Ply optimization feasibility analysis for multi-layer composite parts

• US 10,322,792 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Thompson, Richard Joel, Blom-Schieber, Adriana Willempje
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Brian S
• Application Number:
  US15/399,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 703 1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/30 Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/14 characterised by the properties of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 41/00 Arrangements for controlling or monitoring lamination processes; Safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/20 Integral or sandwich constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/26 Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/00 Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49019 Machine 3-D slices, to build 3-D model, stratified object manufacturing SOM
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/26 Composites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/28 Fuselage, exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/18 Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for composite part design. One embodiment is a method for selectively analyzing feasibility of optimizing fiber orientations for layers of a multi-layer composite part subdivided into panels that each comprise a fraction of an area of the composite part. The method includes identifying stacking sequence rules that constrain the composition of sublaminates that comprise consecutively stacked layers utilized during optimization, for each panel of the composite part, analyzing the panel by identifying ply counts that constrain a number of plies at the panel, selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the panel, calculating ply count ranges for a laminate, based on the number of sublaminates and the stacking sequence rules, and determining whether the ply counts for the panel comply with the ply count ranges for the laminates.

Claims

1. A method for selectively analyzing feasibility of optimizing fiber orientations for layers of a multi-layer composite part subdivided into panels that each comprise a fraction of an area of the composite part, the method comprising:

identifying stacking sequence rules which constrain the composition of sublaminates that comprise consecutively stacked layers utilized during optimization; and

for each panel of the composite part, analyzing the panel by;

identifying ply counts that constrain a number of plies at the panel, wherein the ply counts indicate numbers of plies on a fiber orientation-by-fiber orientation basis;

selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the panel;

calculating ply count ranges for a laminate, based on the number of sublaminates and the stacking sequence rules;

determining whether the ply counts for the panel comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, prior to performing optimization of the panel;

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do not comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, preemptively excluding the number of sublaminates from being utilized during the optimization; and

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, choosing the number of sublaminates for consideration for the panel during the optimization; and

performing optimization of fiber orientations for the multi-layer composite part by, for each panel;

identifying a chosen number of sublaminates for the panel;

selecting a group of sublaminates up to the chosen number for consideration during optimization of the panel; and

stacking together the selected sublaminates within the panel in an order that enhances manufacturability of the composite part.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each of multiple numbers of sublaminates;

calculating additional ply count ranges for a laminate and determining whether the ply counts for a panel comply with the additional ply count ranges for that laminate.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the report indicates numbers of sublaminates for which the ply counts for a panel comply with the ply count ranges for a laminate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

there are multiple permitted numbers of sublaminates; and

the method further comprises;

preventing optimization of the composite part in response to determining that ply counts for a panel do not comply with ply count ranges for any of the permitted numbers of sublaminates.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting that a next panel has ply counts that are the same as ply counts for a panel that has already been analyzed, and in response to the detection;

foregoing selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the next panel; and

foregoing calculating ply count ranges for a laminate corresponding with the next panel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the fiber orientations are selected from the group consisting of 0°

, 45°

, −

45°

, and 90°

.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the stacking sequence rules define a minimum number and a maximum number of plies for a sublaminate, on a fiber orientation-by-fiber orientation basis.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method for selectively analyzing feasibility of optimizing fiber orientations for layers of a multi-layer composite part subdivided into panels that each comprise a fraction of an area of the composite part, the method comprising:

identifying stacking sequence rules which constrain the composition of sublaminates that comprise consecutively stacked layers utilized during optimization; and

for each panel of the composite part, analyzing the panel by;

identifying ply counts that constrain a number of plies at the panel, wherein the ply counts indicate numbers of plies on a fiber orientation-by-fiber orientation basis;

selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the panel;

calculating ply count ranges for a laminate, based on the number of sublaminates and the stacking sequence rules; and

determining whether the ply counts for the panel comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate;

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do not comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, preemptively excluding the number of sublaminates from being utilized during the optimization; and

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, choosing the number of sublaminates for consideration for the panel during the optimization; and

performing optimization of fiber orientations for the multi-layer composite part by, for each panel;

identifying a chosen number of sublaminates for the panel;

selecting a group of sublaminates up to the chosen number for consideration during optimization of the panel; and

stacking together the selected sublaminates within the panel in an order that enhances manufacturability of the composite part.

9. The medium of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

for each of multiple numbers of sublaminates;

calculating additional ply count ranges for a laminate and determining whether the ply counts for a panel comply with the additional ply count ranges for that laminate.

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein:

the report indicates numbers of sublaminates for which the ply counts for a panel comply with the ply count ranges for a laminate.

11. The medium of claim 8 wherein:

there are multiple permitted numbers of sublaminates; and

the method further comprises;

preventing optimization of the composite part in response to determining that ply counts for a panel do not comply with ply count ranges for any of the permitted numbers of sublaminates.

12. The medium of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

detecting that a next panel has ply counts that are the same as ply counts for a panel that has already been analyzed, and in response to the detection;

foregoing selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the next panel; and

foregoing calculating ply count ranges for a laminate corresponding with the next panel.

13. The medium of claim 8 wherein:

the fiber orientations are selected from the group consisting of 0°

, 45°

, −

45°

, and 90°

.

14. The medium of claim 8 wherein:

the stacking sequence rules define a minimum number and a maximum number of plies for a sublaminate, on a fiber orientation-by-fiber orientation basis.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an interface that receives input indicating a geometry of a multi-layer composite part; and

a controller that generates a design for the part by subdividing the composite part into panels that each comprise a fraction of an area of the composite part, and engaging in optimization to select fiber orientations for layers of those panels,

the controller identifies stacking sequence rules that constrain the composition of sublaminates that comprise consecutively stacked layers utilized during optimization, and for each panel of the composite part, analyzes the panel by identifying ply counts that constrain a number of plies at the panel, wherein the ply counts indicate numbers of plies on a fiber orientation-by-fiber orientation basis, selects a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the panel, calculates ply count ranges for a laminate, based on the number of sublaminates and the stacking sequence rules, and determines whether the ply counts for the panel comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate,

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do not comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, the controller preemptively excludes the number of sublaminates from being utilized during the optimization,

in the event that the ply counts for the panel do comply with the ply count ranges for the laminate, the controller chooses the number of sublaminates for consideration for the panel during the optimization, and

the controller performs optimization of fiber orientations for the multi-layer composite part by, for each panel;

identifying a chosen number of sublaminates for the panel, selecting a group of sublaminates up to the chosen number for consideration during optimization of the panel, and stacking together the selected sublaminates within the panel in an order that enhances manufacturability of the composite part.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

for each of multiple numbers of sublaminates, the controller calculates additional ply count ranges for a laminate and determines whether ply counts for panel comply with the additional ply count ranges for that laminate.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the report indicates numbers of sublaminates for which the ply counts for a panel comply with the ply count ranges for a laminate.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

there are multiple permitted numbers of sublaminates; and

the controller prevents optimization of the composite part in response to determining that ply counts for a panel do not comply with ply count ranges for any of the permitted numbers of sublaminates.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the controller determines that a next panel has ply counts that are the same as ply counts for a panel that has already been analyzed, and foregoes selecting a number of sublaminates to utilize during optimization of the next panel and foregoes calculating ply count ranges for the next panel.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the fiber orientations are selected from the group consisting of 0°

, 45°

, −

45°

, and 90°

.