Computer-aided method of obtaining a ply model of a composite component

• US 8,315,837 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SL (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SL (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Martín Menayo, Guillermo, Bolinches Quero, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUU, CUONG V
• Application Number:
  US11/731,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 703/6, 703/2, 700/98, 428/216, 428/336, 428/196, 428/210
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/54 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations , e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/26 Composites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24446 Wrinkled, creased, crinkled or creped
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 Spot bonds connect components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24926 including ceramic, glass, porcelain or quartz layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24992 Density or compression of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A computer-aided method of obtaining a preliminary ply model of a composite component to be used in the manufacture of industrial parts by stacking and joining a plurality of plies of composite materials, comprising the following steps: a) obtaining from stress calculations a ply stacking sequence for the component subdivided into panels; b) automatically generating a stacking table containing the ply sequence for each different zone (defined by its ply sequence); c) automatically generating a grid table; d) optimizing said stacking table; e) performing the plies drop-off distribution by means of a tool that allows carrying out said distribution automatically according to a predetermined staggering rule; f) obtaining an output table containing the data required for representing the ply model in a CAD program.

Claims

1. A computer-aided method of obtaining a preliminary ply model of a composite component to be used in the manufacture of industrial parts by stacking and joining a plurality of plies of composite materials comprising the following steps:

a) obtaining from stress calculations a ply stacking sequence for the composite component subdivided into panels;

b) based on said ply stacking sequence, automatically generating a first preliminary ply model identifying the panels covered by each ply by means of bidimensional tables;

c) optimizing said first preliminary ply model merging plies for obtaining larger plies and/or separating plies for obtaining plies forming a closed contour by means of a graphic tool that allows automatic;

c1) detection of possible ply mergers between plies covering contiguous zones; and

c2) separating plies into layers, obtaining single layers forming a closed contour, and assigning a unique number to that layer;

d) performing the plies drop-off distribution by means of a tool that allows carrying out said distribution automatically according to a predetermined staggering rule and the graphical visualization of said distribution;

e) obtaining an output table containing the data required for representing the preliminary ply model in a CAD program and/or representing a sectional view of any of those areas were there is a change in the stacking sequence.

2. A computer-aided method of obtaining a preliminary ply model of a composite component according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined staggering rule is selected among a pyramidal rule, a maximum symmetry rule or a plies at +45/−

45 staggered first rule.

3. A computer-aided method of obtaining a preliminary ply model of a composite component according to claim 1 wherein the composite component is a horizontal tail plane skin of an aircraft.