CAD-integrierte Analyse im Entwurfsprozess

CAD integrated analysis for the design process. Lightweight structures are characterized by their delicate supporting structures, featuring a variety of graceful shapes and organically appealing free-form surfaces. Modern CAD systems use NURBS (Non-uniform rational B-Splines) to access the geometric language of lightweight structures with the computer. Isogeometric B-Rep analysis (IBRA) uses NURBS to formulate structural problems. Using the original geometric and topological information is beneficial for the data exchange between CAD and structural analysis. A uniform model description facilitates parametric design. Whenever the solution of an analysis must be forwarded to CAD, advantages appear. Form-finding and construction staging are examples where the generated geometry must be considered for further design steps. Regarding bending-active structures, the smoothness of a model's geometry and the representation of its deformation is of great importance. NURBS enable this smoothness. This article introduces the method and shows its advantages with two selected examples.