LevelOpt Examples

Below are examples which go over the LevelOpt workflow setup, post-processing, and results.

Example: GE Bracket Optimization

This demo is available for download.

GE Bracket workflow

1. Run an Intact stress simulation. Follow the Getting Started guide to learn how to run a stress simulation.

   • specify the component(s) geometry & material

   • reference the surfaces/meshes and specify inputs for restraints and loads

   • set the fidelity for the solver via the settings (resolution/cell size)

   • solve

   • (optional) visualize quantities such as displacement or von Mises stress

2. Specify the LevelOpt input parameters:

   • LevelOpt Advanced Settings block

     • level set cell size = 0.75

     • move limit = 1.0

     • smoothing period = 1

   • design domain component to optimize (from the stress simulation)

   • Intact stress simulation output

   • max iterations = 50 (1 iteration used in video starting from the final iteration for brevity)

   • volume fraction constraint = 0.25

3. Solve LevelOpt & post-process

   • click Solve after all inputs are connected

   • (optional) visualize velocities/sensitivities

   • (optional) bake/view final mesh in Rhino

   • (optional) view iteration log output to see volume fraction and compliance

Example: NASA EXCITE Bracket Assembly

This demo is available for download.

NASA EXCITE Bracket workflow

1. Run an Intact stress simulation. Follow the Getting Started guide to learn how to run a stress simulation.

   • specify the component(s) geometry & material

   • reference the surfaces/meshes and specify inputs for restraints and loads

   • set the fidelity for the solver via the settings (resolution/cell size)

   • solve

   • (optional) visualize quantities such as displacement or von Mises stress

2. Specify the LevelOpt input parameters:

   • LevelOpt Advanced Settings block

     • level set cell size = 0.50

     • move limit = 1.0

     • smoothing period = 1

   • design domain component to optimize (from the stress simulation) note that this corresponds to the bracket geometry component, not the block component to which the load is applied

   • Intact stress simulation output

   • max iterations = 100 (1 iteration used in video starting from the final iteration for brevity)

   • volume fraction constraint = 0.20

3. Solve LevelOpt & post-process

   • click Solve` after all inputs are connected

   • (optional) visualize velocities/sensitivities

   • (optional) bake/view final mesh in Rhino

   • (optional) view iteration log output to see volume fraction and compliance