This release of the Ansys Composite Prep™ (ACP) layered composite modeling and preprocessing software contains all capabilities from previous releases. The following sections present the new features, enhancements, and known limitations for the ACP application in Release 2025 R1.
The ACP application includes new features and enhancements at Release 2025 R1 in the following areas:
- 1.1. Transformation Wizard for Rosette Definitions
- 1.2. Symmetric Layups: Copy and Paste in Reverse Order
- 1.3. Automatic Naming of Modeling Plies
- 1.4. 3D Solid Models: Ply Thicknesses at Nodal Locations for CAD Geometries
- 1.5. Lookup Tables: Definition of Variable Data
- 1.6. PyACP Enhancements
- 1.7. Postprocessing through PyDPF Composites
- 1.8. Ansys Composite Cure Simulation (ACCS) Updates
A transformation wizard is available to simplify the definition of rosettes. You can enter and execute translations and rotations individually, increasing the accuracy of the layup model.
For more information, see Rosettes in the ACP User's Guide.
Layups in composite structures usually require symmetry from a structural or regulation point of view. The new Copy and Paste in Reverse Order feature simplifies the definition of symmetric laminates.
For more information, see Modeling Ply Properties in the ACP User's Guide.
You can automatically set modeling ply names based on a user-defined format. For example:
{group name} - {material name} - {ply angle}
The automatic naming of modeling plies enables identifying plies while optimizing laminates on a failure analysis or general postprocessing. The feature appears as Rename Based on Definition and Append Name Based on Definition in the context menu of the Modeling Groups folder, Modeling Group, and Modeling Plies.
For more information, see Modeling Groups in the ACP User's Guide.
You can now compute ply thicknesses at nodal locations for CAD geometries, enabling a more accurate 3d layered model extrusion. The feature already supports cut-off selection rules, lookup tables, and ply tapering. For more information on the feature for geometries, see Thickness in the ACP User's Guide.
Lookup tables (LUT) now enable the definition of variable data such as thickness distribution, fiber orientation, shear angle, and field definition. You can define the 3D LUT locations and directions with the rosette's custom coordinate system. In prior releases, the inputs were only based on the global coordinate system.
The definition of variable data feature simplifies the input in models or assemblies that have changed locations due to new designs. The feature enables using a rosette that moves with the respective coordinates and defines the inputs relative to that coordinate system.
PyACP, the public Python module containing ACP preprocessing functionality, has several enhancements that can be used to define layups for complex structures. PyACP enhancements enable you to do the following:
Scope sensors to a solid model.
List analysis plies of a layup mapping object or imported solid model.
List interface layers of a solid model.
Create models with the beta PyACP to PyMechanical workflow that can be postprocessed in PyMechanical or the Mechanical product's standalone application.
If you have any questions or feature requests, contact the composites team at composites@ansys.com or create an issue on PyACP's GitHub.
The Python module PyDPF Composites contains the following enhancements for postprocessing composite structures:
The sampling point feature is available for use with solid models, enabling the extraction and visualization of the through-the-thickness distribution of results. The feature automatically collects all solid elements of the laminate stack and provides the results from the bottom to top layer of the laminate. For more information, see the exmaple in PyDPF Composites.
PyDPF Composites can postprocess results from the LS-DYNA product. The Python module can filter data and customize analyses. For more information on setting up the LS-DYNA product's simulation and postprocessing with the Python module, see the example in PyDPF Composites.
Updates include:
The performance of the RTM solver has been improved.
The postprocessing efficiency has been improved through result extraction enhancements.
ACCS now supports transferring degrees of cure from RTM simulations to cure simulations. You can pass the changing degree of cure from the infusion process to subsequent analyses to simulate the curing remainder.
For more information, see Ansys Composite Cure Simulation Documentation.
General ACP application and release-specific limitations can be found in Known Limitations in the ACP User's Guide.