Post Processing

After starting an optimisation MSC Apex Generative Design automatically switches to the post processing. When an optimisation is finished the results of the project can always be visualized inside the post process.

Live View

In the live post processing, the iterations of the optimisation are displayed as soon as they are available. The current iteration is shown and the number is displayed at the bottom progress bar. Furthermore, the progress bar shows the planned number of iterations. The Design space can be displayed by selecting the button Initial Shape beneath the progress bar. The optimisation can be aborted by selecting the stop button next to the scenario in the left top corner. After finishing or aborting the optimisation the post process can be left with the exit button in the right bottom corner.

Automatic Intersection

The shown results inside the post processing are automatically a boolean intersection between the optimisation result and the initial Design space. This ensures all functional sharp edges are available and the generative designed part is inside the boundary limits. This automatic intersection leads to a lower number of polygones in this area which can lead to a lower resolution stress plot. This is only a visual issue inside the post processing. With the Advanced User Settings the automatic intersection can be deactivated if this is desired. More information regarding the Advanced User Settings here.

Stresses

The approximated von Mises stress is shown as a coloured plot. By default, the maximum stresses of all Events are shown in one plot. Therefore, the stresses from all Events are enveloped and the highest stress for each area is shown. In the right top corner the scale from zero to the maximum of this iteration is displayed. The stresses in the colour plot and visualization area are smoothed values of the element representation and therefore estimated values. The goal of generative design is to create a lightweight design which is as close as possible to the elected stress goal.

The stress for each Event separately can be displayed by choosing a specific Event (see picture below).

By selecting the point chart the stress curve over the iterations can be displayed. Shown is the Relative Achievement of Stress Goal. With a value of 1 the maximum calculated stress equals the desired Stress Goal.

Attention: The maximum stress is used for the Relative Achievement of Stress Goal chart. Inaccuracies because of FE singularities or stress exceeding because of boundary conditions are included.

Scale

The scale can be influenced by expanding the scale window with the arrow in the top corner.

It can be chosen between a discrete and a continuous spectrum. The scale can be changed by replacing a number with a distinctly chosen number. The default scale spectrum can set to 2 times the stress goal, which is a good fit for all optimisations. This displays the even distribution of the selected stress goal with the colour range of green and critical points are viewable in red. The fixated Nondesign spaces are displayed in blue because no stresses can occur in these areas. At the bottom out of range colours can be activated, which show areas which are above or under the adjusted scale. Moreover, the spectrum can be locked to compare different iterations with the same spectrum.

Displacements

By selecting the displacement button the translational displacements are shown. It can be chosen between the resultant or the component displacement for each direction.

Mass

By selecting the mass point chart, the mass curve over the iterations is displayed.

Attention: The displayed mass is from the Non-intersected geometry. The mass can change with an intersection!

Export optimisation Result

The final intersected optimisation results can be exported as an STL-file by selecting the button Export Design Candidate (beneath the progress bar). Because Generative Designs can be very complex, we recommend saving files as Binary-STL. If the Non-intersected optimisation result is desired, e.g. for a retransition to a NURBS CAD Geometry, this file can be found inside the workspace folder.

Result Files

You can find all result files as well as the different log files of the optimisation in your workspace. By default your workspace is defined as:

C:\Users\ExampleUser\Documents\Apex Generative Design Workspace

In this parent folder you can find a seperate folder for each project you have saved. In these you can find your latest optimisations (named after your scenario).

For example: exampleProject/Meshless Generative Design Scenario… .v1