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FEA is not enough
Extend the capabilities of your existing software. Whether you're using CAD (such as CATIA or Pro-E), a finite element modeler (such as PATRAN or FEMAP), or FEA (such as NASTRAN or Abaqus), achieving a realistic, fully-optimized and manufactureable design requires virtually endless and costly hours of manual calculations, offline spreadsheets, model re-meshing, and long running batch jobs.
HyperSizer® begins where FEA ends, by verifying structural integrity with the required calculations to predict all potential failure modes for all load cases, and identifying negative margins-of-safety. To resolve these negative margins, or to simply find a lighter-weight design, HyperSizer will optimize, or ‘size’, your design by surveying literally millions of candidate dimensions and laminates, and finding optimum variables down to the ply level — in a matter of minutes.
HyperSizer works seamlessly with your current FEA solver to rapidly iterate to the lightest-weight design, provide insight into design innovation, and produce a manufactureable design in less time.
Beyond FEA and FEM processors
Import a coarsely-meshed finite element model (FEM) directly into HyperSizer along with the corresponding FEA-computed loads. Select from HyperSizer's integrated database of composite materials or your own user-defined custom layups. Perform literally hundreds of different failure analyses to establish structural integrity of your design, and optimize for reduced weight and automatic FEM resizing. When complete, generate a stress report in Word to document equations and intermediate analysis steps required for airworthiness certification.
Optimize to quickly determine the lightest weight combination of material systems, panel concepts, and ply layups for the complete structure in an interactive graphical environment. Optimize not only solid laminates, but also cross sectional geometric dimensions of sandwich and stiffened panels (height, stiffener spacing, etc.) including all of the layup ply angles and stacking sequences  of the individual stiffened panel laminate layers (skin, flange, web, etc). Produce practical layups that can be manufactured with the least amount of ply drop-offs. Automatically sequence layups to be compatible across a surface area with the most continuous tool-side plies for both the skin and stiffener.
Analyze rapidly over 100 different, non-FEA based failure modes for all load cases. Perform flat and cylindrical buckling, local buckling, post-buckling, and crippling for panel and beams. Carry out analyses at both the ply and laminate levels for composite materials. At the ply level perform standard quadratic failure predictions such as Tsai-Wu. At the laminate level perform Angle-Minus-Load (AML) or the Boeing 787 polynomial coefficient methods. For both approaches, include damage tolerance and open-hole allowables that include customer specific correction factors for process dependent fabrication. In addition to classical lamination theory (CLT) in-plane stresses and strains, compute out-of-plane Z axis interlaminar shear and peel stresses for multi-axially loaded adhesively bonded joints and bolt/fastener bearing. On a more advanced R&D level, perform micromechanic analysis on the individual fiber and matrix constituents and compute crack propagation for safe-life or fail-safe designs with fracture mechanics or with a continuum damage approach.
Learn more about:
Automated stress analysis of airframes in HyperSizer
HyperSizer as an interactive tool for composite laminates
For engineers, by engineers
Since its inception at NASA Langley Research Center, where it was originally known as ST-SIZE (ST-SIZE© 1995 NASA, all rights reserved), the highly innovative code known today as HyperSizer® continues to be developed for engineers, by engineers working with both composites and traditional metallic materials to reduce the weight of aircraft and space vehicles. Currently, HyperSizer is being used by NASA on the Crew Exploration Vehicle, the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, and by aerospace industry leaders such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier, and Gulfstream for commercial transport planes and business jets. See full list of customers.
Use HyperSizer for ever-changing, industry-specific challenges, incorporating the best practical solutions for global-local-detail analysis, optimization for lighter weight and manufacturability, and automated engineering report documentation.
Watch NASA's tribute to Collier Research and HyperSizer
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