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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
This tutorial demonstrates how to perform topography optimization of a plate under torsion. A finite element
model of the design space with loads and constraints applied is shown in the image below. It is assumed that the
part is to be formed using a stamping process. The objective is to minimize the displacement of the node where
the force is applied in the positive z-direction. Only the shape of the plate can be changed to achieve the
objective, not the thickness.

Finite element model of the design space with loads and constraints.

A finite element model (shown in the above figure) is loaded into HyperMesh. The constraints, load, material
properties, and subcase (loadstep) of the model are already defined. Topography design variables and
optimization parameters are defined and the OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal reinforcement
patterns. The results are viewed as animations of the contours of shape changes of the design space. Finally, the
use of the grouping patterns is shown; based on the shape changes suggested by OptiStruct, a possible pattern
is chosen for ease of manufacturing.

The optimization problem for this tutorial is stated as:

Objective: Minimize nodal displacement at grid point where loading is applied.

Design variables: Shape variables generated automatically on the designable space aligned
with the elements normal.

The processes covered in this tutorial include:

 Setting up a topography optimization in HyperMesh.
 Post-processing topology optimization results.
 Introducing a manufacturing constraint in the optimization process.

Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh, Load the User Profile and Retrieve the File.

1. Launch HyperMesh.

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
2. Choose OptiStruct in the User Profile dialog and click OK.
This loads the OptiStruct user profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import
reader, paring down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk
Data Format for RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
User Profiles… can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
3. From the File menu, click Open and browse to open the torsion_plate.hm file.
4. Click Open.
The torsion_plate.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing
data.

Step 2: Check the Thickness of the Component

1. From Results Browser, expand the Property entities.

2. Right click on design and select Card Edit.

A PSHELL card image panel should appear. OptiStruct stores information regarding shell thicknesses on
the PSHELL card.
3. Ensure that the thickness, T, is set to the value 1.0.
4. Click return to go to the main menu.

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Setting up a topography optimization in HyperMesh

Step 3: Define Design Variables for Topography Optimization

For topography optimization, a design space and a "bead" definition need to be defined. The following section
outlines how this is done. For further information on "bead" definition, please see the reference manual section
on the DTPG card.

1. From the Analysis page, click optimization to enter the panel.

2. Select the topography panel.
3. Make sure the create subpanel is selected using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
4. Click desvar= and type topo.
5. Click the highlighted props.
6. Check the box next to design and click select.
7. Click create to create the shape design variables for the selected component.
8. A topography design space definition, 'topo', has been created. All elements organized into the 'design'
component collector are now included in the design space.
9. Select the bead params subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
10. The field next to desvar = should contain the name of the newly created design space by default. If it
does not, click on desvar = and select topo from the list of topographical design spaces.
11. Click minimum width= and enter 5.0.
This parameter controls the width of the beads in the model. The recommended value is between 1.5
and 2.5 times the average element width.
12. Click draw angle= and enter 60.0 (this is the default).
This parameter controls the angle of the sides of the beads. The recommended value is between 60 and
75 degrees.
13. Click draw height= and enter 4.0.
This parameter sets the maximum height of the beads to be drawn.
14. Check the box next to buffer zone.
This parameter establishes a buffer zone between elements in the design domain and elements outside
the design domain.
15. Make sure the draw direction: toggle is set to normal to elements.
This parameter defines the direction in which the shape variables are created.
16. Make sure the boundary skip: switch is set to load & spc.
This tells OptiStruct to leave nodes at which loads or constraints are applied out of the design space.
17. Click update.
A "bead" definition has been created for the design space 'topo'. Based on this information, OptiStruct will
automatically generate bead variable definitions throughout the design variable domain as shown on the
DTPG page of the Reference Guide
18. Select the bounds subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
19. Ensure that topo is in the field next to desvar =. If it is not, click on desvar = and select topo from the
list of topographical design spaces.
20. Click on upper bound and enter 1.0 (this is the default).
Upper bound on variables controlling grid movement (Real > LB, default = 1.0). This sets the upper
bound on grid movement equal to UB*HGT.
21. Click on lower bound and enter 0.0 (this is the default).
22. Click update.
The upper bound sets the upper bound on grid movement equal to UB*HGT and the lower bound sets
the lower bound on grid movement equal to LB*HGT.
23. Click return to go to the optimization panel.

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
Step 4: Define the Responses.

A detailed description can be found in the online manual under Responses. Define one response for the
objective: displacement at the node where the force is applied.

1. Enter the responses panel.

2. Click response = and enter displace.
3. Select the switch below response type and select static displacement from the pop-up menu.
4. Click nodes and select by ID from the extended entity selection menu that pops up.
5. Type 2500 and hit the Enter key.
The node where the force is applied is now selected.
6. Select dof3.
dof1, dof2, and dof3 refer to translation in the X, Y, and Z directions.
dof4, dof5, and dof6 refer to rotation about the X, Y, and Z axes.
total disp is the resultant of the translational displacements in x, y, and z directions.
total rotation is the resultant of the rotational displacements in x, y, and z directions.
7. Click create.
A response, 'displace', is defined for the z-displacement of node 2500.
8. Click return to go to the optimization panel.

Step 5: Define the Objective.

In this example, the objective is to minimize the displacement response defined in the previous section.

1. Enter the objective panel from the optimization panel.

2. Click the switch in the upper-left corner of the panel, and select min from the pop-up menu.
3. Click response = and select displace from the response list.
A loadstep button should appear in the panel.
4. Click on loadstep and select torsion from the subcase (loadstep) list.
5. Click create.
The objective function is now defined.
6. Click return twice to go to the main menu.

Step 6: Submit the Job.

1. From the Analysis page, enter the OptiStruct panel.

2. Click save as… following the input file: field.
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the OptiStruct model file and enter the name for the
model, torsion_plate.fem, in the File name: field.
The .fem extension is suggested for OptiStruct input decks.
4. Click Save.
Note that the name and location of the torsion_plate.fem file is now displayed in the input file: field.
5. Set the export options toggle to all.
6. Click the run options switch and select optimization.
7. Set the memory toggle to memory default.
8. Click OptiStruct.
This launches the OptiStruct job. If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The torsion_plate.out file is a good place to look for
error messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
9. Important files for a topography optimization include:

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
torsion_plate.grid An OptiStruct file where the perturbed grid data is written.

torsion_plate.hgdata HyperGraph file containing data for the objective function,

constraint functions, design variables, and response
functions for each iteration.

torsion_plate.hist An OptiStruct output file for xy plotting containing the

iteration history of the objective function, maximum
constraint violation, design variables, DRESP1 type
responses, and DRESP2 type responses.

torsion_plate.html HTML report of the optimization, giving a summary of the

problem formulation and the results from the final iteration.

torsion_plate.out The OptiStruct output file containing specific information on

the file set up, the set up of the optimization problem,
estimate for the amount of RAM and disk space required for
the run, information for each optimization iteration, and
compute time information. Review this file for warnings and
errors that are flagged from processing the
torsion_plate.fem file.

torsion_plate_des.h3d HyperView binary results file for information on shape

changes.

torsion_plate_s1_h3d HyperView binary results file for displacement and stress

results for subcase 1.

torsion_plate.sh Shape file for the final iteration. It contains the material
density, void size parameters, and void orientation angle for
each element in the analysis. The .sh file may be used to
restart a run and, if necessary, run OSSmooth files for
topology optimization.

torsion_plate.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for

each step during analysis process.

Post-processing topology optimization results

Shape contour information is output from OptiStruct for all iterations. In addition, Displacement and Stress results
are output for the first and last iteration by default. This section describes how to view those results in HyperView.

Step 7: View a Static Plot of Shape Contours.

1. From the OptiStruct panel, click the HyperView button.

2. This will launch HyperView and load the torsion_plate_des.h3d and torsion_plate_s1.h3d
files reading the model and optimization results.
3. Click Close to close the message window.
4. Click the Contour icon on the toolbar to enter the contour panel.
5. Set Result type: to Shape Change (v) and type to Mag.

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.

6. Click to choose the last iteration from the Simulation list.

A deformed plate appears.
7. Click Apply.
Is the max= field showing 4.0e + 00?
In this case, it is. If it is not, your optimization has not progressed far enough. Decrease the OBJTOL
parameter (set in the opti control panel on the optimization panel). This value, 4.0e+00, comes from the
draw height defined earlier.

Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern at the last iteration (converged solution)

Step 8: View a Transient Animation of the Shape Contour Changes.

A transient animation of contour shapes will give a good idea of the shape changes happening through different
iteration.

1. Verify that the animate mode menu is set to Transient .

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.

2. Click to start the animation.

3. Click to open the Animation Controls panel.

4. With the animation running, use the slider bar below Max Frame Rate: on the left side of the panel to
adjust the speed of the animation.

5. Click to stop the animation.

Step 9: View the Deformed Structure.

The displacement and stress results from the first and last iterations (default) are given in the
torsion_plate_s1.h3d file.

1. Click the forward arrow icon to go to the next page.

This page has the subcase information from the torsion_plate_s1.h3d file.
2. Verify that the animate mode menu is set to Linear Static.
For a better visual of what it happening with this model, turn on mesh lines and contour the results.

3. Click the Deformed icon on the toolbar to enter the panel.

4. Set Result type: to Displacement(v).
5. Select the first iteration (Iteration 0) in the Results Browser as shown.

6. Set the animation mode to Linear Static .

7. Click to start the animation.

8. Click to go to the Animation Controls panel.

9. With the animation running, use the slider bar below Max Frame Rate: on the left side of the panel to
adjust the speed of the animation.
A deformation animation of the original model is shown in the graphics window.
Does the deformed shape look correct for the boundary conditions you applied to the mesh?

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.

10. Click to stop the animation.

11. Go to File on the pull-down menu and click Exit to quit HyperView.

Introducing a manufacturing constraint in the optimization process

Next, pattern grouping will be added as a constraint for manufacturability.
The configuration obtained in the previous example (see the contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern at
the 17th iteration) might be difficult to manufacture. It does give an idea of what kinds of patterns are likely to
optimize the structure (in this case -- to minimize the displacement at the selected node).
A possible pattern, suggested by the static contour plot obtained in the previous exercise, is to use channels
parallel to a diagonal. In this example, we choose the diagonal emerging from the node where the load is applied.

Step 10: Add Pattern Grouping Constraint

1. Going back to HyperMesh, click return to exit the OptiStruct panel.
2. From the Analysis page, click optimization to enter the panel.
3. Click topography to enter the panel.
4. Select the pattern grouping subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
5. Click desvar = and choose topo from the list of topographical design spaces.
6. Click on the pattern type: switch and select linear.
7. Make sure the sub-type: switch is set to basic.
8. Click anchor node and select the node at the corner where the load is applied by clicking on it in the
graphics window.
9. HyperMesh automatically moves the blue halo around the first node; select the node in the opposite
corner by clicking on it in the graphics window.

Pattern grouping node location.

10. Click update.

11. Click return twice to go to the main menu.

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Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.

Step 11: Submitting the Job

1. From the Analysis page, click OptiStruct to enter the panel.
2. Click save as… following the input file: field.
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the OptiStruct model file and enter the name for the
model, torsion_pattern.fem, in the File name: field.
The .fem extension is suggested for OptiStruct input decks.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the torsion_pattern.fem file displays in the input file: field.
5. Set the export options toggle to all.
6. Click the run options switch and select optimization.
7. Set the memory toggle to memory default.
8. Click OptiStruct.
This launches the OptiStruct job. If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The torsion_pattern.out file is a good place to look for
error messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
View the new results as before. Also check the objective value for the zero-th and last iteration in the
.out file. How does the final value for the objective compare to the final value obtained using 'none'
option for pattern grouping?.

Step 12: View a Static Plot of Shape Contours

Repeat the steps in the previous exercise to view the contour plot of the shape change

Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern with pattern grouping constraint at the last iteration

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