sandwich panel FEA 2

[albatross]

Does anyone know of a cheap, user friendly analysis program that will handle glass/foam sandwich strucutres?

I have the demo version of NASTRAN, which is great for truss-type structures, but won't let me create sndw. panels. Is this a limitation of the demo?

I am an amateur homebuilt designer, wanting to learn more.I would welcome correspondence with 'real' aeronautical engineers.



Peter Thomas, irondack@aol.com

 

[unicornio]

You should have the 300-nodes demo version of NASTRAN, that´s why it is limited... I think it is difficult to find something cheap in this matter,...have you tried with PATRAN?

 

[zhol]

i guess you can use ansys53. however this is also a rather expensive software

 

[Nigel]

The fea software you need depends on how sophisticated you want your analysis to be.<br><br>For example, you are probably looking to use the panels as floor boards.&nbsp;&nbsp;If this is the case you can analyse them for simple shear and bending using classical analysis techniques.<br><br>FEM of composite panels can be complex, and largely unneccessary in straight forward applications like home built aircraft.<br><br>If you need help with analysis, let me know. <p>Nigel Waterhouse<br><a href=mailto:n_a_waterhouse@hotmail.com>n_a_waterhouse@hotmail.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>A licensed aircraft mechanic and graduate engineer. Attended university in England and graduated in 1996. Currenty,living in British Columbia,Canada, working as a design engineer responsible for aircraft mods and STC's.

 

[Stress]

Make the part a single plate (build a equivilent plate and check the results). Try the following web page <A HREF="

http://femci.gsfc.nasa.gov/hcplate/"

TARGET="_new">

http://femci.gsfc.nasa.gov/hcplate/</A>

.