Start with the load path.

A design wizard for a uniform sandwich beam. Enter the supports, load and properties to see which part of the section controls its response. For preliminary comparison and review, with every assumption visible.

Read the sandwich design guide

1. Define the supported span

One-way bending, identical skins and a continuous, fully bonded core. Full-width line loads are supported; a foot, bolt or insert is a local-load case.

Support condition

Unsupported span (mm)Beam width (mm)

The beam method requires width ≤ span/3. A wide panel needs plate analysis; do not treat a narrow strip as carrying a concentrated panel load.

2. Describe the loadLoad distribution

Total applied force (N)Screening load factor

Maximum deflection (mm)

Force is for this whole beam, not pressure. The chosen factor multiplies all demands including deflection. It is an explicit comparison assumption, not a code-prescribed safety factor.

3. Enter the section and property basis

Each skin thickness (mm)Core thickness (mm)

Face axial modulus along span (GPa)Core shear modulus in load direction (MPa)

Property basisMaterial / laminate, direction, source and revision

No mechanical properties are inferred from a supplier price catalog. Fiber modulus is not cured laminate modulus. Honeycomb L and W shear properties can differ.

The example uses aluminum/honeycomb, not a PlyDrop carbon panel. It verifies the equations only.

4. Optional design stress limits

Leave blank unless you have applicable design limits, including the necessary environmental/statistical reductions. A typical datasheet strength is not automatically an allowable.

Face tension (MPa)Face compression (MPa)

Core shear (MPa)Design-limit source and basis

Your calculation

Enter a source-backed face modulus and core shear modulus to calculate, or load the cited worked example.

Thin-face beam equations: Hexcel AGU 075b, pp. 11–13 and 27. LEMKER’s 2024 guide provides the failure-mode and material-selection context.

Sources and scope