HyperSizer
Encyclopedia
HyperSizer is computer-aided engineering
(CAE) software used for stress analysis
and sizing optimization of metallic and composite structures. Originally developed at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) as ST-SIZE, it was licensed for commercial use by Collier Research Corporation in 1996. Additional proprietary code was added and the software was marketed under the name HyperSizer.
(LaRC) ST-SIZE research code. ST-SIZE was originally developed because NASA identified a need for accurate methods of formulating panel stiffness and thermal expansion coefficients, leading to the development of ST-SIZE from 1988 to 1995. Another need was the reduction of mass on high-speed aircraft and weight reduction for optimization. ST-SIZE was developed by a team of engineers working on the National Aerospace Plane X-30. Two major versions of ST-SIZE were created. The original version included formulations for stiffness terms and thermal expansion coefficients based on approximations often taken in traditional design methods. In 1990, a version of ST-SIZE was formed for structural design and weight prediction. A new method for formulation of stiffened panel properties was developed starting in 1991. A method for including composite lamina and laminate data in the formulation of stiffened panel structural properties was first developed. Thermal coefficients were created to handle both in-plane and through-the-thickness temperature gradients for membrane, bending, and membrane-bending coupling. A method was then developed to enter these thermal expansion and bending coefficients into the MSC Software
version of Nastran
for finite element analysis (FEA) using a model with a single plane of finite elements. Other solvers are supported such as I-DEAS
.
In May 1996, Collier Research Corporation was formed in Hampton, Virginia
from the original ST-SIZE design team, which included Craig S. Collier. Collier Research obtained an exclusive, all-fields-of-use license, and became the first company to license NASA software for commercial use. They combined the NASA LaRC ST-SIZE copyright research code with other company proprietary software; the combined software became HyperSizer.
and metallic structures. For example, the wind turbine design
industry uses the program to design 100-meter long blades that are light and manufacturable.
Beginning with the NASA astronaut Composite Crew Module (CCM) of the Orion spacecraft
, the CSeries
and Learjet 85
of Bombardier Aerospace
, HyperSizer has seen use on projects that are primarily or entirely composite structures. The record-setting Scaled Composites GlobalFlyer
was designed with the help of Hypersizer, as well as the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer
.
Earlier codes were originally intended for weight prediction but evolved into ones that were able to assess structural integrity and find optimum sizes and materials. HyperSizer Version 6.1, released in May 2011, contains an integrated suite of failure analysis predictions verified by test data. New capabilities optimize manufacturing. Capabilities have been added to include: macromechanics, micromechanics
, failure mode and effects analysis
, panel concepts, composite optimization, and integration with Abaqus FEA
software.
and Visual Basic
and contains over 400,000 lines of code. The software is compatible with Microsoft
Windows XP
, Windows Vista
, and Windows 7.
Version 6.1 (released in May 2011) integrated with FEA solvers in an iterative loop conducting trade studies and examining potential design candidates. HyperSizer ensures structural integrity through failure analyses. It increases manufacturability by minimizing ply drops, identifying laminate transition add/drop boundaries, and defining ply shapes.
HyperSizer competes in the analysis and sizing software market with Firehole Composites, ESI, and ESAComp among others.
It was rated first in the "tools of the month" by Desktop Engineering magazine in July 2011.
Computer-aided engineering
Computer-aided engineering is the broad usage of computer software to aid in engineering tasks. It includes computer-aided design , computer-aided analysis , computer-integrated manufacturing , computer-aided manufacturing , material requirements planning , and computer-aided planning .- Overview...
(CAE) software used for stress analysis
Stress analysis
Stress analysis is an engineering discipline that determines the stress in materials and structures subjected to static or dynamic forces or loads. A stress analysis is required for the study and design of structures, e.g., tunnels, dams, mechanical parts, and structural frames among others, under...
and sizing optimization of metallic and composite structures. Originally developed at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
(NASA) as ST-SIZE, it was licensed for commercial use by Collier Research Corporation in 1996. Additional proprietary code was added and the software was marketed under the name HyperSizer.
History
HyperSizer developed from the NASA Langley Research CenterLangley Research Center
Langley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base...
(LaRC) ST-SIZE research code. ST-SIZE was originally developed because NASA identified a need for accurate methods of formulating panel stiffness and thermal expansion coefficients, leading to the development of ST-SIZE from 1988 to 1995. Another need was the reduction of mass on high-speed aircraft and weight reduction for optimization. ST-SIZE was developed by a team of engineers working on the National Aerospace Plane X-30. Two major versions of ST-SIZE were created. The original version included formulations for stiffness terms and thermal expansion coefficients based on approximations often taken in traditional design methods. In 1990, a version of ST-SIZE was formed for structural design and weight prediction. A new method for formulation of stiffened panel properties was developed starting in 1991. A method for including composite lamina and laminate data in the formulation of stiffened panel structural properties was first developed. Thermal coefficients were created to handle both in-plane and through-the-thickness temperature gradients for membrane, bending, and membrane-bending coupling. A method was then developed to enter these thermal expansion and bending coefficients into the MSC Software
MSC Software
-History:MSC.Software Corporation was formed in 1963 under the name MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation . The company developed its first structural analysis software called SADSAM at that time, and was deeply involved in the early efforts of the aerospace industry to improve early finite element...
version of Nastran
Nastran
NASTRAN is a finite element analysis program that was originally developed for NASA in the late 1960s under United States government funding for the Aerospace industry. The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation was one of the principal and original developers of the public domain NASTRAN code...
for finite element analysis (FEA) using a model with a single plane of finite elements. Other solvers are supported such as I-DEAS
I-DEAS
I-DEAS , a Computer-aided design software package. It was originally produced by Structural Dynamics Research Corporation in 1982. I-DEAS was used primarily in the automotive industry, most notably by Ford Motor Company and by General Motors...
.
In May 1996, Collier Research Corporation was formed in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
from the original ST-SIZE design team, which included Craig S. Collier. Collier Research obtained an exclusive, all-fields-of-use license, and became the first company to license NASA software for commercial use. They combined the NASA LaRC ST-SIZE copyright research code with other company proprietary software; the combined software became HyperSizer.
Uses
Commercial customers use HyperSizer software to design and analyze composite materialComposite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
and metallic structures. For example, the wind turbine design
Wind turbine design
Wind turbine design is the process of defining the form and specifications of a wind turbine to extract energy from the wind. A wind turbine installation consists of the necessary systems needed to capture the wind's energy, point the turbine into the wind, convert mechanical rotation into...
industry uses the program to design 100-meter long blades that are light and manufacturable.
Beginning with the NASA astronaut Composite Crew Module (CCM) of the Orion spacecraft
Orion (spacecraft)
Orion is a spacecraft designed by Lockheed Martin for NASA, the space agency of the United States. Orion development began in 2005 as part of the Constellation program, where Orion would fulfill the function of a Crew Exploration Vehicle....
, the CSeries
Bombardier CSeries
The Bombardier CSeries is a family of narrow-body, twin-engine, medium-range jet airliners being developed by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace. Models are the 110-seat CS100, and the 130-seat CS300...
and Learjet 85
Learjet 85
-External links:* * * *...
of Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
, HyperSizer has seen use on projects that are primarily or entirely composite structures. The record-setting Scaled Composites GlobalFlyer
Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer
The Scaled Composites Model 311 Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer is an aircraft designed by Burt Rutan in which Steve Fossett flew a solo nonstop airplane flight around the world in a time of 67 hours 1 minute from February 28, 2005 until March 3, 2005...
was designed with the help of Hypersizer, as well as the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer
Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer is a space exploration mission scheduled for launch in early 2013. To carry out the mission NASA will send a robotic spacecraft into orbit around the Moon, and use instruments aboard the spacecraft to study the Moon's atmosphere and dust in the...
.
Earlier codes were originally intended for weight prediction but evolved into ones that were able to assess structural integrity and find optimum sizes and materials. HyperSizer Version 6.1, released in May 2011, contains an integrated suite of failure analysis predictions verified by test data. New capabilities optimize manufacturing. Capabilities have been added to include: macromechanics, micromechanics
Micromechanics
Micromechanics is the analysis of composite or heterogeneous materials on the level of the individual constituents that constitute these materials.- Aims of micromechanics of materials :...
, failure mode and effects analysis
Failure mode and effects analysis
A failure modes and effects analysis is a procedure in product development and operations management for analysis of potential failure modes within a system for classification by the severity and likelihood of the failures...
, panel concepts, composite optimization, and integration with Abaqus FEA
Abaqus
Abaqus FEA is a suite of software applications for finite element analysis and computer-aided engineering, originally released in 1978...
software.
Details
HyperSizer is written in FortranFortran
Fortran is a general-purpose, procedural, imperative programming language that is especially suited to numeric computation and scientific computing...
and Visual Basic
Visual Basic
Visual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
and contains over 400,000 lines of code. The software is compatible with Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, and Windows 7.
Version 6.1 (released in May 2011) integrated with FEA solvers in an iterative loop conducting trade studies and examining potential design candidates. HyperSizer ensures structural integrity through failure analyses. It increases manufacturability by minimizing ply drops, identifying laminate transition add/drop boundaries, and defining ply shapes.
HyperSizer competes in the analysis and sizing software market with Firehole Composites, ESI, and ESAComp among others.
It was rated first in the "tools of the month" by Desktop Engineering magazine in July 2011.