Lecture 5-1: Introduction to Optimetrics

and DSO license options

ANSYS HFSS for Antenna Design

1 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Introduction
• Optimization
• A process of finding a better or more suitable design instance among the possible design variations

• Optimetrics is an add-on module which provides numerous analysis tools

• Parametric
• Optimization
• Sensitivity
• Statistical
• Tuning
• Analytic Derivatives
• Enables ANSYS DesignXplorer Link

• Allows centralized control of design iterations from one common interface

• Optimetrics allows the user to:
• Automate parametric sweeps
• Perform real time parameter tuning using Analytic Derivatives
• Identify performance specifications to optimize
• Perform sensitivity and statistical analysis on optimized model
• Link to DesignXplorer for
– Optimization via a Surface Response using Design of Experiments (DOE)
– Six Sigma Analysis

2 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Robust Design using Optimetrics Tools
Exploration of Design Space Optimization
Parametric Analysis
• Manual overview of design
space HFSS Optimization Sensitivity Analysis
• Find good nominal design • Minimize cost function to
• Precursor to formal meet goal
optimization • Several available
• Computations easy to algorithms
parallelize with DSO
“Optimal” Design
(performance,
manufacturability, etc.)
Analytic Derivatives
• Computes derivatives of SYZ DesignXplorer
parameters w.r.t. design • More robust than simple
variables optimization
• Real-time tuning of SYZ • Response Surface Fitting
parameters for Entire Design Space
• Optimization over
Six Sigma Analysis
• Explore the relative impacts (DesignXplorer)
of design variables on Response Surface
performance

Robust Design is MORE than simple optimization: it is the ability for a user to
systematically explore an entire design space so as to arrive at an optimal design

3 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Using Optimetrics
• Process
• Create parameterized model
• Define design parameters to vary
– Model geometry, material properties, etc.
• Perform analyses

• Where can it be used?

• User may apply parameterization at all modeling stages
– Geometry (size, shape, orientation, quantity, etc.)
– Materials (lossless, complex, anisotropic, etc.)
– Boundaries (impedance/conductance boundaries, linked
boundary scan angles, symmetry or mode cases, etc.)
– Solution setup
– Post Processing Quantities (Port magnitude/phase, De-
embedding, etc.)
• Once model is parameterized, optimization can be performed
toward an extensive array of cost functions
– Circuit parameters (S, Z, or Y-parameters)
– Antenna patterns (Directivity, gain, axial ratio, etc.)
– Emissions
– Derived field quantities (radiated power, etc.)

4 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: parametric sweep example

• Opening the Project

• The project MicrostripBend.aedt was created and solved earlier in the training.
• If it is already open, Select the menu item File > Save As
• Filename: MicrostripBend_optimetrics
• Click the Save button
• Alternatively, browse to the folder containing the file MicrostripBend_optimetrics .aedt and select Open
• Select the menu item HFSS > Analyze All
• After analysis is complete save the project by selecting the menu item File > Save
• Select the menu item HFSS > Design Properties to overview or edit variables in design
• Verify variables’ nominal values:
• Substrate Thickness: 1mm; TraceWidth: 2mm; TraceThick: 0.2mm
• Click the OK button to close the window

5 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Parametric Analysis Setup
• Parametric Sweep of Microstrip geometry
• Here we will change the value of the defined variables to see how the geometry of microstrip bend influences S-parameters

• Create Parametric Sweep

• Select the menu item HFSS > Optimetrics Analysis > Add Parametric...
– Click the Add... button in the Setup Sweep Analysis window
• In the Add/Edit Sweep window:
– Select the variable SubstrateThickness
– Select Linear Step, Start: 0.5mm,
Stop: 1.5mm, Step: 0.25mm
– Click the Add>> button
– Select the variable TraceWidth
– Select Linear Step, Start: 1mm,
Stop: 3mm, Step: 0.5mm
– Click the Add>> button
– Select the variable TraceThick
– Select Linear Step, Start: 0.16mm,
Stop: 0.24mm, Step: 0.02mm
– Click the Add>> button
• Click the OK button

6 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Parametric Analysis Setup
• Number of variations
• We created parametric sweep that includes 5 values for each of 3 variables. The total number of variations is 5^3=125
– One can open Table tab of Setup Sweep Analysis window to look up the requested variations
• To reduce the total number of variations, the variables will be synchronized

• Sync the variables

• Return to Sweep Definitions tab of Setup Sweep Analysis window
– Using the Ctrl key, select all 3 lines
– Click the Sync button
• Open Table tab to look up the requested variations, note that the total number of variations is 5
• Click the OK button
– Click the OK button

7 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Analysis Configuration
• High Performance Computing Configuration for DSO
• Parametric sweeps can be accelerated by solving multiple variations in parallel.
DSO license option is required to run distribution for Optimetrics setup.

• Configuring HPC Settings

• From the Analysis Options Toolbar, select Local configuration
• Click the Edit Active Analysis Configuration button

Analysis Options Toolbar

Selected Analysis Configuration Edit Active Analysis Configuration

• In the Analysis Configuation window, change the following:
– Uncheck Use Automatic Settings
– Tasks: 2
– Cores: 4
– RAM Limit(%): 80
• Open Job Distribution tab of Analysis Configuration window Note: Additional machines can be added to the
configuration to further accelerate solutions. Each
machine can be used to solve 1 or more task.

8 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Analysis Configuration

• Job Distribution Tab

• Make sure that “Optimetrics Variations” line is checked
in Enable Distribution Types box

• Preview Distribution Setup box

• Note that for nominal design, HFSSdesign1:Setup1,
frequency sweep will be distributed if Frequency option
is checked in Distribution Types box
• From the drop down menu, select
HFSSdesign1:ParametricSetup1
• Note that Optimetrics variations will be distributed for
parametric sweep

Note: Parametric sweep contains 5 variations. One of it is the same

as nominal design and has already been solved. The parametric
sweep will run 4 variations. To speed up parametric sweep, one can
solve 2 or 4 variations in parallel. While considering the number of
tasks defined in the Analysis Configuration, consider the number of
requested variations and license options available.
Note: If an analysis does not contain a parametric
sweep, the solution will distribute frequency points if a
frequency sweep has been specified. One can preview
the distribution by changing Setup in the Preview box

9 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

 Distributed Solve Option (DSO)

• Distributed Solve
• Distributed Solve is a productivity enhancement option that
accelerates solution times for model variations by leveraging
modern computer resources
– This option offers a near-linear speed up over conventional
simulation sweeps by distributing and simultaneously solving
across a network of computers
• Requires a Distributed Solve license
– Common license for Ansys Electronics Desktop designs and
Maxwell
DSO distributes and simultaneously solves
design variations across networked processors

10 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: parametric sweep example

• Analyze Parametric Sweep

• In the Project Manager window, select Optimetrics >
ParametricSetup1, right click and select Analyze
• Note that 2 variations run in parallel

Note: One can choose “Save Field And Mesh” option from Options tab of Setup Sweep
Analysis. If fields are saved, one can inspect it by selecting HFSS > Results > Apply
Solved Variations

11 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Viewing Results

• Create Reports for all solved variations

• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create
Terminal Solution Data Report> Rectangular Plot
–Solution: Setup1: Sweep
–Domain: Sweep
–Trace Tab:
• Category: Terminal S Parameter
• Quantity: St(Trace_T1, Trace_T2),
• Function: dB
–Families Tab
• Make sure all values are included
–Click New Report button
–Click Close button
• Save and close the project

12 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Analytic Derivatives in Optimetrics
• Capabilities
• Compute the derivatives of SYZ parameters with respect to project and design variables for HFSS designs
• Eliminates need to solve multiple variations with small differences and numerical noise
– More efficient and more accurate
• Provides real-time tuning of reports to explore effects of small design changes
• Improves derivative-based optimization methods (SNLP)
• Example: MicrostripBend
• 3 design variables: thickness of substrate, thickness and width of trace
• Solve for the derivatives of many variables at once

13 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Opening the Project

• The project MicrostripBend.aedt was created and solved earlier in the training.
• If it is already open, Select the menu item File > Save As
• Filename: MicrostripBend_derivatives
• Click the Save button
• Alternatively, browse to the folder containing the file MicrostripBend_derivatives .aedt and select Open
• Select the menu item HFSS > Analyze All
• After analysis is complete save the project by selecting the menu item File > Save
• Select the menu item HFSS > Design Properties to overview or edit variables in design
• Verify variables’ nominal values:
• Substrate Thickness: 1mm; TraceWidth: 2mm; TraceThick: 0.2mm
• Click the OK button to close the window

14 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Add Mesh Linked solution setup

• In the Project Manager window, right click on Setup1 and select Add
Meshed Linked Solution Setup
• Note that Setup2 appeared in Project Manager
• In the Project Manager window, right click on Setup2 and select
Properties..
– Popped up window, General Tab: note that Maximum Number of Passes
is set to 1
– Advanced Tab: note that Import Mesh option is checked to use the last
adaptive mesh from Setup1
– Derivatives Tab: check boxes to use all variables
• Click the OK button to close the window

15 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Add sweep for Mesh Linked solution setup

• In the Project Manager window, expand Setup1, right click on Sweep and
select Copy
• right click on Setup2 and select Paste
• Setup2 appeared in Project Manager
• In the Project Manager window, right click on Setup2 and select
Properties..
– Popped up window, General Tab: note that Maximum Number of Passes
is set to 1
– Advanced Tab: note that Import Mesh option is checked to use the last
adaptive mesh from Setup1
– Derivatives Tab: check boxes to use all variables
• Click the OK button to close the window

16 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Analyze Setup2
• In the Project Manager window, right click on Setup2
and select Analyze

• Create Reports for tuning S-parameters

• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create Terminal
Solution Data Report> Rectangular Plot
–Solution: Setup2: Sweep
–Domain: Sweep
–Derivative: <none>
–Trace Tab:
• Category: Terminal S Parameter
• Quantity: St(Trace_T1, Trace_T2),
• Function: dB
–Click New Report button
–Continue on the next page

17 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Create Reports for tuning S-parameters

• Change the option for Derivative line
–Solution: Setup2: Sweep
–Domain: Sweep
–Derivative: All
–Trace Tab:
• Category: Tune Terminal S Parameter
• Quantity: TuneSt(Trace_T1, Trace_T2),
• Function: dB
–Click Add Trace button
– Click Close button
• Note that there are 2 traces in the plot that
coincide
–Edit curves color and style by double clicking on
traces in Curve Info box in the plot

18 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

 HFSS Optimetrics: analytic derivatives example

• Tuning Plot
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Tune Reports …
• Move the scroll bars in the Report Tuning window to predict the performance for various values of
defined variables
• Click the Close button

Note: The predicted response is

based off the nominal solution
and partial derivative that was
computed during the solution
process. Analytic Derivatives can
be used before any optimization
to more quickly narrow the
solution space by testing how
individual parameters will affect
the antenna performance.

19 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc. December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0

Robust Design using Optimetrics Tools
Exploration of Design Space
Parametric Analysis
• Manual overview of design
space
• Find good nominal design
• Precursor to formal
optimization
• Computations easy to
parallelize with DSO
Analytic Derivatives
• Computes derivatives of SYZ
parameters w.r.t. design
variables
• Real-time tuning of SYZ
parameters
• Explore the relative impacts
of design variables on
performance
Covered by examples above
20 © 2016 ANSYS, Inc.
Optimization
HFSS Optimization Sensitivity Analysis
• Minimize cost function to
meet goal
• Several available
algorithms
“Optimal” Design
(performance,
manufacturability, etc.)
DesignXplorer
• More robust than simple
optimization
• Response Surface Fitting
for Entire Design Space
• Optimization over
Six Sigma Analysis
(DesignXplorer)
Response Surface
Refer to HFSS Online Help and Customer Portal to explore
other analysis types enabled by Optimetrics
December 22, 2015 Release 2016.0