Reduce Costly Process Development with Simulation

Composite forming is a relatively fast production method that forms a stack of plies into the desired shape in a single step. This differs from manual or automated lay-up processes, where plies or tapes are individually conformed and placed onto a mould surface. Composite forming is typically used in applications where production rate is a priority.

However, whilst forming an entire stack of plies at once speeds up the process, there tends to be a higher risk of defects. This is because the plies can interact in a manner that restricts the overall formability of the laminate, and there is also typically less control over how the material is deformed and manipulated into the desired shape. For example, in thermoplastic stamp forming, a molten thermoplastic blank is mechanically suspended between matched tooling and formed by closing the tools in a hydraulic press. The exact deformation of the laminate during the process can only be controlled via careful design of the suspension mechanism, tooling and choice of process parameters like the blank temperature and closure speed and consolidation pressure. The restricted formability of the material and the limited control over its deformation means that many iterations are typically required before an acceptable design is found, and in some cases it is not possible to avoid defects entirely.

On top of this, testing out a given process design with a physical trial can incur significant costs. Many designs require complex suspension methods, matched metal tooling, pre-consolidated laminates, advanced heating systems and rapid hydraulic presses. Inspecting the part can also be costly, especially if searching for internal defects that are not visible on the part surface.

This presents a significant challenge for manufacturers: Many design iterations are required, and the cost of each iteration is high. Overall, development times and costs can be significant if solely relying physical trials to optimise the process.

Fortunately, AniForm allows designs to be modified and tested via simulation far more quickly and at a far lower cost than a physical trial. It is trusted by major Aerospace and Automotive manufacturers to rapidly optimise process designs and cut development costs. With AniForm, process designs can be modified in just a few clicks, and multiple designs can be simulated concurrently using cloud-based high-performance computing.

However, setting up simulations and interpreting results requires expertise. For manufacturers who don’t want to invest in this learning curve, Material-Sim offers a solution. We provide immediate access to AniForm’s benefits without requiring you to develop and maintain in-house expertise.