With the Advanced User Settings the optimization parameters can be influenced even further than the options Strut Density and Shape Quality. Furthermore a few unsupported options are available using the Advanced User Settings like Symmetry, Intersection and the usage of Start spaces.
The Advanced User Settings can be added to a scenario by selecting the option with a right mouse click.
The appearing text field can be used by adding Advanced User Comands to the current Generative Design scenario.
Influencing the Strut Density
To influence the Strut Density even further, changes of the number of iterations, stress goal percentage and number of resolution levels can be made. These settings overwrite the selection of the Strut Density and the Shape Quality as they are only default settings for the ones described here. The table gives an overview of default settings:
Input Commands | Explanation |
|---|---|
UpSampleConfig fOptimizer_switchAddRemove=58 | Starting with iteration 58, elements are either added or removed and only every second iteration is saved. This is important for the iterations near to the end of the optimization. |
iteration .level_3=10" .level_2=10" .level_1=20" .level_0=30" | Specify how many iterations are calculated at which resolution level. Note that convergence should be achieved at each level. Default settings normal: 20, 20, 20, 10 Default settings massive: 10, 10, 20, 30 Default settings filigree: 16, 40, 4, 4 |
Optimizer_stressPercentGoal .level_3=10 .level_2=25 .level_1=50 .level_0=100 | The percentage at which the target stress is reached is set. Default settings normal: 30, 40, 90, 100 Default settings massive: 10, 25, 50, 100 Default settings filigree: 60, 90, 95, 100 |
By default the software uses four resolution level from coarse to fine (level 3: coarse - level 0: fine). More or less resolution level can be added or removed. The number behind the level indicates the number of iterations. Moreover, the stressPercentGoal for each resolution level can be changed. More information about the stresses and resolution here.
To set up these additional parameters, the left side of the table needs to be added to the optimization model in the Advanced User Settings Text Field. In the picture below an example is shown. By adding this Advanced User Settings, the first (coarse) resolution level will be skipped.
Symmetry
With the advanced user settings a symmetrical optimization can be done. Therefore the geometry as well as the boundary conditions need to be symmetrical. For now the part must be located in the global coordinate origin.
Since the forces and moments always affect an object/volume they must be adjusted. If only considering half the part, the forces and moments need to be divided in half as well.
To activate a symmetry the following comands can be typed into the advanced user settings textbox:
symmetry.x (Y-Z-Plane is symmetry plane)
symmetry.y (X-Z-Plane is symmetry plane)
symmetry.z (X-Y-Plane is symmetry plane)
All three symmetry planes can be used simultaneously if the model supports this.
The symmtery constraint might not show exactly symmetrical designs while choosing the calculation type “estimate”. This is because of the low resolution level but will not occur once the calculation type is set to “optimizing” and the optimization runs through.
Attention: You will get a warning message that Nondesign spaces are missing because not all of them are considered in the optimization. The optimization works anyway.
Hint: Only a half, a quarter or an eighth of the model will be calculated. Thus only a half, a quarter or an eighth of the calculating resources are needed.
Intersection
Intersections between optimization results and the Design spaces are needed to create the final, manufacturable design. This ensures all functional sharp edges are available and the generative designed part is inside the boundary limits.
An intersection can be done afterwards the optimization inside the user interface with the Apex Modeler. How this works here.
Another option to create automatically and simultaneously with the optimization is to use the advanced user settings. Therefore the following export command has to be added to the text field:
export_stl_name_MC_Smooth_intersection
The intersected STL-files will be saved inside the project folder for every intersection in the workspace.
Start Space (Restart)
With the Advanced User Settings a Start Space can be choosen with which the optimization will start. This can be used to restart an optimization or for a two-stage optimization.
Therefore a already optimized STL-file is needed. This one can be exported directly from the post processing. The exported STL-file can be selected as a Start space by clicking on the browse button.
In most cases the Strut Density and Shape Quality settings have also to be changed with the Advanced User Settings. For a restart the same resolution level and number of missing iterations have to be filled in. For an two-stage optimization the resolution level and number of iterations must be chosen wisely.
or the tutorials:
Influencing Strut Density
Restart Optimization
Symmetry Optimization (currently unsupported)