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Fiber Composite Material Analysis

with VGSTUDIO MAX

Calculate and visualize local and global fiber orientations and fiber volume fractions in composite materials. The fiber composite material analysis features in VGSTUDIO MAX allow you to calculate local and global fiber statistics in the form of fiber orientation tensors or histograms and include porosity analysis results to determine matrix material porosity. You can also determine principal orientations of woven fabrics or lay-up materials and investigate the orientation of plate-like structures. Fiber and matrix statistics can be mapped to volume meshes and exported for use in your simulation software.

Fiber Composite Material Analysis Features

VGSTUDIO MAX offers analysis modes for each class of fiber composite material and manufacturing process. No matter if you work with short fiber-reinforced materials in an injection molding process, long fiber compression-molded parts, or even with woven fabrics of unidirectional fibers—the software has an analysis mode for it all.

Spatial Orientation Mode

Our standard mode is very flexible with respect to the visualization of local orientations in 3D. Use it to take a first look into your fiber-reinforced material and get an idea of the orientation distribution. 

In this mode, you can:

  • Calculate the local orientation.
  • Visualize local orientations either with a color overlay or with three-dimensional needles to gain a qualitative understanding of the fiber orientation inside your sample or component.
  • Investigate the global orientation distribution in 3D as a heatmap on an equatorial, sphere, or polar plot.

3D visualization of local orientations

3D visualization of local orientations with needles

Equatorial plot of a global orientation distribution

3D visualization of planar orientation distribution

Global orientation histograms

Orientation tensor components and fiber volume fraction over thickness in analysis-direction

Planar Projection Mode

Use planar projection mode for planar parts in which the orientation changes over thickness. It is the mode of choice for injection-molded short fiber-reinforced materials, but also for long fiber compression-molded parts where different flow conditions lead to skin-core effects resulting in different orientation states over thickness.

In this mode, you can:

  • Visualize the planar orientation distribution on an RGB color wheel specifying a unique orientation within the analysis plane.
  • Derive global orientation histograms projected to the analysis plane.
  • Plot 3D orientation tensor components and fiber volume fraction over thickness perpendicular to the analysis plane.

Mesh Mode

Use mesh mode to generate input data for mechanical or thermal simulations or to validate process simulations.

In this mode, you can:

  • Evaluate the orientation tensor, including the corresponding eigenvalues and eigenvectors, the fiber volume fraction, and the matrix porosity* for each mesh cell.
  • Visualize fiber volume fraction and orientation tensors and their principal orientations in 2D or 3D.
  • Export results as .csv files for the use in 3rd party finite element analysis (FEA) software.
  • Create simple regular volume meshes. Complex shaped volume meshes can either be imported (Patran, Nastran, Abaqus, Magma) or generated using the Volume Meshing Module.
  • Extrude shell meshes with one click and set the numbers of cells in thickness direction of the structure.

*Porosity/Inclusion Analysis Module required

3D orientation tensors mapped on a regular integration mesh

Fiber volume fraction mapped on a regular integration mesh

Gray value image of a woven fabric

Local orientation using the planar projection mode

Local orientation histograms for calulation of shear angles between the predominant orientations in each cell

Planar Mesh Mode

Use planar mesh mode for sheet-like structures with almost planar orientation distributions (e.g., most composites manufactured by compression molding), especially woven fabrics.

In this mode, you can:

  • Derive local planar histograms for each mesh cell.
  • Evaluate main directions of the locals histograms and the deviation angles in cases where the orientation tensor does not provide meaningful information, which is useful for woven fabrics.
  • Compute orientation tensors, fiber volume fraction, and matrix porosity.*

Reference Orientation Mode

Use reference orientation mode for materials with unidirectional orientation distributions, like pultruded materials, 3D-printed fiber material in certain regions, or natural material, like wood.

In this mode, you can:

  • Evaluate the deviation between the local orientation and a global reference orientation and visualize it via color coding.
  • Plot a global deviation angle histogram.

Benefits

Robust

  • Calculate orientation statistics using even low-contrast images or lower resolution
  • You don't need to segment every single fiber; the software calculates orientation from the local neighborhood, allowing you to investigate materials even at lower resolutions.

Efficient

  • Fast calculation of orientation statistics
  • Select your statistic of choice and get results with only one click in the right form
  • Map results like orientation tensors or fiber volume fraction directly on your FE-meshes for simulation or plot them over thickness

Universal

  • Choose the mode that is designed specifically for your material type and production process