Sandwich panel#

This example defines a composite lay-up for a sandwich panel using PyACP. It only shows the PyACP part of the setup. For a complete composite analysis, see PyMAPDL workflow.

Import the standard library and third-party dependencies.

import pathlib
import tempfile

Import the PyACP dependencies.

from ansys.acp.core import (
    FabricWithAngle,
    Lamina,
    PlyType,
    get_directions_plotter,
    launch_acp,
    print_model,
)
from ansys.acp.core.extras import ExampleKeys, get_example_file, set_plot_theme
from ansys.acp.core.material_property_sets import ConstantEngineeringConstants, ConstantStrainLimits

Set the plot theme for the example. This is optional, and ensures that you get the same plot style (theme, color map, etc.) as in the online documentation.

set_plot_theme()

Start ACP and load the model#

Get the example file from the server.

tempdir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
WORKING_DIR = pathlib.Path(tempdir.name)
input_file = get_example_file(ExampleKeys.BASIC_FLAT_PLATE_DAT, WORKING_DIR)

Launch the ACP server and connect to it.

acp = launch_acp()

Define the input file and import it into ACP.

model = acp.import_model(
    input_file,
    format="ansys:cdb",
)
print(model.unit_system)

mks

Visualize the loaded mesh.

mesh = model.mesh.to_pyvista()
mesh.plot(show_edges=True)

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Create the sandwich materials#

Create the UD material and its corresponding fabric.

engineering_constants_ud = ConstantEngineeringConstants.from_orthotropic_constants(
    E1=5e10, E2=1e10, E3=1e10, nu12=0.28, nu13=0.28, nu23=0.3, G12=5e9, G23=4e9, G31=4e9
)

strain_limit = 0.01
strain_limits = ConstantStrainLimits.from_orthotropic_constants(
    eXc=-strain_limit,
    eYc=-strain_limit,
    eZc=-strain_limit,
    eXt=strain_limit,
    eYt=strain_limit,
    eZt=strain_limit,
    eSxy=strain_limit,
    eSyz=strain_limit,
    eSxz=strain_limit,
)

ud_material = model.create_material(
    name="UD",
    ply_type=PlyType.REGULAR,
    engineering_constants=engineering_constants_ud,
    strain_limits=strain_limits,
)

ud_fabric = model.create_fabric(name="UD", material=ud_material, thickness=0.002)

Create a multi-axial stackup and a sublaminate. Stackups and sublaminates help quickly build repeating laminates.

biax_carbon_ud = model.create_stackup(
    name="Biax_Carbon_UD",
    fabrics=(
        FabricWithAngle(ud_fabric, -45),
        FabricWithAngle(ud_fabric, 45),
    ),
)


sublaminate = model.create_sublaminate(
    name="Sublaminate",
    materials=(
        Lamina(biax_carbon_ud, 0),
        Lamina(ud_fabric, 90),
        Lamina(biax_carbon_ud, 0),
    ),
)

Create the core material and its corresponding fabric.

engineering_constants_core = ConstantEngineeringConstants.from_isotropic_constants(E=8.5e7, nu=0.3)

core = model.create_material(
    name="Core",
    ply_type=PlyType.ISOTROPIC_HOMOGENEOUS_CORE,
    engineering_constants=engineering_constants_core,
    strain_limits=strain_limits,
)

core_fabric = model.create_fabric(name="core", material=ud_material, thickness=0.015)

Create the Lay-up#

Define a rosette and oriented selection set. Plot the orientations.

rosette = model.create_rosette(origin=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), dir1=(1.0, 0.0, 0.0), dir2=(0.0, 1.0, 0.0))

oss = model.create_oriented_selection_set(
    name="oss",
    orientation_point=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0),
    orientation_direction=(0.0, 1.0, 0),
    element_sets=[model.element_sets["All_Elements"]],
    rosettes=[rosette],
)

model.update()
plotter = get_directions_plotter(model=model, components=[oss.elemental_data.orientation])
plotter.show()

Static Scene

Interactive Scene

Create the modeling plies which define the lay-up of the sandwich panel.

modeling_group = model.create_modeling_group(name="modeling_group")

bottom_ply = modeling_group.create_modeling_ply(
    name="bottom_ply",
    ply_angle=0,
    ply_material=sublaminate,
    oriented_selection_sets=[oss],
)

core_ply = modeling_group.create_modeling_ply(
    name="core_ply",
    ply_angle=0,
    ply_material=core_fabric,
    oriented_selection_sets=[oss],
)


top_ply = modeling_group.create_modeling_ply(
    name="top_ply",
    ply_angle=90,
    ply_material=ud_fabric,
    oriented_selection_sets=[oss],
    number_of_layers=3,
)

Update and print the model.

model.update()
print_model(model)

'ACP Lay-up Model'
    Materials
        '1'
        'UD'
        'Core'
    Fabrics
        'UD'
        'core'
    Stackups
        'Biax_Carbon_UD'
    Sublaminates
        'Sublaminate'
    Element Sets
        'All_Elements'
    Edge Sets
        '_FIXEDSU'
    Rosettes
        '12'
        'Rosette'
    Oriented Selection Sets
        'oss'
    Modeling Groups
        'modeling_group'
            Modeling Plies
                'bottom_ply'
                    Production Plies
                        'P1__bottom_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P1L1__bottom_ply'
                                'P1L2__bottom_ply'
                        'P2__bottom_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P2L1__bottom_ply'
                        'P3__bottom_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P3L1__bottom_ply'
                                'P3L2__bottom_ply'
                'core_ply'
                    Production Plies
                        'P1__core_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P1L1__core_ply'
                'top_ply'
                    Production Plies
                        'P1__top_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P1L1__top_ply'
                        'P2__top_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P2L1__top_ply'
                        'P3__top_ply'
                            Analysis Plies
                                'P3L1__top_ply'

Total running time of the script: (0 minutes 12.555 seconds)

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