Software to design membranes
Designed to assist tensile fabric structure designers which works equally well on other projects, such as tents, awnings, exhibition stands, and inflatable structures
The University of Nottingham has a long term collaboration with the team of developers at Meliar Desing who developed MPanel, a 3D form finding and 2D patterning software for tension fabric structures.
The software works as a plug-in of AutoCAD and Rhino and allows the rapid form-finding of a tensioned membrane structure given the initial boundary conditions and the required level of pretention.
MPanel includes a tool for the generation of the cutting pattern for the manufacture of the membrane roof.
MPanel FEA (Finite Element Analysis) software is an additional module that allows a user to analyze MPanel 3D models for reactions due to environmental factors such as wind and snow loading.
MPanel Shade Designer is a stand-alone (no CAD system required) application that assists a user with the design and patterning of shade sail structures.
MPanel The patterning process Hypar