is possible for plies generated with the Drop-off order based on layer level option, different plies with different drop-off order, generated without the Drop-off order based on layer level option, cannot be dropped on the same ramp curve.