Material Simulation’s Advantage: An illustration with 3D Woven

Abstract

In the research of light weighting solutions, the use of CFRP has dramatically increased during the last two decades both in aerospace and automotive industries. However, designers are still facing the challenge to accelerate the insertion of new materials for applications. Virtual Material Testing helps to shorten the design cycle of a new component, expand the design space at reduced costs and provides ways to understand the complex mechanisms appearing at different scales and their effect on material macroscopic behavior. The present paper will expose some of the benefits an engineer can get by using a virtual material testing tool. The methodologies available to conduct such work will be described as well. Finally, the benefits of such tool will be illustrated on the example of 3D woven composite development.