Coupling ANSYS Workbench with

modeFRONTIER

Structural optimization of a metal sheet with hole

Summary
Model definition and Parameterization
Structural analysis
Optimization workflow
Analysis of results

Model Definition
The model is a metal sheet with
hole.
The sheet is fixed constrained
along the bottom edge
Two distributed loads along
top and right sides are applied

Model Parameterization
Model parameters are:

Position, dimension and

fillet of the hole

Thickness of the metal

sheet

Structural Analysis

The mesh is automatically created by Workbench

The distributed loads are applied on two side surfaces (100 N)

Optimization Workflow (modeFRONTIER)

Design Parameters

Optimizations set-up data

Input variables
5 geometric variables

Sampling phase:
Original configuration nr initial
individuals: 16

Output variables
Maximum stress and
displacement
Mass

Design goals
Minimize maximum
displacement
Minimize mass

Exploration phase:
MOGA-II scheduler 320
iterations

Optimization Analysis Parallel Chart

The Parallel Chart allows the filter of the designs in order to get the
optimal values for both the objectives
The set of Best Designs (Pareto frontier) can be visualized

Optimization Analysis Correlation Chart

Displacement is
inversely correlated with
mass
Displacement is
inversely proportional to
thickness
Mass is directly
proportional to thickness

Optimization Analysis Bubble Chart

1

The Bubble plot shown is a 4D view of

the scatter
It compares the design that have been
investigated with respect to different
objectives

3
1

Lower Max Displacement

Solution Compromise

Lower Mass Value

Optimization Analysis Results

Original Design

Max displacement 0.498e-7 m

Mass 0.288 Kg

Compromise Solution

Max displacement 0.498 E-7 m

Mass 0.236 Kg