In the research of light weighting solutions, the use of CFRP has dramatically increased during the last two decades both in aerospace and automotive industries. However, designers are still facing the challenge to accelerate the insertion of new materials for applications. Traditionally, screening, characterization and even design of new materials is done by physical and experimental testing. However, composites materials offer an extraordinary choice of material combinations so that such traditional approaches become inefficient at best. Simulation accelerates these experimental testing campaigns by providing insights and answers well before physical coupons can be ordered, created, tested and reported. In addition, simulation can help address some of the inefficiencies in the process and reduce the total time from the initial materials screening to the final and fully characterized materials. Finally, the simulation approach also helps save time and money while contributing positively to a greener world by reducing materials and energy wasted in experimental testing campaigns. Software tools like Digimat propose a complete framework to conduct such simulations. Digimat is based on a multiscale material modeling approach such as mean field homogenization. Based on the constituents material properties and microstructural information, the composites behavior is predicted. The microstructural information can come either from simulations of the manufacturing process or from measured data. The framework also includes a continuum damage model to accurately capture the damage initiation and propagation that take place during the loading. Additional features are added to this model, such as cohesive elements to model the interface, in-situ strengths, mesh sensitivity controls and effects of manufacturing stresses. Another aspect concerns how to analyze the effects of defects such as waviness and porosity on the coupon strength. In this paper, the framework will be applied on several coupon configurations with several aerospace composite grades to demonstrate the accuracy and benefits of this approach.