Draping and reshaping simulation of semi-finished textile products

The Institute of Aircraft Design applies and develops draping simulations for various areas of application. Macroscopic simulation approaches are used for process optimisation or storage planning in APP or ATP processes in order to achieve short calculation times. Mesoscopic approaches are developed and applied for more detailed draping simulations. In such models, the individual fibre bundles are discredited separately, which allows effects to be represented that cannot be simulated in macroscopic approaches due to the simplified representation. Examples of this are gap formation and fibre waviness.

In addition to drape simulation of dry semi-finished textile products, the forming simulation of prepregs and the simulation of the wet pressing process are important research topics at the IFB. Mesoscopic models are primarily used for this purpose. The IFB has numerous standardised and newly developed test procedures available for material modelling of the various approaches. In addition, virtual material characterisation using filament-based deformation simulations is an important research focus.