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What is FEM?
The Finite Element Method only makes calculations at a limited (Finite) number of points and
then interpolates the results for the entire domain (surface or volume).
Finite – Any continuous object has infinite degrees of freedom and it is not possible to solve the
problem in this format. The Finite Element Method reduces the degrees of freedom from infinite to
finite with the help of discretization or meshing (nodes and elements).
Element – All of the calculations are made at a limited number of points known as nodes. The
entity joining nodes and forming a specific shape such as quadrilateral or triangular is known as an
Element. To get the value of a variable (say displacement) anywhere in between the calculation points,
an interpolation function (as per the shape of the element) is used.
Method - There are 3 methods to solve any engineering problem. Finite element analysis
belongs to numerical method category.
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The value of the variable anywhere in between could be easily determined just by specifying x
and y coordinates in above equation.
For an 8 noded quadrilateral, the following parabolic interpolation function is used:
u = a0 + a1x + a2y + a3xy + a4 x2 + a5 y2 + a6x2y + a7xy2
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In the example above, an object is fixed at one end and a force is applied at the point “P”. Due to
the force, the object deforms and Point P gets shifted to new position P’.
The minimum number of parameters (motion, coordinates, temp. etc.) required to define the
position of any entity completely in the space is known as a degree of freedom (dof).
Consider the following 2-D (planar) problem. Suppose the origin is at the bottom left corner and
is known. To define the position of point A completely with respect to the origin, we need two
parameters i.e. x1 and y1, in other words 2 dofs (translation x and y).
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Consider that the point A is a part of a line, now one angle should also be defined in addition to the
two translations i.e. 3 dofs (two translations and one rotation).
Suppose points A and B are shifted out of the plane and the line is rotated arbitrarily with respect to
all of the three axes. The minimum number of parameters to define the position of point A completely
would be 6 dofs {3 translations (Ux , Uy , Uz) and 3 rotations (θx , θy , θz).}
Dof is a very important concept. In FEA we use it for the individual calculation points. The total dofs
for a given mesh model is equal to the number of nodes multiplied by the number of dof per
node.
Tutorial – 1
Basic introduction to HyperWorks Student Edition.
Getting started with HyperWorks, Import, Export, Open, Save, Working with panels, Rotate, Zoom, pan… etc.
Tools
The HyperMesh – Student Edition interface contains several areas. Each is described below.
Title Bar
Menu bar
Toolbars
Tab Area
Main Menu
Command Window
Status Bar
Title bar The bar across the top of the interface is the title bar. It contains the version of HyperMesh that you are running and
the name of the file you are working on.
Menu Bar Located just under the title bar. Like the pull-down menus in many graphical user interface applications, these menus
"drop down" a list of options when clicked. Use these options to access different areas of HyperMesh functionality.
Toolbars Located around the graphics area, these buttons provide quick access to commonly-used functions, such as changing
display options. They can now be dragged and placed at top or side of the graphics area.
Tab Area The Tab Area is so named because various specialized tools display on tabs in this area of the interface. Two such
examples are the Model Browser and the Utility Menu.
The Model tab contains the Model Browser. This tool displays the contents of a
model in a hierarchical tree format. It can be used to create and edit many types of
entities, and also to organize them and control their display status.
The Utility Menu contains four pages of tools that perform various functions,
accessed via buttons at the bottom of the menu. By default, the Disp page is active;
the Disp page tools control how a model is displayed in the graphics area. The other
pages available are QA/Model (element checking tools), Geom/Mesh (tools for
working with a model’s geometry as well as for creating and editing meshes), and
User (custom tools you create). The content of the Utility tab changes based upon the
selected user profile.
Graphics area The graphics area under the title bar is the display area for your model. You can interact with the model in three-
dimensional space in real time. In addition to viewing the model, entities can be selected interactively from the
graphics area.
Main menu The main menu displays for each page the functions available on that page. You access those functions by clicking on
the button corresponding to the function you wish to use.
Main menu The main menu pages menu divides the main menu into groups of related functions. Only one page of the main menu
pages is displayed at a time.
The Geom page contains functions for creating and editing geometry.
The 1D, 2D, and 3D pages contain element creation and editing tools grouped according to element type.
The Analysis page contains functions to set up the analysis problem and define the boundary conditions.
The Tool page contains miscellaneous tools and model checking functions.
The Post page contains post-processing functions.
Command You can type HyperMesh commands directly into this text box and execute them instead of using the HyperMesh
window graphical user interface. This window is not displayed by default, but can be opened via the View menu.
Status bar The status bar is located at the bottom of the screen. The left end of the status bar displays your current location in
the main menu. By default, Geometry is displayed. The three fields on the right side of the status bar display the
current Include file, current component collector, and current load collector. All three fields are blank by default.
As you work in HyperMesh, any warning or error messages also display in the status bar. Warning messages appear in
green and error messages appear in red.
Hint: You can hold the left mouse button down on top of a panel to see a description for it in the status bar.
Starting HyperMesh
To start HyperMesh on a PC, go to Start > Programs > Altair HyperWorks 11.0 Student Edition > Altair HyperWorks.
2. From the Import tab in the tab area, click the Import HM model icon , if not already active.
3. Under File selection, click the file icon ( ) and browse to select the file, bumper_mid.hm.
4. Click Import.
The file, bumper_mid.hm, is now imported into the session.
HyperMesh model file, bumper_mid.hm, imported on top of existing data in the HyperMesh session
3. Click the file icon ( ) and browse to select the file, bumper_end.iges.
4. Click Import.
Geometry data is added to the model.
OptiStruct input file, bumper_end_rgd.fem, imported on top of data in the current HyperMesh session
Save the HyperMesh session as a HyperMesh model file
1. From the menu bar, click File >Save As > Mode.
2. Enter the name, practice.hm.
3. Click Save.
The data currently loaded in HyperMesh is now saved in a HyperMesh binary data file of the name you entered.
2. In the Export tab, click the Export Geometry icon if not already selected.
3. Set the File type: field to IGES.
4. Click the folder icon in the File field, browse to the desired destination folder, and enter practice.igs.
5. Click Export.
All of the geometry loaded in HyperMesh (points, lines, surfaces) is now saved in an .iges file with the name you entered.
Delete all data from the current HyperMesh session by starting a new session
1. Access the New HyperMesh Model function in one of the following ways:
a. From the menu bar, click File > New > Model.
When performing finite element modeling and analysis setup, it is important to be able to view the model from different
vantage points and control the visibility of entities. You may need to rotate the model to understand the shape, zoom in to view
details more closely, or hide specific parts of the model so other parts can be seen. Sometimes a shaded view is best, while other
times, a wireframe view allows you work on details inside the model.
HyperMesh has many functions to help you control the view, visibility, and display of entities
3. Right-click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines, , and switch to Shaded Elements and Feature Lines, .
4. Notice now the elements shading does not show any mesh lines. Only feature lines are displayed.
7. Click Wireframe Elements (Skin Only), , to return to the wireframe shading mode.
9. In the Mask panel, click unmask all, or on the Display toolbar click unmask all ( ).
All the elements in the components, center and mid1, are visible again. Notice the elements in the other components are not
displayed. This is because these components are not active in the Display panel.
10. Click return to exit to the main menu.
Tutorial - 2
Geometry clean-up & Mid-Surface.
View the model in topology display toolbar and shaded mode to evaluate its integrity.
1. Observe where the model has incorrect connectivity and missing or duplicate surfaces.
2. Click Geom page and then click on autocleanup to open the Auto Geometry Cleanup panel.
Note that the surface edges are now colored according to their topology status. This occurs because Geometry Color is set to
auto
3. Now click on the drop down arrow just beside Auto and select Mixed , this will show the
edges with the specified colour. (The colour scheme is explained below)
The non-manifold edges show where there are more than two surfaces sharing an edge, which might indicate incorrect
connectivity. For this part, there are yellow edges completely surrounding two areas. This indicates that there are probably
duplicate surfaces in these locations.
.
4. Click delete entity to delete the selected entities.
5. Click return to exit the panel.
7. Pick one of the red lines bounding one of the gaps (missing surfaces).
Combine multiple free edge pairs at one time with the equivalence tool.
1. Go to Geom page, here select edge edit.
Combine free edge pairs, one pair at a time, using the toggle.
1. Go to the toggle subpanel.
3. In the graphics area, click one of the free edges shown in the following image.
Rotate and zoom into the area if needed. When the edge is selected, it will change from red to green, indicating that the free
edge pair has been equivalence.
3. With the selector under moved edge: active, click the leftmost free edge in the graphics area.
4. Verify that the selector under retained edge: is now active.
5. Select the rightmost red edge.
6. In the cleanup tol = field, enter 0.1.
7. Click replace.
Once the line is selected, HyperMesh posts a message similar to:
"Gap = (.200018). Do you still wish to toggle?"
8. Click Yes to close the gap.
Edges to retain and move for replacement
9. Click return to exit the panel.
Observe the model again to identify any remaining free edges, or missing or duplicate surfaces.
1. Use the topology display and shaded modes to perform this task. All of the edges in the model should be displayed as green
shared edges, indicating that we have a completely enclosed thin solid part.
2. Click return to exit the panel.
Generating a Midsurface
The midsurface is created, and the surfaces are organized into a new Middle Surface component. Note that when a midsurface
is created, transparency is turned on for all the other components in the model except the new Middle Surface component.
The next step covers how to control surface transparency.
The midsurfaces generated for the solid sections of the model using the auto-midsurface subpanel are shown in the following
image.
3. Turn the geometry for lvl10 component back on from the Model Browser.
When one of the dimension is very large in comparison to the other two:
Additional data from user - The remaining two dimensions, the cross sectional area.
Dia :-100 mm
Y
1000 mm
A 1000mm in length, a solid circular Beam of 100mm diameter is subjected to a bending load of 30000 N in Y-direction and it is
fixed at the other end the deflection and stress values has been calculated using the below method.
Then the same problem is solved in HyperMesh and then showing the comparison to both the results that is values of
deflection and stress with hand calculation and values of deflection and stress by using the software.
HAND CALCULATION:-
Stress = My/I…….. (M = PL, I = πd4/64)
{putting all the required values in above equation}
The magnitude of stress for the defined problem is 305.56 N/mm2.
Deflection = PL3/3EI…….
{Putting all the required values in above equation}
The magnitude of deflection for the defined problem is 9.7 mm.
1. Click on the Material collector icon on the bottom side of your screen.
2. On mat name enter Steel as name of the material, select colour from the colour panel, click on type and select ISOTROPIC as the
material type, click on card image and select MAT1 as the card image, then click on create/edit.
3. A new window will open in which we can add further information about the material properties, here click on [E], [NU] and [RHO],
and keep the default value as it is.
4. Click return twice to exit the material collector panel.
2. Select the standard section radio button, below standard section type: select solid circle. Make sure in standard section library:
option HYPER BEAM is selected. Click create.
3. A new HyperBeam window will open. In that window on the bottom left corner of your screen, in Value option enter there 50.
{This is the value of circular radius of the beam section}
4. On the top left screen click on model view to get back to the HyperWorks window.
2. Click on XYZ option. Then enter the value 0 in x, y and z. and click create.{This will create a note at (0,0,0) location}
3. Then enter 1000 in x and 0 in y and z. click create.{ This will create a note at (1000,0,0) location}
7. Click return.
2. In this select bar2 radio button, In this panel click on the property option and select Beam_prop click on elem types= and select
st nd
CBEAM set the orientation as y-axis. Click on node A and select the 1 node on the screen click on node B and select the 2 node.
nd rd
A beam element automatically created. Similarly create another beam element by clicking on 2 and 3 node as node A and node
B. repeat the same to create all the beam elements. Keep all the other values and options as shown in the given image.
dof 1, dof 2 and dof3 means translation along x-axis, y-axis and z-axis. And dof 4, dof 5 and dof 6 means rotation about x-axis, y-axis and z-axis respectively. If any
dof is checked that means it is fixed and if any dof is unchecked that means that the component is free to translate or rotate in that particular dof.
6. Click return.
3. Click return.
To apply Forces on the model follow the process shown below.
4. Click on Analysis page using the radio button. Then click on forces.
5. Click on the nodes and select the node as shown. Make sure the toggle is set to global system, Enter -30000 in magnitude=, and
select y-axis as the direction of force. Keep all the other parameters as shown in the image. Click create.
6. Click return.
Step 10 :- Create Loadstep.
1. Click on Analysis Page, there click on loadsteps.
2. In name= enter Beam_Bending. Check the box before SPC and LOAD, click on blank window in front of SPC and select Constraints
from the list of load collectors. Similarly click on the blank window in front of LOAD and select Force from the list. Keep the type:
as linear static. Keep all the other options as shown. Click create.
3. Click return.
3. Set the export options: to all, run options: to analysis, memory options: to memory default. Click on save as to save the .fem file
of your model. Click on Radioss to start the Analysis.
4. A new solver window will open. Once you see ANALYSIS COMPLETED close the solver window.
5. Click return to exit the Radioss panel.
nd
2. Click on the 2 window (the new one). It will load HyperView, click on the folder icon in front of Load model and open the .h3d or
Altair HyperView Player file from the folder where you have save the model before the radioss run.
3. Select the file as shown below. Click open to load the result file. Then click Apply.
4. Click on contour icon as shown below. Click Apply to view the Displacement contour plot of the beam.
5. The maximum displacement as per the software is 9.7 mm.
6. Again click on contour then in Result type: select Element Stresses (1D) (s) from the drop down list, then below that select
CBAR/CBEAM Long. Stress SAC. Make sure the Averaging Method: is set to Simple. Click on Apply.
2
7. The maximum Stress for the Beam is 305.6 N/mm .
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2-D elements are used when two of the dimensions are very large in comparison to the third dimension.
1) Back to back triangles should be avoided. Two tria elements should not be connected to each other
directly.
3) No mesh transition on constant radius fillets / curvatures, The mesh transition should be carried out
on the planer surfaces
4) Circular holes should be modelled carefully with a washer (1.5 to 2 times diameter) and a minimum
of two layers around the hole
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6) Follow the feature lines (nodes should lie exactly on the edges)
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• Warpage
This is the amount by which an element (or in the case of solid elements, an element face)
deviates from being planar. Since three points define a plane, this check only applies to quads. The
quad is divided into two trias along its diagonal, and the angle between the tria’s normals is measured.
Warpage of up to five degrees is generally acceptable.
• Aspect Ratio
This is the ratio of the longest edge of an element to either its shortest edge or the shortest
distance from a corner node to the opposing edge.
For 3-D elements, each face of the element is treated as a 2-D element and its aspect ratio determined.
The largest aspect ratio among these faces is returned as the 3-D element’s aspect ratio.
Aspect ratios should rarely exceed 5:1.
Ideal Value = 1 (Acceptable < 5)
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• Skew
Skew of triangular elements is calculated by finding the minimum angle between the vector from
each node to the opposing mid-side, and the vector between the two adjacent mid-sides at each node
of the element.
The minimum angle found is subtracted from ninety degrees and reported as the element’s
skew.
• Chordal Deviation
Curved surfaces can be approximated by using many short lines instead of a true curve.
Chordal deviation is the perpendicular distance between the actual curve and the
approximating line segments.
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• Length (min.)
Minimum element lengths are calculated using one of two methods
• The shortest edge of the element. This method is used for non-tetrahedral 3-D elements.
• The shortest distance from a corner node to its opposing edge (or face, in the case of
tetra elements); referred to as "minimal normalized height".
• Jacobian
This measures the deviation of an element from its ideal or "perfect" shape, such as a triangle’s
deviation from equilateral. The Jacobian value ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, where 1.0 represents a perfectly
shaped element. The determinant of the Jacobian relates the local stretching of the parametric space
which is required to fit it onto the global coordinate space. HyperMesh evaluates the determinant of the
Jacobian matrix at each of the element’s integration points (also called Gauss points) or at the element’s
corner nodes, and reports the ratio between the smallest and the largest. In the case of Jacobian
evaluation at the Gauss points, values of 0.7 and above are generally acceptable.
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Exercise
This exercise uses the model file, bracket.hm.
Step 2: Mesh all the part’s surfaces at once using an element size of 4 and the mixed element type (quads and
trias).
1. Access the AutoMesh panel in one of the following ways:
a. Go to 2D page and click on automesh.
3. Click on mesh.
Notice that you are in the density subpanel of the meshing module. There is node seeding and a number on each surface edge.
This number is the number of elements that were created along the edge
4. Click return to accept the mesh as the final mesh.
At this point, you could be done using the AutoMesh panel to mesh the part. The mesh quality is very good. However, you will
remain in the meshing module to perform the next steps, which demonstrate how to use various subpanels to interactively
control the creation of mesh.
Step 4: Generate the Mesh to the top flat surface and change the density, mesh type, and apply the biasing.
1. Go to Automesh panel.(as explained above i.e., Step 2…. Point 1).
2. Click on the top surface as shown
i. Click on the edge to change the number of elements along the edge and then click on mesh this will change
the mesh pattern.(adjust panel) {Note: left click is used to increase the number of nodes along the edge and right click is used to
decrease the number of nodes along the edge}
ii. On the elem size and enter 10, and click on recalc all this will change the mesh size to 10. Again click on mesh to
view the change mesh, repeat the same process to change the element size to 4.
Element size of 10 Element size of 4
nd
b. Select the 2 radio button mesh style
In the option highlighted click on the drop down option before mixed and select trias click on set all above that and
click mesh. This will change the mesh pattern to tria mesh.
Similarly you can change the mesh type to quard, mixed, R-trias.
Mesh pattern using trias mesh Mesh pattern using quard mesh
rd
c. Click on the 3 radio button biasing.
Left click on the edge to increase the biasing factor. When you right click on the edges it will decrease the biasing factor.
2. Click on the unmeshed icon as show above. It will automatically highlight the entire surfaces which are not meshed. Click on
mesh to mesh the remaining surfaces.
In this tutorial, you will learn the basic concepts of surface-less meshing and how to mesh a bracket.
Surface-less meshing is defined as the creation of mesh using points, lines, and nodes rather than surfaces. Some parts may have missing
surfaces and some parts may not have any surfaces at all and are instead defined by line data. Either way, a mesh still must be created.
HyperMesh has a number of panels that allow you to create a mesh based on geometry other than surfaces
Step 2: Create a concentric circle around a hole on the top face using the scale panel.
There are three circles on the upper region of the bracket representing three holes in the bracket. Two of the holes have concentric circles
around them. This configuration allows you to create a radial mesh pattern around the holes. The following steps will show you how to
create a concentric circle around the third hole.
2. Click uniform and enter 2.0 for the scale factor. And then click on Enter.
3. Press F4 (on your Keyboard) to go to the Distance panel.
6. Move the mouse pointer to the graphics area. While keeping the left mouse button pressed, drag the mouse pointer over the
circle representing the hole. When the mouse pointer changes to a square and the circle is highlighted, release the mouse button.
The circle remains highlighted. Left-click the highlighted circle to create a node for N1. Click twice more at different locations on
the line to create nodes N2 and N3.
A node is created at the circle’s center. This node will be selected as the origin node when the circle is duplicated and scaled.
13. Select the temporary node you created as the circle’s center.
14. Click scale +.
A new circle is created, which is concentric with the original.
15. Click return.
Step 3: Create a radial mesh between each of the concentric circles using the spline panel.
1. Go to the Spline panel by doing one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Spline.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and go to the Spline panel.
2. With the entity type set to lines, select all lines as shown in the figure.
This option creates surfaces based on the selected entities, uses the surfaces to create a mesh, and then deletes the surfaces.
4. Make sure the keep tangency checkbox is unselected.
5. Click create.
The meshing module appears. Element edge density numbers appear on the selected lines.
6. Click return.
7. Now you are still in the spline panel.
8. Now select all the six circular lines. As shown below.
Step 5: Mesh the back face of the bracket using the line drag panel.
1. To go to the Line Drag panel, do one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Line Drag.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and enter the Line Drag panel.
3. Switch the drag: entity type from node list to line list.
4. Select the line that is on the perimeter of the existing mesh and adjacent to the bracket’s back face.
10. Click return twice to accept the mesh and exit the panel.
Step 6: Mesh the bottom face of the bracket using the ruled panel.
1. To go to the Ruled panel, do one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Ruled.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and enter the Ruled panel.
4. Select the end nodes located on the back face edge that borders the bottom face, as indicated in the following image.
All the nodes between the two selected nodes are automatically selected.
5. Now select the second entity selector as line. And select the line opposite to the nodes as shown in the image below.
6. Click create.
7. Click return twice to exit the ruled panel.
2. With the line list selector active, select any two of the three lines defining the rib.
3. Switch the creation method from mesh, keep surf to mesh, dele surf.
Exercise
This exercise uses the model file, cover.hm.
Step 2: Review the model’s free edges to identify shell element connectivity problems.
1. Access the Edges panel in the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Components > Edges.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, and then click
Red, 1-D elements are displayed. They are organized into the new component named ^edges. A red 1-D element is
created along each shell element edge that is free; one or more of the element edge’s nodes is not shared by the
adjacent elements
Note: For a component name whose first character is ^, the component and its contents is not written to the input file
when the model is exported.
8.
9. Turn on the display for the component, shells. (follow the same procedure as given in step 7; above)
Step 3: Correct the shell element connectivity problems using the Edges panel.
1. In the tolerance= field, type 0.01.
The status bar displays the following message: "81 nodes were found."
A sphere, , is created on nodes having a distance between each other equal to or less than the specified tolerance.
4. Notice that for this exercise’s model, a sphere is not created on every node along all of the red, free edges, which do not
belong. A larger tolerance must be specified to identify the rest of the nodes.
5. For tolerance = 0.1, increase its value until all 96 nodes are identified as shown in the following image.
Be careful not to increase the tolerance value to too much. Although the 96 nodes will be identified, an excessively large
tolerance value may collapse elements when the identified nodes are equivalenced. To find out the maximum value that
can be safely used for tolerance without collapsing the elements, press the F10 key to go to the check elems panel, go
to 2-d subpanel and click length. The status bar will display ‘… The min length is 1.49.’ A tolerance value < 1.49 can
safely be used, without causing any elements to collapse when identified nodes are equivalenced. Click return to go
back to Edges panel.
6. Click equivalence.
Step 4: Review the model’s free edges again to confirm that all of the shell element connectivity
problems have been corrected.
1. Click find edges.
2. Use the Model Browser to turn the display off and on for the component, shells, to observe that all of the free, red
edges belong.
3. After verifying that the model has correct red, free edges, click delete edges.
Step 5: Display the element normals and adjust them to point in the same direction.
1. Go to the Normals panel. The Normals panel can be accessed in the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Normals.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, then click normal.
Arrows (vectors) are drawn from the element centroids and show the direction of the element normal.
Notice the arrows do not all point from the same side of the part. For some analyses, the element normals should
point from the same side.
5. Click size = and enter the size which the normal should be in model units and select display normals again.
When size = is set to 0, the vector will be 10% of the screen.
6. Toggle vector display normals to color display normal.
The element normals are displayed using colors. The red side of the elements is the positive normal direction, while the
blue side is the negative normal direction.
8. Notice each side of the part shows red and blue.
9. Click the orientation: elem selector to make it active.
All elements on either side of the part are the same color, red or blue.
The status bar displays the following message: "[X] elements have been adjusted."
If after adjusting the normals, there are still elements on one side of the part which are of different color, change to
elems from comps for the entity selector, choose these elements and click reverse normal.
12. Click return.
Step 6: Review the quality of the elements using the check elems panel.
1. Access the check elems panel in one of the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, then click check elems
4. Click jacobian to determine if any elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7.
Elements having a jacobian of less than 0.7 are highlighted.
5. Notice that several elements on the triangular rib and around the smaller of the two holes have a jacobian of less than
0.7.
The status bar displays a message indicating how many elements failed this check.
A window appears that lists each quality check result for the element.
7. Click the right or left mouse button to close the pop-up window.
8. On the right side of the panel menu, switch from standard to assign plot.
12. Notice that a couple of elements on the rib have an angle of less than 45.
13. Verify that the max angle > field is set to 135.
14. Click max angle to determine if any quad elements have an angle greater than 135.
15. Notice that several elements on the rib have an angle greater than 135.
4. Toggle to interactive.
8. Select elems >> by face to complete the selection of elements as shown in the following image.
9. Click mesh.
The meshing module appears.
10. In the density subpanel, change the element density on the rib’s hypotenuse edge to 9.
14. Under mesh method, set the last option to free (unmapped).
15. Under mesh method, select set all.
17. Go to the checks subpanel, and check the jacobian, quads: min angle, and quads: max angle.
18. Notice that no elements fail the minimum and maximum angle checks.
Only a couple of elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7. The smallest jacobian is 0.68, which can still be considered
good quality.
19. Click return twice to accept the mesh and go back to the main menu.
Step 8: Use the smooth panel to adjust the node placement on the rectangular plane of remeshed
elements
1. Go to 2D page and click on smooth to open the Smooth panel.
3. With the smooth: elems selector active, select an element on the rectangular plane of re-meshed elements.
4. Select elems >> by face.
8. Click return.
Step 9: Remove tria elements from another area of the model using the edit element panel, split
and combine subpanels.
1. On the 2D page, enter the edit element panel.
3. With the splitting line: points selector active, click four screen points as shown the following image.
Temporary line segments are drawn to connect the points.
4. You can right-click to undo the last line segment drawn or you can click delete line to start over with selecting points.
5. Click split.
Elements that have the line pass through them are split. The resulting mesh should look like the mesh in the following
image. There are two pairs of adjacent tria elements.
Step 10: Dynamically move nodes on the mesh area modified in the previous step to improve
element quality.
1. Go to the cleanup subpanel and ensure it is set to displayed elems.
2. Click cleanup.
The element cleanup menu appears. It allows you to select various combinations of quality checks, specify a
warning/unacceptable range for each check, and dynamically move nodes around to place them where you desire.
Step 11: For the same area of elements you focused on in the previous step, optimize element
quality by clicking nodes and elements.
1. On the 2D page, go to the qualityindex panel.
2. With the element optimize selector active, click a few elements of the mesh area you modified.
When an element is clicked, it is repositioned so that the elements attached to it have the best possible quality based on
the criteria specified in the qualityindex panel.
3. Click return.
Step 12: Add a ring of radial elements around the smaller of the two holes.
1. Click the Utility tab. If the Utility Menu is not displayed in the HyperMesh session, go to View menu and check Utility
Menu.
4. Click proceed.
A pop-up window for Add Washer along a Circular Hole utility appears.
6. Select the Minimum number of nodes around the hole check box.
7. In the Density: field, enter 12.
8. Click Add.
9. Click Close.
The mesh around the hole should look like the mesh in the following image.
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2-D thin shell and 1-D beam element supports 6 dofs, but all solid elements have only 3 translational
dofs (no rotational dof ) i.e. a 10 noded tetra element has total of 10 x 3 = 30 dofs
Why does a solid element have only 3 translational and no rotational dofs (Physical
interpretation)?
Consider a piece of paper (2-D geometry) or long steel scale (1-D geometry). It could be easily bent and
twisted (rotational dof ). But now consider a solid object like a duster or a paper weight. It could not be
subjected to very high bending or torsion stiffness. Hence, solid elements have been formulated with 3
translational dofs and no rotational dofs.
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• Tetra Collapse:
Ideal Value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.1)
Tetra collapse = h * 1.24 / A
(Defined as the distance of a node from the opposite face
divided by the area of the face multiplied by 1.24)
• Volumetric Skew :
Create a sphere passing through the corner nodes of the tetra,
fit an ideal (equilateral) tetra in it. Find the volume of the ideal
and actual tetra elements.
Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable < 0.7)
• Stretch:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.2)
Stretch = R * √24 / Lmax
R = Radius of largest possible sphere inside given tetra element.
• Distortion :
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.5)
Distortion = | J | * VolmLCS / VolmGCS
LCS – Local Coordinate System
GCS – Global Coordinate System
• Jacobian:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.5)
In simple terms, the Jacobian is a scale factor arising because of the transformation of the
coordinate system. Elements are transformed from global coordinates to local coordinates to reduce the
solution time.
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• Warp angle:
Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable <300)
Warp angle is calculated on faces (quadrilateral) of a hex element. It is the angle between the planes
that form by splitting the quad element.
• Jacobian:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.5)
In simple language, the Jacobian is a scale factor arising because of the transformation of the
coordinate
system. Elements are transformed from global to local coordinates to reduce the solution time.
• Distortion:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.5)
Distortion = |J | * VolmLCS / VolmGCS
LCS – Local Coordinate System
GCS – Global Coordinate System
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• Stretch:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.20)
Stretch = min. edge length * √ 3 / max. diagonal length
• Aspect ratio:
Ideal value =1.0 (Acceptable < 5)
Aspect ratio = max. edge length / minimum edge length.
• Skew:
Ideal value = 00 (Acceptable < 450)
Skew is checked on all the faces of a hex element (quadrilateral). For the skew definition, please refer
to the shell element checks.
Exercise
Step 2: Use the volume tetra mesher and equilateral triangles to create a tetra mesh for the cover.
1. Access the Tetramesh panel from 3D > tetramesh.
3. Set the entity selector to surfs and select one of the surfaces in the model.
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Tutorial - TetraMeshing
The connected surfaces are selected automatically
.
4. Verify that 2D type: is set to trias and 3D type: is set to tetras.
These control the type of element that will be created for the surface mesh and solid mesh of the part.
5. Select Elems to Current Comp to place the newly created elements in the current component collector.
6. Verify that the Use curvature and Use proximity options are not active.
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10. Take a moment to inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created.
Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel and equilateral triangles (2D: trias).
Step 3: Use the volume tetra mesher and right triangles to create a tetra mesh for the cover.
You should still be in the Tetramesh / Volume tetra subpanel.
1. Select one of the surfaces in the model.
2. Switch 2D type: to R-trias.
4. Inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created.
5. Compare it to the first mesh you created and note the differences. The 2D type: R-trias setting tends to create tetra
elements with triangular faces that are right triangles (90-45-45 angles) while the 2D type: trias setting tends to create
equilateral triangles (60-60-60 angles).
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Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel and right triangles (2D type: R-trias)
6. Click reject to reject the mesh.
Step 4: Use the volume tetra mesher to create a tetra mesh with more elements along curved
surfaces.
You should still be in the Volume tetra subpanel.
1. Select one of the surfaces in the model.
2. Activate the option, use curvature.
Additional parameters appear. The option, Use curvature, causes more elements to be created along areas of high
surface curvature. Thus, curved areas such as fillets will have more and smaller elements, which capture those
features with higher resolution.
3. For Min element size = specify 1.0.
4. Verify that Feature angle = is set to 30.
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Tetra mesh from the volume tetra sub-panel and the option use curvature active.
9. Click reject to reject the mesh.
Step 5: Use the volume tetra mesher to create a tetra mesh with more elements around small
features.
1. Select one of the surfaces in the model.
2. Activate the Use proximity option.
The Use proximity option causes the mesh to be refined in areas where surfaces are smaller. The result is a nice
transition from small elements on small surfaces to larger elements on larger, adjacent surfaces.
3. Click mesh to create the tetra mesh.
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Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel with options Use curvature and Use proximity.
6. Click return to exit to the main menu.
Step 6: Prepare the display to tetra mesh the hub component using the standard tetra mesher.
1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to turn off the display of geometry for all components.
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Step 7: Review the connectivity and quality of the tria mesh to validate its integrity for the
standard tetra mesher.
Use the Edges and Check Elems panels to make sure that there are no free edges or very small angles in the tria shell mesh.
1. Access the Edges panel from tool page, then click on edges.
2. With the comps selector active, pick any tria element on the hub component.
A message in the status bar should state, "No edges found. Selected elements may enclose a volume."
This is desired as the tetra mesher requires a closed volume of shell elements.
4. Click return to exit to the main menu.
5. Access the Check Elements panel from tool pages, then click on check elems panel.
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Aspect ratio is the ratio of the longest edge of an element to its shortest edge. This check helps you to identify sliver
elements.
All of the hub’s shell elements pass the check; all of the elements have an aspect ratio less than 5.
8. Identify tria elements having an angle less than 20. (trias: min angle).
Step 8: Create a tetra mesh for the hub using the standard tetra mesher.
1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to set the current component to tetras. Right click on tetra component and then
click on Make Current, to make tetra component as current component.
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2. Access the Tetramesh panel from 3D page, and then click on tetramesh panel.
4. With the comps selector active under Float trias/quads to tetra mesh, select one of the hub shell elements from the
graphics area.
Using this option, HyperMesh will swap the diagonal for any pair of surface trias that will result in a better tetra mesh
quality. If you would rather keep the diagonal, see sub-step 5.
5. (Optional) To keep the diagonal as is, select the comps selector under Fixed trias/quads to tetra mesh.
6. Click mesh to generate the tetrahedral elements.
7. To view the tetra elements turn-off the mesh of hub component. (from model browser)
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If the minimum tria face angle is no less than 10°, then the mesh quality should be acceptable.
6. Identify elements having a tet collapse smaller than 0.2.
The tet collapse criteria is a normalized volume check for tetrahedral elements. A value of 1 indicates a perfectly
formed element with maximum possible volume. A value of 0 indicates a completely collapsed element with no
volume.
The message bar indicates that one element has a tetra collapse smaller than 0.2.
Step 10: Isolate the element with the tetra collapse smaller than 0.2 and find the elements
surrounding it.
You should still be in the Check Elements panel.
1. With 0.2 still specified for tet collapse, click tet collapse again.
The element that failed the tetra collapse check is saved in the user mark, and can be retrieved in any panel using the
extended selection menu.
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4. Access the Mask panel from the Display toolbar by selecting Mask ( ).
You can also press F5 on your keyboard to enter the Mask panel.
5. Set the entity selector to elems and select elems >> retrieve.
The element that was saved in the Check Elements panel is retrieved.
6. Select elems >> reverse.
Only the one tetra element that failed the tetra collapse check should be displayed.
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The layer of elements that is attached to the one displayed element is identified and displayed.
The layer of elements that is attached to the displayed elements is identified and displayed. The functionality of
unmask adjacent can be duplicated using the Find panel, find attached subpanel on the Tool page.
Step 11: Remesh the hub’s displayed tetra elements to improve their tetra collapse.
1. Access the Tetramesh panel.
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2. Go to the Tetra remesh subpanel.
Note that the re-meshing operation works on only one group of elements (one volume) at a time.
5. Click return to exit to the main menu.
7. Click tet collapse to find out if the tetra collapse has improved for the displayed elements.
The message in the status bar should indicate that the minimum tetra collapse is larger than the value reported before
the tetra elements were remeshed.
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8. Click return to exit to the main menu.
Summary
A tetra mesh has been created for both parts in the file. Different procedures for tetra meshing were used. Either method can
be used to mesh parts, depending on the needs of the analysis. Also, the tetra remesh function was used to show how to
quickly fix the quality of tetra elements
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
In this tutorial, you will learn how to:
Create solids using different functions.
Check and fix improper model connectivity.
For some analyses, it is desirable to use a mesh of hexahedral and pentahedral elements. This is especially true
for parts which have a large thickness compared to the element size being used, or for parts that have many
features and/or changes in thickness. Castings or forgings are good examples.
Step 2: Mesh the top surface of the base, including the L-shaped surface.
1. Set the active component collector to base using the HyperMesh Model Browser. In the Model
Browser right-click base and select Make Current.
2. While in the HyperMesh Model Browser, hide all components except the base component.
3. Access the Automesh panel from the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 2D Automesh.
4. Select the surfaces on the top of the base, including the L-shaped surface at the intersection of the base
and the arm.
For this part of the exercise it might be easier to view the geometry in a shaded mode by clicking Shaded
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
Step 4: Prepare the display for meshing the arm’s curved segment.
1. Turn on the display of the arm_curve component using the HyperMesh Model Browser.
2. Press the F5 key to go to the Mask panel.
3. Select elements >> by config, and select the hex8 configuration.
4. Click select entities.
All of the elements with a configuration of hex8 in the model are selected.
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
5. Click mask to mask the elements.
6. Click return to return to the main menu.
Step 6: Create hexa elements in the curved portion of the arm using spin.
1. Set arm_curve as the current component using the HyperMesh Model Browser.
2. Go to the Spin panel by selecting Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Spin from the menu bar.
3. Select the spin elems subpanel.
4. Using elems >> by window, select the plate elements within the L-shaped cross section of the arm.
5. Click select entities.
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
Step 7: Create faces on the hex elements.
1. Go to the Faces panel by selecting Mesh > Check > Compenents > Faces from the menu bar.
2. With the entity selector set to comps, select the arm_curve component.
3. Click find faces.
2-D shell elements are created on the free faces of every 3-D solid element in the component. They are
placed in a new component named ^faces.
The ^faces component is created with its visualization set to wireframe, so you will not be able to see the
new elements right away if the arm_curve component is displayed and in shaded mode.
4. On the toolbar click Shaded Elements & Mesh Lines ( ) to shade the elements.
You will now see the elements in the ^faces component.
Step 8: Prepare the display for meshing the second arm segment.
1. Use the Model Browser to turn on the display for the arm_straight and ^faces components.
Step 9: Mesh the L-shaped set of surfaces between the arm_straight and boss
components.
1. Set the current component collector to arm_straight.
2. Go to the Automesh panel.
3. Select the three surfaces lying on the intersection between the arm_straight and boss components.
These surfaces are in the arm_straight component.
4. Set the meshing mode to interactive.
5. Click mesh to go to the meshing module.
6. From the Density subpanel, adjust the densities to obtain a mesh that matches the following image.
This mesh pattern matches the mesh pattern at the intersection of the two arm segments. This is
necessary for the next step.
Step 10: Use linear solid to build the mesh between the two sets of shell elements
1. Access the Linear Solid panel through the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 3D Elements >
Linear 3D.
2. With the from: elems selector active, select the ^faces elements lying on the intersection between the
first and second arm segments.
You can select one of the elements and then select elems >> by face to select the rest of the necessary
elements.
3. Click the to: elems selector to make it active. Then select the shell elements between the arm and boss,
which you created using the Automesh panel in the last step.
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
4. Click the from: alignment: N1 selector to make it active. Then select three nodes on one of the "from
elements" you selected in sub-step 10.2.
5. Click the to: alignment: N1 selector to make it active. Then select three nodes on the "to element"
corresponding to the "from element" with the three "from nodes" you selected in sub-step 10.4. Refer to
the following image.
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
Step 12: Create a shell mesh on the bottom of the boss.
1. Set the current component collector to boss.
2. Go to the Automesh panel.
3. Select the five surfaces on the bottom face of the boss.
4. Click mesh to go to the meshing module.
5. Adjust the densities to match the following image:
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
7. Click project to project the node to the line.
8. Click return to return to the main menu.
Step 14: Generate hexas for the boss using the Solid Map panel.
1. Go to the Solid Map panel by selecting Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh from the menu bar.
2. Go to the general subpanel.
3. Select source geom: (none).
4. Select dest geom: surf and select the top surface of the boss.
5. Select along geom: mixed.
6. Under along geom: mixed, click lines to make it the active selector.
7. Select the line indicated in the following image.
8. Click node path to make it the active selector.
9. Select nodes to define the exact location of the solid element layers, as indicated in the following image.
A total of 13 nodes should be selected, starting at the boss mesh, and then using all of the nodes along
the edge of the arm_straight component, ending with the node projected to the top of the boss
10. For elems to drag:, select elems >> by collector and select the boss component.
11. Click mesh.
The elements are created and the mesh on this part is completed.
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
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Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
In this tutorial, you will learn:
What solid geometry is
What topology is
What 3-D topology looks like
Solids are geometric entities that define a three-dimensional volume. The use of solid geometry is helpful when
dividing a part into multiple volumes. For example, divide a part into simple, mappable regions to hex mesh the
part.
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
6. Click mesh.
7. On the toolbar, click Shaded Elements with Mesh Lines ( ).
8. Select the solid indicated in the following image.
9. Click mesh.
10. Click return to return to the main menu.
Step 3: Create a shell mesh with the automesh panel to control a mesh pattern.
1. Enter the Automesh panel through the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh.
2. Select the surface indicated in the following image.
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
3. Verify that the meshing method is set to size and bias and interactive.
4. Set the element size = to 1.000.
5. Verify that mesh type: is set to mixed.
6. Click mesh.
7. In the elem density = field, enter 4.
8. Click set all to.
All the densities are set to 4.
9. Click mesh.
10. Click return twice to return to the main menu.
Step 4: Mesh the solid volume on which the surface mesh was created in Step 3.
1. Enter the Solid Map panel by clicking Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh.
2. Go to the one volume subpanel.
3. Select the volume shown in the following image.
4. Under along parameters:, toggle elem size= to density= and then enter 10.
5. Click mesh.
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
6. Rotate the part and note how the mesh pattern created with the automesh panel has been used for the
solid elements.
The capability to automate the solid map meshing process is now available. Using the “Mappable” visualization
mode in conjunction with the multi-solids feature will inform you that the solid(s) are ready for solid meshing.
Using the multi-solids feature will allow for all solids within the model to be meshed in one step provided that they
are Mappable.
In this section of the tutorial we will delete all the elements from the previous section. Use the Mappable
visualization mode and solid mesh the part using multi-solids.
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
• ignored map Default visualization for solids that require partitioning to become mappable.
• not mappable Visualization for solids that have been edited, but still require further partitioning
to create mappable solids.
• 1 dir. map Visualization for solids that can be mapped (for 3-D meshing) in one direction.
• 3 dir. map Visualization for solids that can be mapped (for 3-D meshing) in three
directions.
Once in the mappable visualization mode it is clear that there is one 3-directional mappable solid and the
rest are 1- directional Mappable.
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Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
7. Select return to accept the solid element mesh and return to the Solid Map panel.
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• Contact non-linearity: In Contact analysis, the Stiffness K also changes as a function of displacement
(when parts get into contact or separate).
• Non-linear analysis deals with true stress and strain (unlike engineering stress and strain in linear static
analysis)
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• Dynamic Analysis
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• Thermal Analysis
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In materials science, fatigue is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs
when a material is subjected to cyclic loading. The nominal maximum stress values are less than the ultimate
tensile stress limit, and may be below the yield stress limit of the material. Fatigue occurs when a material is
subjected to repeated loading and unloading. If the loads are above a certain threshold, microscopic cracks will
begin to form at the surface. Eventually a crack will reach a critical size, and the structure will suddenly fracture.
The shape of the structure will significantly affect the fatigue life; square holes or sharp corners will lead to
elevated local stresses where fatigue cracks can initiate. Round holes and smooth transitions or fillets are
therefore important to increase the fatigue strength of the structure analysis.
• Optimization
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A fluid is a substance that continuously deforms under an applied shear stress regardless of the magnitude
of the applied stress. Gas and liquids are both fluids. Fluid mechanics deals with the study of fluid, its
properties, and its behaviour. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the branch of fluid mechanics which uses
numerical methods to analyse fluid dynamics problems. It is based on the Navier –Stokes equations (Mass,
Momentum, and Energy conservation equilibrium equations).
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Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh and set the RADIOSS (Bulk Data) User Profile.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
A User Profiles Graphic User Interface (GUI) will appear.
2. Select RADIOSS in the User Profile dialog.
3. From the extended list, select BulkData.
4. Click OK.
This loads the User Profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk Data Format for
RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
Step 4: Create the properties and update the Component Collector
1. Click the Properties icon .
2. Click prop name = and enter plate_hole.
3. Click type = and select 2D.
4. Click card image = and select PSHELL.
5. Click material = and select steel.
6. Click create/edit.
The PSHELL card image appears.
7. Click [T] and enter 10.0 as the thickness of the plate.
8. Click return twice and go back to the main menu.
The property of the shell structure has been created as 2D PSHELL. Material information is also linked to
this property.
At any time, the card image for this collector can be modified using the Card Editor and the material
referenced by this component collector can be changed using the update option in the Collectors panel.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
2. Click BCs > Create > Constraints to open the Constraints panel.
3. Make sure nodes are selected from the entity selection switch.
4. Click nodes and select by window from the pop-up extended entity selection menu.
5. Draw a window in the graphics area encompassing the nodes to be selected (shown in the figure).
The window is polygonal, and every mouse click creates a window vertex.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
2. Click BCs > Create > Forces to open the Forces panel.
3. Make sure nodes are selected from the entity selection switch.
4. Click nodes and select by window from the pop-up extended entity selection menu.
5. Draw a window in the graphics area encompassing the nodes shown in the figure below.
The window is polygonal, and every mouse click creates a window vertex.
The following figure indicates which nodes should be selected.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
plate_hole.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem formulation and
the analysis results.
plate_hole.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup, the setup
of your optimization problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk space
required for the run, information for each optimization iteration, and compute
time information. Review this file for warnings and errors.
plate_hole.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each step during
analysis process.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
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Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
Isometric view of deformed plot overlaid on the original undeformed mesh with model units set to 500
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an automotive splash shield will be used to demonstrate how to
set up and perform a normal modes analysis. HyperMesh post-processing tools are used to determine mode
shapes of the model.
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh and set the RADIOSS (Bulk Data) User Profile.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
A User Profiles… Graphic User Interface (GUI) will appear.
2. Select RADIOSS in the User Profile dialog.
3. From the extended list, select BulkData.
4. Click OK.
This loads the User Profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk Data Format for
RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
Notice there are two rigid "spiders" in the model. They are placed at locations where the shield is bolted down.
This is a simplified representation of the interaction between the bolts and the shield. It is assumed that the bolts
are significantly more rigid in comparison to the shield.
The dependent nodes of the rigid elements have all six degrees of freedom constrained. Therefore, each "spider"
connects nodes of the shell mesh together in such a way that they do not move with respect to one another.
The following steps show how to review the properties of the rigid elements.
1. Click Mesh > Edit > 1D Elements > Rigids to open the Rigids panel.
2. Click review.
3. Select one of the rigid elements in the graphics region.
In the graphics area, HyperMesh displays the IDs of the rigid element and the two end nodes and
indicates the independent node with an 'I' and the dependent node with a 'D'. HyperMesh also indicates
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
the constrained degrees of freedom for the selected element, through the dof check boxes in the Rigids
panel. All rigid elements in this model should have all dofs constrained.
4. Click return to go to the main menu.
The imported model has three component collectors with no materials. A material collector needs to be created
and assigned to the shell component collectors. The rigid elements do not need to be assigned a material. Shell
thickness values also need to be corrected.
The model is to be constrained using SPCs at the bolt locations, as shown in the following figure. The constraints
will be organized into the load collector 'constraints'.
To perform a normal modes analysis, a real eigenvalue extraction (EIGRL) card needs to be referenced in the
subcase. The real eigenvalue extraction card is defined in HyperMesh as a load collector with an EIGRL card
image. This load collector should not contain any other loads.
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
1. Click Setup > Create > LoadSteps to open the LoadSteps panel.
2. Click name = and enter bolted.
3. Click the type: switch and select normal modes from the pop-up menu.
4. Check the box preceding SPC.
An entry field appears to the right of SPC.
5. Click on the entry field and select constraints from the list of load collectors.
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
6. Check the box preceding METHOD(STRUCT).
An entry field appears to the right of METHOD.
7. Click on the entry field and select EIGRL from the list of load collectors.
8. Click create.
A RADIOSS subcase has been created which references the constraints in the load collector constraints
and the real eigenvalue extraction data in the load collector EIGRL.
9. Click return to go to the main menu.
sshield_complete.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file set up,
the set up of your optimization problem, estimates for the amount of
RAM and disk space required for the run, information for each
optimization iteration, and compute time information. Review this file for
warnings and errors.
sshield_complete.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each step
during analysis process.
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
Eigenvector results are output by default, from RADIOSS for a normal modes analysis. This section
describes how to view the results in HyperView.
Step 10: Load the Model and Result Files into the Animation Window.
In this step, you will load a HyperView .h3d file into the HyperView animation window.
It is helpful to view the deformed shape of a model to determine if the boundary conditions have been defined
correctly and also to check if the model is deforming as expected. In this section, use the Deformed panel to
review the deformed shape for last Mode.
1. Click on the animation selector switch in the lower toolbar and select Set Modal Animation Mode
6. Click Apply.
7. Under Undeformed shape:, set Show: to Wireframe (The point 2 has to come after the point 3).
A deformed plot of the model overlaid on the original undeformed mesh is displayed in the graphics area.
8. In the Results Browser pull-down menu, you can change the view between various subcases using the
Load Case and Simulation Selection drop-down menus, as shown below:
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Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
9. Select Mode 6 - F=1.496557E+02 from the list to view Mode 6.
10. To animate the mode shape, click Start/Pause Animation in the animation toolbar.
11. To control the animation speed, use the Animation Controls on the animation toolbar, as shown below:
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an aluminum wing rib model will be used to demonstrate how to
perform nonlinear gap analysis using RADIOSS. HyperView will be used to post-process the stress and
deformation characteristics of the rib.
There are four shell components in the model: the mounting flange, the web, the top and bottom flanges, and the
lug. Gap elements have already been defined in the model and they connect the web to the lug. Coupling forces
are applied to the lug and pressure loading has been defined on the top and bottom flanges of the rib joint. The
mounting flange is constrained in all degrees of freedom at the four mounting hole locations and the lug is
constrained for the z-displacements and rotations to prevent rigid body motion.
Step 1: Load the User Profile and Retrieve the Model File.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
2. Select RADIOSS in the User Profile dialog.
3. From the extended list, select BulkData.
This loads the User Profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk Data Format for
RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
User Profiles can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
4. Click File > Open > Model.
An Open Model browser window opens.
5. Select the rib.hm file.
6. Click Open.
The rib.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing data. The
database only contains geometric data.
Note the location of rib.hm now displays in the file: field.
Step 2: Create a cylindrical coordinate system and assign it to the gap elements.
For gap elements with coincident nodes as is the case here, the gap coordinate system MUST be
specified.
10. From the Model Browser, click the Isolate Shown icon .
11. Expand the Component list and select the Lug component.
This will isolate the display of only the Lug component.
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
12. Click the XY Top Plane View to set the model view.
13. Click Geometry > Create > Systems > Axis Direction to open the Systems panel.
14. The cyan halo around the yellow nodes button indicates that it is the current option. Select the center
node on the upper lug.
15. Click origin and select the center node again, click x-axis, select any node on the circumference and for
xy plane, select any node on the plane of the lug, as shown in the following figure:
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
19. Click return.
20. Click the Model tab to activate the Model Browser, if you left it.
21. Select only the gap component.
With Isolate Show still active this will display only the gap component.
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
2. Click prop name = and enter gap_prop.
3. Click colour and select a colour from the colour palette.
4. Click type = and select Springs_Gaps.
5. Click card image = and select PGAP.
6. Click create/edit.
7. Make sure the check box next to U0_opts is checked.
This way the initial gap opening is calculated automatically.
8. Make sure the check box next to KA_opts is checked.
This determines the value of KA for each gap element using the stiffness of surrounding elements
automatically.
9. Click return twice.
10. Click Mesh > Create > 1D Elements > Gaps to open the Gaps panel.
11. Select the update subpanel.
12. Click elems and select by collector from the pop-up menu.
13. Select gap by checking the box beside it.
14. Click the green select button.
15. Click property= and click on gap_prop.
16. Click update.
17. Check beside property.
18. Click update.
The gap elements have now been updated to the new property collector.
19. Click return.
rib_linear.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup,
the setup of the problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk
space required for the run and compute time information. Review this
file for warnings and errors that are flagged from processing the
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
rib_linear.fem file.
2. Click the Curves Attributes button and undisplay all components except the Web component. You
can do this by activating the Auto apply mode: check box, (activating Display Off) and then clicking on
the components that you want turned off in the Graphic User Interface (GUI).
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
Stress results on the Web from linear gap analysis.
Step 1: Create a load collector defining parameters for nonlinear static analysis.
1. Click Setup > Create > LoadSteps to open the LoadSteps panel.
2. Click review and select the Coup_Vert collector.
3. Check the box next to NLPARM and a new area opens.
4. Click on = next to NLPARM and select to the newly created nonlinear load collector.
5. Click update.
6. Repeat this process for the Pressure collector.
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
rib_nonlinear.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem
formulation and the results.
rib_nonlinear.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup,
the setup of the problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk
space required for the run and compute time information. Review this
file for warnings and errors that are flagged from processing the
rib_nonlinear.fem file.
2. Go to the Curves attributes panel and undisplay all the components except the Web component.
You can do that by activating the Auto apply mode: to Display Off and then clicking the components
that you want turned off in the GUI.
8. Click the XY Top Plane View icon to display a top view of the Web.
9. Click Apply.
This should show the contour of stresses on the Web component under the coupled loading.
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Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
Analysis Review
Even though the deformation patterns are similar for both linear and nonlinear analyses, the stress patterns differ.
Though the horizontal loads are in opposing directions in the lug, the stress distribution in the web for the linear
run are the same around both the lug holes which is not correct. This happens as all the gaps are in a closed
condition for the linear analysis. Nonlinear gap analysis gives more accurate representation. The gap status,
open or closed, depending on loading condition can also be observed from the .out file (shown below):
ITERATION 0
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
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Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
What is Optimization
Optimization can be defined as the automatic process to make a system or component as good
as possible based on an objective function and subject to certain design constraints. There are many
different methods or algorithms that can be used to optimize a structure, on OptiStruct is implemented
some algorithms based on Gradient Method.
Models used in optimization are classified in various ways, such as linear versus nonlinear, static
versus dynamic, deterministic versus stochastic, or permanent versus transient. Then it is very
important that the user include a-priori all of the important aspects of the problem, so that they will be
taken into account during the solution.
Mathematically an optimization problem can be stated as:
Objective Function: φ0(p) ⇒ min(max) (target)
Subject to constraint Functions: φi (p) ≤ 0
Design Space: pl ≤ pj ≤ pu where l is the lower bound and u is the
upper bound on the design variables
where:
φ0 (p) and φi (p) represent the system responses or a target value for system
identification study, and pj represents the vector of design variables (p1,p2,…,pn).
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
• Free Size: is a mathematical technique that produces an optimized thickness distribution per
element for a 2D structure.
• Shape: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on predefined shape variables to
find the optimal shape.
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
• Size: is an automated way to modify the structure parameters (Thickness, 1D properties, material
properties, etc…) to find the optimal design.
• Free Shape: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on set of nodes that can
move totally free on the boundary to find the optimal shape.
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
• Composite shuffle: is an automated way to determine the optimum laminate stack sequence.
DVs are the plies sequence of stacking. It is used for composite material only
defined using PCOMP(G) or PCOMPP.
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Design Variable
Design Variable:
Design Variables or DVs are system parameters that can vary to optimize system
performance. For OptiStruct the type of parameter or DV defines the optimization type:
TOPOLOGY: is a mathematical technique that optimized the material distribution for a
structure within a given package space. DVs are defined as a fictitious
density for each element, and these values are varied from 0 to 1 to
optimize the material distribution.
TOPOGRAPHY: Topography optimization is an advanced form of shape optimization in
which a design region for a given part is defined and a pattern of shape
variable-based reinforcements within that region is generated using
OptiStruct
FREE-SIZE: This is a special method designed by Altair to optimize 2D structure
where the design variables are the thickness of each element. This
method is very useful for aerospace structures where shear panels are
preferable to truss structures.
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Design Variable
Response
Response for OptiStruct is any value or function that is dependent of the Design Variable
and is evaluated during the solution.
OptiStruct allows the use of numerous structural responses, calculated in a finite element
analysis, or combinations of these responses to be used as objective and constraint functions in a
structural optimization.
Responses are defined using DRESP1 bulk data entries. Combinations of responses are
defined using either DRESP2 entries, which reference an equation defined by a DEQATN bulk data
entry, or DRESP3 entries, which make use of user-defined external routines identified by the LOADLIB
I/O option. Responses are either global or subcase (loadstep, load case) related. The character of a
response determines whether or not a constraint or objective referencing that particular response needs
to be referenced within a subcase.
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Objective Function
The Objective function is a model response to be maximized or minimized.
There are two ways to specify an objective in OptiStruct. Either a single response can be
minimized or maximized or you can choose to minimize the maximum value, or maximize the minimum
value, of a number of normalized responses.
In the first instance, where a single response is defined as the objective, a DESOBJ card
must be included in the Subcase Information Section of the input file. The DESOBJ card references a
response, (DRESP1 or DRESP2), which is defined in the Bulk Data Section of the input file. If the
response, to which the DESOBJ card refers, is associated with a single subcase, the DESOBJ card
must be placed within that subcase definition. If the response is associated with more than one
subcase, the DESOBJ card must appear before the first SUBCASE statement.
The second instance, where the objective references multiple responses, requires
DOBJREF bulk data entries and MINMAX or MAXMIN subcase information entries. The DOBJREF
cards reference responses (DRESP1 or DRESP2) and provide positive and negative reference values
for these responses. Multiple DOBJREF cards may occur in the input file and they may or may not use
the same Design Objective IDs. The reference values allow for normalization of different responses. The
value of the response is divided by the appropriate reference value. When the value of the response is
positive, the positive reference value is used. When the value of the response is negative, the negative
reference value is used.
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Constraint Functions
On all almost every engineering design there are constraints that need to be satisfied. These
constraints can be defined as a lower bound or an upper bound on any response that is dependent of
the design variable
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Topology Optimization
Topography Optimization
Shape Optimization
OptiStruct has the capability of performing shape optimization. In shape optimization, the
outer boundary of the structure is modified to solve the optimization problem. Using finite element
models, the shape is defined by the grid point locations. Hence, shape modifications change those
locations.
Shape variables are defined in OptiStruct in a way very similar to that of other shape
optimization codes. Each shape variable is defined by using a DESVAR bulk data entry. If a discrete
design variable is desired, a DDVAL bulk data entry needs to be referenced for the design variable
values. DVGRID bulk data entries define how much a particular grid point location is changed by the
design variable. Any number of DVGRID bulk data entries can be added to the model. Each DVGRID
bulk data entry must reference an existing DESVAR bulk data entry if it is to be a part of the
optimization. The DVGRID data in OptiStruct contains grid location perturbations, not basis shapes
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Free-shape Optimization
Size Optimization.
OptiStruct has the capability of performing size optimization. Size optimization can be
performed simultaneously with the other types of optimization.
In size optimization, the properties of structural elements such as shell thickness, beam
cross-sectional properties, spring stiffness, and mass are modified to solve the optimization problem.
Defining size variables in OptiStruct is done very similarly to other size optimization codes.
Each size variable is defined using a DESVAR bulk data entry. If a discrete design variable is desired, a
DDVAL bulk data entry needs to be referenced for the design variable values. The DESVAR cards are
related to size properties in the model using a DVPREL1 or DVPREL2 bulk data entry. Each DVPREL
bulk data entry must reference at least one DESVAR bulk data entry to be active during the
optimization. HyperWorks includes a pre-processor called HyperMesh that can be used to set up any
number of size variables for the properties.
Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
In addition, in order to neutralize the effect of stacking sequence, the SMEAR option is
usually a good choice for this design phase unless the user intended to follow through with the stacking
preference of the super-ply laminate model.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
The topology optimization technique yields a new design and optimal material distribution. Topology optimization
allows designers to start with a design that already has the advantage of optimal material distribution and is ready
for design fine tuning with shape or size optimization.
In this tutorial, topology optimization is performed on a model to create a new topology for the structure, removing
any unnecessary material. The resulting structure is lighter and satisfies all design constraints.
Exercise
Set Up the Model in HyperMesh.
Since components need to reference a material, the materials collectors should be created first.
1. Select the Model tab.
2. Right click inside of the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click Material.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
When in this popup, do not press the Enter key until you are done.
3. In the Name: field, type Steel.
4. Select MAT1 as Card Image:
5. Select the box for Card edit material upon creation and click Create.
The MAT1 card image pops up.
6. For E, enter the value 2.1E5
7. For Nu, enter the value 0.3.
8. For RHO, enter the value 7.9E-9.
9. Click return.
10. Right click inside the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click Property.
11. In the Name: field, type prop_shell.
12. Select PSHELL as the Card Image:.
13. Select the Material tab and check the box for Assign material.
14. From the Name pull down, select Steel as the material.
15. Select the Property tab and select the box for Card edit property upon creation, and click Create.
The PSHELL card image appears. A new property has been created and the material property (named
Steel) is assigned to it. Look for the material ID under the MID1 field.
16. Activate the thickness field for the shell component by clicking [T].
This allows you to edit this field. Accept the default of 1.0.
17. Click return to go to the main menu.
To update the component collectors with the newly created properties, click on the Components icon
.
18. Select the update radio button and click on comps.
19. Check the box for comp_shell, and click select.
20. Toggle <no property> to property=.
21. Double click on property= and select prop_shell.
22. Click update.
23. Click return.
Next we will create two load collectors (Constraints and Forces) and assign each a color. Follow these steps for
each load collector.
1. Right click inside the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click LoadCollector.
When in this popup, do not press Enter on the keyboard until you are completely done.
2. In the Name: field, type Constraints.
3. Leave the Card Image: field set to None.
4. Select a colour from the palette.
5. Click create.
6. Using the same method, create the second load collector, named Forces.
For the three nodes that show constraints in the following figure, we need to create the SPC constraints and
assign them to the Constraints load collector as outlined in the following steps.
1. From the Model Browser, expand LoadCollector, right click on Constraints, and click on Make
Current.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
In this step, we will load the structure with two opposing forces of 100.0 N at the opposite tips of the opening of
the c-clip
1. From the Model Browser, under (expanded) LoadCollector, right click on Forces, and click on Make
Current.
2. From Analysis page, enter the forces panel.
3. To create the force at the top of the opening, click on the node at the top of the opening (A) of the c-clip
as in the figure below.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
Step 8: Run the Analysis.
A linear static analysis of this c-clip is performed prior to the definition of the optimization process. An analysis
identifies the responses of the structure before optimization to ensure that constraints defined for the optimization
are reasonable.
Upon successful completion of the analysis, the message ANALYSIS COMPLETED will appear in the
command window.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
The finite element model, consisting of shell elements, element properties, material properties, and loads and
boundary conditions has been defined. Now a topology optimization will be performed with the goal of minimizing
the amount of material to be used. Typically, removing the material in an existing volume with the same loads
and boundary conditions makes the model less stiff and more prone to deformation. Therefore, we need to track
the displacements (which represents the stiffness of the structure) and constrain the optimization process such
that the least material necessary is used and overall stiffness is also achieved.
The forces in the structure are applied on the outer nodes of the opening of the clip, making those two nodes
critical locations in the mesh where the maximum displacement is likely to occur. In this tutorial, we will apply a
displacement constraint on the nodes so that they would not displace more than 0.07 in the y-axis.
To create a displacement as a response, you will need to supply a meaningful name for the response, set the
response type to displacement, select the node for the response, and select the type of displacement (dof).
1. Click responses.
2. Click response= and type upperdis.
3. Change the response type: to static displacement.
4. Click the node labeled A (upper opening of c-clip) as shown in the figure to select it.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
5. Choose dof2 for the node.
6. Click create.
7. Click response= and type lowerdis.
8. The response type: should still be static displacement.
9. Click the node labeled B (lower opening of the c-clip) as shown in the figure.
.
10. Select dof2 and create the response.
11. Click return to go back to the optimization panel.
In this step we set the upper and lower bound constraint criteria for this analysis.
1. Click objective.
2. The switch on the left should be set to min.
3. Click response= and select volfrac.
4. Click create.
5. Click return twice to exit the optimization panel.
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2. Click next twice.
3. Click on SCREEN and return.
This will make OptiStruct output the optimization iterations to the output window.
4. From the Analysis page, select OptiStruct.
5. Click save as…, enter cclip_complete.fem as the file name, and click Save.
6. Click the run options: switch and select optimization.
7. Click OptiStruct to run the optimization.
The message following message appears in the window at the completion of the job:
OPTIMIZATION HAS CONVERGED
FEASIBLE DESIGN (ALL CONSTRAINTS SATISFIED).
OptiStruct also reports error messages if any exist. The file cclip_complete.out can be opened in a
text editor to find details regarding any errors. This file is written to the same directory as the .fem file.
8. Close the DOS window or shell and click return.
The default files that get written to your run directory include:
cclip_complete.stat Contains information about the CPU time used for the
complete run and also the break up of the CPU time
for reading the input deck, assembly, analysis,
convergence, etc.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
Post-process the Optimization Results
OptiStruct provides element density information for all iterations, and also gives displacement and von Mises
stress results (linear static analysis) for the starting and last iterations. This section describes how to view those
results in HyperView.
This plot provides the information about the element density. Iso Value retains all of the elements at and above a
certain density threshold. Pick the density threshold providing the structure that suits your needs.
3. Select Design under the load case section and the last iteration listed.
4. From Results pull down menu, click on Plot > Iso.
5. In the panel area at the bottom of the GUI, choose Element Densities as the Result type.
6. Set the Current Value: to 0.3.
7. Click on Top view orientation to set the correct view.
8. Click Apply.
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
Step 17: Compare Static Contour of Original to the Optimized Material Layout.
2. Divide this page into two vertical windows using the Page Layout toolbar icon .
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Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
.
13. From Edit pull down menu, click Copy > Page.
14. From the Edit pull down menu again, click Paste > Page.
This will create a 3rd page on this report.
15. Now click on the first window and click on the Contour button .
16. Change the result type to Element Stresses (2D & 3D) (t).
17. For Averaging method:, select Simple and click Apply.
18. Click with the right button on the first window; choose Apply Style To, then Current Page, and select
Contour.
.
These stress results can be used only as reference to help understanding how far from the limits the
design is.
Remember that topologic optimization will show you a concept shape and the stress results should be
validated during the next design phases.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
This tutorial demonstrates how to perform topography optimization of a plate under torsion. A finite element
model of the design space with loads and constraints applied is shown in the image below. It is assumed that the
part is to be formed using a stamping process. The objective is to minimize the displacement of the node where
the force is applied in the positive z-direction. Only the shape of the plate can be changed to achieve the
objective, not the thickness.
Finite element model of the design space with loads and constraints.
A finite element model (shown in the above figure) is loaded into HyperMesh. The constraints, load, material
properties, and subcase (loadstep) of the model are already defined. Topography design variables and
optimization parameters are defined and the OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal reinforcement
patterns. The results are viewed as animations of the contours of shape changes of the design space. Finally, the
use of the grouping patterns is shown; based on the shape changes suggested by OptiStruct, a possible pattern
is chosen for ease of manufacturing.
Design variables: Shape variables generated automatically on the designable space aligned
with the elements normal.
Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh, Load the User Profile and Retrieve the File.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
2. Choose OptiStruct in the User Profile dialog and click OK.
This loads the OptiStruct user profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import
reader, paring down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk
Data Format for RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
User Profiles… can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
3. From the File menu, click Open and browse to open the torsion_plate.hm file.
4. Click Open.
The torsion_plate.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing
data.
A PSHELL card image panel should appear. OptiStruct stores information regarding shell thicknesses on
the PSHELL card.
3. Ensure that the thickness, T, is set to the value 1.0.
4. Click return to go to the main menu.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Setting up a topography optimization in HyperMesh
For topography optimization, a design space and a "bead" definition need to be defined. The following section
outlines how this is done. For further information on "bead" definition, please see the reference manual section
on the DTPG card.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Step 4: Define the Responses.
A detailed description can be found in the online manual under Responses. Define one response for the
objective: displacement at the node where the force is applied.
In this example, the objective is to minimize the displacement response defined in the previous section.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
torsion_plate.grid An OptiStruct file where the perturbed grid data is written.
torsion_plate.sh Shape file for the final iteration. It contains the material
density, void size parameters, and void orientation angle for
each element in the analysis. The .sh file may be used to
restart a run and, if necessary, run OSSmooth files for
topology optimization.
Shape contour information is output from OptiStruct for all iterations. In addition, Displacement and Stress results
are output for the first and last iteration by default. This section describes how to view those results in HyperView.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern at the last iteration (converged solution)
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern with pattern grouping constraint at the last iteration
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
In this tutorial, a shape optimization on a cantilever beam modeled with shell elements will be performed. The
structural model with loads and constraints applied is shown in Figure 1. The deflection at the lower right corner
should be limited to 3mm. The optimal design would use as little material as possible
The structural model, shown in figure 1, is loaded into HyperMesh and is used to generate and run a shape
optimization of the cantilever beam. Shape perturbation vectors are generated using HyperMorph, which is
accessed, through the HyperMesh interface. The OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal shape. The
results are then reviewed in HyperView.
Constraints: Given maximum nodal displacement at the end of the beam < 3.0 mm.
Exercise
Step 1: Load the OptiStruct User Profile and Retrieve the Geometry.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
4. Select the beamshape.hm file.
5. Click Open.
The beamshape.hm is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing data. The
database only contains geometric data.
Note the location of beamshape.hm now displays in the file: field.
This section makes use of HyperMorph. For a more detailed description of the functionality of HyperMorph,
please refer to the HyperMorph section of the HyperMesh documentation.
.
Figure 3. Morphed shape 1.
15. Select the save shape subpanel.
16. Click shape = and enter shape1.
17. You can select the color button and change the color of the shape vectors or leave the default color set.
18. Set the toggle under shape = to as node perturbations.
19. Click save.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
20. Click Yes.
This shape has been saved, and can be associated with a design variable later.
21. Click undo all.
The model returns to its original shape.
22. Click return to return to the HyperMorph panel.
23. Select the handles panel.
24. Select the create subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
25. Click on name = and enter aux1.
26. Click on domain and select the top edge domain by clicking on the top edge in the graphics window.
27. To ensure that you select the top edge domain, hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse
over the top edge of the beam until the edge is highlighted (white), then release the mouse button.
28. Set the toggle to by nodes.
29. Click on nodes and select the node at the center of the top edge of the beam by clicking on it in the
graphics window.
30. Click create.
A new handle, 'aux1', is created at the center of the top edge of the beam, see figure 4.
Figure 4. New handle added at the center of the top edge of the beam
31. Click return to return to the HyperMorph panel.
32. Select the morph panel.
33. Select the move handles subpanel.
34. Click the switch beside move to node and select interactive from the pop-up menu.
35. The handle button should be highlighted. If not, click on it.
36. Select the handle you just created by clicking on it in the graphics window.
37. Click morph.
38. Click the new handle in the graphics window and keep the mouse button held down.
39. Move the mouse downwards in a straight line.
40. Note how the mesh morphs interactively as you move the handle.
41. When the handle is roughly at what was the center of the beam, release the mouse button.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
49. Move the mouse upwards until the value reads 1.500, then release the button and click update.
50. Note how the curvature of the top edge has altered. See Figure 6..
Two responses are defined in this tutorial; a volume response for the objective function and a displacement
response for the constraint. A detailed description can be found in the OptiStruct User's Guide under Responses.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
Step 5: Define a Constraint
A constraint with upper bound is to be defined for the displacement response defined in the previous section.
In this example, the objective is to minimize the volume response defined in the previous section.
Only displacement and stress results are available in the _s#.h3d file by default. In order to look at
displacement/stress results on top of a shape change that was applied to the model in HyperView, a SHAPE card
needs to be defined.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
This launches the OptiStruct job. If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The beamshape.out file is a good place to look for error
messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present. Make sure the process is
complete before checking the results files.
Step 10: View a Contour Plot of the Displacement on Top of the Shape Optimized
Model.
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Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
1. Click the Next Page arrow to move to page 2.
2. From the Graphics pull-down menu, choose the Select Load Case option.
3. In the Load Case and Simulation Selection dialog, select the last iteration from Simulation (load final
iteration results).
4. Click OK.
5. Go to the Deformed panel and set Shape Change (v) as the Result type:.
6. Click Apply.
The optimized shape of the beam is shown on the screen now.
7. Go to the Contour panel and select Displacement (v) as the Result type:.
8. Select Mag using the toggle.
9. Click Apply.
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Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an aluminum wing rib model will be used to demonstrate how to
do free-sizing optimization using OptiStruct. HyperView will be used to post-process the thickness pattern in the
rib.
There are four shell components in the model: the mounting flange, the web, the top and bottom flanges, and the
lug. The web is connected to the lug by gap elements. Appropriate properties, loads, boundary conditions, and
nonlinear subcases have already been defined in the model. The design region is the web and the rest of the
components are non-design. Since a large portion of aerospace components are shell structures which are
manufactured by machining or milling operations, free-sizing optimization is very suitable for those components.
To understand the limitations of topology optimization for such applications, a nonlinear gap topology optimization
will also be done on the wing rib model.
Design variables for free Thickness of each shell element in the design space.
sizing optimization:
Design variables for Element density of each element in the design domain.
topology optimization:
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Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh Desktop, Set the User Profile, and Retrieve the File.
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Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
8. For response type, go to the previous page using <<, and then click on volume frac.
9. Leave the type as total.
10. Click create.
11. Click return.
12. Click on the dconstraints panel to define the volume fraction constraint.
13. For constraint =, input the name vol.
14. Click response =, and select the volfrac response.
15. For upper bound =, input a value of 0.3.
16. Click create.
17. Click return.
18. Click on the objective panel to define the objective.
19. Toggle to min if not already done.
20. For response =, select the wcomp response.
21. Click create.
22. Click return twice to exit the panel.
The optimization parameters have now been defined.
rib_freesize_hist.mvw This file is a HypeView session file and may be opened from
the File drop-down menu in HyperView or HyperGraph. The
file automatically creates individual plots for each of the
results (objectives, constraints) contained in the .hist file.
Each plot occupies its own page within HyperView
(HyperGraph).
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Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
rib_freesize.HM.ent.cmf This is a HyperMesh command file. When executed in
HyperMesh, the .HM.ent.cmf file organizes all elements
in the model into ten new sets based on their element
thicknesses at the final iteration. The set for this run are
named 0.0-0.01, 0.01-0.02, 0.02-0.03, and so on, up to
0.09-0.1, considering the plate thickness of the Web is
0.1mm.
rib_freesize_frame.html The file contains two frames. The top frame opens one of
the .h3d files using the HyperView Player browser plug-in.
The .h3d file opened depends on the results selected for
display in the bottom frame. The bottom frame opens the
_menu.html file, which facilitates the selection of results to
be displayed.
rib_freesize_menu.html This file facilitates the selection of the appropriate .h3d file
for the HyperView Player browser plug-in in the top frame of
the _frames.html file, based on chosen results.
rib_freesize.sh Shape file for the final iteration. The .sh file may be used to
restart a run.
rib_freesize.fsthick The element definitions for those elements that were part of
a free size design space. The optimized thickness of these
elements are provided as nodal thickness values (Ti).
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Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
rib_freesize.mvw This file is a HypeView session file and may be opened from
the File drop-down menu in HyperView. The file
automatically creates individual load the optimization results
(dens.h3d) and the loadstep results (s#.h3d).
Element thickness distributions are output from OptiStruct for all iterations. In addition, Displacement and Stress
results are output for each subcase for the first and last iteration by default. This section describes how to view
those results in HyperView.
3. Click the Entity Attributes icon on the toolbar and undisplay all of the components, except Web.
You can do this by activating the Auto apply mode: (Display OFF) and then clicking on the component
that you want turned off in the GUI.
6. Go to the Contour panel and set the Result type: to Element Thicknesses.
7. From the Graphics drop-down menu, choose Select Load Case to open the Load Case and
Simulation Selection dialog.
8. Select the last iteration listed in the Simulation list and click OK.
9. Click Top in the view controls section (in bottom right of HyperView panel) to get a top view of the Web.
10. Click Apply.
This will show the contour element thickness on the Web component.
Thickness contour from free-sizing nonlinear gap optimization, on the Web of plate thickness 0.1mm.
As can be seen from the figure above, the result from free-sizing optimization is a web with optimized
thickness distribution that can be reduced subsequently into larger zones for simplification of the
manufacturing process. Moreover, the design obtained from free-sizing offers the freedom to create
cavities, ribs, and varying thickness simultaneously, which is not possible in topology optimization.
11. Use the Page Navigation controls to return to Page 1 and the HyperMesh client.
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The process expands upon three important and advanced optimization techniques; free-size optimization, size
optimization and ply stacking sequence optimization. By stringing these three techniques together, OptiStruct
offers a unique and comprehensive process for the design and optimization of composite laminates. The
process is automated and integrated in HyperWorks by generating the input data for a subsequent phase
automatically from the previous design phase.
The following optimization setup is defined in the concept design phase to identify the stiffest design for the
given fraction of the material. To obtain more meaningful results, manufacturing constraints are incorporated
and carried through all design phases automatically.
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2. Click on the drop down icon as shown in the image and select loads from the list.
6. Click on the drop-down icon and select elems, then click on elems and select all, in element size= enter
35, select the mesh type: as quards and then click on mesh keep all the other parameters same as shown in the
image below.
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5. Keep all the other parameters as shown in the image and click on create.
6. Click return.
7. Then again go to Load Collector (2) in the model browser and right click on pressure and select make
current.
8. Go to Analysis page click on pressures.
9. Click on elems and select all, then click on nodes and select all, in magnitude enter -0.0008.keep all the
other parameters as show in the image.
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4. Select the .h3d or Altair HyperView Player file from the folder where you have saved the model file.
And then click on Apply.
5. Click on Contour icon and click Apply. This will show you the displacement contour.
6. Now click on Measures icon and check the box in front of Static MinMax Result, then uncheck the box
in front of Min, note down the node number and maximum displacement value on that node/model.
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3. In free size panel select the radio button as create. In desvar= enter door. Select the type as
PCOMP(G), click on props and check the box in front of LAM and click select. Then click create.
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5. Then click on edit button, check the box in front of PLYTHK, PLYPCT AND BALANCE. Now in PYLPCT
option instead of all select Specify Number, and enter 2 in DSIZE_NUMBER_OF_PLYPCT
7. Click return.
8. Click Update.
9. Click return.
2. In response= enter displ, in response type select static displacement, click on nodes and click on by id,
then enter the node number which you have noted down earlier from the static results. And press
enter, then select the radio button total disp. Click create.
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6. Click return.
2. In constraints= enter displ. Click on response= and select displ. Click on loadsteps and select Pressure.
Check the box in front of upper bound= and enter the value 12. Click create.
3. Click return.
2. Select min from the drop down list, click on response= and select volfrac. Click create.
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4. Click return.
5. Now click on next and select OUTPUT
7. Click return.
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8. Click on OptiStruct.
9. Once you see OPTIMIZATION HAS CONVERGED… FEASIBLE DESIGN <ALLCONSTRAINTS SATISFIED>.
Close the solver window.
Step 7: View the Element Thickness and Ply Thickness as results in HyperView.
1. Click on Page Window Layout icon as show… and select the 4 window lay-out.
2. Click on 3rd Window. And then load the …._des.h3d file (follow the same procedure as shown above to load the
result file)
3. Select the last iteration as show below.
4. Click on contour icon, set the Averaging Method as Simple and click Apply.
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5. Now Select Ply Thicknesses in Result type: and then click Apply
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0 0
This is ply thickness of 0 ply(to view this select 1) This is ply thickness of 45 ply (to view this select 2)
0 0
This is ply thickness of -45 ply (to view this select 3) This is ply thickness of 90 ply (to view this select 4)
Step 8: View the ply bundles through element sets
The optimized ‘Super-ply’ thickness is subsequently represented as ‘Ply Bundles’. Four ply bundles
per fiber orientation (Super ply) are output by default, based on an intelligent algorithm in OptiStruct. These ply
bundles represent the shape and location of the plies per fiber orientation through element sets. In this case, a
total of 16 ply bundles are created after free size optimization converges: element sets 1 through 4 represent
the ply bundles for 0 degree super-ply; element sets 5 through 8 represent ply bundles for both +45 and -45
degree super-ply; element sets 9 through 12 represent ply bundles for 90 degree super-ply.
1. Click on 1st Window.
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6. Click Import.
7. Click Close.
8. Go to Analysis page and click on entity sets panel
9. Click on review button. And then select the set1, set2, set3,…. To view the ply bundles due to each set.
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Design Variables: Ply thickness, which have been defined in the size input deck from Phase 1
Objective: Minimize the total designable volume
Constraints: - Natural frequencies (1st ~ 5th) ≥ 0.02 KHz
- Composite strains in the fairing < 1000 micro-strain
Manufacturing constraints are preserved and transferred to the DCOMP card. A minimum
manufacturable ply thickness of 0.25, defined in Phase 1, is transferred to the PLY card. It allows for the optimal
ply bundle thicknesses to be a multiple of the minimum ply thickness value, and helps in calculating the total
number of plies required per fiber orientation.
3. Click edit and review the DCOMP card image as shown below. PLYPCT and BALANCE constraints are
transferred to DCOMP card. The manufacturable ply thickness constraint 0.25 in PLYTHK is transferred
to the PLY card.
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3. Click on the optiresponses. And then select the displ and volfrac from the list, click on select. And then
click on delete entity.
4. Click return.
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9. Click return.
3. Click create.
4. In response= enter freq1, in response type select frequency, enter 1 in Mode Number:, click create.
5. Repeate set 4 and create 4 more responses for frequency as freq2 – mode number: 2, freq3 – mode
number: 3, freq4 – mode number: 4, freq5 – mode number: 5.
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6. Now in response= enter cstrain, in response type select composite strain. Click on the drop down
arrow as shown in the image and select piles from the list. Click on the piles and select all the plies. Set
maj. Principal as strain type, click create.
3. Follow the above step 2, to create constraints as freq2, freq3, freq4 and freq5 having response as
freq2, freq3, freq4 and freq5 respectively. Having the same lower bound as 0.02 and same loadstep as
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4. Now in constraints= enter cstrain, in response= select cstrain from the list of responses, click on
loadstep and select pressure as a load step. Check the box in front of upper bound= and enter value
0.001. click create.
3. Click return.
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OptiStruct will automatically generate a size model after the free-size optimization.
5. Click return twice to go back to the Analysis page.
Step 9: Save the file & run the Composite size Optimization
1. Follow the same procedure given in STEP 6 of PHASE 1 (see above…).
(But create a new folder and then save the file don’t save the file in the same folder).
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The maximum successive number of plies of a particular orientation does not exceed 4 plies
The + 45s and – 45s are reversed paired
Step 1: Load the OptiStruct user profile and import the composite size optimization
file.
1. Follow the same procedure given in STEP 8 of PHASE 1 upto POINT 7. And import the file
…._shuffling.*.fem file from the folder where you have saved the file before Analysis.
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5. Click update.
6. Click return.
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2. Click on create radio button. Then click on dshuffle and select door.
3. Click on parameters radio button; make sure the door is selected in dshuffle. Check the box next to
pairing constraint, select reverse as pair type: make sure the ply angle1= is 45 and ply angle2= is -45.
4. Click update.
5. Click on edit.
6. Check the box next to MAXSUCC and enter 4 in MSUCC.
7. Click return.
8. Click update.
9. Click return.
Step 5: Save the file and run the Composite Shuffling Optimization.
1. Follow the same procedure given STEP 6 in PHASE 1 (see above…).
(But create a new folder and then save the file don’t save the file in the same folder).
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Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
This tutorial performs a combined topology and topography optimization on a slider suspension using OptiStruct.
The objective is to increase the stiffness of the slider suspension and make it lighter at the same time. This
requires the use of both topology and topography optimization.
The finite element model of the slider suspension contains force and boundary conditions. The structure is made
of quad elements and has both linear statics and normal modes subcases (loadsteps). Steps are described to
define topology and topography design space, responses, constraints, and objective function. The optimized
structure will be stiffer for both linear statics and normal modes subcases and will have beads and less material.
Problem Statement.
Perform combined topology and topography optimization on a disk drive slider suspension to maximize the
stiffness and weighted mode. The lower bound constraint on the seventh mode is 12 cycles/ms.
Objective function: Minimize the combined weighted compliance and the weighted modes.
Exercise
Step 1: Set the User Profile and Import a Finite Element Model.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
A User Profiles… dialog will appear.
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Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
2. Choose OptiStruct and click OK.
This loads the user profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk Data Format for
RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
3. From the File drop-down menu on the toolbar, select Import….
An Import tab is added to your tab menu.
1. Click topography.
2. Verify you are in the create subpanel.
3. Click props, check 1pin and 3bend, and click select.
4. For desvar=, assign the name tpg.
5. Click create.
6. Select the bead params subpanel.
7. For minimum width=, assign a value of 0.4; for draw angle=, 60; and for draw height=, 0.15.
8. Toggle draw direction: to normal to elements.
9. Toggle boundary skip: to load & spc.
10. Activate buffer zone.
11. Click update.
We will use 1-plane symmetric beads, as it is the simplest and can be symmetric at the same time.
12. Go to the pattern grouping subpanel and set pattern type: to 1-plane sym.
13. Click anchor node, type 41, and press ENTER.
14. Click first node, type 53, and press ENTER.
15. Click update.
16. Select the bounds subpanel.
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Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
17. Verify the bounds are as follows:
upper bound = 1.0, lower bound = 0.0.
18. Click update.
19. Click return.
Since this problem is a combined linear static and normal mode analysis, we are trying to minimize compliance
and increase frequency for the two load cases, while constraining the seventh frequency. Therefore, we define
two responses: comb and freq.
Mode Weight
1 1.0
2 2.0
3 1.0
4 1.0
5 1.0
6 1.0
11. Click create.
12. Click return.
1. Click dconstraints.
2. For constraint =, assign the name frequency.
3. Check lowerbound and assign a value of 12.
4. Click response= and select freq.
5. Click loadsteps and click the frequency checkbox, then click select.
6. Click create.
7. Click return.
1. Click objective.
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Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
2. Verify that objective is set to min.
3. Click response = and select comb.
4. Click create.
5. Click return.
During optimization, the frequencies and their mode shape may change order due to the change in element
densities and other design changes. To overcome this, define a parameter to track the frequencies so that only
the intended frequencies are tracked during optimization runs.
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Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
Step 10: Post-process the Shape Change Result (Topography)
1. Once you see the message Process completed successfully in the command window, close the
command window to return to HyperMesh.
2. Back in HyperMesh, click HyperView (from the OptiStruct panel) to launch HyperView.
The HyperView GUI window opens and the results get loaded automatically in HyperView. A Message
Log window appears to inform about the successful loading of the model and result files into HyperView.
3. Click Close to close the message window.
4. Click on the Deformed toolbar button .
5. By clicking on the drop-down menus next to each option, for Result type:, select Shape Change(v); for
Scale:, select Scale factor; and for Type:, select Uniform.
6. For Value: 1.0.
7. Below the Undeformed shape: section, click on the drop-down menu next to Show: and select None.
8. Click Apply to display the shape change because of topography optimization.
9. At the bottom of the GUI, click on the name Design or Model Step,
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