Composite Optimization Plugin for FEA Tools

Defense platforms have a requirement per defense officials to move away from heavy, traditional metals & composite parts towards advanced materials that exhibit greater strength, lighter weight, and higher overall efficiency. This endeavor will produce a proof-of-concept software plugin that will enable composite design engineers to deploy an optimization capability resulting in parts that are lighter and stronger than conventional means. áWe will leverage the commercial capability of Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) to strategically orient and place composite fiber tows to enhance part stiffness. The University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) developed custom algorithms that optimize fiber placement to maximize weight savings while maintaining structural integrity. The combination of the optimization tools with the enabling technology of TFP has created designs that result in 200% increase in stiffness or a 60% reduction in weight compared to a composite baseline. This project will identify stakeholders within AFRL and DAF program offices, research what the user interface and configuration ôknobsö would be necessary for a composite design engineer and develop proof of concept / demo plugin that executes a basic optimization within an FEA tool.á á