Page Comparison

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Relevant data for this tutorial:

Step 1: Start MSC Apex Generative Design

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• Import/create the Design Space including the Interfaces (Non-Design Spaces) in MSC Apex Generative Design as one solid. For this GD-Bracket the already prepared Design Space was imported.

• Open the Optimization Tools to select the imported Geometry as the Design Space.

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Creation of local coordinate systems to apply forces

For this model one local coordinate system needs to be created to easily apply the corresponding force to the model.
By opening the Coordinate Tools a local coordinate system is created by entering the three orientations (alpha = 75°, beta = 90°, gamma = 315°) and placing it on the front plane (coordinate system 2).

Coordinate system 1 is already created and is the Principal Coordinate System.

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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.

To apply the forces the Force Moment Tool from the Loads & Boundary Condition Tools is needed. By disabling the Flash (selection of the execution mode for the tool) on the top left corner of the Tool, multiple faces can be selected simultaneously. Select the Faces as shown in the pictures below for each load.Three

Loads & Boundary Condition for Event 1

For the first Event two remote loads are created (Force - Moment 1 , & Force - Moment 2 and Force - Moment 3) on the shown surfaces with the given values in the tables.

Force 1 is applied on the left, big cylindrical surface:

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Force 2 is applied on the other two surfaces. The point of application of this remote Force can set up by determining a point regarding the global coordinate system.big cylindrical surface:

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Force - Moment 3 is applied on the same surfaces like the first Force. This new Load is referring to the local coordinate system created earlier.

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For the first Event one Displacement constraints at the middle cylinder is created:

Under Displacement Constraints a “clamped” constraint can be chosen, which locks translations in all three directions. On the left side of the Tool the relevant geometry choice can be selected. In this case the surface of the middle cylinder is selected to attach the constraints as shown in the picture below.

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Loads & Boundary Condition for Event 2

For Event 2 four loads and one displacement constraint on each side are needed.

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Six Constraints at the bottom of the structure are created:

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And the same clamping loads (Load 7, 8, 9, 10) are also applied on the other side.

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On both outer bigger cylinders clamped displacement constraints are applied:

Under Displacement Constraints a “clamped” constraint can be chosen, which locks translations in all three directions. On the left side of the Tool the relevant geometry choice can be selected. In this case the inner surfaces are selected to attach the constraints as shown in the picture below.

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Step 4: Interface Creation

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All surfaces on which a boundary condition is applied can be selected directly as an interface with the “Select Faces from Loads and Boundary Conditions” button. The Boundary Condition surfaces will be highlighted and can be selected/deselected. With “Apply” the Non-Design Space Thickness, Machining Allowance and if available Offset Distance values will be applied to the selected surfaces.

• In this case a for the outer, bigger cylinders and the middle cylinder inclusive the front faces are manually selected. A Non-Design Space Thickness of 3 mm and a Machining Allowance of 1 mm is entered. Because not only the inner faces touching the screw but also the front and back face are supposed to contain material and have sharp, functional faces, an Offset Distance of 3 mm is entered.

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• Note: the Interface Offset (usually displayed in red) is not visualized due to a limitation. The correct value will be considered in the optimisation.

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• On the smaller outer cylinders a Non-Design Space Thickness of 1mm and a Machining Allowance of 0.5 mm is applied. For these cylinders the “automatically create interface” option can be used by selecting the corresponding boundary conditions on these surfaces.

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Step 5: Definition of load cases

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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 GD 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.

• Event 1: Force -Moment 1, Force -Moment 2, Constraint 1, Constraint 2, Constraint

• Event 2: Force 3, Constraint Force 4, Constraint Force 5 and Constraint 6 Event 2: Force-Moment 2, Force-Moment 3, Constraint 1, Force 6, Force 7, Force 8, Force 9, Force 10, Constraint 2, Constraint 3, Constraint 4, Constraint 5 and Constraint 6

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Step 6: Definition of optimisation parameters and Generative Design Settings

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• Manufacturing Method: Generic AM

• Failure Criteria: Von Mises

• Safety Factor: 420

• Strut Density: Medium

• Shape Quality: Balanced

• Complexity Setting: 7Keep Non-Design Spaces: All Constraints and Interfaces 5- 10 are deactivated

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Don’t forget to save the project!

The chosen Safety Factor calculates automatically with the entered maximum allowable Tension Strength the Stress Goal for the optimisation. By clicking on the Gear-Button behind the Safety Factor the detailed menu for the Safety Factor and Stress Goal shows up.

The maximum allowable stress is shown (320 MPa) and the calculated Stress Goal (80 MPa). By changing the Failure Definition to Stress Goal, the Stress Goal can be entered manually as well.

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Step 7: Casting Design Rules via the Advanced User Settings

To change the Manufacturing Method to Casting the Advanced User Settings have to be used.

The following commands are added to the scenario:

With the first command the optimisation strategy is set to Casting. The following commands defining tools. Each tool is one draw direction for the manufacturing process. The actual draw direction is set as a vector. For each draw direction a draft angle can be set. The draft angle (specified in degrees) is the tapering angle for walls/ribs regarding the draw directions.

In this case two draw directions are defined in positive and negative z-direction and a tapering angle of 5°.

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Step 8: Starting the optimisation and visualize the results

If all data is correct, the optimisation can be started and tracked in the Post Processing. The Analysis Readiness function checks if all information is provided and the optimisation can start.

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The whole MSC Apex Generative Design project with all results can be downloaded here: How the Complexity, Keep-Non-Design Spaces function and Event Specific Safety Factors influence the design is covered in the second part of the Tutorial: Generative Design - GD-Bracket Part 2

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