  An automated prepreg fabric draping system is being developed which consists
of an array of actuated grippers. It has the ability to pick up a fabric ply
and place it onto a double-curved mold surface. A previous research effort
based on a nonlinear Finite Element model showed that the movements of the
grippers should be chosen carefully to avoid misplacement and induce of
wrinkles in the draped configuration. Thus, the present study seeks to develop
a computationally efficient model of the mechanical behavior of a fabric based
on 2D catenaries which can be used for optimization of the gripper
trajectories. The model includes bending stiffness, large deflections, large
ply shear and a simple contact formulation. The model is found to be quick to
evaluate and gives very reasonable predictions of the displacement field.
