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Structural Optimization in Mechanical

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2K views156 pages

Structural Optimization in Mechanical

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Structural Optimization Analysis Guide

ANSYS, Inc. Release 2024 R2

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Table of Contents
1. Structural Optimization Overview .......................................................................................................... 1
2. Optimization Analysis Workflow ............................................................................................................ 3
2.1. Create Upstream Analysis Systems .................................................................................................... 3
2.2. Attach Geometry and Launch Mechanical ......................................................................................... 5
2.3. Specify Analysis Settings ................................................................................................................... 6
2.4. Define Optimization Method and Regions ....................................................................................... 24
2.5. Determine Objective and Constraints Capabilities ........................................................................... 29
2.6. Define Design Objectives ................................................................................................................ 30
2.7. Define Response Constraints ........................................................................................................... 38
2.8. Define Manufacturing Constraints ................................................................................................... 48
2.8.1. Manufacturing Constraint Background ................................................................................... 56
2.8.1.1. Member Size Minimum .................................................................................................. 57
2.8.1.2. Member Size Maximum ................................................................................................. 62
2.8.1.3. Gap Size ........................................................................................................................ 69
2.9. Define Design Constraints ............................................................................................................... 73
2.10. Specify Results and Solve .............................................................................................................. 77
2.10.1. Topology Density ................................................................................................................. 78
2.10.2. Topology Elemental Density ................................................................................................. 81
2.10.3. Structural Results ................................................................................................................. 84
2.11. Post Processing ............................................................................................................................. 87
2.12. Recreating CAD Geometry ............................................................................................................ 90
2.13. Performing Design Validation ........................................................................................................ 95
2.13.1. Geometry Validation ............................................................................................................. 96
2.13.2. Model Validation ................................................................................................................ 100
3. Design Methods .................................................................................................................................. 107
3.1. Shape Processing Workflows ......................................................................................................... 107
3.1.1. Density Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing ....................................................... 108
3.1.2. Level Set Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing ..................................................... 110
3.1.3. Lattice Optimization Shape Processing ................................................................................. 114
3.1.4. Shape Optimization Shape Processing .................................................................................. 116
3.1.5. Topography Optimization Shape Processing ......................................................................... 119
3.2. Recommendations - Optimization in Practice ................................................................................ 122
3.2.1. Topology Optimization - Density Based ................................................................................. 122
3.2.1.1. Topology Optimization - Density Based Solution Methodology ..................................... 124
3.2.2. Topology Optimization - Level Set Based ............................................................................... 128
3.2.3. Topology Optimization - Mixable Density .............................................................................. 133
3.2.4. Lattice Optimization Analysis ................................................................................................ 135
3.2.5. Shape Optimization Analysis ................................................................................................ 145
3.2.6. Topography Optimization ..................................................................................................... 148
3.3. Mixing Multiple Methods within an Analysis .................................................................................. 150
3.4. Topology Optimization versus Shape Optimization ........................................................................ 150
4. Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 151

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Chapter 1: Structural Optimization Overview
The Ansys Structural Optimization analysis is a form-finding analysis driven by mechanical and geomet-
rical criteria. The application obtains mechanical criteria from upstream linear structural analyses (static,
modal, harmonic, or thermal). The application also supports criteria from non-linear structural analyses.

Optimization Methods
Ansys provides the following optimization methods:

• Topology Optimization

– Density Based : This method performs optimization based on the density of each element of
your model. It employs Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) wherein density is
forced to approach 0 or 1 rather than varying continuously.

– Level Set: This method directly deals with the boundary of the shape. This enables Mechanical
to deliver an unambiguous solution.

– Mixable Density: This optimization type is using the same mathematical background as
density-based method but it has been enriched thanks to cross-fertilization with the Level-Set
based technology.

• Lattice: This method enables you to compute an optimal variable density lattice distribution in
your geometry.

• Shape: This method enables you to optimize the shape of your model by morphing the mesh.
As opposed to topology optimization, no topological change is allowed. This method supports
solid models only.

• Topography: This method enables you to perform shape optimization using mesh node reloca-
tions. This method supports shell models only.

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Chapter 2: Optimization Analysis Workflow
The topics listed below describe the steps to create and perform an optimization analysis.
2.1. Create Upstream Analysis Systems
2.2. Attach Geometry and Launch Mechanical
2.3. Specify Analysis Settings
2.4. Define Optimization Method and Regions
2.5. Determine Objective and Constraints Capabilities
2.6. Define Design Objectives
2.7. Define Response Constraints
2.8. Define Manufacturing Constraints
2.9. Define Design Constraints
2.10. Specify Results and Solve
2.11. Post Processing
2.12. Recreating CAD Geometry
2.13. Performing Design Validation

2.1. Create Upstream Analysis Systems

An optimization analysis requires an upstream "feeder" system that provides the loading and/or
boundary conditions used to create an optimized part based on the Objective (p. 30) and Response
Constraint (p. 38) objects specified in the optimization analysis.

Supported Upstream Systems

The optimization analysis must be linked to (preceded by) one of the following analysis types:

• Harmonic Response

• Modal

• Static Structural/Static Structural Nonlinear

• Steady-State Thermal

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

• Any combination of Harmonic Response, Modal, Static Structural, and/or Steady-State Thermal.

Note:

The Structural Optimization analysis supports Condensed Parts from upstream Harmonic
Response, Modal, and Static Structural (linear only) analyses.

Procedure
1. Specify your upstream system or systems. Drag the system from the Toolbox to the Project
Schematic or double-click the system in the Toolbox. The cells between the systems should be
linked as illustrated below.

2. Link your systems as illustrated in the examples shown below. The new Structural Optimization
system shares the Engineering Data, Geometry, and Model cells with the same cells as the up-
stream systems and the Solution cell links to the Setup cell of the Structural Optimization system.

Upstream Static Structural System Example

Multiple Upstream Systems Example

If necessary, link the Solution cell of the Static Structural or Modal analysis to the Setup cell of
the Structural Optimization system.

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Attach Geometry and Launch Mechanical

Note:

• If your upstream system is a single Static Structural analysis, Ansys recommends that
you use step-based loading to improve scalability. In order to do so, you need to
define your loading conditions using the Tabular Data window and you need to set
the Independent Variable property to the Step option. This does not include the
use of the Thermal Condition load.

• When you specify a Structural Optimization system from Mechanical, you need to
make sure that you connect the systems properly. Connect the systems using the
Transfer Data From context (right-click) menu option from the Structural Optimiz-
ation environment. Once linked, you can disconnect the systems using the Unlink
Data From option of the context menu.

Once you link the analyses, automatic property specifications are made in Mechanical to define the re-
lationship between the systems.

2.2. Attach Geometry and Launch Mechanical

The procedure below assumes that you have a supported geometry file type. As needed, review the
Attach Geometry/Mesh section for a description of the available methods and supported file types.

Procedure
1. Right-click the Geometry cell of the (furthest) upstream system, select Import > Browse and select
the desired file for import. Note that double-clicking on the Geometry cell opens SpaceClaim.

Important:

This analysis does not support the presence of a Rigid Body.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

2. Once you have your geometry specified, double-click the Model cell (or right-click, and select Edit)
of any of the systems to launch the Mechanical application.

3. Once your geometry is loaded in Mechanical, review how it is presented in the project tree. Note
that the Future Analysis property of the Analysis Data Management Category in the Analysis
Settings object of the upstream system is specified as Structural Optimization. And, the Environ-
ment Selection List property of the Solution object of the optimization system shows the cell
identifiers of the environments linked to the current optimization environment, as illustrated below

Note:

Also illustrated above, the application automatically inserts and assigns default values
to the Optimization Region, Objective, and Response Constraint objects in the op-
timization analysis.

2.3. Specify Analysis Settings

This topic examines the application defaults for Analysis Settings properties based on the optimization
method. For a general overview of the use of analysis settings, see the Establish Analysis Settings section.

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Specify Analysis Settings

Analysis Settings per Method

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Density Based Optimization

For the Topology Optimization - Density Based method, you can modify the properties as de-
scribed below.

Reload Volume Analysis

The Reload Volume Analysis category of the Analysis Settings is only available when per-
forming a Structural Optimization analysis and it only displays following the solution process.
This category includes the Reload Volume Fraction property. The options for this property
include Off and Manual. When you set the property to Manual, the Current Reload Point
property also displays and provides the following options:

• Initial: Using this setting, your next solution begins from Iteration 0 (a new solution).

• Iteration Number ##: This setting is based on the last Iteration completed for the
previous solution. Using this setting, your next solution begins by reloading the volume
fractions at the specified iteration number.

Note:

When you pick a reload point that is different from the Initial reload point,
you may receive an optimized shape that is different than the optimized shape
obtained when you perform the optimization from the beginning of the ana-
lysis.

Important:

If you modify any of the following, the Reload Volume Analysis category disappears
from the Analysis Settings:

• Manufacturing Constraints (You can use the Pull Out Direction Manufactur-
ing Constraint for Reload Volume Analysis if you set the Region of Manu-
facturing Constraint property to Exclude Exclusion)

• Optimization Region

• Region of Manufacturing Constraint property

• Region of Min Member property

• Size property

• Any associated upstream system

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

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Specify Analysis Settings

• Maximum Number of Iterations: This property specifies the maximum number of iter-
ations performed for the Structural Optimization analysis. The solution process continues
until the application achieves convergence accuracy or reaches the maximum number
of iterations. The default value is 500.

• Minimum Normalized Density: This property requires a value greater than 0 and less
than 1. The Structural Optimization analysis uses this value to extract the permissible
range of retained threshold values. The default value is 0.001.

• Convergence Accuracy: This property specifies the convergence criteria of the Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The solution process continues until the application achieves
convergence accuracy or reaches the maximum number of iterations. This value must
be less than or equal to 2. The default value is 0.1%.

Note:

Specifying a lower Convergence Accuracy, for example 0.05%, is re-

commended if your optimization objective is to minimize Mass/Volume
with Global/Local von-Mises stress constraint.

• Initial Volume Fraction: This property requires a value greater than 0 and less than
or equal to 1. The optimization analysis uses this value as an initial estimate for the
volume fraction. All optimized elements begin with this value. By default, the application
uses your specified Objectives and Constraints to determine the initial estimate. A value
of 1 indicates full material, whereas all other values indicate a fraction of the original
material.

• Penalty Factor (Stiffness): During the solution process, this property applies a penalty
factor to the structural stiffness matrix in order to prevent the stiffness matrix from
scaling linearly with the pseudo density. Therefore, the stiffness at each iteration, as
needed, is modified using the expression: . The
default value is 3.

• Region of Manufacturing Constraint: The options for this property are Include Exclu-
sions (default) and Exclude Exclusions. When you specify Include Exclusions, the
application also incorporates the Exclusion Region (p. 24) to satisfy the Pull Out Dir-
ection, Extrusion, Cyclic Repetition, and Symmetry manufacturing constraints.

• Region of Min Member Size: The options for this property are Include Exclusions
and Exclude Exclusions (default). When you specify Include Exclusions, the application
also incorporates the Exclusion Region (p. 24) to meet the minimum member size
specified through the Member Size manufacturing constraint.

• Region of AM Overhang Constraint: If your analysis includes the specifications of an

AM Overhang Constraint, this property enables you to include or exclude the object
on the Exclusion Region (p. 24) of the model. The options for this property are Include
Exclusions and Exclude Exclusions (default). When you specify Include Exclusions,
the application applies the AM Overhang Constraint to the Exclusion Region.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

• Filter (Density Based method only): This property specifies the method used to calculate
the pseudo density of each element. Options include:

– Linear: A faster processing option than Non-Linear, this option may prefer placing
material on the boundary of your design domain as well as cause the Minimum
value of the Member Size property to infringe upon the boundary of the design
domain.

– Non-Linear (Program Controlled default): This option uses more advanced al-
gorithms to calculate the pseudo densities that resolve the drawbacks of linear
filtering.

Note:

Ansys recommends that you exclude all areas where loads are applied.

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Specify Analysis Settings

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

• Export Design Properties. This property is only available for a Structural Optimization
analysis when you have an upstream Static Structural or Modal analysis system. You
use the options of this property to specify when the application creates solution data.
You can then create Deformation, Stress, Strain, etc., results in your Structural Optimiz-
ation analysis that correspond to your upstream analysis. These results enable you to
examine the mechanical behavior of your optimal design (corresponding to the last
accepted iteration) as well as the mechanical behavior of intermediate designs. Property
options include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Important:

Strain-based results are not supported for the Topology Optimization -

Density Based method.

Note:

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

• Store Results At: Based on the analysis type, specify this time to be All Time Points
or All Iterations (default setting), Last Time Point or Last Iteration, Equally Spaced
Points or Specified Recurrence Rate.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Solver Controls Category

The Solver Type property is the only property for this category. The property's options include:

• Program Controlled (default): The application selects the Sequential Convex Program-
ming solver as the default option.

• Sequential Convex Programming: The Sequential Convex Programming method is

an extension of the method of moving asymptotes (MMA). The Sequential Convex
Programming method requires the derivatives of all functions present in the Structural
Optimization analysis.

See the Optimization Solver Methods (p. 124) section for additional technical detail
about this solver type.

• Optimality Criteria: The Optimality Criteria method can be used to solve Structural
Optimization problems with a simple compliance objective that uses a volume or mass
constraint.

Note:

The following support limitations apply to the Optimality Criteria

method:

– Only supports the Compliance (Structural) setting for the Re-

sponse Type column of the Objective object worksheet.

– Only Volume and Mass constraints are supported.

– The Manufacturing Constraint is supported where only the

Minimum property for the Member Size constraint subtype can
be specified.

See the Optimization Solver Methods (p. 124) section for additional technical details
about this solver type.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

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Specify Analysis Settings

Level Set Based Optimization

For the Topology Optimization - Level Set Based method, you can modify the properties as
described below.

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Note:

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of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 13
Optimization Analysis Workflow

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

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14 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Specify Analysis Settings

Lattice Optimization

For the Lattice Optimization method, you can modify the properties as described below.

Reload Volume Analysis

• Initial: Using this setting, your next solution begins from Iteration 0 (a new solution).

Note:

Important:

If you modify any of the following, the Reload Volume Analysis category disappears
from the Analysis Settings:

• Optimization Region

• Region of Manufacturing Constraint property

• Region of Min Member property

• Size property

• Any associated upstream system

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

• Maximum Number of Iterations: This property specifies the maximum number of iter-
ations performed for the Structural Optimization analysis. The solution process continues

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

until the application achieves convergence accuracy or reaches the maximum number
of iterations. The default value is 500.

Note:

Specifying a lower Convergence Accuracy, for example 0.05%, is re-

commended if your optimization objective is to minimize Mass/Volume
with Global/Local von-Mises stress constraint.

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Specify Analysis Settings

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Note:

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

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of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 17
Optimization Analysis Workflow

Solver Controls Category

The Solver Type property is the only property for this category. The property options include:

• Program Controlled (default): The application selects the Sequential Convex Program-
ming solver as the default option.

• Sequential Convex Programming: The Sequential Convex Programming method is

an extension of the method of moving asymptotes (MMA). The Sequential Convex
Programming method requires the derivatives of all functions present in the Structural
Optimization analysis.

See the Optimization Solver Methods (p. 124) section for additional technical detail
about this solver type.

• Optimality Criteria: The Optimality Criteria method can be used to solve Structural
Optimization problems with a simple compliance objective that uses a volume or mass
constraint.

Note:

The following support limitations apply to the Optimality Criteria

method:

– Only supports the Compliance (Structural) setting for the Re-

sponse Type column of the Objective object worksheet.

– Only Volume and Mass constraints are supported.

See the Optimization Solver Methods (p. 124) section for additional technical details
about this solver type.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

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Specify Analysis Settings

Shape Optimization

For the Shape Optimization method, you can modify the properties as described below.

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Note:

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of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 19
Optimization Analysis Workflow

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

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20 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Specify Analysis Settings

Mixable Density Based Optimization

For the Topology Optimization - Mixable Density method, you can modify the properties as
described below.

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Note:

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of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 21
Optimization Analysis Workflow

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

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22 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Specify Analysis Settings

Topography Optimization

For the Topography Optimization method, you can modify the properties as described below.

Definition Category

The Definition category of the Analysis Settings is only available when performing a Struc-
tural Optimization analysis. The properties of the Definition category include:

Output Controls

The properties of the Output Controls category include:

– No (default): No solution data is generated.

– On Final Design: Solution data is created at the end of the optimization process.
This corresponds to the last accepted iteration (optimal design).

– All Accepted Iterations: Solution data is generated after each accepted iteration
of the optimization process. That is, the solution data includes all accepted iter-
ations.

– Last Accepted Iteration: Solution data is generated during the optimization

process that corresponds to the last accepted iteration. That is, the single data
is updated during the optimization in accordance with the latest accepted design.

Export Design Properties File Format: This property displays when you specify
the Export Design Properties property. Options include HDF5 File (default) and
VTK File (requires external reader).

Note:

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

These structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

Value. Displayed only if Store Results At is set to Equally Spaced Points or Spe-
cified Recurrence Rate.

See Output Controls section for additional information about the properties of this category.

Analysis Data Management Category

See the Analysis Data Management Category section of the Help for additional information
about the properties of this category.

2.4. Define Optimization Method and Regions

Overview
You use the Optimization Region object to specify the optimization method you want to use and then
select the regions of your geometry on which to perform optimization. Using the properties of the object,
you define the Design Region and the Exclusion Region for the analysis. Refer to the Optimization
Region object reference page for additional information about this object.

Go to a section topic:

• Select the Optimization Type (p. 24)

• Create Multiple Optimization Regions (p. 25)

• Define Additional Exclusion Regions (p. 26)

• Specify Object Properties (p. 26)

Select the Optimization Type

You use the Optimization Type property to select the desired optimization method.

Optimization Type Property Options

• Topology Optimization - Density Based (default)

• Topology Optimization - Level Set Based

• Lattice Optimization

• Shape Optimization

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Define Optimization Method and Regions

• Topology Optimization - Mixable Density

• Topography Optimization

See the Design Method Definitions (p. 107) section for more information about the requirements
and limitations of each method.

Design Region Property

The properties of the Design Region category enable you to define the geometry as a Geometry
Selection or a Named Selection. This is the region that you wish to optimize.

Exclusion Region Property

The properties of the Exclusion Region category enable you to specify a region (geometric entities
or elements) to be excluded from optimization. You specify excluded regions using defined
Boundary Conditions, Geometry Selection, or a Named Selection.

Create Multiple Optimization Regions

You can specify multiple Optimization Regions objects and mix the level set, mixable density, shape
optimization, and topography methods together. When mixing the use of these methods, you can
define as many Optimization Region objects as needed and attach individual manufacturing constraints
to each.

Density Based optimization regions cannot be mixed with other types of optimization regions. When
you are using the density-based optimization method you have two options: you can use multiple
Optimization Region objects or you can use Geometry Selection or Named Selections to define the
scope of the Manufacturing Constraints.

Important:

• Each optimization region must be uniquely scoped. The scoping of the regions cannot
overlap. The application will include all the geometries of the optimization regions in the
optimization process. You can use the individual optimization regions for the scoping of
geometric response constraints and of manufacturing constraints.

• The Topology Optimization - Level Set and Shape Optimization options/method support
3D solid elements only and the Topography Optimization method supports shell elements
only.

The following table outlines the methods that you can combine within an optimization problem.

Density Lattice Level Set Mixable Shape Topography

Based Optimization Based Density Optimization Optimization
Optimization Optimization
Density Based X
Optimization
Lattice Optimization X

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Density Lattice Level Set Mixable Shape Topography

Based Optimization Based Density Optimization Optimization
Optimization Optimization
Level Set Based X X X X
Optimization
Mixable Density X X X X
Shape Optimization X X X X
Topography X X X X
Optimization

Define Additional Exclusion Regions

The Optimization Region object provides the contextual (right-click) menu option Local Design Re-
striction that enables you to specify additional exclusion regions on your model. Inserted as a child
object to the Optimization Region object, it provides the scoping options Geometry Selection and
Named Selection. These options follow the same scoping requirements described below.

The Structural Optimization solution does not optimize the exclusion region defined using this Local
Design Restriction object. The recommended use of the Local Design Restriction object includes
scenarios wherein certain regions of interest, that may be disconnected, need to be retained even
though no loads or boundary conditions exist on the region.

Specify Object Properties

Using the properties of the Details pane, specify the method optimization regions for your analysis.

Category Properties/Options/Description
Design Scoping Method. The options for this property include:
Re-
gion • Geometry Selection (default): This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using graphical selection tools.
When you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping Method, the Geometry
property will appear.

In this case, use selection filters on the Graphics Toolbar to pick your geometric
entities (only body and element selection), and then click Apply. Once complete,
the property displays the type of geometry (Body, Element, etc.) and the number
of selected geometric entities (for example: 1 Body, 12 Elements).

• Named Selection: Indicates that the geometry selection is defined by a Named

Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping Method, the Named
Selection property will appear. This property provides a drop-down list of available
user-defined Named Selections (only body-based and element-based Named
Selections are supported).

Ex- Defined By. The options for this property include:

clu-
sion • Boundary Condition (default):

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Define Optimization Method and Regions

Category Properties/Options/Description
Re- When you specify Boundary Condition for the Defined By property, a Boundary
gion Condition property will appear. This property includes the following options:

– All Boundary Conditions: Applies the locations of all loading conditions

and supports from the upstream static/modal system.

– All Loads: Applies the locations of all loading conditions from the upstream
static/modal system.

– All Supports: Applies the locations of all supports from the upstream
static/modal system.

– None: No boundary condition locations are applied.

Note:

Ansys strongly recommends that, at a minimum, you specify the option

All Loads for any Exclusion Region.

• Geometry Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied to a
geometry or geometries, which are chosen using graphical selection tools. When
you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping Method, the Geometry property
will appear. Exclusion Region geometry selections can be scoped to bodies, faces,
edges, vertices, elements, and nodes.

• Named Selection: Indicates that the geometry selection is defined by a Named

Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping Method, the Named
Selection property will appear. This property provides a drop-down list of available
user-defined Named Selections. Exclusion Region Named Selections support body-,
face-, edge-, vertex-, element-, and node-based Named Selections.

Exclusion Thickness: This property displays when you set the Optimization Type property
to Topology Optimization - Level Set Based, Topology Optimization - Mixable Density,
or Shape Optimization. The default setting for this property is Program Controlled or
you can enter a value manually. This option enables you to specify a thickness for the
Exclusion Region. The default value is two times the average element size. The unit must
be a length.

Exclusion Extension: This property displays when you set the Optimization Type property
to either Topology Optimization - Level Set Based or toTopology Optimization - Mixable
Density. This option enables you to specify the extension type for the Exclusion Region.
Options include is Isotropic (default) and Orthotropic. Use the Isotropic option to perform
expansion uniformly in the three directions. Use the Orthotropic option to perform the
expansion along the surface normal. The Orthotropic option is only available for surface
bodies.
Op- Optimization Type: You use this property to specify the type of optimization you wish
tim- to perform. Options include:
iz-
a- • Topology Optimization - Density Based

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Category Properties/Options/Description
tion • Topology Optimization - Level Set Based
Op-
tion • Lattice Optimization (see below)

• Shape Optimization (see below)

• Topology Optimization - Mixable Density

• Topography Optimization (see below)

Lattice Optimization

The following additional properties are available when you select Lattice Optimization
as the Optimization Type:

• Lattice Type: This property specifies the structure of the unit cell.

• Minimum Density: This property specifies a minimum density in order to avoid

lattice structures that are too thin.

• Maximum Density:This property specifies a maximum density. The element

will be considered as full for densities higher than the Maximum Density.

• Lattice Cell Size: The value of this property specifies the lattice cell size to be
used when rebuilding the lattice geometry for printing.

Shape Optimization and Topography Optimization

The following additional properties are available when you select Shape Optimization
or Topography Optimization as the Optimization Type:

• Move Limit Per Iteration: This property enables you to define how far each
node can move at each iteration. It must be defined in length units, for example
one element size. By default, this property is set to Program Controlled. Select
the Manual option to change the value.

• Total Move Limit: This property enables you to define how far each node can
move in total. It must be defined in length units, for example three times the
element size. By default, this property is set to Program Controlled. Select the
Manual option to change the value.

• Mesh Deformation Control: This property enables you to define how much
the mesh can be stretched. It is an additional control to avoid element distortion.
This unit-less value is a sort of penalty factor that ranges from 0 (no control)
to 1.0. By default, this property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual
option to change the value.

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Determine Objective and Constraints Capabilities

2.5. Determine Objective and Constraints Capabilities

Objective and Response Constraint Capability Map

The options for the Objective and Response Constraint object depend upon the analysis you are op-
timizing, the response constraint you want to specify, and the optimization method you are using. Review
the following table to see which Objective and Response Constraint objects are available for each
method, noting the following:

• Constraint/Objective (C/O): Supported as Response Constraint and Objective.

• C: Supported as a Response Constraint only.

• O: Supported as a Objective only.

Upstream Level Shape

Density Lattice Mixable
Analysis Response Set Optimization Topography
Method Method Density
System? Method Method
Geometric Y Y Y Y Y Y
(default) Mass/Volume [a]
C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O
[a]
Center of Gravity C C C C C
[a]
Moment of Inertia C C C C C
User Defined Criterion C/O C/O C/O C/O

Harmonic Upstream analysis

No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Re- supported?
sponse[b] User-defined Criterion C/O C/O C/O C/O

Static Upstream analysis

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Structural supported?
System Compliance[c] C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O
[a]
Displacement C C C C
Stress C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O
Local Stress C
[a]
Reaction Force C C C
User-defined Criterion C/O C/O C/O C/O C/O

Nonlinear Upstream analysis Yes Yes

No No Yes No
Static supported? (Beta)
Structural Compliance C/O
System -
(Nonlinear Displacement C
Contact Stress C/O
only) [d] Local Stress C

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Upstream Level Shape

Density Lattice Mixable
Analysis Response Set Optimization Topography
Method Method Density
System? Method Method
Reaction Force C
User-defined Criterion
Accumulated Plastic
O
Strain (APS)

Nonlinear Upstream analysis

No No No Yes No
Static supported?
Structural Accumulated Plastic
[d] O
Strain (APS)

Modal Upstream analysis

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
supported?
Frequency[a] C/O C/O C/O C/O
User-defined Criterion C/O C/O C/O C/O

Steady-State Upstream analysis Yes

Yes No Yes Yes No
Thermal supported?
System Thermal Compliance O C/O C/O C/O
Temperature C

Nonlinear Upstream analysis

Yes No No No No No
Steady-State supported?
Thermal Thermal Compliance O
System
(Radiation Temperature
C
Only)
[a] This response will be deprecated in a future release. Ansys recommends that you use a
User Defined Criterion response instead as it is more versatile.
[b] The Structural Optimization analysis only supports an upstream standalone MSUP Harmonic
Response analysis.
[c] The application ignores Condensed Part objects included in the model when computing
compliance.
[d] To specify a nonlinear analysis, set Large Deflection property to On in the Details of the
Solver Controls category of the Analysis Settings.

2.6. Define Design Objectives

An Objective object is added by default for optimization systems. This object displays the Worksheet
in order for you to specify the optimization goal.

Go to a section topic:

• Application (p. 31)

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Define Design Objectives

• Objective Worksheet Overview (p. 31)

• Objective Worksheet Properties (p. 33)

Application
To apply an Objective object: On the Environment Context tab: select Objective, or right-click the
Environment tree object or in the Geometry window and select Insert > Objective.

Objective Worksheet Overview

When you select the Objective object, the Worksheet displays by default, as illustrated in the images
shown below. You use the Worksheet to specify Response Type, Formulation, Goal, and Weights for
the steps/modes of the upstream analysis. A Structural Optimization analysis supports one or more
upstream Harmonic Response, Modal, Static Structural, or Steady-State Thermal analyses. For the
Shape Optimization method, nonlinear Static Structural analyses are also supported.

Whenever you link a Harmonic Response, Modal, Static Structural, or Steady-State Thermal analysis
to a Structural Optimization analysis in the Project Schematic, a new row is added to the Worksheet.
The default Response Type setting for a Static Structural analysis is Compliance, for a Modal analysis
it is Frequency, and for a Steady-State Thermal analysis it is Thermal Compliance. There is not default
setting for a Harmonic Response analysis.

Single Static Structural System

Single Modal System

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Single Thermal System

You can insert additional rows into the Worksheet to specify multiple response types for multiple systems
and Weight values for a single step or multiple steps (by disabling or enabling the Multiple Sets option).

Note:

For the Topology Optimization - Density Based method, Objective objects of different
types are always normalized. Here, the option only applies for Objective objects of same
type.
For the Topology Optimization - Level Set method, when you have multiple Objective
objects specified, you can choose to normalize them with their initial response to give
equal weightage for all objectives. To do so, set the Normalized Sum property to Yes.

Multiple Systems

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Define Design Objectives

Worksheet Properties
You set the values for properties in the Worksheet columns to define the Objective object as follows:

Enabled

This option is checked by default. When checked the application includes the specifications of the
row in the solution. Unchecking the row excludes it from the solution.

Response Type

The options for this column depend upon the analysis you are optimizing. Supported options include:

• Mass/Volume

• Stress

• Compliance

• Criterion

• Accumulated Plastic Strain

• Frequency

• Thermal Compliance

Review the Objective and Response Constraint Capability Map (p. 29) for a complete listing of the
supported analysis types, response constraint you want to specify, and the optimization method
you are using.

Note:

When you select a criterion that is scoped to Remote Point or remote boundary condition
(Remote Force or Remote Displacement), the Base Result property options Reaction
Force and Reaction Moment are not supported for the Density Based and Lattice Op-
timization methods.

Goal

The options for this property depend upon the selection made in the Response Type column.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

If constraint is... Then this entry can be set to...

Mass/Volume Minimize.

Stress

Accumulated Plastic
Strain
Frequency Maximize.
Criterion Minimize or Maximize.

Compliance
Thermal Compliance Minimize or Maximize.

Note:

Generally, you set static and thermal compliance constraints to Minimize, however, the
application also supports the Maximize setting.

Formulation

This column is applicable only when the Response Type is set to Compliance (Static Structural
analysis), Stress (Static Structural analysis), or Thermal Compliance (Steady-State Thermal Analysis).

Compliance

For the Density Based optimization method, when you select Compliance (Static Structural
analysis), this column is used to specify the formulation method by which maximum stiffness
can be attained to minimize the compliance.

• Program Controlled: This default setting selects either the Force or Displacement for-
mulation based on whether a force load or a displacement load exists in the Static
Structural analysis.

• Force: If you have not applied a displacement load and a force load is applied, then the
displacement, with respect to this force load, is minimized during the optimization.

• Displacement: If you have a non-zero displacement load and no force load is applied,
then the force that leads to the given displacement is maximized during the optimization.

Note:

For the Topology Optimization - Level Set Based and Shape Optimization
methods, the Compliance option uses a unique formula regardless of the
context. That is, it executes in the presence of surface loads, acceleration,
prescribed displacement, and/or thermal expansion.

Stress

When Stress is the specified Response Type, Formulation options include:

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Define Design Objectives

• Equivalent von-Mises Stress (default). This option is supported for density based, level set,
and shape optimization methods.

• Local Equivalent von-Mises Stress. This option is only supported for shape optimization
methods.

• Maximum Principal Stress. This option is supported for density based, level set, and shape
optimization methods.

• Local Strain Energy. This option is supported for level set and shape optimization methods.

The strain energy computed only over the optimization region of interest.

Important:

The Local Strain Energy calculation is exactly twice the Compliance if, and only
if:

1. Local Strain Energy is computed over the entire model, and,

2. There are only loads in the upstream structural analysis.

As a result, Ansys recommends that you keep this in mind when specifying this
stress option. For example, if you apply a prescribed-displacement and minimize
the Local Strain Energy, you could experience an unwanted (but expected) dis-
connection.

While the Local Strain Energy is by nature, a scalar value, the Equivalent von-
Mises Stress and Maximum Principal Stress options are elemental scalar-fields.
Before being consumed by the optimizer, those two stress-norm are scalarized in
a way to mimic the maximum and to stay derivable.

As summarized below, the application monitors all elements of the optimization region, however,
based on the method and criterion, some elements may be ignored. This table describes the
supported methods only.

Methods[a]
Criterion Density Based Level Set Based Shape Optimization
Equivalent Scoping elements: All Scoping elements: All Scoping elements: All.
von-Mises Stress elements except those elements except those

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

lying in the Exclusion lying in the Exclusion

Region. Region.
Local Equivalent Not Available Not Available Scoping elements: All
von-Mises Stress elements except those
lying in the Exclusion
Region.
Maximum Scoping elements: All Scoping elements: All Scoping elements: All.
Principal Stress elements except those elements except those
lying in the Exclusion lying in the Exclusion
Region. Region.
Local Strain Not Available Not Available Scoping elements: All.
Energy
[a] For the mixable density and topography methods, no elements are monitored.

Thermal Compliance

For Thermal Compliance, this column is used to specify the formulation method by which heat
transfer is maximized. Options include Program Controlled (default), Thermal Load, and
Temperature. The Thermal Load option includes all thermal loads (Convection, Heat Flux, etc.)
exceptTemperature. For this Worksheet property, note the following behaviors:

• Program Controlled: This default setting selects either the Temperature or Thermal
Load formulation based on whether a temperature load or a thermal load exists in the
Steady-State Thermal analysis.

• Thermal Load: If you have not applied a Temperature load and a Thermal Load is applied,
then the average temperature, with respect to this thermal load, is minimized during the
optimization.

• Temperature: If you have Temperature load and no Thermal Load is applied, then the
thermal load that leads to the given temperature is maximized during the optimization.

Note:

For the Topology Optimization - Level Set Based and Shape Optimization
methods, the Thermal Compliance option uses a unique formula regardless
of the context. That is, it executes in the presence of Heat Flux, Heat Flow,
prescribed Displacement, Convection conditions, and/or Internal Heat Gener-
ation.

Environment Name

From the drop-down list, select the environment associated with the entries of the Response Type
and Goal properties. Note that geometric criteria (mass, volume, etc) does not need to be associated
to an environment.

Criterion

From the drop-down list, select the desired criterion.

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Define Design Objectives

Weight

The default value for this option is 1. The Weight can be any real number.

If you define multiple responses, they are aggregated into a weighted sum, using:

Where:

is the design of the kth iteration.

is the ith Objective response.

is the effective weight of the ith Object response.

is the aggregated Objective.

When the Normalized Sum option is set to No, then , where is the entered weight.

When the Normalized Sum option is set to Yes, then . This indicates that it is scaled

using the value at the first iteration.

Multiple Sets

The values for this option are Enabled (default) or Disabled.

• If Enabled, you can specify Start Step and End Step values within the boundaries of the maximum
number of steps defined in the upstream Static Structural analysis.

• If Disabled, only the Step column is available to define the Weight for a single step.

Start Step

This option is available when the Environment Name column is set to either Static Structural or
Steady-State Thermal. This option requires the Multiple Sets option to be set to Enabled in order
to define the Start Step from the upstream solution.

End Step

Step

This option is supported when the Environment Name column is set to either Static Structural
or Steady-State Thermal. This option specifies the step number used from the upstream solution.
This field is read-only when the Multiple Sets option is set to Enabled, and the entry for this option
can also be Multiple or All, if the Start and End Step values cover more than one step or the entire

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

analysis from the upstream solution. Otherwise, you can specify the weight for single steps using
this option.

Start Mode

Only supported when Modal system is selected in the Environment Name column. This field requires
the Multiple Sets option to be set to Enabled in order to define the Start Mode for the selected
Modal analysis solution.

End Mode

Mode

Only supported when Modal system is selected in the Environment Name column. This option
specifies the mode number used from the upstream solution. This field is read-only when the Multiple
Sets option is set to Enabled and the entry for this option can also be Multiple or All, if the Start
Mode and End Mode values cover more than one mode or all of the modes from the upstream
solution. Otherwise, you can specify the weight for single modes using this option.

Refer to the Objective object reference page for additional information.

2.7. Define Response Constraints

The Structural Optimization analysis requires and automatically inserts a response constraint. The
available response types include:

• Volume Constraint

• Mass Constraint (default)

• Center of Gravity Constraint

• Moment of Inertia

• Compliance Constraint (Static Structural)

• Displacement Constraint (Static Structural)

• Reaction Force Constraint (Static Structural)

• Global Stress Constraint (Static Structural)

• Local von-Mises Stress Constraint (Static Structural)

• Natural Frequency Constraint (Modal)

• Thermal Compliance (Steady-State Thermal)

• Temperature Constraint (Steady-State Thermal)

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Define Response Constraints

• Criterion Constraint (Harmonic Response, Modal, Static Structural)

Note:

Shell Body Stress Constraints

When you apply a Global Stress Constraint or a Local von-Mises Stress Constraint
to a shell body, the application optimizes the body using the elemental mean of the
top and bottom surfaces.

Note:

Review the Objective and Response Constraint Capability Map (p. 29) for a complete listing
of the supported analysis types, response constraint you want to specify, and the optimization
method you are using.

Application
To apply a Response Constraint:

1. On the Environment Context tab, open the Response Constraint drop-down menu and select
the desired response constraint, or, right-click the Environment (Structural Optimization)
object or in the Geometry window and select Insert>[desired Response Constraint menu
option].

2. The application inserts the appropriate object matching the selected response option.

Additional properties display based on the setting of the Response property setting, and include:

Geometric-Based Analyses

• Mass Constraint/Volume Constraint: Based on how you define the constraint,

modify the percentage or the value as needed.

• Center of Gravity Constraint: Specify the upper and/or the lower limit (Max-
imum Value/Minimum Value) and desired Axis.

• Moment of Inertia Constraint: Based on how you define the constraint,

modify the percentage or the value as needed and specify a desired Coordinate
System and Axis.

• Criterion Constraint: Specify the Criterion, Lower Bound, and Upper Bound
properties.

Harmonic Response Analyses

Criterion Constraint: Specify the Criterion, Lower Bound, and Upper Bound properties.

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Modal Analyses

• Natural Frequency Constraint: Specify the values for the Mode Number, Minimum
Frequency, and Maximum Frequency properties. Modify the Environment Selection
property as needed.

• Criterion Constraint: Specify the Criterion, Lower Bound, and Upper Bound
properties.

Static Structural Analyses

• Global Stress Constraint: Specify a Stress Type, either Equivalent von-Mises Stress
(default), Local Equivalent von-Mises Stress, Maximum Principal Stress, or Local
Strain Energy, and the Maximum stress value. Modify the Environment Selection
property as needed.

• Local von-Mises Stress Constraint: Define the Scoping Method as either Geometry
Selection or Named Selection and then specify the geometry. Also specify the
Maximum stress value. Modify the Environment Selection property as needed.

• Displacement Constraint: Specify the X/Y/Z Component (Max) properties. Modify

the Environment Selection property as needed.

• Reaction Force Constraint: Specify the Axis Selection, Criteria, Bound Type, and
X/Y/Z Component properties. Modify the Environment Selection property as
needed.

• Compliance: Specify the maximum value. Modify the Environment Selection

property as needed.

• Criterion Constraint: Specify the Criterion, Lower Bound, and Upper Bound
properties.

Thermal Analyses

• Temperature Constraint: Specify the Temperature (Abs Max) property. Modify the
Environment Selection property as needed.

• Thermal Compliance: Specify the maximum value. Modify the Environment Selec-
tion property as needed.

Note:

Where applicable, the application automatically specifies a (read-only) Coordinate

System property.

Renaming Based on Definition

The Response Constraint object provides the context menu (right-click) option Rename Based on
Definition. This option automatically renames the object based on your Response property selection.
That is, it renames the object "Mass Constraint,""Volume Constraint,""Global Stress Constraint," or

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Define Response Constraints

"Natural Frequency Constraint" accordingly. This feature supports all of the options of the Response
property.

Details View Properties

The Details view for this object includes the following properties.

Category Properties/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method: The option for this property is based upon the type of Response
Constraint you specify.

For the Mass Constraint, Volume Constraint, Center of Gravity, and Moment
of Inertia response types, the available Scoping Method options include:

• Geometry Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a geometry or geometries (body selection only), which are chosen using
the graphical selection tools. When you specify Geometry Selection for
the Scoping Method, the Geometry property displays.

In this case, use selection filters on the Graphics Toolbar to pick your
geometric entities, and then click Apply. Once complete, the property
displays the type of geometry and the number of selected geometric entities
(for example: 1 Body).

• Named Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a body-based (only) Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection
for the Scoping Method, the Named Selection property displays. This
property provides a drop-down list of available user-defined Named
Selections.

• Optimization Region (default): This option indicates that the design region
is applied to the specified Optimization Region. When Optimization
Region is specified for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region
Selection property also displays. This property contains a default value:
Optimization Region.

• All Optimization Regions: When you have multiple Optimization Region

objects defined, this option indicates that the constraint is applied to all of
them.

For Local von-Mises Stress Constraint, Displacement Constraint, and Reaction

Force Constraint response types, supported by a linked Static Structural analysis,
and the Temperature Constraint, supported by a linked Steady-State Thermal
analysis, the available options, as described above, include:

• Geometry Selection: Not restricted to body-based scoping only.

• Named Selection: Not restricted to body-based scoping only.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
For the Global Stress Constraint (Static Structural only) response type, the only
available option is Optimization Region and All Optimization Regions.

Note:

There is no Scope category for the Natural Frequency Constraint

response type.

Definition Type

This is a read-only property that indicates the object as a Response

Constraint.

Response

The options for this property include:

• Mass (default)/Volume[a]: When you select either of these options,

the Define By property displays. Define By properties include:

– Constant (default): When this option is used, the Percent

to Retain property also displays. The Percent to Retain
property defines the upper bound (in percentage) of the
Volume/Mass constraint. The default value is 50. The entry
range for this property is between 1 and 99.

Note:

For the Density Based Optimization method,

this constraint is handled as an equality
constraint.

– Range: When this option is selected, the Percent to Retain

(Min) and Percent to Retain (Max) properties also display.
You use these two properties to define the range, namely
lower and upper bound, in percentage, of the Volume/Mass
constraint. The default value for each is 50. The entry range
for these properties is between 1 and 99.

– Absolute Constant: When selected, the Maximum Value

property also displays. The Maximum Value property defines

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Define Response Constraints

Category Properties/Options/Description
the units-based upper bound of the Mass/Volume constraint.
The default value is Free.

Note:

For the Density Based Optimization method,

this constraint is handled as an equality
constraint.

– Absolute Range[a]: When selected, the Minimum Value

and Maximum Value properties also display. You use these
two properties to define the units-based range, namely lower
and upper bound, of the Mass/Volume constraint. The
default value for each is Free.

• Center of Gravity[a]: When this option is selected, the Max Value

and Min Value properties also display and enable you to specify
an upper and lower bound for the constraint. The default value is
Free. You will note a value contained in the field when you select
it. This is a infinite value to indicate a free state.

• Moment of Inertia[a]: When you select this option, the Define By

property displays. Define By properties include:

– Constant (default): When this option is used, the Percent

to Retain property also displays. The Percent to Retain
property defines the upper bound (in percentage) of the
Moment of Inertia. The default value is 50. The entry range
for this property is between 1 and 99.

– Range: When this option is selected, the Percent to Retain

(Min) and Percent to Retain (Max) properties also display.
You use these two properties to define the range, namely
the lower and upper bound, in percentage, of the Moment
of Inertia. The default value for each is 50. The entry range
for these properties is between 1 and 99.

– Absolute Constant: Specify the upper bound in the

appropriate Unit system.

– Absolute Range: Specify the upper and lower bound in the

appropriate Unit system.

• Natural Frequency[a]: This option is only available when there is

at least one upstream Modal system. By using this property, the
analysis ensures the specified mode and the range of frequencies
are supported by the optimized body. When selected, the following
associated properties will be shown:

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Category Properties/Options/Description
– Mode Number: This property defines the mode number
used to create the optimized body.

– Minimum Frequency: This property defines the minimum

frequency for the selected mode number.

– Maximum Frequency: This property defines the maximum

frequency for the selected mode number.

You can use multiple Natural Frequency objects that specify

different Mode Numbers and corresponding frequency ranges for
each upstream Modal system.

• Global Stress: This option is only available when there is at least

one upstream Static Structural system. You use this property to
make sure that the optimized geometry or structure always supports
a specified maximum stress. When selected, the following
reassociated properties also display:

– Stress Type: Options include Equivalent (Von-Mises) Stress,

Local Equivalent von-Mises Stress, Maximum Principal
Stress, and Local Strain Energy. These options have
optimization method support requirements. See the
Worksheet Properties (p. 33) topic in the Objective (p. 30)
section for more information about the stress options.

– Maximum: Enter a stress value as a Constant or using

Tabular Data entries.

• Local von-Mises Stress: This option is only available when there

is at least one upstream Static Structural system. You use this
property to make sure that the geometry or structure always
supports a specified maximum stress using the Maximum property
that also displays when you select the Local von-Mises Stress
option. You specify the stress value of the Maximum property as
either a Constant (default) or using Tabular Data entries (via fly-out
menu). The application supports multiple Local von-Mises Stress
constraints. You can apply this constraint on supported elements
that may or may not be included in the Optimization Region.

• Displacement[a]: This option is only available when there is at least

one upstream Static Structural system. You use this property to
make sure that the optimized geometry or structure always support
a specified maximum displacement using the X/Y/Z Component
(Max) properties that also display when you select the
Displacement option. A read-only Coordinate System property
also displays and is automatically set to Nodal Coordinate System.
You specify the displacement value of the X/Y/Z Component (Max)
properties as either a Constant (default), Free, or using Tabular

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Category Properties/Options/Description
Data entries (via fly-out menu). The application supports multiple
Displacement constraints.

Important:

If you apply a Displacement to more than one node,

the absolute value for the constraint is met and negative
numbers are no longer allowed. For example, if you enter
a value of 100N, the constraint is satisfied if it meets a
value between -100 and 100.

• Reaction Force[a]: This option is only available when there is at

least one upstream Static Structural system. You use this constraint
to make sure that the optimized geometry or structure always
support a specified maximum reaction force. The application
supports multiple Reaction Force constraints.

During the solution process, the application calculates a reaction

force for each node used in the Reaction Force constraint (if scoped
to more than one node or a vertex, edge, face, or body). Based on
the Criteria property setting, the reaction forces are either summed
or normalized. Neither of these calculated values can exceed the
entries you make in the Component properties for the specified
direction(s). Reaction Force has the following distinct properties:

– Axis Selection: Options include All (default), X Axis, Y Axis,

and Z Axis.

– Criteria: Options include Sum (default) and Absolute

Maximum (when scoped to more than one node or a vertex,
edge, face, or body).

Note:

For legacy databases, release 2019 R1 or earlier,

that include Reaction Force constraints, the
default setting for this property is Absolute
Maximum.

– Bound Type: Options include Upper Bound (default) and

Lower Bound.

– X/Y/Z Component (Sum or Max): Component entries are

either Constant or based on Tabular Data entries.

When the Criteria property is set to Sum:

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Category Properties/Options/Description
Positive values are treated as upper (maximum)
bounds. Therefore, the constraint is satisfied if the
constraint value is less than the value you specify.
Negative values are considered as lower (minimum)
bounds. Therefore, the constraint is satisfied if the
constraint value is greater than the value you
specify.

A read-only Coordinate System property also displays and is

automatically set to Nodal Coordinate System.

Important:

If you apply a Reaction Force to more than one node,

and the Criteria property is set to Absolute Maximum,
the absolute value for the constraint is met and negative
numbers are no longer allowed. For example, if you enter
a value of 100N, the constraint is satisfied if it meets a
value between -100 and 100.

• Temperature: This option is only available when the upstream

system is Steady-State Thermal. You use this constraint to put an
upper bound on the temperatures using Temperature (Abs Max)
property. This value can be define as a Constant or using Tabular
Data.

• Compliance: This option is only available when there is at least

one upstream Static Structural system. You use this property to
make sure that the optimized geometry or structure is stiff enough.
When selected, the Maximum property also displays. Enter a value
in the Maximum property as a Constant or using Tabular Data
entries. When selected, the Compliance Limit property also displays.
The Compliance Limit property enables you to specify an upper
boundary on the Compliance value.

• Criterion: This option is available when there is at least one

upstream Static Structural system. The Criterion constraint enables
you to evaluate relative displacements, such as the difference
between the displacements of two nodes. And it enables you to
make sure that the value of a certain criterion is above or below a
given boundary value or that it is within a given range. When
selected, the following additional properties need to be specified:

– Criteria: This property displays a drop-down list of available

Primary Criterion and Composite Criterion objects evaluated
in the upstream Static Structural analysis.

– Lower Bound: Specify this value or set to Free (default).

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Category Properties/Options/Description
– Upper Bound: Specify this value or set to Free (default).

Note:

When you select a Criterion that is scoped to Remote

Point or remote boundary condition (Remote Force or
Remote Displacement), the Base Result property options
Reaction Force and Reaction Moment are not
supported for the Density Based and Lattice Optimization
methods.

Suppressed

Include (No, default) or exclude (Yes) the response constraint.

Environment Selection

The application displays this property when you select the Global Stress,
Local von-Mises Stress, Natural Frequency, Displacement, Reaction
Force, or Temperature options for the Response property. The entry
depends upon your upstream analysis type. Per the upstream system, the
default entry is All Structural, All Modal, or All Steady-State Thermal.
Also included in the drop-down list are the specific upstream systems.
You can select from one of these systems to specify individual values for
stress, frequency, etc.

Note:

If your Structural Optimization analysis includes multiple

upstream analyses, any constraint that sets the Environ-
ment Selection property to All Static Structural or All
Steady State Thermal, the application only applies the
minimum number of steps as determined from the
upstream analyses. That is, whichever upstream system
has the least number of load steps specified, that is the
value the application uses. Selecting a specific analysis
from the property drop-down list applies the constraint
for all load steps of the selected upstream analysis.

Location When you specify the Response property as Center of Gravity or Moment of
and Ori- Inertia, the Axis property displays in order to specify a desired axis to constrain.
entation Options include X-Axis, Y-Axis, and Z-Axis.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
In addition, for the Moment of Inertia option, a Coordinate System property
displays so that you can specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate system for
the constraint.
[a] Ansys recommends that you use User Defined Criterion to define your criterion of interest
and then specify the criterion in the Objective (p. 30) or Response Constraint object of
your optimization analysis.

Refer to the Response Constraint object reference page for additional information.

2.8. Define Manufacturing Constraints

It is important to understand that a optimization solution could create unmanufacturable designs. As
a result, any change to the manufacturing process due to an unintended design could undermine the
integrity of the original design. Therefore, you (the designer), should apply and specify manufacturing
constraints based on your manufacturing process. The Manufacturing Constraint condition, when
applied to a optimization system, helps to alleviate design problems by enabling you to specify manu-
facturing limitations.

Jump to a section topic:

• Constraint Types (p. 48)

• Subtype Requirements and Restrictions (p. 49)

• Application (p. 50)

• Details Pane Properties (p. 50)

Constraint Types
The application supports manufacturing constraints, per method, as shown here.

Density Based Level Set Based Shape Mixable Density

Optimization
Member Size Member Size (Minimum Member Member
(Minimum and and Maximum Thickness Size Size
Maximum and Minimum Gap) (Maximum (Minimum
Thickness) Pull Out Direction Thickness) Thickness)
Pull Out Direction (1-sided, 2-sided, Extrusion Extrusion
(1-sided and Stamping, and No-hole) Housing
2-sided) Am Overhang
Extrusion Constraint
Am Overhang Housing
Constraint Complexity Index

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Define Manufacturing Constraints

Requirements and Restrictions

Review the following for the density based and level set methods.

Density Based Method

Note the following requirements and restrictions when you are using the Topology Optimization
- Density Based optimization method. The restrictions only apply when one of the manufacturing
constraint types is scoped to an Optimization Region or if it has an overlapping region.

• If you specify an AM Overhang Constraint manufacturing constraint, in combination with:

– Symmetry, the Build Direction must be in the symmetry plane.

– Cyclic Repetition, the Build Direction must be parallel to the Axis specified for the
Cyclic Repetition.

– Pattern Repetition, the Build Direction must be perpendicular to the Axis specified
for the Pattern Repetition.

• If you specify an Extrusion and a Cyclic Repetition Design Constraint, the axis of rotation
of cyclic constraint must be in the same as the extrusion direction.

• If you specify an Extrusion and a Symmetry design constraint, the extrusion direction must
be in the symmetry plane.

• If you specify a Pull Out Direction and a Symmetry design constraint, the pull out direction
must be in the symmetry plane.

• If you specify the Pattern Repetition design constraint, in combination with:

– Extrusion, the pattern direction must be perpendicular to the extrusion direction.

– Pull Out Direction, the pull-out direction must be perpendicular to the pattern direc-
tion.

• The combination of the following constraint types is not supported:

– Extrusion and Uniform.

– Pull Out Direction and Uniform.

– AM Overhang Constraint and Uniform.

– AM Overhang Constraint and Member Size, Extrusion, or Pull Out Direction.

Level Set Based Method

Note the following requirements and restrictions when you are using the Topology Optimization
- Level Set Based optimization method. The restrictions only apply when one of the manufacturing
constraint types is scoped to an Optimization Region or if it has an overlapping region.

• When you specify a Member Size manufacturing constraint and set the Minimum property
to Manual, the application performs two optimizations. The first one does not consider the

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manufacturing constraint in the solution calculation. However, if the constraint's Minimum

value is exceeded at the end of this first run, then a second optimization run is executed
using the constraint specifications. This logic makes sure that the optimization does not be-
come trapped in an irrelevant local minimum.

• If you specify an AM Overhang Constraint manufacturing constraint, in combination with:

– Symmetry, the Build Direction must be in the symmetry plane.

– Cyclic Repetition, the Build Direction must be parallel to the Axis specified for the
Cyclic Repetition.

– Pattern Repetition, the Build Direction must be perpendicular to the Axis specified
for the Pattern Repetition.

• If you specify a Pull Out Direction and a Symmetry design constraint, the pull out direction
must be in the symmetry plane.

• If you specify the Pattern Repetition design constraint, in combination with Pull Out Direc-
tion, the pull-out direction must be perpendicular to the pattern direction.

Application
The analysis can include only one Manufacturing Constraint object.

1. To add the object, either look on the Environment Context tab and select Manufacturing Constraint
> [manufacturing constraint type] or right-click the Environment object or within the Geometry
window and select Insert > [manufacturing constraint type].

2. Based on the selected constraint type, specify Details properties as required.

Details Properties
The Details pane for this object includes the following properties.

Category Fields/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method: Based upon the type of Manufacturing Constraint you have
inserted into the tree, one or more of the following options is available for this
property:

• Geometry Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using the graphical selection
tools. When you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping Method, the
Geometry property displays.

In this case, use selection filters on the Graphics Toolbar to pick your
geometric entities (body and element selection only), and then click Apply.
Once complete, the property displays the type of geometry (Body, Element,
etc.) and the number of selected geometric entities (for example: 1 Body,
12 Elements).

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Category Fields/Options/Description
• Named Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Named Selection property displays. This property provides a
drop-down list of available user-defined Named Selections (only body-based
and element-based Named Selections are supported).

• Optimization Region: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to the specified Optimization Region. When you select Optimization
Region for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region Selection
property displays and is automatically set to Optimization Region (the only
option).

• All Optimization Regions: When you have multiple Optimization Regions,

this option indicates that the constraint is applied to all defined Optimization
Regions.

Definition Type: This is a read-only property that indicates the object as a Manufacturing
Constraint.

Subtype: This is a read-only property that displays the type of Manufacturing

Constraint you selected. Options include:

• Member Size: This subtype provides options to specify the minimum

thickness, the maximum thickness, and/or a gap size of the connected parts
in the final design.

• Pull Out Direction: This subtype is used for mold-based manufacturing

processes. It enables you to specify the direction to remove the model from
the mold in a manner that ensures the integrity of the model.

When selected, the Pull Out Option property displays. This property has
the following options:

– None (default): The pull out direction is specified using location and
orientation only.

– Stamping: Selecting this option instructs the application to create

a design that is more compatible with a stamping or forging process.
Like the design of a plate, the final design will not have any
perforations along the pull-out direction.

– No-Hole: Selecting this option makes sure that the design will not
have any perforations. It typically aims to ease the filling stage during
the casting process.

Note:

– For the Density Based method only, if your analysis specifies

a Tetrahedrons Mesh Method (SOLID187) and you are also
defining a Pull Out Direction, Ansys recommends that you

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Category Fields/Options/Description

also include the Manufacturing Constraint > Member Size.

And, you need to manually specify the Minimum property of
the Member Size to at least four times the Tetrahedron
element size.

– You may experience an Exclusion Region specification that

is not consistent (the shapes differ) with a Pull Out Direction
constraint. For the Topology Optimization – Level Set Based
method, the application automatically reshapes the Exclusion
Region in order to comply with the pullout direction.

• Extrusion: Using this manufacturing constraint type, you can make sure
that the resulting cross section of your final design is kept constant along
the selected plane. For each element of the Optimization Region, the
application requires at least two corner nodes to lie on the Axis specified
for the Extrusion.

• The AM Overhang Constraint is used for additive printing. It creates an

Overhang Angle constraint that uses the input of Overhang Angle and
Build Direction to create self-supporting structures. A structure optimized
using AM Overhang Constraint can then be 3D printed without (or with
reduced) supports. If the application is not able to build supports for all
exclusions, it creates as many as possible and issues a warning.

Note:

See the LPBF Simulation Guide for details about performing

additive manufacturing simulations.

Important:

For the Density-based Method

Note the following restrictions and requirements. The AM Over-

hang Constraint:

– Can be specified only once in a Structural Optimization

analysis.

– Cannot be used in combination with the Manufacturing

Constraints Member Size (with Maximum Member Size
defined), Extrusion, or Pull Out Direction.

– If used with Symmetry Manufacturing Constraint, the

Build Direction of the AM Overhang constraint must be
in the symmetry plane.

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Category Fields/Options/Description

– If used with the Cyclic Repetition Design Constraint, the

Build Direction of the AM Overhang constraint must be
parallel to the Axis selection of the Cyclic Repetition
constraint.

• Housing: This manufacturing constraint enables you to create a watertight

design that encloses a given set of faces. Topology optimization often
generates designs that include holes and perforations. Using this
manufacturing constraint, you can create a container to house a given liquid.
Ansys recommends that you have at least three layers of elements above
the selected faces. The surrounding edges of the selected faces will be
automatically set as the Exclusion Region.

• Complexity Index: Use the Complexity Index manufacturing constraint

to control the complexity of optimized designs created during the process.
Using the associated Maximum Value property to specify a limit for this
qualitative criterion, which is based on a ratio between the volume and the
model’s perimeter, you can minimize the creation of overly complex
structures. An entry value of 1 in the Maximum Value property forces the
application to produce a bulky sphere-like shape. As you increase the value
of this entry, you enable the optimization process to reduce materials in
many free form ways, therefore making the manufacture of the design more
difficult. An entry range of 2-10 is suggested.

Member Size Density Based Method

When the Member Size constraint type is selected for the Topology
Optimization - Density Based method, the following associated properties
display in the Member Size category of the Details pane.

• Minimum: For the density based optimization method, the options

include Program Controlled (default) and Manual. Using the Program
Controlled setting, the application automatically sets the minimum size
at 2.5 times the mesh element size.

Min Size property: You display the property by setting the Minimum
property to Manual. The application computes the default value using
the mesh size of the generated mesh. This value can simplify the
Structural Optimization solution run. The Program Controlled setting
is applicable even when no Member Size is added to the Structural
Optimization analysis.

• Maximum: The options include Program Controlled (default) and

Manual.

Max Size property: You display the property by setting the Maximum
property to Manual. The application does not specify a default value
for this property. This is a required entry when you wish to specify a
manufacturing process constraint such as casting, extrusion of parts,

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Category Fields/Options/Description
etc. and when you wish to specify the maximum member size of
connected parts in the final design.

Level Set Based & Mixable Density Methods

When the Member Size constraint type is selected for the Topology Op-
timization - Level Set Based or the Topology Optimization - Mixable
Density methods, the following associated properties display in the
Member Size category of the Details pane.

• Minimum: Options include Free (default) and Manual.

Min Size property: You display this property by setting the Minimum
property to Manual. You use this property to manually enter a desired
minimum member size length.

• Maximum (not supported for mixable density method): Options include

Free (default) and Manual.

Max Size property: You display this property by setting the Maximum
property to Manual. You use this property to manually enter a desired
maximum member size length.

Note:

For the Topology Optimization - Level Set Based

optimization method, the application automatically increases
the value four mesh-element sizes if ever the limit is too
small.

• Gap Size (not supported for mixable density method): The purpose of
the Gap property is to keep a minimum distance between members.
The formulation of this constraint is based on an approximation that
aims to limit the amount of material within multiple test regions (one
per mesh node). Options include Free (default) and Manual.

Value property: You display this property by setting the Gap Size
property to Manual. You use this property to manually enter a desired
member size gap length.

Note:

For the Topology Optimization - Level Set Based optimization

method, Ansys recommends that you:

1. Use the minimum gap constraint in combination with

Maximum Member Size constraint and,

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Category Fields/Options/Description

2. Specify a limit that is smaller than two times the limit for
the Maximum Member Size (minGap 2*MaxThick).

Location When one of the following subtypes is selected, their associated properties display
and Ori- in the Location and Orientation category of the Details view.
entation
Pull Out Direction

When this constraint type is selected, the following associated properties

display:

• Coordinate System: Specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate

system for material removal.

• Axis: Specify the removal axis. Options include: X-Axis, Y-Axis,

Z-Axis.

• Direction: Specify the removal direction based on the above axis.

Options include: Along Axis, Opposite to Axis, or Both Direction.

The Pull Out Direction constraint satisfies the criteria that there
is no concave shape inside of the die so that the part cannot be
trapped. This makes sure that the die can be successfully separated
from a part after forming.
For the options Along Axis and Opposite to Axis only the
direction of the coordinate system is relevant.
For Density Based optimization, for the option Both Directions
both the origin and axis selection of the coordinate system is
important. The Pullout Constraint is applied from the normal
plane (normal to the coordinate system axis selection) at the origin
and along and opposite to the direction specified by the
coordinate system axis. For Level Set Based optimization, also for
Both Directions, only the direction is relevant.

Extrusion

When this constraint type is selected, the following associated properties

display:

• Coordinate System: Specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate

system for the extrusion.

• Axis: Specify the extrusion axis. Options include: X-Axis, Y-Axis,

Z-Axis.

AM Overhang Constraint

When this constraint type is selected, the following associated properties

display:

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Category Fields/Options/Description
• Coordinate System: You use this property to specify the
appropriate Cartesian coordinate system for the overhang angle.
By default, this property is set to the Global Coordinate System.
You can specify a user-defined Coordinate System as desired.

• Build Direction: You use this property to specify the direction that
you would like the overhang constraint to be applied. Options
include +X Axis, +Y Axis, +Z Axis (default), -X Axis, -Y Axis, and
-Z Axis.

• Overhang Angle: You use this property to specify the degree to

which the constraint should be applied. The default setting is 45°.

Note:

For the density based optimization method, the angle

should be kept between 27° and 60°.

Housing

When this manufacturing constraint type is selected, the following

associated properties display:

• Scoping Method: Specify how you want to select the region, either
using Geometry Selection or using a Named Selection.

• Geometry: Select your geometry or mesh entities that you want

to use to create a watertight cavity. Only node, edge, or face
selections are supported.

• Named Selection: Select a geometry-based or mesh-based Named

Selection to be used to create a watertight cavity. Only Named
Selections defined by nodes, edges, or faces are supported.

Refer to the Manufacturing Constraint object reference page for additional information.

2.8.1. Manufacturing Constraint Background

Structural optimization often results in complex shapes that are difficult to realize under specific
manufacturing processes. Incorporating manufacturing constraints in the setup of the optimization
problem can help to reduce and even eliminate manual post-processing, speed-up the design process,
and ensure optimality of the final shape.

However, manufacturing constraints also include limitations related to the numerical framework
(Optimization Method, Optimization Region, Mesh, etc.). The following documentation discusses the

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basic details of their formulation and numerical implementation together with limitations and best-
practices for efficient usage.

Note:

The description "average element size," denoted dxAVG, appears frequently in the numerical
implementation of manufacturing constraints. For 3D solid domains, the average element
size is defined as the average of the cubic root of the volume over all elements.

Member Size
The properties of the Member Size category, of the Manufacturing Constraint object, enable you
to control the size of the structural features of your model as well as the distance between these
features. See the following sections for descriptions of these properties and their use:
2.8.1.1. Member Size Minimum
2.8.1.2. Member Size Maximum
2.8.1.3. Gap Size

2.8.1.1. Member Size Minimum

The Minimum property prevents the formation of thin features in the optimized shape.

Industry Motivation
This specification is motivated by several industrial manufacturing processes. Examples include:

• During a casting process, you can actively avoid thin areas in the mold that can lead to
failure as a result of premature solidification.

• During an additive manufacturing process, you can avoid thin members that can result in
imperfections in the printing process.

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Member Size Minimum Definition

In theory, the computation of the minimum member size is performed in two steps:

1. The application computes the cross-sectional thickness for every point on the boundary,
that is, the distance until crossing the opposite boundary along the direction opposite to
the exterior normal vector.

2. The minimum value of the distance field is defined as the minimum member size of the
structure.

For example, in the wall-type example, the cross-sectional length equals:

• Length (X-direction)

• Width (Y-direction)

• Height (Z-direction)

Plate Structure Cross-sectional Length

This formulation has two main drawbacks:

• It is not derivable due to the minimum operator, and therefore not suitable for gradient-
based optimization algorithms.

• It is not applicable for all methods, namely it requires geometric information that is not
available for density-based methods.

The Minimum Member Size constraint is available for density-based optimization, mixable density,
and level-set based optimization. The formulation depends on the structural optimization framework.

Density and Mixable Density Level-Set

Built-in approach based on filtering The theoretical definition is adopted, based on the
techniques [2 (p. 151)]. cross-sectional thickness, and is appropriately adjusted
to overcome the differentiability issue [13 (p. 151)].

Setup and Technical Specifications

The setup only requires specifying the lower limit not to violate, denoted , in terms of length
units.

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Density Based Mixable Density Level Set Based

Note: Note:

is is
automatically automatically
rounded-up rounded-up
to . to .
The The
default default
value is value is
equal to equal
. to 4
.

Exclusion You specify whether Exclusion regions are inherently considered in the
Region to Include or Exclude member size evaluation.
Exclusions from the
Analysis Settings.
Infeasible Naturally ignored Detected and eliminated from
[a] the constraint evaluation.
Regions
Special None The optimization runs first
treatment without the MinMS constraint.
If the solution does not meet
the requirement, then the
optimization continues adding
the MinMS as a constraint.
Mesh The finer the mesh, the more accurate the computations related to Minimum
Size member size.
[a] Regions where the Minimum Member Size cannot be respected - closely spaced boundaries.

Recommendations
Note the following:

• The computational time for the Minimum Member Size constraint increases together with
and the mesh size refinement.

• As any constraint, the Minimum Member Size affects the objective performance. Namely, by
increasing , the feasible domain shrinks and probably leads to smaller objective gain.
Especially when an objective function with antagonistic behavior is used, that is, the volume,
this tendency becomes more significant.

Example
For the following example, the Optimization Type property is set to the Topology Optimization
– Level Set Based option. The optimization problem consists of:

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• Minimizing the structural compliance under a volume fraction constraint of 0.4.

• A Maximum Member Size constraint with dmax = 1.0e-02.

• A Pull-Out Direction constraint in the Z-direction.

• A Cyclic Repetition Design Constraint with 4 sectors enforced.

The upstream Static Structural system is specified with two displacements, a force, and a moment,
as illustrated.

The finite element mesh includes 153,729 elements.

As shown from the Topology Density as well as a User Defined Result, the optimized result without
considering an minimum member size constraint, shown here, produces slender "ribs.". Note that
the User Defined Result shown below is a cutout of the result using the Section Plane feature.

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When you add a minimum member size constraint with dmin = 8.0e-03, it leads to the optimized
shape where slender ribs disappear.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

References (p. 151)

[3] M.P. Bendsoe, O. Sigmund. Topology optimization: theory, methods, and applications, Springer
Science & Business Media, 2003.

[13] G. Allaire, F. Jouve, G. Michailidis, Thickness control in structural optimization via a level set
method, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 2016.

2.8.1.2. Member Size Maximum

The Maximum member size property prevents the formation of thick features in the optimized
shape. It is supported for density-based optimization, level-set based optimization, mixable density,
and Shape Optimization.

Industry Motivation
This specification is motivated by several industrial manufacturing processes. Examples include:

• During casting processes, a maximum member size is directly related to the cooling process
of the parts where the distance to shape boundaries determines solidification times. Larger

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members require a more elaborate solidification system to remove the shrinkage porosity
outside of the cast part and therefore increase manufacturing costs.

• During additive manufacturing processes, you can avoid large members that result from the
distortion created during the solidification of each layer by thermal residual stress.

Member Size Maximum Definition

Theoretically, the computation of the maximum member size is performed in two steps:

1. The application computes the pointwise distance by selecting a point inside of the shape
that it then extends to the boundary. [13 (p. 151)], [14 (p. 151)].

2. The maximum value of the distance field is defined as the maximum thickness of the
structure.

It is important to note that the formulation of member size is not directional. The constraint is
satisfied when you preserve the distance in any direction. For example, for the following plate,
the maximum thickness corresponds to its height.

Furthermore, the above formulation presents two critical drawbacks:

• It is not derivable due to the Maximum operator and therefore is not suitable for gradient-
based optimization algorithms.

• As illustrated below, it is not permissive because it tracks violation regions that should be
ignored [13 (p. 151)].

However, the devised formulation is appropriately adjusted to overcome these two problems. As
a result, the limit value might be violated in some limited regions of the optimized shape.

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Distortions close to joints of structural members to respect the maximum member size limit (dmax) in a pointwise
(left): dmax is not respected close to joints; (right): dmax is respected everywhere.

Setup and Technical Specifications

The setup only requires specifying the upper limit not to exceed, denoted dmax, in terms of length
units. However, for the sake of accuracy in the calculation of the member size, dmax must respect
a certain ratio with respect to dxAVG, as shown in the following table.

Density Based Mixable Density Level Set Shape

Based Optimization

Lower values lead the is automatically rounded-up to if

optimization process to the limit ratio is not respected.
failure.
Exclusion Using the options, Exclusion regions are inherently considered in the
Region Include Exclusions or member size evaluation.
Exclude Exclusions, of
the Region of In case the thickness of the exclusion region exceeds
Manufacturing , the constraint cannot be respected during the
Constraint and/or optimization and therefore, is automatically
Region of Min Member re-adjusted to comply with the exclusion region.
Size properties of the
Analysis Settings object,
you can specify whether

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Density Based Mixable Density Level Set Shape

Based Optimization
to include or exclude
exclusions.
Retained The member size is computed with respect to NA NA
Threshold the 0.5 iso-contour of the density field.

Modifying the Retained Threshold property

changes the member size of the shape.

Recommendations
Note the following:

• The Maximum Member Size constraint tends to deliver more complex designs.

• Ansys recommends that you use a fine mesh if you expect additional details in the geometry.

• As with any constraint, the Maximum Member Size affects the objective performance. Spe-
cifically, if you reduce , the feasible domain shrinks and likely leads to a smaller objective
gain.

Examples
Pillar Structure

For the following example, the Optimization Type property is set to the Topology Optimization
– Level Set Based option. This analysis uses a pillar structure clamped on the bottom with a
vertical load applied to the top, as illustrated below. The optimization problem is to minimize
the structural compliance under a volume fraction constraint of 0.4.

Here is the finite element mesh (144,828 elements).

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The following Topology Density result and User Defined Result, show the optimized result
without considering any maximum member size constraints. As expected, the optimized shape
is a cylinder. Note that the User Defined Result shown below is a cutout of the result using
the Section Plane feature.

Adding an maximum member size constraint of 0.02 leads to the optimized shape shown below.
One can observe the indentations that are created to satisfy the maximum member size con-
straint. The expected impact of the maximum member size constraint is clearly seen, reducing
the maximum distance from the points inside the shape to the structural boundary.

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Engine Bracket

For the following example, the Optimization Type property is set to the Topology Optimization
– Level Set Based option. The optimization problem consists of:

• Minimizing the structural compliance under a volume fraction constraint of 0.4.

• A Maximum Member Size constraint with dmax = 1.0e-02.

• A Pull-Out Direction constraint in the Z-direction.

• A Cyclic Repetition Design Constraint with 4 sectors enforced.

Mechanical Setup

The upstream Static Structural system is specified with two displacements, a force, and a moment,
as illustrated.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Here is the finite element mesh (153,729 elements).

The following Topology Density result shows the optimized result without considering an
maximum member size constraint.

And here you can see the optimized shape and cross-sectional density for dmax of 0.01.

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References (p. 151)

[13] G. Allaire, F. Jouve, G. Michailidis, Thickness control in structural optimization via a level set
method, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 2016.

[14] Fernandez, E., Yang, K.K., Koppen, S., Alarcon, P., Bauduin, S., Duysinx, P., Imposing minimum
and maximum member size, minimum cavity size, and minimum separation distance between solid
members in topology optimization. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering,
2020.

2.8.1.3. Gap Size

The Gap Size constraint prevents the formation of closely spaced features in the optimized shape.
The appearance of such features is more pronounced when the maximum member size constraint
is used, since the algorithm may satisfy the maximum member size constraint by placing small
holes to reduce the size of large features. It is only available for the level-set based optimization
method and can only be activated in conjunction with the Maximum member size property.

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Industry Motivation
This specification is motivated by several industrial manufacturing processes:

1. During casting process, it is linked to the capability of constructing molds with thin features
as well as with their life cycle.

2. During milling process, as well as other tooling processes, it is related to the characteristics
of the tooling machine (head and bit radius, etc.).

Gap Size Definition

Theoretically, the computation of the gap size is performed in two steps:

1. The pointwise distance between structural members is computed for every point on the
boundary along the exterior normal vector.

2. The minimum value of the distance field is defined as the gap size of the structure.

However, this formulation presents two main drawbacks:

• It is not derivable, due to the minimum operator and the computational procedure, therefore,
it is not suitable for gradient-based optimization algorithms.

• It is quite restrictive for topology optimization since it hinders structural members from ap-
proaching each other and finally merging.

A specific formulation has been devised to overcome these problems. As a consequence of adopting
a rather qualitative formulation [14 (p. 151)], closely spaced features may still appear in the optimized
shape.

Setup and Technical Specifications

The setup only requires specifying the lower limit not to violate, denoted , in terms of length
units. However, for the sake of accuracy in the calculation of the member size, , must respect
a certain ratio with respect to , as shown below.

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Level Set Based

Both relations are motivated for accuracy reasons. However:

• The lower limit relation is required, that is, is automatically

rounded-up to 0.40dmax if the limit ratio is not respected.

• The upper limit relation is rather a recommendation.

Recommendations
As any constraint, the Gap Size affects the objective performance. Namely, by increasing ,
the feasible domain shrinks and probably leads to smaller objective gain.

Example
For the following example, the Optimization Type property is set to the Topology Optimization
– Level Set Based option. This analysis uses a pillar structure clamped on the bottom with a vertical
load applied to the top, as illustrated below. The optimization problem is to minimize the structural
compliance under a volume fraction constraint of 0.4.

Here is the finite element mesh (144,828 elements).

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As shown from the Topology Density result as well as a User Defined Result, the optimized result
without considering manufacturing constraints. As expected, the optimized shape is a cylinder.
Note that the User Defined Result shown below is a cutout of the result using the Section Plane
feature.

Adding an maximum member size constraint of 0.012 leads to the optimized shape shown below.
One can observe the indentations that are created to satisfy the maximum member size constraint.
The structural compliance is equal to 1.85953 e-04 (+1.5%).

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Adding a Gap Size constraint with limit dGapSize = 0.012 results in the optimized shape shown below,
wherein the distance between structural members increases. The structural compliance equals to
1.92452 e-04, namely 5% less stiff due to the maximum member size and gap size constraints.

2.9. Define Design Constraints

Like the options of the Manufacturing Constraint capability, the options of the Design Constraint
capability, as listed below, enable you to impose specific design requirements.

• Cyclic Repetition: This option enables you to control how the sectors are repeated, at the required
times, along the specified axis and yields a design that is symmetric with respect to an axis of rotation.

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• Symmetry: This option enables you to enforce a design that is symmetric with respect to a user-
defined plane.

• Uniform: This option enforces a design that has a constant Topology Density on all planes parallel
to a user-defined plane.

• Pattern Repetition: This option enforces a design that has a repetitive pattern. The pattern is repeated
along the specified axial plane with a user-defined offset value.

Jump to a section topic:

Supported Optimization Methods (p. 74)

Subtype Requirements and Restrictions for Density Based Method (p. 74)
Application (p. 75)
Details Pane Properties (p. 75)

Supported Optimization Methods

The Design Constraint options are supported for the following methods only:

Density Based Lattice Level Set Mixable Shape Topography

Optimization Based Density Optimization Optimization
Cyclic Pattern Cyclic Cyclic Cyclic Not
Repetition Repetition Repetition Repetition Repetition Applicable
Symmetry Symmetry Symmetry Symmetry
Uniform Pattern Pattern
Pattern Repetition Repetition
Repetition

Requirements and Restrictions

Note the following requirements and restrictions for design constraint types. The restrictions only apply
when one of the types is scoped to an Optimization Region or if it has an overlapping region.

• Only one Uniform constraint can be specified per analysis.

• Only one Cyclic Repetition constraint can be specified per analysis.

• If you specify two Symmetry constraints, the symmetry planes must be perpendicular to one
another.

• If you specify a Symmetry and a Cyclic Repetition, the given symmetry plane must be perpen-
dicular to the axis of rotation.

• If you specify a Symmetry and a Uniform, the symmetry plane must be parallel to the plane of
the uniform constraint.

• If you specify two Pattern Repetition constraints, the axis planes must be perpendicular to one
another.

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• The combination of the following subtypes is not supported:

– Cyclic Repetition and Uniform

– Extrusion and Uniform

– Pull Out Direction and Uniform

• Note the following restrictions when you specify a Manufacturing Constraint and a Design
Constraint with the Subtype combinations:

– For Symmetry and Extrusion, the extrusion direction must be in the symmetry plane.

– For Symmetry and Pull Out Direction, the pull out direction must be in the symmetry
plane.

– For Cyclic Repetition and Extrusion, the axis of rotation of cyclic constraint must be in
the same as the extrusion direction.

– For Cyclic Repetition and Pull Out Direction, the pull out direction and the cyclic axis
of rotation must be the same.

• If you specify Pattern Repetition, in combination with:

– Symmetry, the pattern direction must be in the symmetry plane.

– Cyclic Repetition, the pattern direction must be the same as the rotation axis.

– Extrusion, the pattern direction must be perpendicular to the extrusion direction.

– Pull Out Direction, the pull-out direction must be perpendicular to the pattern direction.

– Uniform, the plane of the uniform constraint must be perpendicular to the pattern direction.

Application
The analysis can include only one Design Constraint object.

1. To add the object, either look on the Environment Context tab and select Design Constraint >
[Subtype] or right-click the Environment object or within the Geometry window and select Insert
> [Subtype].

2. Based on the selected Subtype, specify properties as required.

Details Properties
The Details pane for this object includes the following properties.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method: Based upon the type of Design Constraint you have inserted
into the tree, one or more of the following options is available for this property:

• Named Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Named Selection property displays. This property provides a
drop-down list of available user-defined Named Selections (only body-based
and element-based Named Selections are supported).

• Optimization Region: This option indicates that the design region applied
to the specified Optimization Region. When you select Optimization
Region for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region Selection
property displays.

• All Optimization Regions: When you have multiple Optimization Regions,

this option indicates that the constraint is applied to all defined Optimization
Regions.

Definition Type: This is a read-only property that indicates the object as a Design Constraint.

Subtype: This property is a read-only field and it displays the type of Design
Constraint you selected from the Design Constraint drop-down menu.

• Cyclic Repetition

• Symmetry

• Uniform

• Pattern Repetition

Location When a subtype is selected, their associated properties display in the Location
and Ori- and Orientation category of the Details:
entation
Cyclic Repetition

When this subtype is selected, the following associated properties display:

• Number of Sectors: This property specifies the appropriate number

of sectors.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
• Coordinate System: Specify an appropriate Cartesian or Cylindrical
coordinate system for the cyclic model.

• Axis: Specify the appropriate axis. Options include: X-Axis, Y-Axis,

Z-Axis. Only the Z-Axis option is supported for a Cylindrical
coordinate system.

Symmetry

When this subtype is selected, the following associated properties display:

• Coordinate System: Specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate

system for the symmetry model.

• Axis: Specify the plane for the symmetry model. Options include:
YZ Plane, XZ Plane, and XY Plane.

Uniform

When this subtype is selected, the following associated properties display:

• Coordinate System: Specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate system

for the uniform constraint.

• Axis: Specify the appropriate plane. Options include: YZ Plane, XZ Plane,

and XY Plane.

Pattern Repetition

When this subtype is selected, the following associated properties display:

• Coordinate System: Specify the appropriate Cartesian coordinate system

for the repetitive pattern.

• Axis: Specify the appropriate axis. Options include: X-Axis, Y-Axis, and
Z-Axis.

• Offset: Specify the appropriate offset after which the pattern is repeated.

2.10. Specify Results and Solve

The optimization analysis supports the following results. Refer to the individual sections for more in-
formation.

• Topology Density (p. 78) (inserted automatically)

• Topology Elemental Density (p. 81)

• Supported Structural Results (p. 84) (Deformation/Stress, and Strain): When you create solution data
using the options of the Export Design Properties property (required), you can create deforma-
tion/stress/strain results using the context (right-click) menu options of the Solution object. See the

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Specify Analysis Settings (p. 6) section for more information about the settings of the Export Design
Properties property.

• User Defined Results: User Defined Results are available using the context (right-click) option on the
Worksheet for the Available Solution Quantities.

• Topology Density Tracker Result Plot Tracker (inserted automatically)

Note:

The Mechanical APDL solver supports the use of the Commands (APDL) object for optimization
analyses. This support includes all iterations of the optimization analysis and for all load
steps.

Important:

If you are using the Remote Solve Manager (RSM) for your solution, the density trackers do
not update during the solution process. In order to see an optimization update for your
model, you need to select the tracker object, right-click, and select the option Evaluate All
Results. This action tells the remote machine to read the appropriate local file and display
the current results.

2.10.1. Topology Density

The Topology Density result produces nodal averaged results. Go directly to a section topic using
the following links:

• Application (p. 78)

• Display Limitations (p. 79)

• Result Smoothing (p. 79)

• Specify Properties (p. 79)

Application
One Topology Density object is added automatically to the optimization analysis system. You can
add additional objects by selecting Topology Density from the Results group on the Solution
Context tab or by right-clicking the Solution folder (or in the Geometry window) and selecting In-
sert>Topology Density.

Note:

You can further analyze your optimized model, through continued simulation or by per-
forming a design validation by exporting your results and making them available to a new
downstream system.

The Solution object property Export Topology (STL file) enables you to automatically
export your results in Standard Tessellation Language (STL) and in Part Manager Database

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(PMDB) file format, archive the files in zip file format, and then place the zipped file in the
Solver Files Directory. This option is set to Yes by default.

In order to make the optimized results available to a downstream system, you need to
create the new system on the Workbench Project Schematic and link the Results cell of
your Structural Optimization analysis to the Geometry cell of a new downstream system,
either a Geometry component system or the Geometry cell of another analysis system.
Refer to the Design Validation (p. 95) section for additional details about this process.

Display Limitation
This result type does not support the display options available from the Geometry drop-down menu
on the Result Context tab and that include the following views: Exterior, IsoSurfaces, Capped
IsoSurfaces, and Section Planes.

Result Smoothing
The Topology Density result offers the Results group option Smoothing from the Solution Context
Tab. You can also insert a Smoothing object using the context (right-click) menu options Insert >
Smoothing. This result generates an STL (Stereolithography) file based on the Topology Density
result that you can need modify to move nodes of the geometry to refine your part and as desired,
save for use in downstream validation systems. Multiple Smoothing objects can be added for each
Topology Density result.

Note:

Smoothing is not supported on the Linux platform.

Specify Properties
Using the properties of the Details pane, define results.

Category Properties/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method. The options for this property include:

• Optimization Region (default): This option indicates that the design

region is applied to the specified Optimization Region. When you select
Optimization Region for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region
property displays.

• Geometry Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using the graphical
selection tools. When you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Geometry property displays.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
etc.) and the number of selected geometric entities (for example: 1 Body,
12 Elements).

• Named Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Named Selection property displays. This property provides
a drop-down list of available user-defined Named Selections (only
body-based and element-based Named Selections are supported).

Defini- Type: Read-only field that describes the object - Topology Density.
tion
By: Read-only field that displays "Iteration".

Iteration: The default setting is Last. You can specify an iteration number to
obtain results for the specified iteration (displayed in the Result category).

Note:

The animation of Topology Density results occurs over all

iterations for which the intermediate results are computed as well
as saved during solution. The intermediate results are computed
based on the setting of the Store Results At property of the
Output Controls (Analysis Settings object) and the intermediate
results are saved to disk based on the setting of the Max Num
of Intermediate Files property.

Retained Threshold: This property is controlled by a slider that represents the

range from minimum to maximum for the result. The default value is 0.5. The
supported range is 0.01 to 0.99 (greater than zero and less than 1).

Once you evaluate the result, use the slider to view the optimized topology in
the graphics view. The application computes and displays the values for the
Original Volume, Final Volume, Percent Volume of Original, Original Mass, Final
Mass, and Percent Mass of Original properties.

Exclusions Participation: Yes (default) or No. When set to Yes, the application
uses the excluded elements to compute the Original Volume, Final Volume,
Percent Volume of Original, Original Mass, Final Mass, and Percent Mass of Original
properties. When set to No, excluded elements are not considered.

Suppressed: Include (No, default) or exclude (Yes) the result.

Results Minimum: Read-only field that displays minimum density value of the result.

Maximum: Read-only field that displays maximum density value of the result.

Original Volume: Read-only field that displays, per scoping, the computed original
volume.

Final Volume: Read-only field that displays, per scoping and the Retained
Threshold setting, the optimized volume.

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Category Properties/Options/Description
Percent Volume of Original: Read-only field that displays the value of the Final
Volume divided by the Original Volume.

Original Mass: Read-only field that displays, per scoping, the computed original
mass.

Final Mass: Read-only field that displays, per scoping and the Retained Threshold
setting, the optimized mass.

Percent Mass of Original: Read-only field that displays the value of the Final
Mass divided by the Original Mass.

Note:

If elements are excluded from the optimization, then volume/mass

contribution from those elements will not be included in the Original
Volume/Original Mass computation.

Visibility Show Optimized Region: This property is used to control graphical view changes
only. The options for this property include:

• All Regions: This option displays all of the regions selected by the Scoping
Method. Three color bands are shown: Remove (Red), Marginal (Yellow),
and Keep (Gray). Remove indicates a Retained Threshold value of 0 to
0.4, Marginal indicates a value of 0.4 to 0.6, and Keep indicates a value
greater than 0.6.

• Retained Region (default): When Retained Region is selected, then the

Retained Threshold value is used from the details view to show the
region which must be kept.

• Removed Region: This option displays what will be removed.

Informa- Iteration Number: Read-only field that displays the converged iteration step
tion number.

2.10.2. Topology Elemental Density

The Topology Elemental Density result produces element-based result values. Go directly to a section
topic using the following links:

• Application (p. 82)

• Display Limitations (p. 82)

• Specify Properties (p. 82)

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Application
You can add the object (or objects) by selecting Topology Elemental Density from the Results group
on the Solution Context tab or by right-clicking the Solution folder (or in the Geometry window)
and selecting Insert > Topology Elemental Density.

Note:

You can further analyze your optimized model, through continued simulation or by per-
forming a design validation by exporting your results and making them available to a new
downstream system.

The Solution object property Export Topology (STL file) enables you to automatically
export your results in Standard Tessellation Language (STL) and in Part Manager Database
(PMDB) file format, archive the files in zip file format, and then place the zipped file in the
Solver Files Directory. This option is set to Yes by default.

Display Limitation
This result type does not support the following display options available from the Geometry drop-
down menu on the Result Context tab: Exterior, IsoSurfaces, Capped IsoSurfaces, and Section Planes.

Specify Properties
Using the properties of the Details pane, define results.

Category Properties/Options/Description
Scope Scoping Method. The options for this property include:

• Optimization Region (default): This option indicates that the design

region is applied to the specified Optimization Region. When you select
Optimization Region for the Scoping Method, the Optimization Region
property displays.

• Geometry Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a geometry or geometries, which are chosen using the graphical
selection tools. When you specify Geometry Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Geometry property displays.

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Specify Results and Solve

Category Properties/Options/Description
• Named Selection: This option indicates that the design region is applied
to a Named Selection. When you specify Named Selection for the Scoping
Method, the Named Selection property displays. This property provides
a drop-down list of available user-defined Named Selections (only
body-based and element-based Named Selections are supported).

Defini- Type: Read-only field that describes the object - Topology Elemental Density.
tion
By: Read-only field that displays "Iteration."

Iteration: The default setting is Last. You can specify an iteration number to
obtain results for the specified iteration (displayed in the Result category).

Note:

The animation of Topology Density results occurs over all

Retained Threshold: This property is controlled by a slider that represents the

range from minimum to maximum for the result. The default value is 0.5. The
supported range is 0.01 to 0.99 (greater than zero and less than 1). Once you
evaluate the result, use the slider to view the optimized topology in the graphics
view. The application computes and displays the values for the Original Volume,
Final Volume, Percent Volume of Original, Original Mass, Final Mass, and Percent
Mass of Original properties.

Suppressed: Yes or No (default).

Results Minimum: Read-only field that displays minimum value of the result.

Maximum: Read-only field that displays maximum value of the result.

Original Volume: Read-only field that displays, per scoping, the computed original
volume.

Final Volume: Read-only field that displays, per scoping and the Retained
Threshold setting, the optimized volume.

Percent Volume of Original: Read-only field that displays the value of the Final
Volume divided by the Original Volume.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Category Properties/Options/Description
Original Mass: Read-only field that displays, per scoping, the computed original
mass.

Final Mass: Read-only field that displays, per scoping and the Retained Threshold
setting, the optimized mass.

Percent Mass of Original: Read-only field that displays the value of the Final
Mass divided by the Original Mass.
Visibility Show Optimized Region: This property is only used to control graphical view
changes. The options for this property include:

• All Regions: This option displays all of the regions selected by the Scoping
Method. Three color bands display: Remove (Red), Marginal (Yellow), and
Keep (Gray). Remove indicates a Retained Threshold value of 0 to 0.4,
Marginal value indicates a value of 0.4 to 0.6, and Keep value indicates a
value greater than 0.6.

• Retained Region (default): When Retained region is selected, then the

Retained Threshold value is used from the details view to show the region
which must be kept.

• Removed Region: This option displays what will be removed.

Informa- Iteration Number: Read-only field that displays the converged iteration step
tion number.

2.10.3. Structural Results

The Structural Optimization analysis supports certain structural results, such as Deformation, Stress,
and Strain, etc.

Important:

Stress- and strain-based results are not supported for the Topology Optimization -
Density Based method.

Application
In order to make these structural results available, you need to create solution data using the options
of the Export Design Properties property (shown below) of the Analysis Settings object. See the
Specify Analysis Settings (p. 6) section for more information about the settings of the Export Design
Properties property. This property is available for all optimization methods.

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Specify Results and Solve

Once specified, you can create deformation/stress/strain results using the context (right-click) menu
options of the Solution object.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Once you have specified a result, you specify the properties as you normally would (see results object
reference), except there are the following properties with specific requirements for Structural Optim-
ization:

• Environment Selection: You use this property to select the upstream system from which the
result obtain data.

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Post Processing

• Set Number: This option displays the contour result for a given Result Set contained in the
result file. By default, this value is the last set. If only one set is available, then that is the spe-
cified Result Set. For a solution that includes load steps and modes, you specify the desired
set using the Set Number property (see Result Set Listing).

• Iteration: This property displays the result set from which the result was obtained. Contours
for the result are based on the data of the iterations. By default, this value is the last iteration.
If only one iteration is available, then that is the specified Iteration. To obtain other iterations,
set the Export Design Properties property to All Accepted Iterations.

Note:

Optimized structural results are displayed on a triangle-based surface-mesh.

2.11. Post Processing

Once your analysis is prepared and you are ready to begin the solution process, the application enables
you to view the progress of different solution elements, including response convergence charts, using
the output features of the Solution Information object.

Go directly to a section topic using the following links:

• Interrupting the Solution (p. 88)

• Stopping the Solution (p. 88)

• Reviewing Results (p. 88)

• Topology Density Tracker Display Feature (p. 89)

Important:

• If your upstream system is a single Static Structural analysis, it is recommended that you
use step-based loading to improve scalability. In order to do so, you need to define your
loading conditions using the Tabular Data window and you need to set the Independent
Variable property to the Step option. This does not include the use of the Thermal Con-
dition load.

• If you are using the Remote Solve Manager (RSM) for your solution, the density trackers
do not automatically update during the solution process. In order to see an optimization
update for your model, you need to select the tracker object, right-click, and select the
option Evaluate All Results. This action tells the remote machine to read the appropriate
local file and display the current results.

• For a Modal analysis: your Structural Optimization analysis will terminate prior to completion
if every iteration of the optimization run is not able to extract the maximum number of
modes specified from the modal solver.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

• The solver unit system specified in the analysis settings of the Static Structural or Modal
analysis needs to match the unit system specified in the Structural Optimization analysis.
If not, the optimization run presents a unit system mismatch error.

For a general overview of the solution process, see the Solve section of the Help.

Interrupting the Solution

After you have started the solution process, you can interrupt the solution using the Interrupt Solution
button on the solve dialog box. The state of the optimization system will change and you will receive
a green check mark on the dialog box, even if the solution is not converged completely. The following
message will display:

"The solution ran for iterations and aborted as you requested. Examine the convergence plots
to determine if this is an acceptable solution."

Stopping the Solution

You can stop the solution process using the Stop Solution button on the solve dialog box. The applic-
ation immediately halts the solution, does not write results data and issues the following message:

"The solution process was aborted as you requested."

Reviewing Results
For the Density Based optimization type, you can increase and decrease the boundary of the shape
displayed by the tracker using the Retained Threshold property. This property provides a scalable
slider feature to increase and decrease the displayed threshold of the removed/retained elements on
the model.

For the Level Set Based optimization type, the use of the Retained Threshold property is not relevant.
The shape is clearly and unambiguously defined, removing the need for any interpretation.

See the Topology Density (p. 78) and the Topology Elemental Density (p. 81) sections for descriptions
of the purpose and use of the results specific to a the analysis.

Note:

You can further analyze your optimized model, through continued simulation or by performing
a design validation by exporting your results and making them available to a new downstream
system.

The Solution object property Export Topology (STL file) enables you to automatically export
your results in Standard Tessellation Language (STL) and in Part Manager Database (PMDB)
file format, archive the files in zip file format, and then place the zipped file in the Solver
Files Directory. This option is set to Yes by default.

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Post Processing

In order to make the optimized results available to a downstream system, you need to create
the new system on the Workbench Project Schematic and link the Results cell of your
Structural Optimization analysis to the Geometry cell of a new downstream system, either
a Geometry component system or the Geometry cell of another analysis system. Refer to the
Design Validation (p. 95) section for additional details about this process.

Topology Density Tracker Display Feature

In addition, you can open the Solution Information object and select its child object, the Topology
Density Tracker object (inserted automatically), as illustrated below.

You can select this object to view the optimization of the model during the solution. The content of
the display is determined by the setting of the Show Optimized Region property. For the density-based
optimization method, the options include: Retained Region (default), Removed Region, and All Regions.
Note that the All Regions option displays only color changes on the model.

Note the following behaviors of the tracker and its properties:

• The display is only available when the Topology Density Tracker object is selected during the
solution.

• If the Topology Density Tracker object is not selected during the solution process, by default,
the application displays the result of the final iteration.

• The Iteration Number property of the Topology Density Tracker object indicates the iteration
number of the result currently displayed in the Geometry window based on the setting of the
Update Interval property of the Solution Information object.

An example solution for a Topology Density Tracker is shown in the following animation.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

You can also insert and select a Topology Elemental Density Tracker (p. 81) object under the Solution
Information object to view elemental optimization of the model during the solution.

2.12. Recreating CAD Geometry

You can insert a downstream Geometry system in order to transfer your faceted geometry to SpaceClaim
to recreate your CAD geometry using the reverse engineering feature.

Important:

The capability to recreate a downstream geometry is not supported for 2D plane, shell, and
multi-body geometries.

Application
This workflow assumes that you have a working knowledge of Workbench and its component systems.
To create a new geometry from your optimized analysis:

1. Place a new Geometry system on the Project Schematic as illustrated and link the Results cell of
the Structural Optimization system to the Geometry cell of your new system.

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Recreating CAD Geometry

2. Select the Results cell of the Structural Optimization system. In the properties pane, set the Geo-
metry Format property to Grouped Obj (default).

3. Right-click the Results cell of the Structural Optimization system and select Update. Once complete,
refresh the Geometry cell of the new system.

4. Open the geometry in SpaceClaim. Use the reverse engineering feature to specify your geometry.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Note:

For a Topology Result (p. 78), you can create and export an STL file by 1) using the Export
Topology (STL file) property on the solution object, or 2) using a Smoothing object. An STL
file generated from a Smoothing object is specifically designed for the reverse engineering
capability.

Example
The following sequence shows an example of the original geometry, the optimized geometry, and the
recreated geometry.

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Recreating CAD Geometry

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

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Performing Design Validation

2.13. Performing Design Validation

Once you have completed your optimization analysis, you can validate your optimized design in a
downstream analysis system. In order to perform a validation, your optimization analysis must be in a
solved state. Two validation options are available:

• Transfer to Design Validation System (Geometry) (p. 96): This option enables you to first revise
your geometry in a CAD application. No environmental conditions are transferred to the down-
stream system.

• Transfer to Design Validation System (Model) (p. 100): This option enables you to transfer
scoping downstream.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

2.13.1. Geometry Validation

Design validation using the Transfer to Design Validation System (Geometry) option transfers data
to the downstream system's Geometry cell. The benefit of this option is that you can revise the
geometry in a CAD application. Follow the steps below to validate your simulation.

Note:

As desired, you can use Non-Ansys tools to validate your design. You will need to retrieve
the STL file of the optimized design in order to import it into the geometry modeling
software of your choice.

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Performing Design Validation

Create Validation System

To validate your optimized topology, actions are required in Mechanical as well as Workbench.

File Preparation in Mechanical

The optimized geometry file - in Standard Tessellation Language (STL) - is created from the selected
Topology Density result picked using the --Topology Result property of the Solution object of the
optimization system in Mechanical. The --Topology Result property only appears when the property
Export Optimal Shape is set to Only Geometry.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

By having both geometries available in the Geometry cell (in Workbench), you can perform actions
such as overlaying or preserving sections of the geometry or sweep surfaces in order to create addi-
tional material around selected regions such as bolt holes.

Note:

If you decide to use SpaceClaim to adjust the optimized geometry, check the Additive
Manufacturing section (as well as the Designing, Repairing problems, and Preparing
designs for analysis sections) in the SpaceClaim Help for the tools you can use to simplify
and prepare the optimized geometry in the new system.

Create Design Validation System in Workbench

Once you have specified the desired result to export and solved the analysis, return to Workbench.
As shown below, the highlighted context menu option Transfer to Design Validation System
(Geometry) becomes available to transfer the Results cell of your completed analysis to either the
Geometry cell or the Model cell of a newly created system. To begin this process, right-click the
Structural Optimization's Results cell and select the Transfer to Design Validation System (Geometry)
option from the menu.

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Performing Design Validation

Note:

The operation is the same if you have multiple upstream systems.

Once you select the option, Workbench creates a new Mechanical system of the same type that is
upstream of the optimization system and send the original geometry and the optimized geometry
to the Geometry cell of the new system. Next, Update the Geometry cell of the new system to update
the Results cell of the optimization system (which changed to out of date after the new system is
created and linked) and the Geometry cell of the new system. The Geometry cell of the new system
becomes up-to-date after the action is complete.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

If you are working with two upstream systems, you simply need to Update the first newly created
system. All other downstream systems share Engineering Data, Geometry, and Model cell data.
Once updated, you can validate all of the systems in one Mechanical session.

Note:

Even though the Geometry cell of the new system is up-to-date, first simplify the optimized
geometry using SpaceClaim before attempting to open up the geometry in Mechanical.
Attempting to open the unsimplified optimized design from the STL file in Mechanical will
take a long time and will lead to issues due to the use of facets.

2.13.2. Model Validation

Design validation using the Transfer to Design Validation System (Model) option to transfer data
to the downstream system's Model cell. The benefit of this option is that you can automatically
transfer all scoping, loading conditions, etc. to the new system. Follow the steps below to validate
your simulation.

Note:

As desired, you can use non-Ansys tools to validate your design. You will need to retrieve
the STL file of the optimized design in order to import it into the geometry modeling
software of your choice.

Create Validation System

To validate your optimized topology, actions are required in Mechanical as well as Workbench.

Important:

• The design validation process does not support Instancing.

• For projects saved prior to release 2024 R2 that are using non-associative CAD import,
the automatic propagation of scoping for the downstream validation system will not
occur. A debug option enables you to correct this situation.

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Performing Design Validation

File Preparation in Mechanical

The design validation process requires that you specify a Smoothing object for your desired Topology
Density (p. 78) result in Mechanical. Once you insert the Smoothing object, you need to set the
Export Model property to Yes to make the result available for validation. Evaluate this result object
once complete.

The application creates a .pmdb file for export. An example is shown in the File Name property
above. This file is placed in the working project directory and will be used in the creation of the new
design validation system in Workbench.

Note:

The Smoothing feature is not supported for:

• The Linux platform. However, you can create a design validation system on Windows
and then solve it on Linux.

• 2D analyses and analyses that include a 3D Surface Body (Shell).

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Create Design Validation System in Workbench

Once you have specified the desired result to export and solved the analysis, return to Workbench.
As shown below, the highlighted context menu option Transfer to Design Validation System
(Model) becomes available to transfer the Results cell of your completed analysis to either the
Geometry cell or the Model cell of a newly created system. To begin this process, right-click the
Structural Optimization's Results cell and select the Transfer to Design Validation System (Model)
option from the menu.

Note:

The operation is the same if you have multiple upstream systems.

Workbench creates and links a new Mechanical system of the same type that is upstream of the
Structural Optimization system.

Update New System

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Performing Design Validation

As pointed out above, by default, the application creates an .pmdb file for export. In Workbench,
this application generated file becomes available in the drop-down list of the Smoothed Model
property of the Model cell properties on the Workbench Project Schematic. The Smoothed Model
drop-down menu can contain multiple .pmdb files based on the number of Smoothing objects you
specify for export in Mechanical. Multiple files are often created for Topology Density results that
have different Retained Threshold settings.

Next, update the Model cell of the new system: right-click and select Update. This updates the Results
cell of the Structural Optimization system (which changed to out-of-date after the new system is
created and linked) and the Model cell of the new system.

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Optimization Analysis Workflow

Important:

It is possible that you will receive an error during the update. This is a result of a mesh
limitation. Return to Mechanical and specify a Patch Independent Mesh Method and update
the new system again.

If you are working with two upstream systems, you simply need to Update the first newly created
system. All other downstream systems share Engineering Data and Model cell data. Once updated,
you can validate all of the systems in one Mechanical session.

Analyze Optimized Design

Once the Model cell of your new system is up-to-date, you can open it in Mechanical and analyze
the newly optimized topology.

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Performing Design Validation

If you decide to use SpaceClaim to adjust the optimized geometry, check the Additive Manufacturing
section (as well as the Designing, Repairing problems, and Preparing designs for analysis sections)
in the SpaceClaim Help for the tools you can use to simplify and prepare the optimized geometry in
the new system.

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Chapter 3: Design Methods
This chapter examines how each method processes the shapes, the rules you must follow for each
method, as well as other additional general process descriptions.
3.1. Shape Processing Workflows
3.2. Recommendations - Optimization in Practice
3.3. Mixing Multiple Methods within an Analysis
3.4.Topology Optimization versus Shape Optimization

3.1. Shape Processing Workflows

Structural optimization is by nature a large-scale constrained optimization, where the number of degrees
of freedom (DOF) ranges from 1e4 to more than 1e9 and is solved using gradient-based algorithms.

Despite the qualitative differences between the optimization methods, each method follows the same
analytical workflow when performing an analysis, including:

1. Shape Description: For the Shape Optimization and Topography Optimization methods the
shape is explicitly defined using the finite element mesh. The Topology Optimization and Lattice
Optimization methods use implicit descriptions through either density fields (Lattice and Solid
Isotropic Material with Penalization method (SIMP) topology optimization) or level-set functions
(Level Set-based topology optimization).

2. Shape Evaluation: Methods using implicit shape description require dedicated treatment for
finite element analysis.

3. Shape Derivative Computation: Based on the shape description, the application selects how
to best compute the shape derivative, that is, the desired sensitivity for each specified criterion
with respect to the corresponding degrees of freedom of the optimization problem.

4. Shape Update: The application performs final geometry modifications based on the selected
shape description.

See the following sections for the shape processing workflows of each method:
3.1.1. Density Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing
3.1.2. Level Set Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing
3.1.3. Lattice Optimization Shape Processing
3.1.4. Shape Optimization Shape Processing
3.1.5.Topography Optimization Shape Processing

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Design Methods

3.1.1. Density Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing

The density-based method belongs to the family of topology optimization technology. Adopting the
logic of immersed boundary methods, this method aims to optimize the distribution of material
within a working domain by varying a density field ranging from 0 to 1. Topology optimization
technology, which first appeared in the framework of the homogenization method for composites
[1 (p. 151)] [3 (p. 151)]. Simplified approaches, such as Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization method
(SIMP), followed and were devised to force the density to approach either 0 or 1, making them applic-
able for standard solid structures.

Shape Description
You can characterize the density-based approach as a large-scale parametric optimization where the
DOF is the “density.” That is, a unit-less variable ranging from 0 to 1, where:

• A value of zero (0) virtually removes elements to create virtual voids.

• A value of one (1) specifies an element with a material.

As a result, this method does not deliver a shape but an optimized density-field. To create an unam-
biguous design, the application forces the density to approach 0 or 1 and then removes any interme-
diate densities. Here is an example of a part defined with a density-threshold of 0.5 (default).

Where:

(a) is the optimal distribution of density (over the working domain).

(b) is the resulting shape (while drawing the iso-surface corresponding to 0.5 – density)

Shape Evaluation
For shape evaluation using the density-field, , it is critical to properly update the material
properties. Specifically, the application updates:

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Shape Processing Workflows

• Young modulus and mass for static structural and modal analyses.

• Conductivity and mass for thermal analyses.

To force solutions to approach either zero (0) or one (1), Ansys uses the following widely documented
interpolation schemes:

(linear interpolation for the mass).

(power-law interpolation for stiffness [BS2003]).

Note:

For the above calculations, Mvoid << Msolid and Kvoid << Ksolid correspond to the material
properties of a weak material representing the void.

Shape Derivative
The shape derivative used in gradient-based optimizers for the density-based method is calculated
from the derivative with respect to the density. Furthermore, for:

• Geometric criteria, the computation is analytical.

• Physics-based criteria, the adjoint approach is used.

Shape Update
By adding the descent direction , derived from the gradient-based optimizer, to the current
density field , the application computes a new density field . The calculation is represented
as:

representing the new shape: .

Summary
Degrees of freedom for this method are based on the density of the elements or the density at the
nodes.

Strengths

Enables you to easily manage topological changes.

It is based on the development of light machinery and enables fast convergence.

Place in Design Stage

Used early in the design process to sketch designs.

Limitations

Can sometimes deliver an ambiguous solution, including intermediate densities that do not
provide the most ideal optimized part.
Produces a less accurate evaluation than the body-fitted approach.

Tips

Use a uniform mesh to equally capture geometric details for the entire domain.

References (p. 151)

[1] MP Bendsoe, N. Kikuchi, Generating optimal topologies in structural design using a homogenization
method, Computer methods in applied mechanics and engineering, 1988.

[2] MP Bendsoe, O. Sigmund, Topology optimization: theory, methods, and applications, Springer
Science & Business Media, 2003.

[3] F. Murat, L. Tartar, Calcul des Variations et Homogeneisation, In Les Methodes de l Homogeneisation
Theorie et Applications en Physique, Coll. Dir. Etudes et Recherches EDF, 57, Eyrolles, Paris, pp.319-
369, 1985.

3.1.2. Level Set Based Topology Optimization Shape Processing

Another topology optimization technology method is the level-set based method. Originally used for
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to track fluid-interface it is also applied in structural optimization.

Shape Description
This method manages shape description through pure geometric information and defines a shape
without ambiguity. That is, for the shape, defined over the working domain, using an auxiliary function,
denoted as the level-set function, specifies positive, zero, or negative values, such that:

Note:

• This implicit representation of the shape enables you to make topological changes
without needing to detect topological modifications and reconstruct shape parametriz-
ations.

• Provides a convenient framework for the calculation of geometric quantities, such as

the exterior normal vector: .

• For the level-set functions that provide the same shape description, Ansys uses the
signed-distance function (SDF) [DF2012], defined as:

where denotes the standard Euclidian distance from a point to the

boundary .

• The level-set function is discretized at vertices of the mesh and interpolated inside the
elements.

Shape Evaluation
The application evaluates the criteria on a fixed mesh. However, the definition of the mechanical
properties is simple and generic, that is:

• Any element lying inside of the shape has a density value of 1.

• Any element lying outside the shape is specified as a void-material.

• As to the one layer of elements cut by the zero level-set, they receive an intermediate density
in accordance with the solid fraction.

Pseudo-density used for the modification of the mechanical properties.

Using the ersatz-material approach [5 (p. 151)], each material property is interpolated as
, where Evoid << Esolid corresponds to the material properties of a weak ma-
terial representing the void.

Shape Derivative
The application computes the shape derivative using the continuous formalism defined by Hadamard
(see [5 (p. 151)]). That is, given a shape perturbation , the asymptotic expansion reads:

Where:

is current shape.
is the shape perturbation.
is the new shape.

The shape derivative usually admits the following form:

For the form, the integrand, , depends on the criterion, , through both the solution state
of the mechanical problem and some corresponding adjoint-state.

Shape perturbation by a vector field .

Shape Update
Given a shape perturbation , the application updates the shape by solving a transport equation for
the level-set function [BDF2012]:

Summary
The degrees of freedom for this method are based on the boundary of the shape.

Strengths

Enables you to easily manage topological changes.

It delivers an unambiguous solution.

Place in Design Stage

Used early in the design process to sketch conceptual designs.

Limitations

Produces a less accurate evaluation that the body-fitted approach.

Due to the heavy machinery, the run is sometimes more expensive compared to the density
method.

Tips

Use a uniform mesh to equally capture geometric details for the entire domain.

References (p. 151)

[4] C. Dapogny, P. Frey, Computation of the signed distance function to a discrete contour on adapted
triangulation, Calcolo, 2012.

[5] G. Allaire, F. Jouve, AM Toader, Structural optimization using sensitivity analysis and a level-set
method, Journal of computational physics, 2004.

[6] C. Bui, C. Dapogny, P. Frey. An accurate anisotropic adaptation method for solving the level set
advection equation, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, 2012.

[7] S. Osher, JA Sethian, Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on
Hamilton-Jacobi formulations, Journal of computational physics, 1988.

3.1.3. Lattice Optimization Shape Processing

This method enables you to compute an optimal variable density lattice distribution in your geometry.

Shape Description
For the lattice method, the working domain is occupied by a lattice structure of varying density .

You need to define the cell-size as well as the minimum and maximum density value
. Based on the values of as well as other options, the product is able to
reconstruct a lattice structure inside of the working domain.

Optimized Lattice Density Distribution

Lattice Reconstruction

Shape Evaluation
Depending on the lattice pattern and the density value at each element, the mechanical properties
described by the elasticity tensor are modified via analytical formulas [11 (p. 151)], based
on results extracted using the homogenization theory [12 (p. 151)].

Shape Derivative
The shape derivative used in gradient-based optimizers for the lattice method is calculated from the
derivative with respect to the density. Furthermore, for:

• Geometric criteria, the computation is analytical.

• Physics-based criteria, the adjoint approach is used.

The derivatives, , of the elasticity tensor with respect to the density are obtained via analytical
formulas [11 (p. 151)].

Summary
Degrees of freedom for this method are the density at nodes (that will be then mapped at elements).

Strengths

The variable lattice structure is parametrized using just one field.

The computation is fast, thanks to using the homogenized properties in the finite element
analysis.

Place in Design Stage

Used in the final stage of the design process.

Limitations

Some results, such as stress, may not be accurate enough, especially close to the shape boundary,
due to using the homogenized properties in the finite element analysis.

This method only supports linear analyses.

Tips

The smaller you make the lattice cell size, the more accurate the finite element modelling.

References (p. 151)

[11] L. Cheng, P. Zhang, E. Biyikli, J. Bai, J. Robbins, A. To, Efficient design optimization of variable-
density cellular structures for additive manufacturing: theory and experimental validation, Rapid
Prototyping Journal, 2017.

[12] G. Allaire, Homogenization and two-scale convergence, SIAM Journal on Mathematical Analysis,
1992.

3.1.4. Shape Optimization Shape Processing

The Shape Optimization method uses morphing optimization technology to process solid elements
by varying the node locations.

Shape Description

For the Shape Optimization method, the shape is represented by a simplicial mesh
composed of tetrahedral elements .

Conformal Tetrahedral Mesh

Shape Evaluation
For this method, no special treatment is required to perform shape evaluation.

Note:

An acceptable mesh quality is expected to be retained during the optimization process.

However, excessive deformation of the shape may lead to large approximation errors in
the finite element analysis.

where:

is current shape.
is the shape perturbation.
is the new shape.

The shape derivative usually admits the following form:

For the form, the integrand, , depends on the criterion, , through both the solution state
of the mechanical problem and some corresponding adjoint-state.

Shape Perturbation via a Vector Field

Note:

To perform larger shape modifications and to avoid distortions that may lead to poor mesh
quality, the shape gradient is extended inside the whole domain by solving an auxiliary
problem [8 (p. 151)].

Shape Update
The application creates the new shape by updating the position of the mesh vertices using the shape
perturbation , as:

where:

is the position vector of vertex at the new shape.

is the position vector of vertex at the current shape.
is the shape perturbation.

Specific programming is in place to preserve mesh-quality.

Summary
Degrees of freedom for this method are based on node location.

Strengths

This method accurately computes any state variable given proper mesh quality.

Compared to the topology optimization methods, no numerical trickery occurs to evaluate the
shape.

This method is rather dedicated for local and decent modification, but the implementation has
proved to conveniently manage large shape changes without remeshing.

Place in Design Stage

Used in the final stage of design process when local and decent shape adjustments are expected.

Limitations

Finite element approximation errors could occur due to poor-quality mesh regions or if large
modifications are made.

Because shape optimization does not manages topology changes, additional programming is in
place to preserve mesh-quality. This factor can sometimes lead to additional computational re-
quirements.

Tips

Use a uniform mesh to equally capture geometric details.

References (p. 151)

[8] G. Allaire, C. Dapogny, F. Jouve, Shape and topology optimization, Handbook of numerical analysis,
2021.

[9] G. Allaire, M. Schoenauer, Conception optimale de structures, Springer, 2007.

3.1.5. Topography Optimization Shape Processing

The Topography Optimization method uses morphing optimization technology to process shell ele-
ments by varying the node locations.

Shape Description

For the Topography Optimization method, the shape, , is represented by a mesh, , and
composed of shell elements . This method is essentially equivalent to the Shape Optimization
method for surface bodies.

Conformal Shell Mesh

Shape Evaluation
For this method, no special treatment is required to perform shape evaluation.

Note:

An acceptable mesh quality is expected to be retained during the optimization process.

However, excessive deformation of the shape may lead to large approximation errors in
the finite element analysis.

Shape Derivative
The application computes the shape derivative using the continuous formalism defined by Hadamard
(see [AJT2004]). That is, given a shape perturbation , the asymptotic expansion reads:

Where:

is current shape.
is the shape perturbation.
is the new shape.

The shape derivative usually admits the following form:

For the form, the integrand, , depends on the criterion, , through both the solution state
of the mechanical problem and some corresponding adjoint-state.

Shape Update
The application creates the new shape by updating the position of the mesh vertices using the shape
perturbation , as:

Where:

is the position vector of vertex at the new shape.

is the position vector of vertex at the current shape.
is the shape perturbation.

Specific programming is in place to preserve mesh-quality.

Summary
Degrees of freedom for this method are based on node location.

Strengths

This method accurately computes any state variable given proper mesh quality.

Compared to the topology optimization methods, no numerical trickery occurs to evaluate the
shape.

This method is specific to local modifications of the shape but also manages large shape changes
without remeshing.

Place in Design Stage

Used in the final stage of the design process for local shape adjustments.

Limitations

Finite element approximation errors could occur due to poor-quality mesh regions or if large
modifications are made.

Because shape optimization does not manage topology changes, additional programming is in
place to preserve mesh-quality. This factor can sometimes lead to additional computational re-
quirements.

Tips

Use a uniform mesh to equally capture geometric details.

References (p. 151)

[9] G. Allaire, M. Schoenauer, Conception optimale de structures, Springer, 2007.

[10] M. Shimoda, Y. Liu, A non-parametric free-form optimization method for shell structures, Struc-
tural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 2014.

3.2. Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

The available design methods have certain prerequisites, requirements, limitations, and individual features
that you need to understand. Review the following sections as needed for your analysis:
3.2.1.Topology Optimization - Density Based
3.2.2.Topology Optimization - Level Set Based
3.2.3.Topology Optimization - Mixable Density
3.2.4. Lattice Optimization Analysis
3.2.5. Shape Optimization Analysis
3.2.6.Topography Optimization

3.2.1. Topology Optimization - Density Based

Review the following requirements and limitations associated with performing a density-based optim-
ization analysis. These limitations apply only to the optimization analysis and are not applicable to
any downstream design validation systems. In addition, see the next section, Topology Optimization
- Density Based Solution Methodology (p. 124), for a description of the theory behind the solution
methodology used for density-based optimization analyses.

• Element Type Requirements (p. 123)

• Recommendations (p. 123)

• General Limitations (p. 123)

• Modal Analysis Limitations (p. 124)

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

• Linked Static Structural Analysis Limitations (p. 124)

• Linked Thermal Analysis Limitations (p. 124)

Element Type Requirements

The density-based optimization analysis supports Solid, Shell, and Plane elements in the optimization
region. The application excludes any other element type used in this region from the optimization
solution.

Recommendations
For a density-based optimization analysis, Ansys recommends that you:

• Use the mixable density method when you specify a Thermal Condition in an upstream
Static Structural analysis to enable a more versatile and robust problem formulation.

General Limitations
The density-based optimization analysis method does not support:

• Imported Plies (Composites).

• Graphical view of Exclusions created by Direct FE boundary conditions.

• Cracks defined within the Fracture object.

• If you specify the Solver Type as Optimality Criteria, the application only supports Response
constraints types of Mass and Volume and Manufacturing Constraints where only the Minimum
Member Size can be specified.

• Use of Section Planes with Topology Density and Topology Elemental Density results. Note that
the User Defined Result does support this feature.

• Pre-stressed Modal analysis.

• Large-deflection effects in a Static Structural analysis (NLGEOM, ON).

• Nonlinear contacts (supported contact includes Bonded and No Separation).

• Axisymmetric model when you wish to define a Global Stress Constraint (p. 38) and Local von-
Mises Stress Constraint. (p. 38)

• Any Thermal system linked to the upstream Static Structural system.

• A solution run on high performance computing (HPC) using Distributed Ansys across multiple ma-
chines, when:

– You have Thermal Condition included in a Static Structural analysis linked to a Structural
Optimization analysis.

– You want to optimize a Static Structural analysis that is linked to an upstream Steady-State
Thermal analysis.

– A Structural Optimization that includes a Reaction Force Constraint.

Modal Analysis Limitations

When linked to a Modal analysis, the density-based optimization analysis does not support:

• Damping when the Damped property set to Yes (and therefore also the Campbell Diagram
chart).

• Unsymmetric solver selection.

• Optimality Criteria solver selection.

Linked Static Structural Analysis Limitations

When linked to a Static Structural analysis, the density-based optimization analysis does not support
the following boundary conditions:

• Joint Load.

• Fluid Solid Interface.

• EM Transducer.

Linked Thermal Analysis Limitations

For a density-based optimization analysis linked to an upstream Steady State Thermal analysis, the
application does not support the use of the Ansys Remote Solve Manager (RSM) to submit jobs on a
remote machine.

3.2.1.1. Topology Optimization - Density Based Solution Methodology

Review the following for the theory behind the solution methodology for density-based optimization
analyses:

• Sequential Convex Programming (p. 125)

• Optimality Criteria (p. 125)

• Solution Methodology for Natural Frequencies (p. 125)

• Solution Methodology for Stress Constraints (p. 126)

• Solution Convergence Criteria (p. 127)

• Topology Optimization with Thermal Condition (p. 128)

• References Materials (p. 128)

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

Sequential Convex Programming

The Sequential Convex Programming method (SCP), see Zillober[1][2][3], is an extension of the
method of moving asymptotes (MMA), see Svanberg[4]. The Sequential Convex Programming
method requires the derivatives of all functions present in the Topology Optimization problem.
MMA is a nonlinear programming algorithm that approximates a solution for a Topology Optimiz-
ation problem by solving a sequence of convex and separable subproblems. These subproblems
can be solved efficiently due to their special structure.

The Sequential Convex Programming method extends MMA to ensure convergence by rejecting
steps that do not lead to an optimal solution of the underlying problem. The test for acceptance
is done by a merit function and a corresponding line search procedure, see Zillober[5]. The goal of
the merit function is to measure the progress and enable the objective function and the constraints
to be combined in a suitable way.

Optimality Criteria
The Optimality Criteria method can be used to solve density-based optimization problems with a
simple compliance objective that uses a volume or mass constraint. The Optimality Criteria method
is an iterative solver, see Bensoe and Sigmund[6]. The Optimality Criteria method should not be
used for a Modal Analysis.

Note:

The following limitations apply when using the Optimality Criteria Solver Type:

• Only supports the Compliance (Structural) setting for the Response Type column
of the Objective object worksheet.

• Only Volume and Mass constraints are supported.

• The Manufacturing Constraint is supported where only the Minimum property

for the Member Size constraint subtype can be specified.

Solution Methodology for Natural Frequencies

When performing density-based optimization analysis with supported natural frequencies, you can
specify the frequency as either an objective or as a constraint. A single natural frequency or a
weighted combination of several natural frequencies can be defined using the Objective object.

[1] Zillober, Ch., A globally convergent version of the method of moving asymptotes, Structural
Optimization, 6(3):166-174, 1993.
[2] Zillober, Ch., A combined convex approximation — interior point approach for large scale
nonlinear programming, Optimization and Engineering, 2(1):51-73, 2001.
[3] Zillober, Ch., SCPIP - an efficient software tool for the solution of structural optimization
problems, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 24(5), 2002.
[4] Svanberg, K., The Method of Moving Asymptotes — a new method for structural optimiza-
tion, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 24:359-373, 1987.
[5] Zillober, Ch., Global convergence of a nonlinear programming method using convex approx-
imations, Numerical Algorithms, 27(3):256-289, 2001.
[6] Bendsoe, M.P. and Sigmund O., Topology Optimization: Theory, Methods and Applications,
Springer, Berlin, 2003.

The aim of the optimization is to maximize these frequencies according to their weights (as defined
in the Worksheet).

In addition, you can add a single natural frequency as a constraint and define a lower and an upper
bound on the frequency. The solver will guarantee, if possible, that this frequency lies within the
specified range.

If the design objective is to optimize a frequency, then all of the repeating frequencies are optimized
simultaneously.

It is important to note that the mode shapes will change during the iterative solution procedure
and that there is no tracking with respect to the initial mode shape. Only the actual value of the
specified natural frequency is considered. This means at the final iteration the mode shape may
change dramatically in comparison to the initial shape of the optimized mode.

Because the underlying solver is sensitivity based, problems with natural frequencies have to be
handled with care. The problem is not differentiable in the common sense, such as a case of multiple
eigenvalues. Instead, derivatives for multiple eigenvalues have to be calculated in a special way.
Since the mode shapes are not unique for multiple eigenvalues, additional effort is necessary to
get sensitivities that are independent of the mode shapes. In order to obtain unique sensitivities
for these eigenvalues, an additional eigenvalue problem has to be solved for each optimized element,
see Seyranian[7].

Solution Methodology for Stress Constraints

When working with topological optimization for global stress constraints, and local stress constraints
applied to more than one element, you can specify an upper bound on the stress that has to be
satisfied by all elements. Theoretically, this requires the solution of an optimization problem with
n stress constraints, where n denotes the number of optimized elements taken into account. Because
the computational effort would be too great to achieve this, a relaxed reformulation has to be ap-
plied. In order to keep the complexity of the optimization problem low, a set of elements is repres-
ented by one constraint instead of individual ones. This technique divides the original design space
into clusters. The maximum stress value with respect to all elements in the cluster/set S has to
satisfy the following:

Where is the elemental mean value of the equivalent (von-Mises) stress of element e in set S.
Since the maximum leads to a non-differentiable problem formulation, the p-norm is used to ap-
proximate the actual maximum instead. Applying the differentiable p-norm leads to:

Where denotes the vector of all stress values of the elements in set S. Note that the p-norm
overestimates the actual maximum. To stabilize the solver different regularization techniques are
used in the literature. In Holmberg[8], a fixed scaling parameter is introduced. With factor:
that leads to:

[7] Seyranian, A.P., Lund E., and Olhoff N., Multiple eigenvalues in structural optimization
problems, Structural Optimization, 8:207-227, 1994.
[8] Holmberg E., Torstenfelt B., and Klarbring A., Stress constrained topology optimization,
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 48(1):33-47,2013.

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

where nS is the number of elements in the considered set. In previous releases this approach was
used. Since at the final iteration, the maximum stress of some optimized elements might be
greater than the user-defined upper bound of the global/local stress constraint, the validation
might fail.

To improve the accuracy of the approximation, a different regularization techniques is available. In

Le[9], the nnormalized maximum approximation is used to measure the stress value of a cluster/set.
Here the p-Norm is also applied but instead of using a fixed factor an adaptive factor is introduced.
In each iteration the factor is modified. This technique leads to:

Where denotes the iteration. This approach improves accuracy as well as the estimate of the stress
value.

Solution Convergence Criteria

The density-based optimization solver approaches a stationary point where all constraints are sat-
isfied within a tolerance of 0.1 percent of the defined bound. This tolerance is defined by the
Convergence Accuracy property (see Specify Analysis Settings (p. 6)).

To simplify the notation, assume that only one constraint exists. The optimality conditions of the
Topology Optimization problem can be stated with the following equation:

Where denotes the Lagrange function. The Lagrange function is defined by:

Where is the Lagrange multiplier corresponding to the constraint , and is the objective function
to be either maximized or minimized. The solver will stop as soon as the desired tolerance is
achieved, where: , as defined here:

Because approaching this stationary point can require a large number of iterations, a relaxed con-
vergence criterion is used. The optimization stops as soon as the following equation has three
successive iterations. In this equation, denotes the vector of pseudo densities of the iteration.

Note that three successive iterations are considered as the underlying solver is stabilized by a line
search procedure. This line search procedure might lead to small changes with respect to the pseudo

[9] Le C., Norato J., Bruns T., Ha C., Tortorelli D. Stress-based Topology Optimization for continua,
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 41(4):605{620, 2010.

densities as well as small changes to the objective function. It is possible that the convergence
tolerance is satisfied for one iteration but the next iteration leads to a significant improvement of
the objective function. Due to the relaxed stopping criterion, the optimization might terminate too
early. In this case, the optimization should be rerun with a smaller tolerance.

Topology Optimization with Thermal Condition

The optimization is influence by the thermal condition according to the following equation[10]:

Linear static equilibrium in finite element system including both mechanical and thermal loading
is given by:
,

Where:

= stiffness matrix
= displacement vector
= externally applied mechanical loading
= thermal load vector.

The nodal load vector due to temperature effects for the element may be written as:

Here is the element strain-displacement matrix, is the element elasticity matrix, and is
the thermal strain vector for the element given by:

With is the thermal expansion coefficient of the material, is the temperature change on
the element, and is [1,1,1,0,0,0] for three-dimensions and [1,1,0] for two-dimension.

References

3.2.2. Topology Optimization - Level Set Based

The Topology Optimization - Level Set method deals with the boundary of the shapes during the
optimization process. It is a physics driven optimization that is based on a set of loads and boundary
conditions provided by either a single preceding analysis or multiple preceding analyses. Using this
method, the application computes an optimal shape in the design domain that can be applied to a
selected region of your model and that can include specific design objectives and constraints. Here
is an animated example of the Level Set topology optimization method.

[10]JoshuaD. Deaton, Ramana V. Grandhi: "Stress-based Topology Optimization of Thermal

Structures",10th World Congress on Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 2013,
Orlando, Florida, USA.

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

The Level Set optimization workflow has some specific considerations as compared to the other
methods, as described below. Use these topics in combination with the general workflow to ensure
the proper completion of your analysis.

Prerequisites and Requirements

All upstream Static Structural and Modal analyses being used in your optimization problem must
already be defined before you solve the optimization analysis

Supported Mesh Elements

Only 3D elements are supported for optimization.

Geometric Analysis

For the Objective and the Response Constraint objects, the Level Set method supports the fol-
lowing settings for the Response Type and Response properties:

• Mass

• Volume

• Center of Gravity

• Moment of Inertia

Configuring Static Structural Analysis

Extend Compliance

For the Level Set method when you set the Response Type/Response for the Objective Worksheet
or a Response Constraint object to Compliance, Static Structural analyses supports the combin-
ation of force-based and displacement-based loading as well as thermal loading. This context for
Compliance is described by:

Where:

is the total strain vector.

is the thermal strain vector.

is the elastic strain vector.

is the stress vector.

are the external loads (resp. volume and surface).

are the reaction force and the prescribed displacement.

These formulas are equivalent and are based on the potential energy. The compliance is a self-
adjoint response meaning that no adjoint problem must be solved. The compliance is always
computed over the whole model.

Displacement-based Criterion (will be deprecated and fully replaced by the User Defined Criterion)

Context for displacement-based response:

• For a singular node selection, the response = ( -th node, -axis). You can define
an upper limit for each direction.

• For multiple node selection, the response = (the average of the absolute

displacement along the k-axis).

Note:

When you specify this type of Response Constraint, the Coordinate System
property for the object is read-only and automatically set to Nodal Coordinate
System. The application uses the Global Coordinate System for this setting.

Reaction Force Criterion (will be deprecated and fully replaced by the User Defined Criterion)

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

For a singular node selection, the response = ( -th node, -axis). You can define an
upper limit for each direction.

For multiple node selection, the response = (the RF along the k-axis).

Note:

When you specify this type of Response Constraint, the Coordinate System property
for the object is read-only and automatically set to Nodal Coordinate System. The
application uses the Global Coordinate System for this setting.

Review the Best Practices and Recommendations (p. 132) topic below for additional information
for configuring your upstream analysis.

Configuring Static Structural Analysis

Generalized Thermal Compliance

For the Level Set method when you set the Response Type/Response for the Objective Worksheet
or a Response Constraint object to Thermal Compliance, Steady-State Thermal analyses supports
the combination of Heat Flux, Heat Flow, and Temperature, Convection, and Internal Heat Gener-
ation. This context for Thermall Compliance is described by:

Where:

is the gradient of the temperature.

the isotropic thermal conductivity.

the film coefficient and the ambient temperature of the convection condition.
the internal heat generation.
the heat flux.

This is based on the potential energy. The thermal compliance is a self-adjoint response meaning
that no adjoint problem must be solved. The thermal compliance is always computed over the
whole model.

Configuring Modal Analysis

The Level Set method supports Frequency (Eigenfrequency) as the Response/Response Type
setting. Review the Best Practices and Recommendations (p. 132) topic below for additional inform-
ation for configuring your upstream analysis.

Manufacturing Constraint Definition

The Level Set method supports the following Manufacturing Constraint Subtypes (p. 48):

• Member Size (Minimum or Maximum): To properly represent the optimal shape, you
should mesh your model such that Maximum Size of the Member Size is greater than four
times the element average size.

• Pull Out Direction: You can further define the Direction for this constraint: Along Axis
(default), Opposite to Axis, or Both Directions.

Note:

The moldability of the part could be lost during the optimization process.

• AM Overhang Constraint (p. 52): This constraint enables you to further define the Build
Direction and Overhang Angle.

Best Practices and Recommendations

Review the following suggestions when performing this analysis.

Mesh Specifications

When specifying the mesh on your model, it is strongly recommended that you:

• Always use a uniform mesh (homogeneous element size). This enables you to capture the
design with the same precision everywhere on the model. However, in the presence of thin
regions, it may be necessary to refine the mesh locally in order to get at least three or four
layers of elements.

• Make sure that you have a sufficiently fine mesh. If the final design shows geometric features
as thick as an element size, it means that the mesh was not fine enough, as illustrated here.

This illustration displays 238,000 tetrahedrons on the left and 950,000 on the right. The feature on
the left is very thin (one element size) and reaches the limit of the Level Set capability to properly
capture the design. The finer mesh on the right provides an improved design.

Configuring a Static Structural Analysis

When specifying your upstream Static Structural analysis, note the following:

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Recommendations - Optimization in Practice

• A minimum stress problem can be realized by a void design (no material) if there is no stiffness
constraint - if there is no mass, there is no stress. Therefore, Ansys recommends that you use
stress criterion in combination with a stiffness criterion (nodal displacement, compliance, etc.).

• It is strongly encouraged that you specify an "exclusion zone" around the loading conditions
(surface or node-based).

• If your solution experiences disconnected clamped parts, it may be a result of the optimization
aiming to optimally distribute an amount of material. The algorithm sometimes chooses to
save material by disconnecting clamped parts and/or to reinforce others. This characteristic
of optimization is useful in order to identify useful and/or otherwise impractical fixed parts.

Configuring a Modal Analysis

You can control an eigenmode whose frequency always has the same ranking during the optimization
process. If its ranking changes, the algorithm may face some difficulty.

3.2.3. Topology Optimization - Mixable Density

The mixable-density method is an expanded re-implementation of the density-based method, aiming
to deliver the same capabilities as well as additions to these capabilities.

Furthermore, this development was motivated by the need to:

• Unify and to mutualize some components between all the optimization methods.

• Better align and streamline the density-method within the overall structural optimization
framework.

• Gain consistency between all the optimization methods.

As a result, the mixable-density method:

• Delivers smoother results based on a new numerical scheme.

• Incorporates the benefits of other methods and conversely (cross fertilization process).

• Can be combined with other methods in an optimization problem enabling you to manage
complex systems with dedicated requirements.

Review the following requirements and limitations associated with performing a mixable density-
based optimization analysis. These limitations apply only to the optimization analysis and are not
applicable to any downstream design validation systems. Go to a section topic:

• Element Type Requirements (p. 134)

• General Limitations (p. 134)

• Modal Analysis Limitations (p. 134)

• Linked Static Structural Analysis Limitations (p. 135)

Element Type Requirements

The density-based optimization analysis supports Solid elements in the optimization region. The ap-
plication excludes any other element type used in this region from the optimization solution.

General Limitations
The mixable density-based optimization analysis method does not support:

• Imported Plies (Composites).

• Graphical view of Exclusions created by Direct FE boundary conditions.

• Cracks defined within the Fracture object.

• Use of Section Planes with Topology Density and Topology Elemental Density results. Note that
the User Defined Result does support this feature.

• Pre-stressed Modal analysis.

• Large-deflection effects in a Static Structural analysis (NLGEOM, ON).

• Nonlinear contacts (supported contact includes Bonded and No Separation).

• Axisymmetric model when you wish to define a Global Stress Constraint (p. 38) and Local von-
Mises Stress Constraint. (p. 38)

• Any Thermal system linked to the upstream Static Structural system.

• A solution run on high performance computing (HPC) using Distributed Ansys across multiple ma-
chines, when:

– You have Thermal Condition included in a Static Structural analysis linked to a Structural
Optimization analysis.

– You want to optimize a Static Structural analysis that is linked to an upstream Steady-State
Thermal analysis.

– A Structural Optimization that includes a Reaction Force Constraint.

Modal Analysis Limitations

When linked to a Modal analysis, the mixable density-based optimization analysis does not support:

• Damping when the Damped property set to Yes (and therefore also the Campbell Diagram
chart).

• Unsymmetric solver selection.

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Linked Static Structural Analysis Limitations

When linked to a Static Structural analysis, the mixable density-based optimization analysis does not
support the following boundary conditions:

• Fluid Solid Interface.

• EM Transducer.

3.2.4. Lattice Optimization Analysis

The optimization analysis offers a Lattice Optimization Optimization Type. This method enables you
to compute an optimal variable density lattice distribution in your geometry. Use the following lattice
specific topics in combination with the general workflow to ensure the proper completion of your
analysis.

• Lattice Optimization Limitations (p. 135)

• Define Lattice Type, Density, and Cell Size (p. 136)

• Specifying Constraints (p. 137)

• Defining Results (p. 137)

• Creating the Lattice Geometry (p. 137)

• Lattice Validation with a Homogenization Model (p. 142)

Lattice Optimization Limitations

In addition to the Topology Optimization - Density Based (p. 122) method limitations, the lattice op-
timization has the following additional limitations. Lattice optimization does not support:

• Nonlinear Contact

• Modes with an Eigenfrequency equal to zero (based on an upstream Modal analysis)

• Thermal Loads

• Export Topology (STL file)

• Local Von-Mises Stress Constraint

• Reaction Force Constraint

• Criterion

• Member Size Manufacturing Constraint

• Pull Out Direction

• Extrusion

• AM Overhang Constraint

• For the Octahedral 1 and Octahedral 2 lattice structures, note the following material property lim-
itations:

– A Poisson ‘s Ratio value greater than 0.32 can cause the interpolated material properties to
become inaccurate.

– A low Density value (< 0.05) can generate a negative Young's Modulus value.

Define Lattice Type, Density, and Cell Size

When you specify the design and exclusion regions for your lattice optimization, you need to then
define the following lattice specific properties.

Category Properties/Options/Description
Lat- Specify the Lattice Type as one of the following:
tice
Type Cubic Crossed
(default)

Midpoint Octahedral
1

Octet Octahedral
2

Diagonal

Min- This property specifies a minimum density in order to avoid lattice structures that are
im- too thin.
um
Dens-
ity

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Category Properties/Options/Description
Max- This property specifies a maximum density. The element will be considered as full for
im- densities higher than the Maximum Density.
um
Dens-
ity
Lat- The value of this property specifies the lattice cell size to be used when rebuilding the
tice lattice geometry for printing.
Cell
Size

Specifying Constraints
For this analysis, the:

• Response Constraint (p. 38) object supports Mass Constraint (default) or Volume Constraint,
Global Stress Constraint, Displacement Constraint, and Natural Frequency Constraint.

• Design Constraint (p. 73) object supports the Symmetry and Cyclic Repetition constraints.

Defining Results
Similar to the optimization results (Topology Density (p. 78) and Topology Elemental Density (p. 81)),
lattice optimization supports Lattice Density and Lattice Elemental Density results. These results
produce nodal averaged results and element-based result values. A Lattice Density result object is
inserted automatically. You can add additional objects by selecting Lattice Density or Lattice Ele-
mental Density from the Result group on the Solution context tab or by right-clicking the Solution
folder (or in the Geometry window) and selecting Insert > Lattice Density/Lattice Elemental
Density.

Result Display Feature

A lattice analysis automatically inserts a Lattice Density Tracker as a child object of the Solution
Information object that enables you to view the optimization of the model during the solution.

Results Display Limitations

These result types do not support some of the display options available from the Geometry drop-
down menu on the Result Context tab, including Exterior, IsoSurfaces, and Capped IsoSurfaces.

Creating the Lattice Geometry

To make the optimized results available to a downstream geometry system, you need to create the
new system on the Workbench Project Schematic and link the Results cell of your lattice optimization
analysis to the Geometry cell of a new downstream system, either a Geometry component system
or the Geometry cell of another analysis system. An example of this configuration is illustrated below.

The lattice type, cell size, and density information are automatically transferred when linking a lattice
optimization analysis to a Geometry system. Opening your new lattice geometry in the Ansys
SpaceClaim application enables you to further modify aspects of your geometry.

Procedure

1. From the Workbench Project Schematic, create a new downstream Geometry system, as illus-
trated below.

2. Link the Results cell of your lattice optimization analysis to the Geometry cell of the downstream
system.

3. Right-click the Results cell of your lattice optimization analysis and select Update.

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4. Right-click the Geometry cell of the downstream system and select Refresh.

5. Right-click the Geometry cell of the downstream system and select Update.

6. Open SpaceClaim from the Geometry cell of the downstream system.

7. In SpaceClaim, select Shell tool from the Facets tab.

8. From the Shell Options tool, 1) choose Basic as the Infill type, and then 2) select the Solid body
in the structure tree, and then 3) select Use Density Attributes. The Lattice Shape from the drop-
down menu is automatically chosen. This includes the lattice type you specified in the optimization
analysis in Mechanical.

Note:

Using the Select Faces or Facets tool ( ) from the design window, you can choose
to selectively exclude faces from the original body from this outer shell. This enables
the lattice infill to extend all the way to the boundary of the part on that face.

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9. A green check mark in the design window verifies the operation. The density distribution from
the lattice optimization is now mapped onto the body and a faceted body is generated.

Lattice Validation with a Homogenization Model

For a Lattice Optimization analysis, the steps to create a downstream validation are slightly different
than for the other optimization methods available in the application.

Note:

For the upstream system, the Output Controls property Export Knockdown Factor must
be set to Yes. This is the default setting.

Duplication

When you use the Duplicate option on the Solution cell, you include all (loading, results, etc.)
objects defined in the upstream system.

1. Right-click the Solution cell of the upstream system and select Duplicate. A new system
is placed into the schematic. This new system includes all environmental conditions
defined in the upstream system, such as loading conditions or results.

2. Drag and drop the Solution cell of the Structural Optimization analysis onto the Setup
cell of the new system. The application properly links the systems together.

3. Right-click the Setup cell of the new system and select Update. Your new system is ready
for a validation analysis.

An animation of these steps is illustrated below.

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Transferring Data

You can also use the system option Transfer Data To New. When used, none of the environmental
conditions defined in the upstream system, such as loading conditions or results are included in
the new system. The steps to use this method are described below.

1. Right-click the Solution cell of the Structural Optimization analysis and select Transfer
Data to New > Analysis System type.

A new system in inserted and is linked accordingly.

2. Right-click the Setup cell of the new system and select Update. Your new system is ready
for a validation analysis.

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3.2.5. Shape Optimization Analysis

Introduction
The Shape Optimization option of the Optimization Type property enables shape optimization
using mesh node relocations. As with the other optimization methods, this is a physics driven optim-
ization based on a set of loads and boundary conditions provided by either a single preceding ana-
lysis or multiple preceding analyses.

Using this method, the application computes an optimal shape in the design domain that you can
apply to a selected region of your model and that also includes specific design Objectives and Con-
straints.

Upstream System Recommendations

Review the following to properly prepare your upstream systems. Shape Optimization has the same
capability as the Level Set method. Any differences are mentioned when necessary.

Geometric Analysis

Review the Geometric Analysis (p. 129) topic in the Prerequisites and Requirements content in the
Topology Optimization - Level-Set Based section for the supported Response Type and Response
properties when performing a geometric analysis.

Static Structural Analysis

Review the Configuring Static Structural Analysis (p. 129) topic in the Prerequisites and Requirements
content in the Topology Optimization - Level-Set Based section for the supported Response
Type/Response for the Objective Worksheet or a Response Constraint object to Compliance.
Static Structural analyses supports the combination of force-based and displacement-based
loading as well as thermal loading.

In addition, when specifying your upstream Static Structural analysis, note that any surface of the
optimizable body that is scoped to boundary conditions (fixed displacements, loads, bonded
contacts, etc.) must be defined in the Exclusion Region.

Modal Analysis

This method supports Frequency (Eigenfrequency) as the Response/Response Type setting.

In addition, when specifying your upstream Modal analysis, note that you can control an eigenmode
whose frequency always has the same ranking during the optimization process. If its ranking
changes, the algorithm will face some difficulty.

Manufacturing Constraint

For this analysis method, only the Member Size (Maximum) property is available. To properly
represent the optimal shape, you should mesh your model such that Maximum Size of the
Member Size is greater than four times the element average size.

Application Differences
Note the following when using the Shape Optimization method.

Specifying the Mesh

This analysis method supports 3D tetrahedron solid elements only in the Optimization Region -
all other element types are excluded.

Important:

When specifying the mesh on your model, it is strongly recommended that you:

• Always use a uniform mesh (homogeneous element size). This enables you to
capture the design with the same precision everywhere on the model.

• Make sure that you have a sufficiently fine mesh.

Specifying Optimization Type

You use the Optimization Region object to select a region of your geometry on which to perform
optimization as well as the optimization method to be used.

1. In order to scope the optimization regions using the Shape Optimization method, you need
to first generate the mesh.

2. Specify the Design Region. The properties of the Design Region category enable you to
define the geometry as a Geometry Selection or a Named Selection. This is the region that
you wish to optimize.

3. Specify the Exclusion Region. The properties of the Exclusion Region category enable you
to specify a region (geometric entities or elements) to be excluded from optimization. You
specify excluded regions using defined Boundary Conditions, Geometry Selection, or a Named
Selection.

The surfaces scoped to boundary conditions (such as Fixed Support, Force, Bonded Contact,
etc.) must be included in the scoping of the Exclusion Region.

Note:

Bordering the scoping of your defined Exclusion Region is a "buffer zone." The
area is a transition region where the deformation is less permissive. This enables a
smoother result.

4. Set the Optimization Type property to Structural Optimization. Specify the following addi-
tional properties as needed:

• Move Limit Per Iteration: This property enables you to define how far each node can
move at each iteration. It must be defined in length units, such as one element size.

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By default, this property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual option to
change the value.

Note:

Ansys recommends that you use a value smaller than the average ele-
ment size and smaller than the Total Move Limit property setting.

• Total Move Limit: This property enables you to define how far each node can move
in total. It must be defined in length units, such as three element sizes. By default, this
property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual option to change the value.

• Mesh Deformation Control: This property enables you to define how much the mesh
can be stretched. It is an additional control to avoid element distortion. This unit-less
value is a sort of penalty factor that ranges from 0 (no control) to 1.0. By default, this
property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual option to change the value.

Note:

When you use the Program Controlled setting, a new value is computed that is
based on the number of layers of elements in the mesh. As a result, the more layers
you have, the more permissive the tuning. This means that the Total Move Limit
will be higher, and the Mesh Deformation Control will be smaller.

Specifying Results

This method supports Topology Density results. The Topology Density object (p. 78) is added
automatically to the analysis system. You can add additional objects by selecting Topology
Density from the Results group on the Solution Context tab or by right-clicking the Solution
folder (or in the Geometry window) and selecting Insert>Topology Density.

Here is an example of an optimized result.

3.2.6. Topography Optimization

The Topography Optimization option of the Optimization Type property enables shape optimization
using mesh node relocations. As with the other optimization methods, this is a physics driven optim-
ization based on a set of loads and boundary conditions provided by either a single preceding ana-
lysis or multiple preceding analyses.

Compared to Shape Optimization, Topography Optimization is used for shell-based models only.

Upstream System Recommendations

Review the following to properly prepare your upstream systems. Topography Optimization has the
same capability as the Shape Optimization method. Any differences are mentioned when necessary.

Geometric Analysis

Review the Geometric Analysis topic in the Prerequisites and Requirements content in the
Topology Optimization - Level-Set Based (p. 128) section for the supported Response Type and
Response properties when performing a geometric analysis.

Only Mass and Volume are available.

Static Structural Analysis

Review the Configuring Static Structural Analysis topic in the Prerequisites and Requirements
content in the Topology Optimization - Level-Set Based (p. 128) section for the supported Response
Type/Response for the Objective Worksheet or a Response Constraint object.

Modal Analysis

This method only supports User Defined Criterion that you define in the upstream Modal analysis.
This result data can then be used in the Structural Optimization analysis by the Objective object
or as a Response Constraint .

Manufacturing Constraint

For this analysis method, no manufacturing constraint are yet available

Application Differences
Note the following when using the Topography Optimization method.

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Specifying the Mesh

This analysis method supports triangle and quadrangles.

Important:

When specifying the mesh on your model, it is strongly recommended that you:

• Always use a uniform mesh (homogeneous element size). This enables you to
capture the design with the same precision everywhere on the model.

• Make sure that you have a sufficiently fine mesh.

Specifying Optimization Type

You use the Optimization Region object to select a region of your geometry on which to perform
optimization as well as the optimization method to be used.

1. In order to scope the optimization regions using the Topography Optimization method, you
need to first generate the mesh.

The surfaces scoped to boundary conditions (such as Fixed Support, Force, Bonded Contact,
etc.) must be included in the scoping of the Exclusion Region.

4. Set the Optimization Type property to Topography Optimization. Specify the following
additional properties as needed:

• Move Limit Per Iteration: This property enables you to define how far each node can
move at each iteration. It must be defined in length units, such as one element size.
By default, this property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual option to
change the value.

• Mesh Deformation Control: This property enables you to define how much the mesh
can be stretched. It is an additional control to avoid element distortion. This unit-less
value is a sort of penalty factor that ranges from 0 (no control) to 1.0. By default, this
property is set to Program Controlled. Select the Manual option to change the value.

Specifying Results

This method supports Topology Density (p. 78) results. The Topology Density object is added
automatically to the analysis system. You can add additional objects by selecting Topology
Density from the Results group on the Solution Context tab or by right-clicking the Solution
folder (or in the Geometry window) and selecting Insert > Topology Density.

3.3. Mixing Multiple Methods within an Analysis

Using multiple Optimization Region objects, you can combine the following optimization methods
within an optimization problem.

Density Lattice Level Set Mixable Shape Topography

Based Optimization Based Density Optimization Optimization
Optimization Optimization
Density Based X
Optimization
Lattice Optimization X
Level Set Based X X X X
Optimization
Mixable Density X X X X
Shape Optimization X X X X
Topography X X X X
Optimization

3.4. Topology Optimization versus Shape Optimization

Topology Optimization methods (Density and Level Set) relate to the Immersed Boundary Method
(I.B.M.) in that the shape is approximated using an auxiliary field (density-field or level-set function).
Using this method, the application fixes the mesh during the optimization process and optimizes the
shape by distributing the material layout within a given design domain. Topology Optimization is very
convenient when you expect significant changes (hole nucleation, merge of members, etc).

Shape Optimization methods relate to a body-fitted method in that the shape is explicitly defined by
the mesh. Using this method, the application optimizes the design by moving the mesh nodes. Shape
Optimization is a sort of morphing without the need to define any parameter. By contrast to Topology
Optimization, the calculation of certain quantities, such as stress, is more accurate. Shape Optimization
is convenient when you expect moderate modifications while keeping the same topology (no hole, no
merge).

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Chapter 4: Bibliography
[1] Bendsøe, M. P., & Kikuchi, N. (1988). Generating optimal topologies in structural design using a ho-
mogenization method. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 71(2), 197–224.

[2] Bendsøe, M. P., & Sigmund, O. (2003). Topology Optimization: Theory, Methods, and Applications.
Berlin, DE: Springer.

[3] Murat, F., & Tartar, L. (1985). Calcul des Variations et Homogénéisation. D. Bergman & al. (Eds.), Les
Méthodes de l’Homogénéisation: Théorie et Applications en Physique (pp. 319-369). Coll. Dir. Etudes et
Recherches EDF. 57. Paris, FR: Eyrolles.

[4] Dapogny, C., & Frey, P. (2012). Computation of the signed distance function to a discrete contour
on adapted triangulation. Calcolo. 49, 193–219

[5] Allaire, G., Jouve, F., & Toader. A.-M. (2004). Structural optimization using sensitivity analysis and a
level-set method. Journal of Computational Physics. 194, 363–393

[6] Bui, C., Dapogny, C., & Frey, P. (2012). An accurate anisotropic adaptation method for solving the
level set advection equation. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids.

[7] Osher, S., & Sethian, J. A. (1988). Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms
based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations. Journal of Computational Physics. 79(1), 12–49.

[8] Allaire, G., Dapogny, C., & Jouve, F. (2021). Shape and Topology Optimization. A. Bonito & R. Nochetto
(Eds.), Geometric Partial Differential Equations, Part II (pp. 1–132). Handbook of Numerical Analysis. 22.
Elsevier.

[9] Allaire, G., & Schoenauer, M. (2007). Conception optimale de structures. Berlin, DE: Springer.

[10] Shimoda, M., & Liu, Y. (2014). A non-parametric free-form optimization method for shell structures.
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. 50, 409–423.

[11] Cheng, L., Zhang, P., Biyikli, E., Bai, J., Robbins, J., & To, A. (2017). Efficient design optimization of
variable-density cellular structures for additive manufacturing: theory and experimental validation.
Rapid Prototyping Journal. 23(4), 660–677.

[12] Allaire, G. (1992). Homogenization and two-scale convergence. SIAM Journal on Mathematical
Analysis. 23(6), 1482–1518.

[13] Allaire, G., Jouve, F., & Michailidis, G. (2016). Thickness control in structural optimization via a level
set method. Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. 53, 1349–1382.

[14] [Fernández, E., Yang, K. K., Koppen, S., Alarcón, P., Bauduin, S., & Duysinx, P. (2020). Imposing min-
imum and maximum member size, minimum cavity size, and minimum separation distance between
solid members in topology optimization. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering.
368, Article 113157.

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