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You can either create the geometry directly in Apex Generative Design or import already existing files. You can import .xb, .xt, .step, and .sldprt files into the program.
Import/create the Design space including the Nondesign spacesin MSC Apex Generative Design 2020 as one solid. For this Bookshelf the already prepared Design space was imported.
Create the material in the Materials editor and assign it to the Design space
The specific values needed are the Young's Modulus (210e3 MPa), poisson ratio (0.3) and density (7.8e-6 kg/mm3)
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Nondesign spaceshave to be selected using the Optimization Tools. In this case the three screw holes are being used and a Nondesign space with an offset of 2 mm is created for each.
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Go to the Loads & Boundary Condition Tool to enter the loads and fixations. Displacements, Forces, Moments, Gravity and Pressure Loads can be applied using different selection options.
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Three constraints are created and attached on the Nondesign spaces:
Name | Direction |
|---|---|
Constraint 1 | x, y, z (=0) |
Constraint 2 | x, y, z (=0) |
Constraint 3 | x, y, z (=0) |
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The next steps are defined in the Studies area.
All boundary conditions must be assigned to the specific load cases, which are defined as Events. The number of Eventscan be changed by adding/deleting Eventsto the Meshless Generative Design Scenario. The assignment of the boundary conditions to the Eventscan be made in the Loads & Constrains Window. The already created loads and constraints that concern the Design space are listed in this window and can be activated for each Eventindividually.
Active in Event1: Force-Moment 1, Constraint 1, Constraint 2 and Constraint 3
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The optimization parameters are selected in the Studies Area as well.
Select the Strut Density: Medium
Select the Shape Quality: Balanced
Enter the Stress Goal: 2 MPa
Don’t forget to save the project!
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If all data is correct, the optimization can be started and tracked in the Post Processing. The Analysis Readiness function checks if all information are provided and the optimization can start.
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The optimization is finished after 64 iterations (Shape Quality: Balanced).
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Generative Design
You can always change the Strut Density, Maximum Stress Goal and Complexityto influence the results and try out different options
The Complexitycan be increased for a higher resolution (increased calculation time!)
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The Strut Densityinfluences the structures which are formed during optimization
The optimizations below show the influence of the Strut Density when nothing else is changed.
Strut Density: Medium
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Strut Density: Dense
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Strut Density: Sparse → one Fixation was sorted out by the optimization algorithm because it was not necessary to reach the goal of the optimization!
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