Creating a Design Improvement Study

You can create a study to improve an existing design.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: For a parametric design improvement study, you must have a geometry model that contains parameters. A solved analysis case is also required if you want to use loads and boundary conditions to evaluate the performance of your design. Regardless of whether or not you want to use loads and boundary conditions to evaluate the performance of your design, you must have a solved analysis case for a topology or a shape optimization design improvement study.
See Also
About Design Improvement Studies

Create a Parametric Design Improvement Study

A parametric design improvement study explores many designs by varying the values of the parameters that you specify.

  1. From the Setup section of the action bar, click Design Improvement Study .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Select Parametric for the Method.
  4. Select a Reference:

    • Select a product or part to evaluate only responses calculated in the model, such as total mass.
    • Select an analysis case to evaluate designs by subjecting them to loads and boundary conditions.
    • Select a shape or topology optimization case to evaluate variations of the revised shape or topology.

  5. Optional: Select an existing study to Copy features from.

    Copying features is an efficient means to set up a new study that is similar to an existing one. You can copy features such as design variables, response variables, objectives, and constraints rather than recreating them in the new study.

Create a Topology Optimization Design Improvement Study

A topology design improvement study optimizes the design by removing material where it is not needed.

  1. From the Setup section of the action bar, click Design Improvement Study .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Select Topology for the Method.
  4. Select a Reference analysis case.

    An analysis case is required to evaluate designs by subjecting them to loads and boundary conditions.

  5. Optional: Select an existing study to Copy features from.

    Copying features is an efficient means to set up a new study that is similar to an existing one. You can copy features such as design variables, response variables, objectives, and constraints rather than recreating them in the new study.

Create a Shape Optimization Design Improvement Study

A shape design improvement study refines the shape of the design by morphing selected surfaces to find the optimum shape.

  1. From the Setup section of the action bar, click Design Improvement Study .
  2. Optional: Enter a descriptive Name.
  3. Select Shape for the Method.
  4. Select a Reference analysis case.

    An analysis case is required to evaluate designs by subjecting them to loads and boundary conditions.

  5. Optional: Select an existing study to Copy features from.

    Copying features is an efficient means to set up a new study that is similar to an existing one. You can copy features such as design variables, response variables, objectives, and constraints rather than recreating them in the new study.