Training:

Relevant data for this tutorial:

Step 1: Start MSC Apex Generative Design

The program starts and you can directly create your optimisation model

Step 2: Model generation

You can either create the geometry directly in MSC Apex Generative Design or import already existing files. You can import .xb, .xt, .step, and .sldprt files into the program.

Import/create the Design Space including the Non-Design Spaces in MSC Apex Generative Design as one solid. For this Bookshelf the already prepared Design Space was imported.
Open the Design Space Tool in the Optimization Tools to select the imported Geometry as the Design Space
Non-Design Spaces have to be selected using the Non-Design Spaces Tools. In this case the top plate is created as a Non-Design Spaces with an offset of 1 mm and the three screw holes are being used with an offset of 3 mm for each.
Machining Allowances should be applied to every functional surface. Adjacent Faces should be selected at once, to create one coherent Machining Allowance. Therefore, the automatic execution mode can be turned off.
In this case a value of 1 mm was chosen. How much Machining Allowance is necessary, depends on the dimensions of the part and the manufacturing process/machine.

For the next steps, the Non-Design Spaces as well as the Machining Allowances are hidden.

Create the material in the Materials editor and assign it to the Design Space
The specific values needed are the Young's Modulus (192372 MPa), Poisson ratio (0.3) and Density (7.97e-6 kg/mm³)

Step 3: Definition of boundary conditions

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 one force is defined (on the top plate):

Name	Force/Moment/Pressure/Gravity	Direction	Value in N

Name	Force/Moment/Pressure/Gravity	Direction	Value in N
Force - Moment 1	Force on cell	z	-1000

One constraint for the three fixation volumes is created and attached on the Non-Design Spaces:

Name	Direction

Name	Direction
Constraint 1	x, y, z (=0)

Step 4: Definition of Events (load cases)

The next steps are defined in the Studies area.

All boundary conditions must be assigned to the specific load cases, which are defined as Events. The number of Events can be changed by adding/deleting Events to the GD Scenario. The assignment of the boundary conditions to the Events can 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 Event individually.

Active in Event1: Force-Moment 1 and Constraint 1

Step 5: Definition of optimisation parameters

The optimisation parameters are selected in the Studies Area as well.

Select the Strut Density: Medium
Select the Shape Quality: Balanced
Set the Complexity Setting: 14
Enter the Stress Goal: 2 MPa

Don’t forget to save the project!

Step 6: Starting the optimisation and visualizing 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.

All result iterations are displayed as soon as they are available. Furthermore, you are able to stop the optimisation in this selection area. However, a Restart is not directly possible.

The optimisation is finished after 64 iterations (Shape Quality: Balanced).

You can check the status of the optimisation in the GD Status and get more information on Warning and Error messages. This can be done directly in the Post-Processing as well as in the Studies tab for an optimisation that has already run.

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 for a higher resolution and more detailed result (increased calculation time!)
The Strut Density influences the structures which are formed during optimisation

The optimisations below show the influence of the Strut Density when nothing else is changed.

Strut Density: Medium

Strut Density: Dense

Strut Density: Sparse

Step 7: Visualization of Stresses, Displacements & Mass

Inside the Post Processing the von Mises stress and the displacements are visible for all iterations and for every Event
The Scale can be influenced individually

The mass of each iteration can be visualized with a diagram

MSC Apex Generative Design 2021.1 - Help section

Generative Design - Bookshelf