Software Forms > Sizing Form > Dimensions Tab > Tape and Fabric Ply Materials

Selecting Tape and Fabric Ply Materials

Tape and fabric ply materials are the parent orthotropic materials used to generate laminates.

Tape and fabric materials are defined per assembly, per variable.

For example the skin panels in a wing skin assembly will have the same tape and fabric ply materials. The ply materials for the stiffeners are defined separately.
Tape and fabric materials are used to generate effective and discrete laminates for rapid sizing, Set Variables, and automatic effective laminate creation.

Important: Unlike other material selections, tape and fabric materials are defined for the entire assembly.

How to select tape and fabric ply materials

Open the Sizing form.
Navigate to the assembly.
Set the material and analysis modes for the assembly:
1. Set material mode to "Composite" or "Any". See Assembly Material Mode.
2. Set the analysis mode to "Rapid Sizing" or "Detailed Sizing". See Assembly Analysis Mode.
Select concepts, if necessary.
Open the Material Selection form using one of the following methods:
1. In the ribbon, click the desired Material tab (i.e. Laminate - Skin), and click Select Tape or Select Fabric.
2. In the Dimensions tab, right-click the variable of choice and select Select Tape Material or Select Fabric Material.
Select the orthotropic material.
Click OK.