### 4.3.2. ACP-Pre: Define Fields for Shear Angle, Degradation Factor, and User-Defined Field Variables

ACP-Pre provides the ability to set up fields for Shear Angle (draping), Degradation Factor, and all user-defined field variables for a complete composite model. The Shear Angle can be defined as a result of ACP draping simulation or imported via look-up tables. Degradation Factor and user-defined field variables can be defined per shell or solid element as an interpolation result from a scalar look-up table column. All plies within an element are assigned the same field state. For example, you can define the state of a field variable at various spatial positions in a .CSV file and import it as a 3-D look-up table. In the ACP-Pre Model Properties dialog, under the Material Fields tab, the imported scalar look-up table column can be selected to define the field variables previously specified in Engineering Data. Note that the local Shear Angle, in contrast to user-defined field variables, is resolved per element and the Modeling Ply or element and Oriented Selection Set, respectively.

The result of draping simulation will automatically be considered when evaluating the effective material properties in downstream analyses and postprocessing.

Figure : Draping Results

Use look-up tables to define scalar fields on composite models. The interpolation result from the look-up tables can be visualized using scalar look-up table plots. The following figure shows Curing Degree over the race car nose and front wing (upside down).

Figure : Curing Degree Plot

To active a 3D look-up table as the Curing Degree field, you need to assign it in the ACP Model Properties dialog. Note that you must maintain unit consistency between the look-up table column values and the active unit system in Mechanical (units of the look-up table column are not converted to the active unit system). See Material Fields for details. The following figure shows this process:

Figure : Activating a Look-up Table to Define a Plot

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