Reading a Stack-Up File From Plies

This task shows you how to modify a stack-up file and then import it to apply the changes to the plies of a Composites part.

Available in Composites Engineering Design (CPE).
Open the Stack-UpFile2.xls file and the Stack-UpFile2.CATPart document.
Both .xls and .xlsx files are supported.

  1. In the stack-up file, go to the line of Ply.1 and modify the values as follows:

    • Ply name: Ply.A
    • Material: GLASS

  2. Go to line of Ply.49 and modify the values as follows:

    • Ply name: Ply.B
    • Material: GLASS

  3. Insert a new line before Ply.54 and type in the following values:

    • Plies Group: Plies Group.2
    • Sequence: Sequence C
    • Ply name: Ply.C
    • Material: S1454_G803
    • Direction: 90

  4. Insert a new line at the end of the file and type in the following values:

    • Plies Group: Plies Group.3
    • Sequence: Sequence.Z
    • Ply name: Ply.Z
    • Material: S1454_G803
    • Direction: 0

  5. Save the stack-up file and close it.

  6. Click Ply Table Import in the Plies toolbar.
    The Plies Creation From Stack-Up File dialog box is displayed.

  7. Click ...  to select the path where the stack-up file is stored.

  8. Select the Stack-UpFile2 file you previously modified and saved (or import Stack-UpFile2modified.xls)

  9. Click OK.
    You are informed if the import succeeded or failed.

    The specification tree has been modified according to the changes you made in the stack-up file.

  10. Generate again a stack-up file to take into account the modifications you made in the stacking
    and recreate the PlyID of the plies.

  11. Open the newly generated stack-up file and check the values for Ply.C and Plies Group.3.

    Ply.C inherited the reference surface and the draping of Plies Group.2 as well as a new PlyID.
    Plies Group.3 inherited the surface reference and the draping of the stacking as well as a new PlyID.
Thanks to this PlyID, you can modify the stacking according to your needs since the PlyID associates
  • each line of the stack-up file with a ply in the stacking of the Composites part;
  • each ply to a geometry, that enables you to  switch a geometry between two plies.
 

  1. Check the geometry of Ply.A and Ply.B in the Stack-UpFile2.CATPart.

  2. In the stack-up file, set the PlyID of Ply.A to 49.

  3. Then set the PlyID of Ply.B to 1.

  4. Save the stack-up file and close it.

  5. Click Ply Table Import .

  6. Select the Stack-UpFile2 file you previously modified and saved.

  7. Click OK.
    The geometries of both plies are switched with one another.