Is new mast design program really a game-changer?

Future Fibres has released information regarding the development of its bespoke in-house mast design software, known as MASTERMIND Pro. The CATIA-based software program has been in development since 2009 and facilitates ‘a complete 3D loaded structure that models the mast using flying sail shapes developed in a sail simulator.’

The process begins by receiving the sail plan and basic boat parameters in order to generate an initial geometry using the program’s ‘rules wizard’, a database of existing mast design expertise. Using 3D CAD software a complete surface model of the mast and rigging is then formulated and automatically dock tuned.

Using a special ‘sail analysis tool’ the software can apply exacting sail corner and distributed luff loads. Sail input can be imported from other sailmakers’ standard outputs or generated by MASTERMIND Pro’s own library. Developed in conjunction with Peter Heppel, the library is a collection of real-world loaded flying sail shapes that can be twisted, trimmed and scaled to suit any rig geometry.

This model is then tested for stress analysis and further optimisation through the Abaqus non-linear finite element analysis software. This produces a complete 3D solution that outlines combined stresses in mast, sails and rigging.

America’s Cup rig designer, Bruce Thompson, who has played a pivotal role in the development of MASTERMIND Pro, said that the program is set to change the future of mast design: “ For the first time, we are designing yacht rigs with 3D layers of carbon directly where they are required, not just numerical approximations. MASTERMIND Pro is a fully commercially supported, independently benchmarked world class composite design software tool.”



But a representative of Dassault Systèmes, who wished to remain anonymous, professed that the technology featured in MASTERMIND Pro is already widely available:

“CATIA has inbuilt analysis so you can design and analyse at the same time. There is also ABAQUS  - a very advanced Finite Element (FE) program that links to CATIA. This means there are two options to design and analyse concurrently. FE guides the design in either case and provides a design-FE-design loop that is very effective.

“Masts operate with stresses in three dimensions. FE allows you to know where to add strength and make the most of it to reduce weight. CATIA is also able to scale the results to analysis or design masts of different sizes and for the stresses to be known throughout the design process.”

SuperyachtNews.com spoke to Future Fibres’ Phil Annis about MASTERMIND Pro, who said that the software would not be rolled out to the wider market because of the competitive advantage the company believes it offers. Although there are a raft of 3D CAD programs on the market, Annis insisted that MASTERMIND Pro was different:

“This is not a CAD programme per se. It is an integrated 3D modelling package that specialises in defining sail loadings and applying those loads to a mast/rigging structure and analysing the impact with regards to stiffness and buckling.”

The obvious question is, ‘Isn’t this something that your competitors are already doing?’ But Annis was adamant that MASTERMIND Pro’s scope was unprecedented. Whilst competitors are already using CAD programs it’s, “not to the extent of the integration that this system affords; they are using a range of isolated tools”. “This is an integrated design package working at a much more detailed level”, he added.

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Future Fibres

Dassault Systemes

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