Collier Research Releases HyperSizer v6

By DE Editors

Aircraft wingbox analysis in Collier Research’s HyperSizer shows color-coded composite laminate sections, demonstrating the software’s capability to customize for location-specific loading and to increase manufacturing efficiency.

Collier Research’s HyperSizer analysis software steers marine engineers toward lighter-weight, fuel-efficient composite and metal designs that satisfy loading, stress, and structural strength specifications.

Collier Research Corporation has announced the release of HyperSizer v6 structural sizing and analysis software designed for reducing weight, maintaining strength, and improving the manufacturability of complex composite and metallic designs.  According to the company, the software has a track record of 20% weight reduction in government and commercial aerospace projects.

“One of the biggest roadblocks to effective composite design is the inability of engineers to adequately explore optimized layups simultaneously with other design variables,” says Craig Collier, president of Collier Research.  “This results in design inefficiencies and compromises.”

To address these issues, HyperSizer integrates with FEA solvers in a continuous, automated iterative loop, conducting trade studies and examining millions of potential design candidates down to the ply, and element level.  The software helps ensure structural integrity through a suite of failure analysis predictions that are validated to test data. The tool also helps enhance manufacturability by minimizing ply drops, identifying and controlling laminate transition drop/add boundaries, and defining best ply shapes and patterns. 

New features in HyperSizer v6 include:

• Manufacturability Optimization. To help design for efficient manufacturing, the software now has the capability to identify, define, and control ply-count compatibility, laminate sequencing, interleaving, and ply-drop minimization.
• Post-Buckling Analyses. Automated compression, shear, and compression-shear post-buckling analyses, based on complex NASA-developed methods that serve as the foundation for metal aircraft design, have now been added.  Integrated with flexural-torsional buckling, these allow engineers to cut weight in aluminum skin airframes.  Such analyses have been extended to composite material systems as well. 
• Panel Concepts. Two novel, damage-tolerant composite architectures are now available, providing more structural sizing variables and optimization flexibility. PRSEUS is a Boeing/NASA/Air Force Research Lab-developed dry-fabric woven material poltruded rod structure, while “reinforced core sandwich” is an alternative sandwich panel similar to foam sandwich.  Specialized analyses for both these panel concepts have been implemented and correlated to test data established for accurate predictions of strength, according to the company.

As wind turbine blades grow in length, there is an increase in weight, gravity, and wind loads.  Collier Research Corporation’s HyperSizer composite analysis software guides engineers towards lighter, stronger, and more manufacturable designs earlier in the design process.

HyperSizer integrates with FEA software, such as Nastran and Abaqus, and with composite CAD tools, such as CATIA and FiberSIM.

For more information, please visit Collier Research’s HyperSizer site.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.