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Goal of this tutorial
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Relevant data for this tutorial:
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Step 1: Start MSC Apex Generative Design 2020
The program starts and you can directly create your optimization model
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Step 2: Model generation
You can either create the geometry directly in MSC Apex GenDes Gennerative Design or import already existing files. You can import .xb, .step, and .stl sldprt files into the program.For this Bridge a design space needs to be created which includes the 4 pillars as fixations and the street as the force entry point.
Import/create the design Design space including the nondesign Nondesign spaces in MSC Apex Generativ Design 2020 as one solid. For this Jet Engine Bracket the already prepared Design space was imported.
Create the material Steel in the materials Materials editor and assign a Material it to the design Design space
The specific values needed are the Young's Modulus (210e3 MPa), poisson ratio (0.28) and density (7.85)85e-6 kg/mm3)
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Nondesign spaces have to be selected using the optimization toolsOptimization Tools. In this case the four fixation points and two force application points are selected and a Nondesign space with an offset of 3 mm is created for each.
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Step 3: Definition of boundary conditions
Go to the boundary conditions tool 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 one Forceforce is defined (on the top plate):
NameSurface | Force/Moment/Pressure/Gravity | Direction | Value in N |
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Force-Moment1 | Pedalfootsurface1Force | y | -1000 |
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Name
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Surface
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Direction
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Constraint1
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and one Fixation need to be created.
One constraint is created and attached on the Nondesign space:
Name | Direction |
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Constraint 1 | x, y, z (=0) |
Step 4: Definition of load cases
The next steps are carried out defined in the Studies Area. To start an optimization a Meshless Genreative Design Study needs to be created. This study automatically selects the existing solid from the model setup as the design space. Different scenarios can be created and simulated for this design space.
Step 4: Definition of load cases
area.
All boundary conditions must be assigned to the specific load cases, which are defines defined as Events. The number of load cases Events can be changed by adding/deleting Events to the Meshless Generative Design Scenario. The assignment of the boundarie boundary conditions to the Events can be made in the Loads & Constrains Window. The already created loads and constraints that concern the design Design space are listed in this window and can be activated for each Event individually.
Active in Event1: Force-Moment and Constraint1
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5: Definition of optimization parameters
The optimization parameters are selected in the Studies Area as well. You can find more information about the parameter selection here.
Select the Thickness Strut Density: normalMedium
Select the Calculation Type Shape Quality: optimizing Balanced
Enter the Maximum Stress Goal: 50 MPa
Step 5: Generative Design
You can always change the Thickness, Maximum Stress and SolverMaxMemory to influence the results and try out different options
The SolverMaxMemory can be increased for a higher resolution (increased calculation time!)
The Thickness influences the strucures which are formed during optimization
You can find further information here.
Step 6: Save the Project
Before starting the optimization, save your project!
Step 7: Starting the optimization
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Advanced User Settings: BF1584446026. Further information here.
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Don’t forget to save the project!
Step 6: Starting the optimization and visualize the results
If all data is correct, the optimization can be started . Click on the Meshless Generative Design Scenario that you want to start and click Run Simulation. When the Optimization is started succesfully the notification Run simulation will appear in the left, down corner of the programand tracked in the Post Processing. The Analysis Readiness function checks if all information are provided and the optimization can start.
All result iterations are displayed as soon as they are available. 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 (calculationtypeShape Quality: optimizingBalanced).
The files created for the optimization can be found and checked here: User/AppData/Local/Temp/Meshless_Generative-Design_Scenario_1
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Generative Design
You can always change the Strut Density, Stress Goal and Complexity to influence the results and try out different options
The Complexity can be increased to realize a higher resolution (increases calculation time!) Options - Application Settings - Generative Design Solver
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Step 7: Visualization of Stresses
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The legend can be influenced using the slider. The function "Automatically set to local minimum and maximum" considers the stresses of each iteration and sets the values from the current iteration.
Step 8: Visualization of Displacements
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& Displacements
Inside the Post Processing the von Mises stress and the displacements are visible for all iterations
The Scale can be influenced individually
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The whole MSC Apex Generative Design 2020 project with all results can be downloaded here: