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Import/create the Design space including the Nondesign spacesin MSC Apex Generative Design 2020. For this Drone a CAD-file was imported.
The CAD-file includes several solids. Thus, only one solid is supported for an optimization, with a boolean Boolean operation the solids can be merged to one. Activate Merge Solids as Cells to create partitions which can be used for Nondesign spaces.
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Create the material in the Materials editor and assign it to the Design space
The specific values needed are the Young's Modulus (2350 MPa), poisson Poisson ratio (0.4) and density (1.24e-6 kg/mm3)
After assigning the material to the solid, the material will be part of the model tree on the left side
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Nondesign spaceshave to be selected using the Optimization Tools. In this case with the direct method all already existing cells (partitions) can be selected (Four engine brackets and the two brackets for battery and control unit)
The Nondesign spaces will change the colour color and are listed up in the model tree
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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.
In this case an a symmetrical optimization by using the Advanced User Settings should be done. Therefore, the loads are only applied on a half/quarter/eighth
The loads will be automatically mirrored through the symmetry planes
Attention: The loads are only allowed to be applied in the positive coordinate direction. More information about how to use the symmetry function here.
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The displacement constraints are allowed to be applied inside the other coordinate half/quarter/octant unlike loads
All cells with a load or constraint will automatically be a Nondesign space if they were’nt weren’t selected before as a Nondesign space!
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To use the symmetry constraints correct correctly some conditions have to be satisfied:
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Before starting the optimization, a look inside the Generative Design Solver Settings can be useful. (Options-Application Settings-Generative Design Solver)
Here can be choosen chosen between local or remote and GPU or CPU solving. Furthermore, the complexity value can be changed.
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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 is provided and the optimization can start.
All result iterations are displayed as soon as they are available. Furtheremore Furthermore, you are able to stop the optimization in this selection area. However, a restart is not directly possible.
The optimization is finished after 64 iterations (Shape Quality: Balanced (Calculation type: Optimizing)).
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Generative Design
You can always change the Strut Density, Stress goal and Complexityto influence the results and try out different options. Therefore you can create a new scenario.
The Complexitycan be increased for a higher resolution (increased calculation time!)
The Strut Densityinfluences the strucures structures which are formed during optimization
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