Setting Up the Optimization and Creating the Mesh
Create an analysis, a topology region to optimize, a design objective, and a design constraint. Then, create a mesh for the model.
Create an Analysis
1. Click
Home >
Analyses. The
Analyses dialog box opens.
2. Click New. The Analysis Definition dialog box opens.
3. In the Name box, type Optimization.
4. Click OK. The Analysis Definition dialog box closes.
5. In the Analyses dialog box, click Close.
Create a Topology Region to Optimize
1. Click
Home >
Topology Region. The
Topology Region Definition dialog box opens. In the status bar, the selection filter is set to
Volume.
2. In the Name box, type Exclude_Region.
3. In the Init. mass fraction box, type 0.3. This optimizes to 30 percent of the original mass.
4. Click the Excluded regions collector, and in the graphics window, select the volume region that you created. This excludes the volume region from optimization.
5. In the Constraint 1 box, select MXY: Mirror about XY plane from the list. This sets the fabrication constraint.
6. Click OK. The Topology Region Definition dialog box closes.
Create a Design Objective to Minimize the Strain Energy
1. Click
Home >
Design Objective. The
Design Objective dialog box opens.
2. In the Name box, type Min_Strain_Energy.
3. In the Response type box, select Strain Energy.
4. In the Analysis box, select Optimization to select the analysis that you created.
5. In the Goal box, select Min.
6. Click OK. The Design Objective dialog box closes.
Create a Design Constraint
1. Click
Home >
Design Constraint. The
Design Constraint dialog box opens.
2. In the Name box, type 30_Percent_Mass.
3. In the Upper Bound box, type 0.3. This creates a constraint of 30 percent of the original mass.
4. Click OK. The Design Constraint dialog box closes.
Create the Mesh for the Model
1. Click
Home >
Mesh. The mesh is created, and the
Element Quality Checks dialog box opens.
2. Click Close. The Element Quality Checks dialog box closes.