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Step 1:
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In a first step, you need to create a new project. All data (geometry and configuration) will be copied and saved directly in a new project folder, located in your workspace:
Start MSC Apex Generative Design
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Create a new project using the symbol
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Enter a project name and save the project
Open the newly created project
2020
The program starts and you can directly create your optimization model
Step 2: Model generation
Upload all relevant stl files by clicking on the symbol in the objects/surfaces area
Select all stl files
The field at the bottom shows notifications to help you generate an optimization model
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The uploaded objects are listed in the objects/surfaces area
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You can either create the geometry directly in Apex GenDes or import already existing files. You can import .xb, .step and .stl 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 space including the nondesign spaces in MSC Apex Generativ Design 2020 as one solid
Create the material in the materials editor and assign a Material to the design space
The specific values needed are the Young's Modulus (210e3) and , poisson ratio (0.28) in the Material Editor
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Activate the option design space for the relevant stl file. Only one volume can be selected as such.
In this case: Pedal - design-1
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) and density (7.85)
Nondesign spaces have to be selected using the optimization tools
Step 3: Definition of boundary conditions
Go to the boundary conditions tab tool to enter the loads and fixations. For each boundary condition a name, a space and the specification of the boundary condition is entered as follows:
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Name
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Displacements, Forces, Moments and Pressure Loads can be applied using different selection options. In this case one Force
Name | Surface | Direction | Value in N |
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Force-Moment1 | Pedalfootsurface1 | y | -1000 |
Object "Pedalfootsurface1" experiences a force of -1000 N in y-direction (Force). The force of the whole pedal is -2000 N. If you are using the symmetry option, the force must be adjusted to the calculation model. If only half of the component is calculated (symmetry about the XY-Plane), the force must also be cut in half. The example already considers this restriction.
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Name
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Object
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Direction
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and one Fixation need to be created.
Name | Surface | Direction |
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Constraint1 | Pedalaxle1 | x, y, z (=0) |
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A total of 1 force and 1 fixation should have been created as a result
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The next steps are carried out 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
All boundary conditions must be assigned to the specific load cases, which are defines as Events. The number of load cases can be changed using the "+" or "-" charactersby adding/deleting Events to the Meshless Generative Design Scenario. The assignment of the boundaries boundarie conditions to the load cases Events can be made in the boundary conditions or load cases area by selecting the different boundary conditions while the load case is activated 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 Event individually.
Active in Loadcase1 Event1: Force-Moment and Fixation
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Constraint1
Step 4: Definition of optimization parameters
Switch to the optimization areaThe optimization parameters are selected in the Studies Area as well. You can find more information about the parameter selection here.
Choose Select the design type Thickness: normal
Enter the optimization goal stress: 60 MPa
Set the symmetry setting: XY-Plane
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Open Result File Formats. The following result files should be activated:
stl File: results of each iteration in stl file format
stl Files Intersected: result of each iteration intersected with the design space in stl file format
ply Files with Stress: results with the information of stresses of each iteration (must be activated to show the results in the Visualization space)
ply Files with Displacement: results with the information of displacements of each iteration (must be activated to show the results in the Visualization space)
More information on result file formats here
All Inputs can be viewed and checked in the configuration file. The file should look like this.
Please make sure only one .amendate file is in your project folder.
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Select the Calculation Type: optimizing
Enter the Maximum Stress: 50 MPa
Step 5: Generative Design
You can always change the design type Thickness, stress Maximum Stress and solverMaxMemory 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
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6: Save the Project
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Before starting the optimization, save your project!
Step
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7: Starting the optimization
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If all data are correct, the optimization can be started and tracked in the results area.
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All result iterations are displayed as soon as they are available. The progress of the optimization can also be monitored via the AMendate log file. Furtheremore you are able to stop the optimization in this selection area. A restart however is not possible.
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. 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 program.
The optimization is finished after 64 iterations (optimizationtypecalculationtype: optimizing).
The files created for the optimization can be found and checked here: User/AppData/Local/Temp/Meshless_Generative-Design_Scenario_1
Be aware that the unit system is changed to SI units for the optimization.
Step 7: Visualization of Stresses
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.
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Step 8: Visualization of Displacements
The legend can be influenced using the slider. The function "Automatically set to local minimum and maximum" considers the displacements of each iteration and sets the values from the current iteration.
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Step 9: Influence of different settings
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By varying the settings the optimization results can be influenced
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The solverMaxMemory can be increased for a higher resolution (increased calculation time!). You can find further information here.
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The Design Type influences the strucures which are formed during optimization. You can find further information here.
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You might also be interested in these tutorials:
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