A Laminate Family is a collection of Laminates that all share the same Main Stacking Sequence (MSS), with each Family Member being a subset of that sequence. A Stiffener Laminate Family is a special type of Laminate Family meant for defining the stacking sequence of each piece of a composite stiffener. In the example below, the first 5 columns make up the MSS. The subsequent 'Base' sublaminates - the stack that is maintained throughout the entire stiffener - are a subset of the MSS.
As is common in aerospace design, additional layers can be added in the individual stiffener objects. These are known as planks or charges. HyperX gives you the ability to add these additional layers to your Stiffener Laminate Family, with options corresponding to the selected stiffener shape. The image below outlines the different types of sublaminates found in an I-stiffener.
Note
Similar drawings can be found for each different stiffener concept on their corresponding creation form in the software.
The total number of Laminates is a factorial combination of each base sublaminate and each additional plank/charge sublaminate option.
When a Stiffener Laminate Family is selected as a Sizing variable, each Laminate in the Family becomes a Sizing Candidate. The MSS ensures that all Laminates are compatible with one another, and the Drop Pattern pre-defines the ply transitions from one Laminate to another when Sequencing to a set of global Plies.
Tip
Sizing with Stiffener Laminate Families typically allows for a more manufacturable design in less steps.
To "create" a Laminate Family is to manually define the Main Stacking Sequence (MSS) and corresponding Laminate members from scratch. This involves creating individual Layers (rows) and Laminates (columns). For Stiffener Laminate Families, this also involves adding any necessary plank or charge layers for consideration.
Manual Laminate Family creation is particularly advantageous if your team or program already has a standard Laminate Family(s) they'd like to employ for sizing.
Tip
Creating involves manual input from the user, whereas generating allows HyperX to automatically create Stiffener Laminate Family(s) for you.
Option #1: Create Laminate Family from the Ribbon
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Launch the Stiffener Laminate Family creation form from either the Material or Composites tab of the Ribbon.
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Select a stiffener profile.
By selecting a stiffener profile, HyperX will automatically determine where planks and charges are available in the design, and the resulting creation form will reflect this.
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Define the MSS by defining individual Layers (rows) to the desired stiffener piece. Note that the Base Layer will occur in all stiffener objects.
By default, the form will be populated with one 0deg Layer for each additional Layer. Uncheck any objects you do not want. However, please note that Base Layers must always be defined.
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Define Laminate columns, each with some subset of the MSS active.
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Once all rows and columns have been defined, click 'Apply' to save the new Stiffener Laminate Family to the Database.
Option #2: Create Laminate Family from the Library
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Launch the Stiffener Laminate Family creation form from the Laminate Family Library
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Select a stiffener profile.
By selecting a stiffener profile, HyperX will automatically determine where planks and charges are available in the design, and the resulting creation form will reflect this.
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Define the MSS by defining individual Layers (rows) to the desired stiffener piece. Note that the Base Layer will occur in all stiffener objects.
By default, the form will be populated with one 0deg Layer for each additional Layer. Uncheck any objects you do not want. However, please note that Base Layers must always be defined.
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Define Laminate columns, each with some subset of the MSS active.
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Once all rows and columns have been defined, click 'Apply' to save the new Stiffener Laminate Family to the Database.
Objective: Produce a Stiffener Laminate Family that is (optionally) tuned for specific Zones.
HyperX has two related but separate features for automatically generating a Stiffener Laminate Family. Stiffener Laminate Family can be generated within the standard HyperX Sizing workflow, or on a standalone basis.
Option #2: From the Laminate Family Form
This option allows the user more control over the Laminate Family generation process. Generation of the MSS uses preliminary Sizing results for each Zone and generates a MSS that incorporates those solutions. The resulting Stiffener Laminate Family is "tuned" for the Zones/Elements that were used for generation.
Alternatively, the user can manually generate an MSS if desired. Skip to step 3 and generate the Base Sublaminate manually in this scenario.
Note
The table on this form does not show an actual Laminate Family. Rather, it shows all possible Sublaminates for the Laminate Family. The members of the Stiffener Laminate Family are formed by combining the Sublaminates shown on this form.
Step #1: Select Zones/Elements and Open the Stiffener Laminate Family Generator
Select all Zones whose results should be considered for Stiffener Laminate Family generation. Once selected, the Stiffener Laminate Family Generator can be opened in several ways:
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From the Composites tab of the Ribbon, by selecting the stiffener shape that corresponds to your existing Design Property. The generation tool is only available for 3 general concepts: I, T, and corrugated (hat).
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From the 'Create Stiffener Laminate Family' form (corresponding to I, T, or corrugated concepts).
Step #2: Review Generator Starting Point
Once the Stiffener Laminate Family Generator is open, review the upper-lefthand-corner. You should see the list of Zones/Elements selected, and the corresponding Design Properties associated with them. Use the 'Open Design' option to immediately review the original Design Property - including Ply Angle Percentages and Layup Rules (see "Sizing Options" here for more information). These rules will be maintained by any Families that are generated.
Step #3: Generate the Main Stacking Sequence (MSS) and Base
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Use the Main Sequence dropdown to enforce a Max Adjacent Plies limit - i.e. the number of same-angle plies that can be stacked next to each other.
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Click 'Generate Main Sequence'.
Here, the first four columns represent the Main Stacking Sequence. Each of the 10 base columns is a single Laminate option for the Stiffener Base - each of which is a subset of the MSS.
Step #4: Add Planks and Charges as Needed
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The remaining Sublaminates can be generated using the thickness of the Base as a reference. First, check the "allowed" boxes at the top of the form to indicate which Sublaminates are desired for the stiffener. The available Sublaminates vary between stiffener concepts. Next, specify the desired thickness ratio (R Ratios) range for the Sublaminate. This ratio is relative to the thickness of the Base. For example, if the Base is 6 plies thick with a ratio range of 0.5 to 1.0, the generated Sublaminates will range from 3 to 6 plies.
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Click 'Regenerate' to add the Plank/Charge layers. HyperX will automatically generate all possible Plank or Charge plies depending on the user-input R-Ratio limits. These are used to ensure that realistic cross-sections are generated. For example, it would be difficult to manufacture a stiffener cap that is 5 times thicker than the web, even if that is the weight-optimum solution. In many cases, these limits are defined by best-practices that vary from company to company. For more information, see R Ratios.
Note
The total number of generated Laminates is a factorial combination of each base Sublaminate and each additional Plank/Charge/etc. Sublaminate option.
At this point, the Sublaminates can also be manually edited in the table. Additionally, the Sublaminate ratios can be modified. The ratios are used to filter the Laminate Family members. "Filtered Candidate Laminates" represent the total number of Laminates in the Family that pass user-specified Ply Angle Percentage and R-Ratio constraints.
Important
Due to the full-factorial nature of Stiffener Laminate Family generation, the number of Candidate Laminates can grow quickly. Use the "Update Counts" button before finalizing to ensure the Candidate Count reflects the changes made to the Family.
Step #5: Save the Stiffener Laminate Family to the Database
Once you are happy with your Stiffener Laminate Family, save it to the Database (so it can be used for Sizing).
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Click 'Save As...'.
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Use the resulting form to name your Family.
The newly saved family now lives in the Laminate Family Library. Notice the drop down at the top of the form can be used to view only the Stiffener Laminate Families (by profile).
Step #6 (optional): Review Full-Factorial Family Columns
The generator mode of the Stiffener Laminate Family form is convenient for a high-level understanding of the Laminate Family. But, in many cases, it may be helpful to review the Laminate Family in 'Editor Mode' - which displays the full-factorial combination of Laminates in the Viewport.
Launch the Laminate Family in editor mode from the Laminate Family Library.
The resulting Stiffener Laminate Family table has a column for every single Candidate Laminate. To view a representative cross-section of a particular stiffener option, select the corresponding column and open Cross-Section View.
An existing Stiffener Laminate Family is edited when columns are added/removed, rows are added/removed, the sequential line-up of the rows is altered, or individual row properties (thickness, material, and angle) are changed. All of these operations can be done either directly in HyperX from the Stiffener/Beam Laminate Family Form or in Excel spreadsheet (and reimported). An individual Stiffener Laminate can also be edited.
Option #1: Edit From Laminate Family Form
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Launch the Laminate Family Library by double clicking on the 'Laminate Families' node in the Library of the Property Tree.
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Select the Stiffener Laminate Family you want to edit and click 'Edit'.
Tip
An individual Stiffener Laminate Family Editor form can also be accessed from a selected Zone's Design Result. This is the quickest way to open a Stiffener Laminate Family that has been used for Sizing.
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You'll notice in the resulting editor, every single Candidate Stiffener Laminate in the Family is represented as a column. Edit as desired.
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Click 'Apply' to save any changes made under the same Stiffener Laminate Family name or click 'Save As...' to save the edited version as a new Family.
Option #2: Edit In Excel
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Launch the Laminate Family Library by double clicking on the 'Laminate Families' node in the Library of the Property Tree.
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Select the Stiffener Laminate Family you want to edit and click 'Edit'.
Tip
An individual Stiffener Laminate Family Editor form can also be accessed from a selected Zone's Design Result. This is the quickest way to open a Stiffener Laminate Family that has been used for Sizing.
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In the resulting Stiffener Laminate Family editor, choose the 'Edit in Excel' option on the top of the form.
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Edit Stiffener Laminate Family by editing the corresponding cells in the resulting spreadsheet.
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When finished making edits, click 'Save' on the Excel file. Then, proceed back to HyperX and click 'Read from Excel' from the Stiffener Laminate Family form.
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Notice all changes made in the spreadsheet are now shown in the Laminate Family form. Click 'Apply' to save any changes made under the same Stiffener Laminate Family name or click 'Save As...' to save the edited version as a new Family.