Defining the Panel

This task shows you how to define Grid Panels in three steps, each step having its own dialog box:

Note that the last two options are not proposed if the reference element has not been created from a surface.
 
  • This task is available in the CATIA Composites Engineering (CEG) product.
  • This task is available in the Composites Grid Design workbench.
  • The last two options are not proposed if the reference element has not been created from a surface.
  • You can edit the parameters of a structural group or a structural element via a formula.
  • When you edit a structural group, you apply the values of those parameters as formulas to all the reference elements of the group.
Open PanelStart01.CATPart from the samples directory.

Defining the Grid Panel

  1. Click Grid Panel definition .
    The Panel definition dialog box is displayed.

    A Grid definition node is created in the specification tree.

    A Grid Reference Elements Group is proposed in the dialog box and created in the specification tree.
    For the moment it is empty.
    Its default name is Grid Reference Elements Group.x.

    You can edit this name: Key in the required name in Group prefix and click Rename Group.

  2. Select MOLD as the Support Surface.
    Note that holes are not allowed on the support surface.

    The Draping direction is displayed in the 3D viewer.
    If necessary, click Reverse direction in the dialog box,
    or click the red arrow in the 3D viewer to invert the Draping direction.

  3. Select Absolute Axis System as the Axis (i.e. the rosette) in which the directions are referenced. If the axis system does not yet exist, create it:
    • Place the cursor in the Axis field and right-click to display the contextual menu.
      Select the Create Axis System item:
    • Define the axis system in the dialog box that appears:

  4. If necessary, select the type of axis transfer to be applied in Angle cut definition, Producibility, Producibility Inspection or Fiber Direction:

    • Cartesian: this rosette transfer type is suitable for panels with a low curvature.
    • Cylindrical: this rosette transfer type is suitable for parts with a high curvature.
      This mode requires that you select a Neutral Fiber, i.e. the axis of the cylindrical shape to be used. The X-axis of the rosette will correspond to this neutral fiber.

  5. Create one Structural group with the Group prefix H:
    • Select the grid Reference Elements Group.1 in the dialog box and enter H as the Group prefix:
    • Click Rename Group. The name is updated:
    • Select the elements in the 3D view. Structural elements (e.g. ribs and stingers) can be either:
      • curves,
      • or surfaces or planes.

    • A warning is displayed if several structural elements have the same name.
    • A contextual menu is available to remove or replace a structural element, as well as arrows to reorder them:
    • If a Grid has been created, new cells can appear or others can be removed. In that case, the Stacking Areas Table, Sequence Shape even the Plies contours will be updated.
    • If you edit an existing Grid Panel and you need to edit a Structural group, select it in the dialog box to display the list of its elements.

  6. They are added to the specification tree and to the dialog box:

  7. A grid panel may contain several Structural groups.
    Click Add in the Structural groups frame.
    A new Structural group is added both in the dialog box and in the specification tree.
    Enter V as the Group prefix and select the vertical planes.

    A contextual menu is available to remove Structural groups:
 

  1. Optional: define the limits of the panel (i.e. the Edge of Part). They will show the part boundaries and its holes.
    • Click Add in the Panel limits frame.
      A contour is added in the dialog box.
    • Select curves so that they form a closed contour.
      A green tip replaces the red cross.
    • Use Insert After, Before and Remove to modify the order of the curves as well as the contour.
    • Use the contextual menu to create the curves of the contour

If you define the Limits of the Grid Panel, the ExtrapolDist parameter that has been defined in the Zone Definition dialog box is stored under the contour of the Grid Panel.

It is visible in the dialog box when you re-open it:

  • If you are editing an existing Grid Panel, this parameter is editable too.
  • If you are editing an existing Grid Panel, and change the Side attribute of a limit contour, a warning message will be displayed as this will impact the ply.
  • An arrow lets you decide of the limitation side of limit contours.
  • You can define several Grid Panels in the same CATPart.
 

  1. Click OK to validate and exit the dialog box.
    The Grid Panel is created in the specification tree:

    and in the 3D view:

 
 

Editing a Structural Group

  1. To edit a structural group, either:
    • select it in the Panel definition dialog box, add click Edit,
    • or, once it has been created, double-click it in the specification tree,
    • or, once it has been created, right-click it in the specification tree and select Definition in the contextual menu:

    Select H Group.1 and click Edit in the Structural Groups frame.
    The Default Staggering definition for S_Group.1 dialog box is displayed.

     

  2. Enter the global direction for Side +1.
    A contextual menu is available to enter the global direction:

  3. Define the slope applied to Side+1

  4. You can then apply the same values to Side -1 or define different values. 

  5. Define the Default ramp support.
    • clearance: parallel / ramp: parallels
    • clearance: offset / ramp: parallels
    • clearance: offset / ramp: offsets

    Note that clearance: offset / ramp: parallels and clearance: offset / ramp: offsets are not available when the structural element is a curve.

  6. Select an option to create the parallels:
    • Chained parallels: each parallel is created from the last created one.
    • Parallels from first: all the parallels are created from the first one.

       

  7. Click OK to validate and return to the main dialog box.

  8. Click OK to validate and exit the Grid Panel definition dialog box.
    The values entered are stored as parameters under each element Element of the group.
 

Editing Structural Elements

  1. To edit a structural element, either:

    • select it in the Panel definition dialog box, click Edit,
    • or, once it has been created, double-click it in the specification tree,
    • or, once it has been created, right-click it in the specification tree and select Definition in the contextual menu:
    • The Staggering definition for Grid Reference Elements is displayed:

  2. The direction of the structural element is displayed in the 3D viewer.
    Click Reverse direction in the dialog box or the arrow in the 3D viewer to invert that direction.

  3. Enter the values that will apply to the element selected, as you did for the structural group.

  4. Click OK to validate and return to the main dialog box.

  5. Click OK to validate and exit the command.
    The values entered are stored as parameters under the element selected and have replaced those entered for the group.
  • You can edit the parameters of a structural group or a structural element via a formula:
  • When you edit a structural group, you apply the values of those parameters as formulas to all the reference elements of the group.