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Finite element mesh containing designable (blue) and non-designable (yellow) material.
A finite element model representing the designable and non-designable material (shown in figure) is
imported into HyperMesh. Appropriate properties, boundary conditions, loads, and optimization parameters
are defined and the OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal material distribution. The results
(the material layout) are viewed as contours of a normalized density value ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 in the
design space. Isosurfaces are also used to view the density results. Areas that need reinforcement will
tend towards a density of 1.0.
The optimization problem for this tutorial is stated as:
Design variables: Microstructural void sizes and orientations in the design space.
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Exercise
Setting Up the FE Model in HyperMesh
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh, Set the User Profile and Retrieve the File
1. Launch HyperMesh
2. Choose the OptiStruct User Profile 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. The User Profiles… GUI can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-
down menu on the toolbar.
3. Select the optimization panel on the Analysis page.
4. From the File pull-down menu on the toolbar, select Open….
5. Select the carm.hm file, located in the HyperWorks installation directory under
<install_directory>/tutorials/hwsolvers/optistruct/.
6. Click Open.
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7. Select the node at the other end of the bushing (see the following figure) by clicking on it in the graphics
window.
8. Constrain dof2 and dof3; make sure dofs 2 and 3 are checked.
9. Click create.
A constraint is created. A constraint symbol (triangle) appears in the graphics window at the selected
node. The number 23 is written beside the constraint symbol, indicating that dof2 and dof3 are
constrained.
10. Click nodes and select by id from the extended entity selection window.
11. Type the value 3239 and press Enter key.
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Three separate forces in load collectors: brake, corner, and pothole with the component "design" turned off using the display
panel.
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5. Click props , choose design_prop from the list of props, and click on
select.
6. Choose type: PSOLID.
7. Click Create.
A topology design space definition, design_prop, has been created. All elements organized in this
design property collector are now included in the design space.
8. Click return to go back to the optimization panel.
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3. Click the Next Page toolbar button to move to the second page.
The second page has the results from the carm_complete_s1.h3d file. Note that the name of the
page is displayed as Subcase 1 – Brake to indicate that the results correspond to subcase 1.
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This means that the maximum displacement will be 10 Model units and all other displacements will be
proportional.
12. Below the Undeformed shape: section, click on the pull-down menu next to Show and select
Wireframe.
13. Click Apply.
A deformed plot of your model with displacement contour should be visible, overlaid on the original
undeformed mesh.
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Each element of the model is assigned a legend color, indicating the density of each element for the
selected iteration.
Have most of your elements converged to a density close to 1 or 0?
If there are many elements with intermediate densities, the DISCRETE parameter may need to be
adjusted. The DISCRETE parameter (set in the opti control panel on the optimization panel) can be
used to push elements with intermediate densities towards 1 or 0 so that a more discrete structure is
given.
In this model, refining the mesh should provide a more discrete solution; however, for the purposes of
this tutorial, the current mesh and results are sufficient.
Regions that need reinforcement tend towards a density of 1.0. Areas that do not need reinforcement
tend towards a density of 0.0.
Is the max= field showing 1.0e+00?
In this case, it is.
If it is not, the optimization has not progressed far enough. Allow more iterations and/or decrease the
OBJTOL parameter (also set in the opti control panel).
If adjusting the discrete parameter, refining the mesh, and/or decreasing the objective tolerance does
not yield a more discrete solution (none of the elements progress to a density value of 1.0), review the
set up of the optimization problem. Some of the defined constraints may not be attainable for the given
objective function (or vice versa).
Step 16: View an Iso Value Plot on Top of the Element Densities Contour
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.
1. From Graphics pull down menu, click on Iso Value, and choose Element Densities as the Result
type.
2. Set the Current Value: to 0.15.
3. Click Apply.
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4. Move the slider below Current value: to change the density threshold.
You will see the iso value in the graphics window update interactively when you scroll to a new value.
Use this tool to get a better look at the material layout and the load paths from OptiStruct.
Go To
RADIOSS, MotionSolve, and OptiStruct Tutorials
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