Design Analysis Capabilities

CAD, CAM, CAE Software

• Abaqus
  Modeling and analyzing composite structures, offering specialized workflows for different scales—micro, meso, and macro. It allows you to simulate everything from simple laminates to complex fiber-reinforced structures with advanced failure criteria.
• Altair Hyperworks
  Used at UD-CCM as a meshing solution and solver for composite part design. The three-phase workflow for composite optimization has been used for a number of research programs including vehicle door design and wearable composite support devices.
• Aniform
  Specialized simulation software suite used to predict the formability of composite laminates during the manufacturing process. Used extensively at UD-CCM to visualize the forming process and identify potential issues. Material models for TuFF have been developed that enables high speed high strain forming.
• ANSYS
  ANSYS provides a comprehensive suite of tools for modeling, manufacturing, and analyzing composite structures, primarily through Ansys Composite PrepPost (ACP). This specialized module integrates with Ansys Mechanical to handle the unique complexities of layered materials, such as fiber orientation, layup sequences, and specific failure modes. ANSYS is also used at UD-CCM to model flow behavior in composites processing.
• CAD Software: CATIA (CPE, CPM), SolidWorks, Autodesk Fusion 360, Rhino, Mikroplace
  State of the art composite CAD/CAM software for creating and analysing composite parts and tools. Drapability and ply steering tools embedded within CAD platforms that enambles composite design.
• CrystalMaker
  We use CrystalMaker for the precise building and visualization of complex crystalline and molecular structures. It facilitates the design of high-fidelity atomistic models that serve as the foundation for our multiscale modeling approach, from individual atoms to composite structures.
• EMC (Enhanced Monte Carlo)
  EMC is utilized to build complex, well-equilibrated polymer melt and thermoset resin structures for molecular dynamics simulations. It plays a key role in our ability to model realistic interphase compositions, ensuring our simulations accurately reflect the chemistry of high-performance composites.
• LAMMPS (Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator)
  We utilize LAMMPS to perform reactive and classical molecular dynamics simulations, modeling the behavior of polymers and composites at the atomistic scale. This allows us to gain critical insights into processing–structure–property relationships and the performance of fiber/resin interphases.
• LS-Dyna
  LS-Dyna is used to create analytical models for composite flow behavior, analytical models for composite mechanics as well as data reduction methods for processing.
• MATLAB
  MATLAB is used to model and analyze laminated composite materials and typically involves implementing Classical Laminated Plate Theory (CLPT) to determine the mechanical behavior of layered composite structures. It is also used to create models that describe flow in liquid infusion processes.
• NI LabVIEW
  This graphical programming platform used by students and scientists at the center for data acquisition, instrument control, and industrial automation. It is used to run our TuFF production lines as well as extensively for experimental instrumentation.
• OVITO (Open Visualization Tool)
  OVITO is our primary tool for the post-processing and analysis of atomistic simulation data, allowing us to visualize complex molecular structures in composites. It enables the identification of structural defects and the characterization of material deformation under multi-axial loading.
• VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package)
  VASP is used for advanced Density Functional Theory calculations to conduct high-fidelity electronic structure analysis of material interphases. These simulations are essential for developing machine-learning interatomic potentials that bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and molecular behavior.
• VESTA (Visualization for Electronic and Structural Analysis)
  VESTA is employed to visualize electronic charge densities and structural models derived from DFT calculations. This tool is vital for understanding the bonding and electronic properties at the material interphase, providing a clear picture of the fundamental interactions within composite systems.