Composite Materials

Structures
Applications
1

2014 ANSYS, Inc.

March 25, 2014

ANSYS Confidential

Composite Materials
Summary
ANSYS Structural Mechanics provides the most productive
set of tools for accurate analysis of composite products.

Design Impact
High Strength
Low Weight

2014 ANSYS, Inc.

March 25, 2014

ANSYS Confidential

Composite Materials
Application Example
Objective: Low Weight
Develop an exciting and modern sports cars, the
KTM X-Bow, using a monocoque made from carbon
composites materials so the external skin provides
the vehicles structural support.
ANSYS Solution
Use ANSYS Composite PrepPost to model and
analyze the composites monocoque.
Analyze different possible layups, fiber orientations
and composites materials.
Analyze the failure behavior of the composites
design under different load scenarios.
Value of Simulation

KTM Technologies reduced the weight of the

composites monocoque by 20 percent using ANSYS
simulations. March 25, 2014
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2014 ANSYS, Inc.

Composite Materials
Application Example
Objective: Low Weight
Reduce aircraft weight by employing lighter
composite materials for the load introduction rib
(LIR) of an aircrafts wing flap.
ANSYS Solution
ANSYS Composite PrepPost modeled the composite
layup. This innovative approach allows modeling
composites by building up plies in the same way that
they are manufactured.
The post-processing capabilities of ANSYS Composite
PrepPost allowed evaluation of failure criteria,
including transverse shear stresses and interlaminar
normal stresses.
Value of Simulation

ANSYS Composite PrepPost provided simple preand post-processing of composite designs within
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March 25, 2014
2014 ANSYS, Inc.
ANSYS Workbench,
significantly reducing
modeling

Composite Materials
Application Example
Objective: High Strength
Take into account a large number of characteristics,
including strength, stiffness, weight, durability, ease
of manufacture, type of bike and rider preference.
ANSYS Solution
Composite PrepPost software provides innovative
modeling and analysis capabilities
Identify critical areas along with the load case for
which failure might occur from state-of-the-art
failure criteria and layer-wise analysis
Value of Simulation

The stiffness and resistance characteristics of fiberreinforced bicycle components can be optimally
adapted to meet design requirements; design
efficiency is significantly improved. Compared to
typical trial-and-error development methods used in
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March 25, 2014
2014 ANSYS, Inc.
the bicycle industry,
the number of costand time-

Composite Materials
ANSYS Advantages
A pre-processing tool with a workflow close to the
actual manufacturing process to easily define the most
complex layups
Seamless integration of composites parts in larger
assemblies through ANSYS Workbench
Broad range of failure criteria as well as progressive
damage and delamination techniques for ultimate
failure analysis
Accurate 3-D stresses evaluation from 2-D models and
submodeling techniques
Scripts and automated model updates to easily
investigate design variations

2014 ANSYS, Inc.

March 25, 2014

ANSYS Confidential