Mechanical Technology

Composites(Ansys)
Laboratory

Work Integrated Learning Program

WISE Simulation Lab
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani  
Tutorial 5
Modelling of a simple pipe made of Composite
In this Tutorial we’ll learn how to model a simple Composite pipe using Ansys workbench (ACP
Pre), how to create Ply’s. How we orient the ply fibers at different angles.
Later we’ll import the created composite material to any of the analysis systems, apply boundary
conditions and view results. In order to create composite materials we should model the geometry as a
surface body.
For Simplification the geometry is prepared and kept in the tutorial folder. It Should be imported to the
Geometry folder of the System.
• Ply Material: Epoxy Carbon Woven (230 GPa)
Prepreg

• Ply Thickness : 0.1 mm

• Number of ply's Stacked: 5.

• Ply Angle : 0 degree

Boundary Conditions For Static Structural Analysis

• Fixed Support : Two end faces

• Force: -100 N on inner face

Ansys Workbench Layout

Tool Bar

Ansys
Toolbox Project Schematic Window

Messages Window
Setting the Units for the Project
• In the toolbar, Click on Units, Select the SI
System of units.
Starting the Project
• In the Toolbox, Under the Component
Systems Press hold ACP(Pre) and drag it to
the the Project Schematic window,

• Now we can see the ACP(Pre) component

systems on the project schematic window as
shown.

Please not there will be no tick marks when

the project is started, they appear only after
completion of all the steps in different
folders.
Adding the Material Data
• In the newly created project, Double Click
on the Engineering Data to Assign
Materials.

• Click on Engineering Data Sources

• In the Engineering Data Sources, Scroll

down to find Composite Materials,

• Click on Composite Materials

• In the Outline of Composite Materials, Look for
Epoxy Carbon Woven (230 GPa) Prepreg

• Click on the '+' next to the Material, when + is

clicked that material will be added to the
database.

• Close the Enginering Data from the toolbar as

shown in the figure.
Import the Geometry
• Select Geometry Right Click  Import
Geometry Browse

• Go to tutorial 5 folder, select the .stp model

file which is placed in the folder.

• Now the geometry will be imported.

Selecting the unit system for ACP Setup
• Right click on Model Select
Properties

• Select Length units as mm as

shown
Meshing the Composite materials
• Double Click on the Model, so the
Mechanical window will open
• In the Outline Window, Select the,
Part under geometry

• In the Details Window, Scroll down to

Material

• In the Assignment Select the Epoxy

Carbon Woven (230 GPa) Prepreg
• In the Outline Window, select Mesh right
click Method

• Under the Mesh the Method will be added.

• Select the Method, In the Details Window

• Click on Geometry, Select the body in the

Graphics window, Use Selection Filter

• Click Apply after selection

• Method Quadrilateral Dominant

• Free Face Method  All Quad

• Select Mesh right click Insert
Sizing

• Under the Mesh the Sizing will be added

• Select Sizing, in the Details Window,

• Click Geometry, in the Graphics Window,

Select the Body, using the Body Selection
Filter

• Click Apply

• Enter 1 mm for Element Size.

• Mesh Right Click  Update

• The Meshed Model look as shown in the

Figure
Creating Composites
• Double Click On Setup to open the ACP-
Pre Window

• Click on Toggle Mesh Elements to see

Mesh elements
• In the ACP-Pre outline tree, Click on
FabricRight Click Create fabric

• A new fabric will be created , Double click

on the new Fabric1 under Fabric to edit the
Fabric Properties
• Select the Material as Shown from the
Dropdown

• Enter thickness as 0.1mm

• Click on Analysis and Check E1, E2 and

G12

• Click Apply
• Right Click on Oriented Selection Sets
Create Oriented selection set

• Double Click On the Newly Created

"OrientedSelectionSet.1" to edit the
Properties
• In the Orientation Set Properties, In the
General tab, Element Sets place the Cursor
Between the Square Brackets and Select All
Elements from the ACP-Pre Tree

• In the Points Select Any point randomly

from the Graphic Window

• In the Rosettes , Place the Cursor between

brackets and Select the Rosette from the
ACP-Pre Tree

• Click Apply
• In the ACP Tree , Right Click on the
Modeling Groups Create Modeling
Group

• A new Modeling Group will be Created

under the modeling groups

• Select the Newly Created Modeling Group

 Right Click  Create Ply
• When Create ply is Selected, we'll get the
Modeling Ply Property Window

• In the General Tab, for Oriented Selection

Sets, place the cursor between the Brackets
and Select the "OrientedSelectionSet.1"

• For ply Material Select Fabric.1 from

dropdown

• Keep the ply angle to be 0

• Number of layers = 1

• Click Apply
• Select the Modeling ply.1  right Click 
Copy

• Select the Modeling ply.1 right Click

Paste After

• Do This 4 Times,

• We'll have 5 modelling plies now in the

List

• Select the last Modeling ply  right Click

 Update.
• In the ACP-Pre tree, Select Solid Model
Right Click Create Solid Model

• In the Solid Model Properties, add Element

sets from the ACP tree and Click Apply

• Select the Newly Created SolidModel.1

Right Click  Update

• Now We can see the Solid Model with 4

layers in the Graphic Window
• Right Click on Setup and Update
Starting analysis with Composite Material
• After Updating the Setup, Select Static
Structural from the Analysis System to the
Project Window.

• Press Hold Setup of Ansys Pre and drag it

to the Model of Static Structural,

• Select Transfer Solid Composite Data

• Then the network looks as shown

Setting up analysis Boundary conditions
• Double Click On the Model of Static
Structural

• This will open the mechanical window,

• We can see the Mesh and Plies are imported

• The material Data, mesh Data, everything
will be imported, we only have to assign the
Boundary Conditions for analysis

• Right Click on Static Structural Insert

Fixed Support

• In the Details Of Fixed Support Click on

Geometry,

• Select the 2 end Faces using Ctrl and click

Apply
• Right Click on Static Structural Insert
Force.

• In the Details of Force Window, click on

Geometry

• Select Face Selection Filter, from the tool bar

• Select the inner Face as shown

• Change Define by to Components

• Enter X Component = -100 N

• Click Apply
• After Adding the boundary Conditions,
we shall add the Results Parameters under
Solution

• Solution right click  insert

Deformation Total Deformation

• Solution right click  insert

Equivalent Stress

• Solution right click  insert

Equivalent Strain

• In Details of Equivalent Stress and

Equivalent Starin change Subscope By
 Layer from dropdown
• Select Solution right click  Solve

• Wait for the Simulation to complete

Results
• Click on Total Deformation

note down the maximum value:

• Click on Graph And Click on Animate

to View the Animation
• Click on Equivalent Stress

note down the maximum value:

Click on Graph And Click on

Animate to View the Animation
• Click on Equivalent strain

note down the maximum value:

Click on Graph And Click on Animate

to View the Animation
Saving the Project File
• In the Workbench Window, Click on File
 Click Save As

• And save it in the required directory giving

the suitable name
Contact us if you have any queries

Work Integrated Learning Program

WISE Simulation Lab
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani  

Email : wise@wilp.bits-pilani.ac.in
Text @ Hangout : wise@wilp.bits-pilani.ac.in