Hi All,

For reference, I am an academic researcher, and have built an ABAQUS model to simulate thermoforming behavior of fiber reinforced thermoplastic laminates using heat transfer shell elements (S4RT).

My problem revolves around changes that have been made from ABAQUS 2023 onwards, that have adversely affected my modelling process. Up until ABAQUS 2022, I was able to use the composites layup manager within CAE, to create three composite layers and assign one integration point for each layer (3 in total). This was permitted, as it was stated that 'the number of integration points must be equal between different composite layers in heat transfer shell elements'

Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that ABAQUS 2023 onwards does no longer support such modelling, and now requires the user to implement THREE integration points per layer in the composites layup manager. 

While this may not sound a big deal, modelling with three integration points per layer has increased my simulation time from 2 days to 27 days on a 96-core high performance machine.

My question therefore is why would Dassault Systemes make this change, and massively adversely affect anyone who wants to model with S4RT elements within ABAQUS, especially for highly complex models. I was wondering if there was any way i could recommend that this feature be re-instated, and I'm sure i can't be the only person this has affected.

P.S i don't want to just stay on ABAQUS 2022, as ABAQUS 2024 has provision for a new VUTEMP subroutine!

Thanks for your help,

George.