About Course Parameters

In the Course Parameters section of the Strategy dialog box, define how you want to lay material onto the ply surface. Course Parameters are not available if propagation mode is set to Fabric Draping.

• Set Winding Direction to define whether to wind material clockwise or counter-clockwise around a surface.

  This only applies to Hoop Wind propagation mode.

• Set the Stretch Limit to define how much a material can be stretched over an uneven surface to avoid blemishes.

  This is used in all modes, but is especially important for Natural propagation mode. Usually the stretch limit is determined by doing tests on the material beforehand. 10% is usually a safe value, but the more accurate you can be, the better. Stretch limit is not the same as deformation properties (shear) in a material.

• Set Course Offset to define the distance between each course.
• Set Initial Course Offset to specify an initial distance, in the weft direction, between the seed point and the center line of the course.
• Set Optimization to determine how the courses line up next to each other. Because surfaces vary, due to protrusions, edges, and bumps and so on, it is possible that material can overlap or spread apart in its path over the surface. Set limits that fall within your manufacturing restrictions.
  • Select Minimizing Gap if you want to avoid gaps while tolerating up to a maximum overlap amount, which you specify in the Maximum Overlap box. This is generally done for tape placement, where overlaps are fine but you want to avoid gaps.
  • Select Minimizing Overlap if you want to avoid overlaps while tolerating up to a maximum gap distance, which you specify in the Maximum Gap box. This is generally done with fiber placement, where if you overlap too much, you might have to cut tows.

  For example, if you minimize overlap but restrict the maximum gap to 0, TruPlan will avoid overlaps as best as possible by cutting the tows while not allowing any gaps.

  

  If you minimize overlap but allow a maximum gap of 1 inch, TruPlan avoids overlaps while allowing gaps up to one inch wide.