Design areas in topology optimization

The design area indicates which elements of the model to optimize, and which (if any) to omit from the optimization process. Elements that are omitted from the optimization process are referred to as frozen.

Each design area is a modeling object. You can create multiple design area modeling objects and use one or more for each topology optimization solution. For example, you might create one design area that optimizes the entire model, and another that freezes certain elements. If you include both design areas in your solution, the software optimizes only those elements that are not frozen. If you subsequently remove the design area with the frozen elements and solve again, the entire model is optimized.

Only the highlighted elements are included in the design area

Each design area modeling object can include only optimization areas, only frozen areas, or a combination of both. If your design area includes only frozen areas, the rest of the elements will be optimized. If your design area includes any optimization areas, the rest of the elements are considered frozen.

If an element is identified as both optimized and frozen, it is considered frozen and will be excluded from the optimization. For example, in a single design area modeling object, if element 100 is included in both an optimization area and a frozen area, it is considered frozen. Likewise, if that element is included in an optimization area in one design area modeling object and in a frozen area in another design area modeling object, and both modeling objects are included in the solution, that element is considered frozen.

Design area considerations

• Only CTRIA3, CTRIA6, CTRIAR, CQUAD4, CQUAD8, and CQUADR shell elements (2D) and CHEXA, CPENTA, CPYRAM, and CTETRA solid elements (3D) can be optimized.The model can include other types of elements, but they will not be optimized, even if they are included in an optimization area.

• All topologically optimizable elements in the design optimization area must use an isotropic material defined with a MAT1 bulk data entry.The model can include topologically optimizable elements that use other materials, but these must be excluded from the design area or frozen within the design area. Otherwise, problems might occur during the optimization process.Any elements that are not topologically optimizable may also use other materials, whether they are in the design area or not.

• It is recommended that you create a frozen area for any elements to which you have applied loads or constraints. However, this depends on the problem that you are trying to solve.

Working with design areas

• You can create a design area either by using the Modeling Objects command or by right-clicking the Design Area container under the solution node in the Simulation Navigator and then choosing New Design Area.Both approaches create a design area modeling object, which appears under the Modeling Objects container in the Simulation Navigator. However, when you create the design area by right-clicking the Design Area container, that modeling object is also added to the solution.

• You can add an existing design area to a solution by dragging a design area modeling object from the Modeling Objects container to the Design Area container. You can also right-click a design area modeling object and choose Add to Active Solution or Step.

• When you select a design area node in the Simulation Navigator, all of the selected elements are highlighted in the graphics window. However, no distinction is made between elements in an optimization area and elements in a frozen area. In addition, if the design area includes the entire model, no elements are highlighted.

• To see a list of element IDs for all of the elements in a design area as well as other information that will be sent to Simcenter Nastran when you solve the model, right-click the design area node and choose Solver Syntax Preview.

• To remove a design area from a solution, right-click the design area node and choose Remove. To remove all design areas from a solution, right-click the Design Area container and choose Remove All.Removing a design area from a solution does not delete the modeling object, so you can restore it later.

Where do I find it?

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A Simulation file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Modeling Objects
Simulation Navigator	Right-click the Design Area container under the solution→New Design Area

How do I

Create a topology optimization solution

Create the design objective for topology optimization

Create a design area for topology optimization

Create a design constraint for topology optimization

Create a manufacturing constraint

Learn more

Simcenter Nastran Topology Optimization

Topology optimization workflow

Impact of rigid elements in topology optimization

Design objectives in topology optimization

Design constraints in topology optimization

Manufacturing constraints in topology optimization

Lattice structures

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

Design areas in topology optimization, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

© 2020 Siemens

window.mainLanguage="en_US"

window.delivId=""

window.projectId=""

MathJax.Hub.Config({ TeX: { extensions: ["autoload-all.js"] }, tex2jax: { displayMath: [ ] }, "SVG": { scale: 125 } });