Composite Design > Composite Feature
Composite Feature
A composite feature is used to create and analyze laminate and laminate objects. The composite feature can contain one or more internal features. In a part, you can create one or more composite features. The composite features are listed in the Model Tree.
Before you create or redefine a composite feature, make sure you are working in both of the following:
• The generic part and not an instance
• The master representation or automatic representation and not a simplified representation
Create a composite feature as follows:
1. Open a part or an assembly. In an assembly, activate the part in which you want to create the composite feature.
2. Click Engineering > Composite. The Composite tab opens.
3. To create laminate objects, set up the Composite environment and define laminate objects on the layup surface. To learn how to set up the Composite environment, see Setting Up the Composite Environment. To learn how to define laminate objects on the layup surface, see Create a Ply and Create a Core.
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When you skip this step, an empty composite feature is created in the part.
4. Click OK.
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Clicking Cancel exits the Composite environment without creating a composite feature.
In a Composite environment, you can use composite materials of the composite feature to create laminate objects. When you open a Composite environment or click OK to close the environment, the changes made to the materials and their properties are synchronized between the part and the composite feature.
The geometry you define in the composite feature remains inside it. When you create a composite feature, a system-generated composite material, a body, and optionally an IML quilt are usually created in the part. When the geometries defined in the composite feature do not merge, several construction bodies are formed in the part instead of a single body. The regular body or the construction bodies are categorized as the composite bodies.
You can upgrade a composite feature by redefining it or by changing its references.
A composite feature fails when one or more internal features of the composite feature fails. A failed composite feature is identified by .
Display Laminate Information in Part
Use one of the following ways to display laminate information in the part:
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Use info_output_format configuration option to specify the format of presenting the information.
• Use object-action approach as follows:
1. In a part, right-click the composite feature.
2. Select Information > Laminate Information.
• Use action-object approach as follows:
1. Select Tools tab.
2. Click Investigate > Laminate Information.
3. Select the composite feature.
Edit or Replace the References of a Composite Feature
In a part, you can use Edit References or Replace References to reroute the references used in a composite feature. Each reference that is used in the composite feature is listed only once in the Edit References dialog box. When you change a reference, the internal features of the composite feature automatically reroute from the old set of reference to the new set of references.
Edit or replace the references of a composite feature as follows:
1. Do one of the following:
◦ To edit a reference, select the composite feature in the Model Tree, and then click Edit References on the mini toolbar. The Edit References dialog box opens.
◦ To replace a reference, select the feature that creates the reference, and then click Model > Operations > Replace References. The Replace References dialog box opens.
2. In the Original references list, select the reference to change.
3. Click the New reference collector, and then select a different reference.
4. Click Preview to preview the feature geometry with the new reference.
5. Click OK.
Create a Copy of a Composite Feature
You can use Copy and Paste Special actions to duplicate a composite feature within the same part or between different parts. These actions are not supported in the instances of the part. To duplicate a composite feature in a part in the same assembly or a different assembly, you must first activate the part.
When copying a composite feature, you can edit or replace references of its internal features. When the references of an internal feature are not editable, the feature is copied with its original references.
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You cannot use Copy and Paste Special actions for legacy composite features. To use these actions, you must first upgrade a legacy composite feature by redefining it or by changing its references.
1. Select the composite feature to copy.
2. Click Copy.
3. Use Paste Special in one of the following ways:
◦ To create a copy of the composite feature in the same part, click Paste Special.
◦ To create a copy of the composite feature in a different part, open the part in a new window, and then click Paste Special in that window.
◦ To create a copy of the composite feature in a different part in the same assembly, activate the part, and then click Paste Special.
◦ To create a copy of the composite feature in a part in a different assembly, open the assembly in a new window, activate the part, and then click Paste Special in that window.
The Paste Special dialog box opens.
4. Click OK. The Advanced Reference Configuration dialog box opens.
5. To edit a reference:
a. Select the reference from the References of original features list.
b. Click the collector under Reference of pasted features, and then select a different reference.
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To restore the original references, click Reset.
6. Click .
Unsupported Applications 
You cannot create or modify the composite feature when one of the following applications is running in Part mode:
• Welding
• Mold/Cast
• Generative Design
• Ansys Simulation
• Simulate
• Simulate Results
• Flow Analysis
• Mold Analysis
• PTC Mathcad
• GD&T Advisor
• EZ Tolerance Analysis
• Widget Generator
• Render Studio
You cannot create or modify the composite feature when one of the following applications is running in Assembly mode:
• Welding
• Cabling
• Piping
• Mold Layout
• ECAD Collaboration
• Mechanism
• Animation
• Ansys Simulation
• Simulate
• Simulate Results
• Flow Analysis
• Mold Analysis
• PTC Mathcad
• GD&T Advisor
• EZ Tolerance Analysis
• Widget Generator
• Render Studio
When the Harness Mfg application is running, you can create a composite feature; however, you cannot modify a composite feature. When the Composite environment is active and you click Flatten Harness command on the Harness Mfg application, you must exit the Composite environment.
Composite feature creation and modification are not supported in Manufacturing Assemblies, Manikin, and Instrumented Assemblies.
Design exploration session is not supported in the Composite environment.
When a generic part contains one or more composite features, you cannot create instance accelerator files.
When you are working in a Composite environment, you cannot create a family table.
When you create a family table in a part, you cannot add the features created in a composite feature to the family table.
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