Installation:

• Drag the installation file to the desktop and execute it
• Allow the program to be installed
• Accept the licensing agreement
• Enter the target directory or accept the proposed one, i.e. C:\Program Files\MSC.Software\MSC Apex Generative Design\2019
• Select the components you want to install:
  
  • Backend
    
  • Examples
  • Frontend
  • GPUSolver
• You can now run MSC Apex Generative Design 2019.exe

License activation

Please have a look at the MSC Support Website for the information.

Storage location of optimization results

• The optimization data is stored in the "local workspace", which can be specified in the start menu
• Please see the detailed description of the Frontend: Instructions Frontend

Start GPU Solver

MSC Apex Generative Design 2019 supports GPU-Solving for Nvidia Quadro Graphic Cards. Therefore the specific GPU-Solver has to be started and needs to run in the background during optimization. Whenever a new iteration shall be calculated, the software tries to connect to the Solver and will use GPU if possible. You need an extra GPU-license to run this Tool and have the correct CUDA Driver installed (see below).

• Go to the "Solver" Subfolder, i.e. C:\Program Files\MSC.Software\MSC Apex Generative Design\2019\Solver
• Do a "shift+right klick" anywhere in empty space to "Open PowerShell window here"
• Type ".\mscgd2019_CUDASolver.exe 1234"
  This starts the extra solver software that waits for calculation tasks. In this case the port "1234" has been selected for communication with the main program. This needs to be in line with the selected port in the configuration file. 1234 is the standard port.

Install CUDA Driver

The GPU Solver requires a Nvidia Quadro Graphics Card and the CUDA Driver installed.

• go to: https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-downloads?target_os=Windows&target_arch=x86_64&target_version=10&target_type=exenetwork
• download the installer and start the CUDA-Installation
• select custom installation options and select only "CUDA Runtime"

• follow the installation