Creating a Stack-up File From Zones

This task shows you how to create a stack-up file before creating the plies.
It contains the stacking order of the Composites part.
This step is not mandatory. May you be satisfied with the proposed stack-up, you can directly create the plies.

Available in Composites Engineering Design (CPE).
Open the Stack-UpFile1.CATPart document.

  1. Click Stack-up file from zones in the Preliminary Design toolbar.
    The Stack-up file from zones dialog box is displayed.

  2. Select the group of zones to export.
    The export enables you to analyze the stack-up and identify any possible problems.

    You can as well select several groups of zones to export simultaneously.

  3. Click ...  to define the path where to store the stack-up file.

    If you do not define any path, the file will be stored in the document's directory (here the Samples directory).

    Both .xls and .xlsx files are supported.

  4. Select the Open stack-up file after creation check box to display the file once you click OK.

  5. Click OK to generate the file.

Here is an example with Zones Group.1.
The stack-up file contains the following information:

  • ply
  • geometric level
  • material
  • orientation
  • set of zones
  • A laminate defined as a stacking sequence (SS) for a zone will be generated as a thickness law (TL) in the stack-up file.
  • Exporting the stack-up file allows you to modify the default stack-up.