FE Absorb Plies

FE Absorb Plies generates a ply-based model from zone-based properties.

Exact conversion of the zone-based model to ply-based model depends on the existence of global ply ID’s/name’s on the zones, for example PCOMPG instead of PCOMP. FE Absorb Plies will still run with zones that do not have global data, for example PCOMP, but the conversion relies on internal logic to determine how to connect plies from zone to zone.
Figure 1.


  1. From the Composite Browser right-click in white space and select Absorb > Zone Properties.
  2. Import zone-based models with zone-based solver properties.
    These FE models do not have any plies or laminates. The goal is to create plies and laminates from the zone-based solver properties.
    Figure 2. No Plies or Laminates are in the FE Model


  3. Select all of the zone-based solver properties which will be used to generate the ply-based model.
  4. If you are using OptiStruct, select Update TMANUF of ply so that zone layer thickness is copied to PLY card TMANUF (used for sizing optimization).
  5. If a zone ply shape has multiple disconnected regions, generate multiple plies, one for each disconnected region, by selecting Split disconnected ply regions into separate new ply entities.
    After the conversion, laminates and plies are created. However converting a zone-based model to a ply-based model is not deterministic if global IDs or names are not defined in the properties. Many possibilities exist, especially the laminate stacking order. You are advised to check the laminate and reorder, if necessary.
    Figure 3. Ply, Laminate and PCOMPP are Created in the Model after FE Absorb