Define Optimization Settings
You can control the optimization fidelity of the generated design as follows:
1. Click 
Study Settings. The Study Settings dialog box opens.
Study Settings. The Study Settings dialog box opens.2. Set fidelity using the slider or specify the minimum element size.
a. Fidelity—Define the accuracy of the results. Use the slider or specify a value between 1 and 10 in the text box. The default value is calculated based on the model geometry.
b. Min. element size—Specify the element size to determine the accuracy of the generated result. The value is system driven unless you manually specify it.
 | Specify the element size such that it is smaller than the thickness of the smallest feature in the model. The element size should be approximately 2.5 to 3.5 times smaller than the smallest thickness in design spaces. A smaller size leads to accurate optimization results at the expense of time and memory. |
Max. iterations—Specify the number of iterations to optimize the model. A higher number of iterations takes more time but produces more accurate results.
| | If you get a warning message that the result could not be converged, increase the number of iterations. |
| | In Generative Design Extension (GDX), the Max. iterations value is fixed and set to 2000. |
3. In a modal study, do the following:
a. Show rigid bodies modes—Clear this check box if you do not want to show modes for rigid bodies in simulation results.
| | The Show rigid bodies modes check box is selected by default. |
b. Number of modes— Specify the number of modes to calculate per load case.
| | If Perform final simulation pass was not selected in the Generative Design Options dialog box, the study shows only the first four modes. |
4. Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog box.
Click 
Optimize to run optimization. The time taken for optimization depends upon the model and your study settings.
Optimize to run optimization. The time taken for optimization depends upon the model and your study settings.Recommendations for Faster Optimization
Consider the following recommendations to increase the speed of optimization.
• Start with a simple preserved geometry, remove sharp corners and rounds. Add minimum design constraints and use a bigger element size. After you get a good optimized solution, gradually increase the requirements.
• Clear the Perform final simulation pass check box in the Generative Design Options dialog box if you are not interested in high fidelity FEA result. For details, see To Set Generative Design Options.
• Increase the mass target to see the feasibility of the solution quickly. For details, see Design Criteria.