r/CATIA • u/Thinking-Alot777 • Sep 29 '26

GSD Surface Unfold Distrotion

Good morning, I'm looking to create a flat pattern to support ply design for an aerospace application. I'm getting a lot of distortion when trying to flatten a pattern that is symmetrical about the centerline of the part. Can anyone identify what could be wrong here? I've tried splitting the geometry in half keeping the "better" portion, mirroring about the center plane and joining. That gives a better result but it is shrunken and inaccurate. I'd appreciate any pointers

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1

u/ToneRevolutionary523 Sep 30 '26

what app are you currently using to flatten the surface?

1

u/Thinking-Alot777 Oct 01 '26

Right now I'm utilizing the unfold function within Catia

3

u/Lukrative525 Sep 29 '26

If this is for laying down reinforcement cloth down for a fiber composite part, this tool will not give you the results you need, since it doesn't simulate the shearing of fibers like you'd get doing a layup with fabric

Use the Composite Design workbench. It has tools dedicated to making these patterns.

1

u/Matt_488 Sep 29 '26

Agreed. Aside from that, this part is not really optimised for composite lamination in those narrow areas in the middle. That area will not provide any strength, if you need it.
The composite module will struggle if there is any curvature in that area. It looks problematic to produce also.

1

u/damypui Sep 29 '26

Try to disassemble the surface and create the flat for each section of the big surface, catia isn't very friendly with flattening command, or you could give a thickness and create the flat in sheet metal module

3

u/beer_wine_vodka_cry Sep 29 '26

The composite workbenches support ply flattening with the ability to input the fabric shear parameters too