simulated structure is analyzed using finite element analysis the disclosed process allows the designer to impose manufacturing constraints such as fiber steering radius application_number US 201113164701 A description the following disclosure is the result of development and validation of an optimization process to perform design and analysis of a variable stiffness composite shell in the course of this work the feasibility and weight savings potential of fiber steering for laminate structures was studied the design process disclosed herein allows steering the load by steering the fibers conventional laminates carry in plane loads around cutouts by transferring loads between plies e g from 0 u00b0 plies to u00b1 45 u00b0 plies when fibers are allowed to follow curved paths within a ply load may be carried around cutouts more efficiently a challenge to designing laminates with steered fibers is effectively describing manufacturable fiber paths the potential payoff is a reduction in the weight and expense of the final manufactured structure for a conventional ply on a flat panel the fiber paths are described entirely by the ply angle for conventional laminates the ply angle is one of 0 u00b0 u00b1 45 u00b0 90 u00b0 fig1 shows a ply 2 made of composite material with straight fibers 4 that are mutually parallel other plies not shown in fig1 lie atop the ply 2 the resulting laminate is shown with a circular cutout 6.