Hyperworks Tutorial

Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
What is FEM?
FEM (Finite Element Method)

o A numerical method.
o Mathematical representation of an actual problem.
o Approximate method
The Finite Element Method only makes calculations at a limited (Finite) number of points and
then interpolates the results for the entire domain (surface or volume).
Finite – Any continuous object has infinite degrees of freedom and it is not possible to solve the
problem in this format. The Finite Element Method reduces the degrees of freedom from infinite to
finite with the help of discretization or meshing (nodes and elements).
Element – All of the calculations are made at a limited number of points known as nodes. The
entity joining nodes and forming a specific shape such as quadrilateral or triangular is known as an
Element. To get the value of a variable (say displacement) anywhere in between the calculation points,
an interpolation function (as per the shape of the element) is used.
Method - There are 3 methods to solve any engineering problem. Finite element analysis
belongs to numerical method category.
How the results are interpolated from a few calculation points

It is ok that FEA is making all the calculations at a limited number of points, but the question is
how it calculates values of the unknown somewhere in between the calculation points.
This is achieved by interpolation. Consider a 4 noded quadrilateral element as shown in the figure
below. A quad4 element uses the following linear interpolation formula:
u = a0 + a1x + a2y + a3xy
FEA calculates the values at the outer nodes 1, 2, 3, 4 i.e. a0, a1, a2, a3 are known.
The value of the variable anywhere in between could be easily determined just by specifying x
and y coordinates in above equation.
For an 8 noded quadrilateral, the following parabolic interpolation function is used:
u = a0 + a1x + a2y + a3xy + a4 x2 + a5 y2 + a6x2y + a7xy2
What is DOF (Degree Of Freedom) ?
In the example above, an object is fixed at one end and a force is applied at the point “P”. Due to
the force, the object deforms and Point P gets shifted to new position P’.
When can we say that we know the solution to above problem?

If and only if we are able to define the deformed position of each and every particle completely.
The minimum number of parameters (motion, coordinates, temp. etc.) required to define the
position of any entity completely in the space is known as a degree of freedom (dof).
Consider the following 2-D (planar) problem. Suppose the origin is at the bottom left corner and
is known. To define the position of point A completely with respect to the origin, we need two
parameters i.e. x1 and y1, in other words 2 dofs (translation x and y).
What is DOF (Degree Of Freedom) ?
Consider that the point A is a part of a line, now one angle should also be defined in addition to the
two translations i.e. 3 dofs (two translations and one rotation).
Suppose points A and B are shifted out of the plane and the line is rotated arbitrarily with respect to
all of the three axes. The minimum number of parameters to define the position of point A completely
would be 6 dofs {3 translations (Ux , Uy , Uz) and 3 rotations (θx , θy , θz).}
Dof is a very important concept. In FEA we use it for the individual calculation points. The total dofs
for a given mesh model is equal to the number of nodes multiplied by the number of dof per
node.
Tutorial – 1
Basic introduction to HyperWorks Student Edition.
Getting started with HyperWorks, Import, Export, Open, Save, Working with panels, Rotate, Zoom, pan… etc.
Tools
The HyperMesh – Student Edition interface contains several areas. Each is described below.
Title Bar
Menu bar
Toolbars
Graphics Area Main Menu

Pages
Tab Area
Main Menu
Command Window
Status Bar
Title bar The bar across the top of the interface is the title bar. It contains the version of HyperMesh that you are running and
the name of the file you are working on.
Menu Bar Located just under the title bar. Like the pull-down menus in many graphical user interface applications, these menus
"drop down" a list of options when clicked. Use these options to access different areas of HyperMesh functionality.
Toolbars Located around the graphics area, these buttons provide quick access to commonly-used functions, such as changing
display options. They can now be dragged and placed at top or side of the graphics area.
Tab Area The Tab Area is so named because various specialized tools display on tabs in this area of the interface. Two such
examples are the Model Browser and the Utility Menu.
 The Model tab contains the Model Browser. This tool displays the contents of a
model in a hierarchical tree format. It can be used to create and edit many types of
entities, and also to organize them and control their display status.
 The Utility Menu contains four pages of tools that perform various functions,
accessed via buttons at the bottom of the menu. By default, the Disp page is active;
the Disp page tools control how a model is displayed in the graphics area. The other
pages available are QA/Model (element checking tools), Geom/Mesh (tools for
working with a model’s geometry as well as for creating and editing meshes), and
User (custom tools you create). The content of the Utility tab changes based upon the
selected user profile.
Graphics area The graphics area under the title bar is the display area for your model. You can interact with the model in three-
dimensional space in real time. In addition to viewing the model, entities can be selected interactively from the
graphics area.
Main menu The main menu displays for each page the functions available on that page. You access those functions by clicking on
the button corresponding to the function you wish to use.
Main menu The main menu pages menu divides the main menu into groups of related functions. Only one page of the main menu
pages is displayed at a time.
The Geom page contains functions for creating and editing geometry.
The 1D, 2D, and 3D pages contain element creation and editing tools grouped according to element type.
The Analysis page contains functions to set up the analysis problem and define the boundary conditions.
The Tool page contains miscellaneous tools and model checking functions.
The Post page contains post-processing functions.
Command You can type HyperMesh commands directly into this text box and execute them instead of using the HyperMesh
window graphical user interface. This window is not displayed by default, but can be opened via the View menu.
Status bar The status bar is located at the bottom of the screen. The left end of the status bar displays your current location in
the main menu. By default, Geometry is displayed. The three fields on the right side of the status bar display the
current Include file, current component collector, and current load collector. All three fields are blank by default.
As you work in HyperMesh, any warning or error messages also display in the status bar. Warning messages appear in
green and error messages appear in red.
Hint: You can hold the left mouse button down on top of a panel to see a description for it in the status bar.
Starting HyperMesh
To start HyperMesh on a PC, go to Start > Programs > Altair HyperWorks 11.0 Student Edition > Altair HyperWorks.
Open the HyperMesh model file

1. Access the Open File… dialog in one of the following ways:
 From the menu bar, choose File > Open > Model.
 From the standard toolbar, click Open Model ( )
2. Open the model file, bumper_cen_mid1.hm.
The model file, bumper_cen_mid1.hm, is now loaded. This file contains mesh and geometry data.
HyperMesh model file, bumper_cen_mid1.hm, opened in HyperMesh
Import the HyperMesh model file

1. Access the Import tab in one of the following ways:
 From the menu bar, choose File > Import > Model.
 From the standard toolbar, click Import ( ).
2. From the Import tab in the tab area, click the Import HM model icon , if not already active.
3. Under File selection, click the file icon ( ) and browse to select the file, bumper_mid.hm.
4. Click Import.
The file, bumper_mid.hm, is now imported into the session.
HyperMesh model file, bumper_mid.hm, imported on top of existing data in the HyperMesh session
Import the IGES geometry file

1. From the Import tab in the tab area, click the Geometry icon .
2. In the File type: field, select IGES from the pull-down menu.
3. Click the file icon ( ) and browse to select the file, bumper_end.iges.
4. Click Import.
Geometry data is added to the model.
IGES geometry file, bumper_end.igs, imported into the session
Import the OptiStruct input file

1. From the Import tab in the tab area, click the Import Solver Deck icon .
2. In the File type: field, select OptiStruct from the pull-down menu.
3. In the File field, click the folder icon and browse to bumper_end_rgd.fem.
4. Click Import.
This OptiStruct input file contains mesh for the bumper’s end portion. The mesh is added to the existing data in the
current HyperMesh session and will be located in the same area as the geometry representing the bumper’s end.
OptiStruct input file, bumper_end_rgd.fem, imported on top of data in the current HyperMesh session
Save the HyperMesh session as a HyperMesh model file
1. From the menu bar, click File >Save As > Mode.
2. Enter the name, practice.hm.
3. Click Save.
The data currently loaded in HyperMesh is now saved in a HyperMesh binary data file of the name you entered.
Export the model’s geometry data to an IGES file

1. Access the Export tab in one of the following ways:
a. From the menu bar, choose File > Export > Geometry.
b. From the standard toolbar, click Export Geometry .
2. In the Export tab, click the Export Geometry icon if not already selected.
3. Set the File type: field to IGES.
4. Click the folder icon in the File field, browse to the desired destination folder, and enter practice.igs.
5. Click Export.
All of the geometry loaded in HyperMesh (points, lines, surfaces) is now saved in an .iges file with the name you entered.
Export the model’s mesh data to an OptiStruct input file

1. In the Export tab, click the Export FE model icon .
2. Under File selection, choose File type: OptiStruct from the pull-down menu.
3. Under File selection, click the folder icon in the File field, browse to the desired destination folder, and enter practice.fem.
4. Click Export.
All of the finite element data loaded in HyperMesh (nodes, elements, loads, etc.) is now saved as an .fem file with the
name you entered
Delete all data from the current HyperMesh session by starting a new session
1. Access the New HyperMesh Model function in one of the following ways:
a. From the menu bar, click File > New > Model.
b. From the standard toolbar, click New Model ( ).

2. Answer Yes to the pop-up question "Do you wish to delete the current model? (y/n)”.
Controlling the Display

Retrieve the HyperMesh model file, bumper.hm.
When performing finite element modeling and analysis setup, it is important to be able to view the model from different
vantage points and control the visibility of entities. You may need to rotate the model to understand the shape, zoom in to view
details more closely, or hide specific parts of the model so other parts can be seen. Sometimes a shaded view is best, while other
times, a wireframe view allows you work on details inside the model.
HyperMesh has many functions to help you control the view, visibility, and display of entities
Manipulate the model view using the mouse controls

The CTRL + mouse keys are used to rotate the model, change the center of rotation, zoom, fit, and pan
1. Move the mouse pointer into the graphics area.
2. Press the CTRL key + left mouse button and move the mouse around.
The model rotates with the movement of the mouse.
A small white square appears in the middle of the graphics area, indicating the center of the rotation.
Release the left mouse button and press it again to rotate the model in a different direction.
3. Press the CTRL key and quick-click the left mouse button anywhere on the model.
The center of rotation square appears near where you clicked
HyperMesh searches for one of the following conditions in the listed order and relocates the center of rotation at or near the
first condition identified (if none of the conditions are met, the center of rotation is relocated to the center of the screen):
 A nearby node or surface vertex.
 A nearby surface edge to project onto.
 A nearby geometry surface or shaded element.
4. Press the CTRL key + left mouse button to rotate the model and view the change in rotation behaviour.
5. Press the CTRL key and quick-click the left mouse button anywhere in the graphics area, except for on the model.
The center of rotation square is relocated to the center of the screen.
6. Press the CTRL key + left mouse button to rotate the model and observe the change in rotation behaviour.
7. Press the CTRL key + middle mouse button, move the mouse around, and then release the mouse button.
A white line is drawn along the path of the mouse movement. When the mouse button is released, HyperMesh zooms in on
the portion of the model where the line was drawn. You can also simply draw a line to zoom in on a portion of the model.
8. Press the CTRL key + quick-click the middle mouse button.
The model is fitted to the graphics area.
9. Press the CTRL key and spin the mouse wheel.
The model zooms in or out depending on which direction you spin the mouse wheel.
10. Move the mouse pointer to a different location in the graphics area and repeat #9.
Notice the model zooms in or out from where the mouse handle is located.
11. Press the CTRL key + quick-click the middle mouse button to fit the model to the graphics area.
12. Press the CTRL key + right mouse button and move the mouse around.
The model is panned (translated) according to the mouse movement.
Control the display of components using the toolbar

1. On the Visualization toolbar, click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines, .
2. Notice the shell elements now have been shaded.
3. Right-click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines, , and switch to Shaded Elements and Feature Lines, .
4. Notice now the elements shading does not show any mesh lines. Only feature lines are displayed.
5. Right-click Shaded Elements and Feature Lines, , to access Shaded Elements, .

6. Notice now the feature lines are also removed from the display.
7. Click Wireframe Elements (Skin Only), , to return to the wireframe shading mode.
Control the display of entities using the Mask panel
1. Click Mask to open the Mask panel.

2. Go to the mask subpanel if not already there.
3. With the elems selector active, select elems >> by collector.
4. Select the component, mid1.
5. Click select to complete the selection of components.
6. From the graphics area, manually select a few elements in the center (blue) component.
7. Click mask to mask the elements.
The elements in the mid1 component and the elements you selected from the graphics area are no longer displayed.
8. In the Model Browser, notice that the elements ( ) for the components center and mid1 are still displayed. Their display
icons indicate that they are activated even though some or all of the elements in these components are masked (hidden).
9. In the Mask panel, click unmask all, or on the Display toolbar click unmask all ( ).
All the elements in the components, center and mid1, are visible again. Notice the elements in the other components are not
displayed. This is because these components are not active in the Display panel.
10. Click return to exit to the main menu.
Tutorial - 2
Geometry clean-up & Mid-Surface.
Open and view the model file, clip.hm.
View the model in topology display toolbar and shaded mode to evaluate its integrity.
1. Observe where the model has incorrect connectivity and missing or duplicate surfaces.
2. Click Geom page and then click on autocleanup to open the Auto Geometry Cleanup panel.
Note that the surface edges are now colored according to their topology status. This occurs because Geometry Color is set to
auto
3. Now click on the drop down arrow just beside Auto and select Mixed , this will show the
edges with the specified colour. (The colour scheme is explained below)
4. Click Wireframe Geometry to display the model in Wire frame mode.

The toolbar contains icons that control the display of the surfaces and surface edges. Surfaces can be shaded with or without
edges or wireframe. Right-click the icons to access the drop-down menu for additional options. Place your mouse over the
cursor to view a description of the button’s functionality.
5. Click Visualization and navigate to the Topology tab.

Visualization controls the display of the surfaces and surface edges. Surfaces can be shaded or wireframe. The check boxes
within this menu turn the display of the different edge types and fixed points (surface vertices) on or off.
6. Clear all the check boxes except the Free check box.
Only the free edges should be displayed at this point.

7. Observe the free edges and make note of where they are.
The free (red) edges show where there is incorrect connectivity or gaps.
8. Note the locations where there are closed loops of free edges. These are locations that probably have missing surfaces.
Free edges indicating surface discontinuities of the clip geometry.

9. Select only the Non-manifold check box.
10. Observe the non-manifold edges and make note of where they are.
The non-manifold edges show where there are more than two surfaces sharing an edge, which might indicate incorrect
connectivity. For this part, there are yellow edges completely surrounding two areas. This indicates that there are probably
duplicate surfaces in these locations.
11. Select all the check boxes.

12. Click the Close button to close the Visualization tab.
13. Click return to exit the panel.
14. Click Shaded Geometry and Surface Edges

The surfaces should now appear solid rather than having only their edges displayed.
15. Rotate, zoom, and pan to locate any errors in the geometry.
16. Make note of the areas to be worked on:
 A surface that overhangs a round corner.
 A missing surface.
 An edge that has apparently been collapsed.
Surface overhanging an edge and a missing surface
Area of collapsed edge
Delete the surface that overhangs the round corner

1. Enter the Delete panel in one of the following ways:
 From the menu bar click Geometry > Delete > Surfaces.
 Press F2.
2. Click on the drop down arrow, and select surfs from the list.
3. In the graphics area, select the overhanging surface shown
.
4. Click delete entity to delete the selected entities.
Create surfaces to fill large gaps in the model

1. Go to Geom page, here click on surfaces panel.
2. Now here click on Spline/Filler option to generate the missing surface.
3. Click the Keep tangency check box.

The Keep tangency option examines surfaces attached to the selected edges and tries to create a surface tangent to them.
This helps to form a smooth transition to the surrounding surfaces. (Note : Sometimes if the check box of keep tangency is on, it may be
possible that it will not generate the surface, so just uncheck it so that it will generate the surface).
4. Verify the entity type is set to lines.
5. Verify the Auto create (free edges) check box is selected.
The Auto create option simplifies the selection of the lines bounding the missing surface. Once a line is selected, HyperMesh
automatically selects the remaining free edges that form a closed loop, and then create the filler surface.
6. Zoom into the area indicated in the following image.
Area of missing surfaces
7. Pick one of the red lines bounding one of the gaps (missing surfaces).
HyperMesh automatically creates a filler surface to close the hole.

8. Repeat sub-step 7 to create a filler surface in the other gap.
Set the global geometry cleanup tolerance to 0.01.

1. Press O to go to the Options panel.
2. Go to the geometry subpanel.

3. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.01 to stitch the surfaces with a gap less than 0.01.
Combine multiple free edge pairs at one time with the equivalence tool.
1. Go to Geom page, here select edge edit.
2. Here select the equivalence radio button
3. Activate the equiv free edges only check box.

4. Select surfs >> all.
5. Verify that the cleanup tol= is set to 0.01, which is the global cleanup tolerance specified in the Options panel.
6. Click the green equivalence button to combine any free edge pairs within the specified cleanup tolerance.
Most of the red free edges are combined into green shared edges. The few remaining are caused by gaps larger than the
cleanup tolerance.
Combine free edge pairs, one pair at a time, using the toggle.
1. Go to the toggle subpanel.
2. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.1.
3. In the graphics area, click one of the free edges shown in the following image.
Rotate and zoom into the area if needed. When the edge is selected, it will change from red to green, indicating that the free
edge pair has been equivalence.
Area where free edges need to be toggled
Combine the remaining free edge pair using replace

1. Go to the replace subpanel.
2. In the Model Browser, click next to the View2 saved view
3. With the selector under moved edge: active, click the leftmost free edge in the graphics area.
4. Verify that the selector under retained edge: is now active.
5. Select the rightmost red edge.
6. In the cleanup tol = field, enter 0.1.
7. Click replace.
Once the line is selected, HyperMesh posts a message similar to:
"Gap = (.200018). Do you still wish to toggle?"
8. Click Yes to close the gap.
Edges to retain and move for replacement
Find and delete all duplicate surfaces

You should still be in the Geom Cleanup panel.
1. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Defeature.
2. Click on the duplicate radio button to activate the duplicate command.
3. Click surfaces >> displayed.

4. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.01.
5. Click find.
The status bar displays the following message, "2 surfaces are duplicated.".
6. Click delete to remove any duplicate surfaces.
Observe the model again to identify any remaining free edges, or missing or duplicate surfaces.
1. Use the topology display and shaded modes to perform this task. All of the edges in the model should be displayed as green
shared edges, indicating that we have a completely enclosed thin solid part.
Generating a Midsurface
Generate a midsurface from midsurface panel.

1. From the menu bar, click Geometry > Create > Midsurfaces > Auto.
2. Verify that the closed solid option and the yellow surfs selector are active.
3. Select one surface from the graphics area.
4. Click extract to start the midsurface generation.
The midsurface is created, and the surfaces are organized into a new Middle Surface component. Note that when a midsurface
is created, transparency is turned on for all the other components in the model except the new Middle Surface component.
The next step covers how to control surface transparency.
Review the part’s midsurface

1. From the Model Browser, turn off the display of geometry in the component named lvl10 to display only the Middle Surface
component.
The midsurfaces generated for the solid sections of the model using the auto-midsurface subpanel are shown in the following
image.
Midsurface generated from a volume of surfaces
3. Turn the geometry for lvl10 component back on from the Model Browser.
4. On the Visualization toolbar, access the Transparency panel ( ).

5. With the comps selector active, select a line or surface of the lvl10 component in the graphics region.
You may need to zoom in on the model to select a valid entity.
Since the entity selector is set to comps, selecting a line or surface in the component selects the entire component.
6. In the panel, click the arrow button on the right under transparency several times.
You should see the surfaces in the lvl10 component becoming more and more transparent.
You can also drag the slider back and forth to control the level of transparency.
7. Rotate, zoom, and pan to visualize the midsurface.
When to Use 1-D Elements
When one of the dimension is very large in comparison to the other two:
Element shape – Line
Additional data from user - The remaining two dimensions, the cross sectional area.
Element type – Rod, bar, beam, pipe, axi-symmetric shell etc.
Practical applications - Long shafts, beams, pin joint, connection elements

Types of 1-D element

Tutorial – 3
Beam – bending exercise using HyperBeam. (Verifying the result with hand calculations).
Problem Definition:- 30,000 N
Dia :-100 mm
Y
1000 mm
A 1000mm in length, a solid circular Beam of 100mm diameter is subjected to a bending load of 30000 N in Y-direction and it is
fixed at the other end the deflection and stress values has been calculated using the below method.
Then the same problem is solved in HyperMesh and then showing the comparison to both the results that is values of
deflection and stress with hand calculation and values of deflection and stress by using the software.
HAND CALCULATION:-
Stress = My/I…….. (M = PL, I = πd4/64)
{putting all the required values in above equation}
The magnitude of stress for the defined problem is 305.56 N/mm2.
Deflection = PL3/3EI…….
{Putting all the required values in above equation}
The magnitude of deflection for the defined problem is 9.7 mm.
Steps to solve the problem using HyperWorks.
Step 1 :- Open HyperWorks Student Edition.

1. To open HyperWorks Student edition follow the given step.
Start < All Programs < Altair HyperWorks 11.0 Student Edition (32-bit) < HyperWorks.
2. Once the Student edition HyperWorks opens set the User Profile as RADIOSS (Bulk Data).
{if the User Profile Window does not appear, On the tool bar click on preferences and from the drop down list select user profile}
This will load all the required information related to solve a linear static analysis problem using radioss solver.
Step 2 :- Create Material.
1. Click on the Material collector icon on the bottom side of your screen.
2. On mat name enter Steel as name of the material, select colour from the colour panel, click on type and select ISOTROPIC as the
material type, click on card image and select MAT1 as the card image, then click on create/edit.
3. A new window will open in which we can add further information about the material properties, here click on [E], [NU] and [RHO],
and keep the default value as it is.
4. Click return twice to exit the material collector panel.
Step 3 :- Create Circular Cross-Section.(using HyperBeam)

1. Click on 1D page and then click on HyperBeam.
2. Select the standard section radio button, below standard section type: select solid circle. Make sure in standard section library:
option HYPER BEAM is selected. Click create.
3. A new HyperBeam window will open. In that window on the bottom left corner of your screen, in Value option enter there 50.
{This is the value of circular radius of the beam section}
4. On the top left screen click on model view to get back to the HyperWorks window.
5. Click return to exit the HypeBeam panel.
Step 4 :- Create Property.
1. Click on the Property collector icon

2. In prop name = enter Beam_prop as property name, select a different colour from the colour panel, in type= select 1D, in card
image= select PBEAM, click on material tab and select Steel from the list of material, click on beamsection and select
auto_standardsection.1 which you have created in step 2. Then click create/edit
3. A new window will open, check the box in front of CONTINUATION LINE 2, now click on [C1a], [C2a], [D1a], [D2a], [E1a], [E2a],
[F1a], [F2a]. and enter the values as show in the given image
4. Click return twice to exit the property collector panel.
Step 5 :- Create Component.
1. Click on Component collector icon as shown .

2. Click on create radio button. Enter Comp_beam as the comp name = , select a different colour from the colour panel. Click on the
property= option and select Beam_prop as the property type which you have created in step 3. {Note: - If in component window
instead of property if no property is selected the just click on the toggle button to highlight property.}
3. Click create, to create component.

4. Click return, to exit the component collector.
Step 6 :- Create Nodes.

1. Click on Geom page. There click on nodes.
2. Click on XYZ option. Then enter the value 0 in x, y and z. and click create.{This will create a note at (0,0,0) location}
3. Then enter 1000 in x and 0 in y and z. click create.{ This will create a note at (1000,0,0) location}
4. Two nodes have a distance of 1000mm is created.

5. Then click on interpolate node option, on Number of nodes between: enter 10, set the Bias style: as Linear, select the two nodes
which are created above. Click create to create 10 nodes in-between these two nodes.
6. Once you click create the software generated 10 nodes at equal distance. As shown below.
7. Click return.
Step 7 :- Create Beam Elements.

1. Click on 1D page, in this click on bars panel.
2. In this select bar2 radio button, In this panel click on the property option and select Beam_prop click on elem types= and select
st nd
CBEAM set the orientation as y-axis. Click on node A and select the 1 node on the screen click on node B and select the 2 node.
nd rd
A beam element automatically created. Similarly create another beam element by clicking on 2 and 3 node as node A and node
B. repeat the same to create all the beam elements. Keep all the other values and options as shown in the given image.
3. Click return to exit the bar panel.
Step 8 :- Create and apply constrains.
1. Click on load collector icon as shown

2. Go to create subpanel. Enter Constraints in loadcol name=, select the different colour from the colour option. Toggle down to no
card image option. Click create. A new load collector named constraints is created.
3. Click return. {This will create a load collector name constrained}.

To apply constraints on the model follow the step shown below….
4. Click on Analysis page using the radio button. Then click on constraints.
5. Click on create radio button. Click on nodes and select the node as shown in the image. Select the load types = as SPC, make sure
all the other values are as shown in the below image. Click create.
dof 1, dof 2 and dof3 means translation along x-axis, y-axis and z-axis. And dof 4, dof 5 and dof 6 means rotation about x-axis, y-axis and z-axis respectively. If any
dof is checked that means it is fixed and if any dof is unchecked that means that the component is free to translate or rotate in that particular dof.
6. Click return.
Step 9 :- Create and apply force.
1. Click on load collector icon as shown

2. Go to create subpanel. Enter Force in loadcol name=, select the different colour from the colour option. Toggle down to no card
image option. Click create. A new load collector named Force is created.
3. Click return.
To apply Forces on the model follow the process shown below.
4. Click on Analysis page using the radio button. Then click on forces.
5. Click on the nodes and select the node as shown. Make sure the toggle is set to global system, Enter -30000 in magnitude=, and
select y-axis as the direction of force. Keep all the other parameters as shown in the image. Click create.
6. Click return.
Step 10 :- Create Loadstep.
1. Click on Analysis Page, there click on loadsteps.
2. In name= enter Beam_Bending. Check the box before SPC and LOAD, click on blank window in front of SPC and select Constraints
from the list of load collectors. Similarly click on the blank window in front of LOAD and select Force from the list. Keep the type:
as linear static. Keep all the other options as shown. Click create.
3. Click return.
Step 11 :- Save the Model and Run the Analysis.

1. On the tool bar panel (on the top of your screen), click on File, go to save as and click on model. Create a folder and save the file
as 1D_Beam_bending.hm
2. Then click on Analysis page and select Radioss
3. Set the export options: to all, run options: to analysis, memory options: to memory default. Click on save as to save the .fem file
of your model. Click on Radioss to start the Analysis.
4. A new solver window will open. Once you see ANALYSIS COMPLETED close the solver window.
5. Click return to exit the Radioss panel.
Step 12 :- View the displacement and stress results using HyperView.

1. Click on the small arrow below the Page Window Layout option {on the top of your screen}. And select the two window option from the
drop down list.
nd
2. Click on the 2 window (the new one). It will load HyperView, click on the folder icon in front of Load model and open the .h3d or
Altair HyperView Player file from the folder where you have save the model before the radioss run.
3. Select the file as shown below. Click open to load the result file. Then click Apply.
4. Click on contour icon as shown below. Click Apply to view the Displacement contour plot of the beam.
5. The maximum displacement as per the software is 9.7 mm.
6. Again click on contour then in Result type: select Element Stresses (1D) (s) from the drop down list, then below that select
CBAR/CBEAM Long. Stress SAC. Make sure the Averaging Method: is set to Simple. Click on Apply.
2
7. The maximum Stress for the Beam is 305.6 N/mm .
When to Use 2-D Elements
2-D elements are used when two of the dimensions are very large in comparison to the third dimension.
Element shape : Quad, tria

Additional data from user : Remaining dimension i.e. thickness
Element type : Thin shell, plate, membrane, plane stress, plane strain, axi-symmetric solid etc.
Practical applications : Sheet metal parts, plastic components like instrument panel etc.
Family of 2-D elements

How not to mesh
1) Back to back triangles should be avoided. Two tria elements should not be connected to each other
directly.
2) On plane surfaces triangular element should be avoided.

How not to mesh
3) No mesh transition on constant radius fillets / curvatures, The mesh transition should be carried out
on the planer surfaces
4) Circular holes should be modelled carefully with a washer (1.5 to 2 times diameter) and a minimum
of two layers around the hole
How not to mesh
5) Instead of a zig-zag distribution, a structured or smooth mesh is recommended (nodes aligned in a

straight line)
6) Follow the feature lines (nodes should lie exactly on the edges)
Quality checks of 2-D elements
• Warpage
This is the amount by which an element (or in the case of solid elements, an element face)
deviates from being planar. Since three points define a plane, this check only applies to quads. The
quad is divided into two trias along its diagonal, and the angle between the tria’s normals is measured.
Warpage of up to five degrees is generally acceptable.
Ideal Value = 0o (Acceptable < 10)
• Aspect Ratio
This is the ratio of the longest edge of an element to either its shortest edge or the shortest
distance from a corner node to the opposing edge.
For 3-D elements, each face of the element is treated as a 2-D element and its aspect ratio determined.
The largest aspect ratio among these faces is returned as the 3-D element’s aspect ratio.
Aspect ratios should rarely exceed 5:1.
Ideal Value = 1 (Acceptable < 5)
• Skew
Skew of triangular elements is calculated by finding the minimum angle between the vector from
each node to the opposing mid-side, and the vector between the two adjacent mid-sides at each node
of the element.
The minimum angle found is subtracted from ninety degrees and reported as the element’s
skew.
Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable < 45o)
• Chordal Deviation
Curved surfaces can be approximated by using many short lines instead of a true curve.
Chordal deviation is the perpendicular distance between the actual curve and the
approximating line segments.
• Length (min.)
Minimum element lengths are calculated using one of two methods
• The shortest edge of the element. This method is used for non-tetrahedral 3-D elements.
• The shortest distance from a corner node to its opposing edge (or face, in the case of
tetra elements); referred to as "minimal normalized height".
• Jacobian
This measures the deviation of an element from its ideal or "perfect" shape, such as a triangle’s
deviation from equilateral. The Jacobian value ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, where 1.0 represents a perfectly
shaped element. The determinant of the Jacobian relates the local stretching of the parametric space
which is required to fit it onto the global coordinate space. HyperMesh evaluates the determinant of the
Jacobian matrix at each of the element’s integration points (also called Gauss points) or at the element’s
corner nodes, and reports the ratio between the smallest and the largest. In the case of Jacobian
evaluation at the Gauss points, values of 0.7 and above are generally acceptable.

• trias: min angle
The minimum allowable interior angle for a tria element. Any element for which any interior
angle falls below the specified value is highlighted and remains highlighted until you exit the Check
Elems panel or you select another check
• trias: max angle
The maximum allowable interior angle for a tria element. Any element for which any
interior angle is greater than the specified value is highlighted and remains highlighted until you exit the
Check Elems panel or you select another check
Tria: Ideal Value = 600 (Acceptable = 200 < θ < 1200)
• quads: min angle
The minimum allowable interior angle for a quad element. Any element for which any
interior angle falls below the specified value is highlighted and remains highlighted until you exit the
Check Elems panel or you select another check
• quads: max angle
The maximum allowable interior angle for a quad element. Any element for which any
interior angle is greater than the specified value is highlighted and remains highlighted until you exit the
Check Elems panel or you select another check.
Quard: Ideal Value = 900 (Acceptable = 450 < θ < 1350)
Tutorial – 4
AutoMeshing.
In this tutorial, you will:
 Learn how to mesh all the surfaces at once specifying different element sizes and element types.
 Practice changing the element density along surface edges.
 Learn how to preview the mesh on all the unmeshed surfaces.
 Practice changing the element type and node spacing (biasing) along surface edges.
 Learn how to remesh surfaces.
Exercise
This exercise uses the model file, bracket.hm.
Step 1: Open and view the model file, bracket.hm.

Take a few moments to observe the model using the different visual options available in HyperMesh (rotation, zooming, pan, etc.).
Step 2: Mesh all the part’s surfaces at once using an element size of 4 and the mixed element type (quads and
trias).
1. Access the AutoMesh panel in one of the following ways:
a. Go to 2D page and click on automesh.
b. Press F12 on your keyboard.

2. Click on the surfs and select all. Select the size and bias sub panel using radio button. Enter 4 in element size=, set the mesh
type to mixed. Make sure the bottom left toggle is set to interactive. Keep the toggle next to element size as elems to surf
comp, first order and keep connectivity.
3. Click on mesh.
Notice that you are in the density subpanel of the meshing module. There is node seeding and a number on each surface edge.
This number is the number of elements that were created along the edge
4. Click return to accept the mesh as the final mesh.
At this point, you could be done using the AutoMesh panel to mesh the part. The mesh quality is very good. However, you will
remain in the meshing module to perform the next steps, which demonstrate how to use various subpanels to interactively
control the creation of mesh.
5. Click return again to exit the AutoMesh panel.

6. Rotate, zoom-pan the meshed model to review the mesh generated by Automesh.
Step 3: Delete the mesh

1. Access the Delete panel in one of the following ways:
a. Click on the delete icon as shown .

b. Press F2 on your keyboard.
2. Click on the drop down arrow as show and select elems from the list of options. Click on elems and select all from the list.
3. Click on delete entity to delete the mesh.

4. Click return to exit the delete panel.
Step 4: Generate the Mesh to the top flat surface and change the density, mesh type, and apply the biasing.
1. Go to Automesh panel.(as explained above i.e., Step 2…. Point 1).
2. Click on the top surface as shown
3. Click on mesh. You will come to mesh edit panel of Automesh.
a. You are currently on the density sub-panel.
i. Click on the edge to change the number of elements along the edge and then click on mesh this will change
the mesh pattern.(adjust panel) {Note: left click is used to increase the number of nodes along the edge and right click is used to
decrease the number of nodes along the edge}
ii. On the elem size and enter 10, and click on recalc all this will change the mesh size to 10. Again click on mesh to
view the change mesh, repeat the same process to change the element size to 4.
Element size of 10 Element size of 4
nd
b. Select the 2 radio button mesh style
In the option highlighted click on the drop down option before mixed and select trias click on set all above that and
click mesh. This will change the mesh pattern to tria mesh.
Similarly you can change the mesh type to quard, mixed, R-trias.
Mesh pattern using trias mesh Mesh pattern using quard mesh
rd
c. Click on the 3 radio button biasing.
Left click on the edge to increase the biasing factor. When you right click on the edges it will decrease the biasing factor.
Click on mesh to apply the biasing effect

.
d. Click return to finalize the mesh created.
Step 5 :- How to find the unmeshed surfaces using Automesh panel.

1. You will be still in the automesh panel.
2. Click on the unmeshed icon as show above. It will automatically highlight the entire surfaces which are not meshed. Click on
mesh to mesh the remaining surfaces.
3. Click return to finalize the mesh.
Step 6 :- Remesh the already meshed model.

1. Click on the surfs and select all from the list.
2. Change the mesh type to trias. Keep all the options as it is earlier.
3. Click mesh to change the mesh pattern.

4. This will change the mesh style to R-trias.
Step 7 :- Save the model.

All the parameters has been covered in the AutoMesh panel so it’s good time to save the model.
Tutorial -5
Meshing without Surfaces
In this tutorial, you will learn the basic concepts of surface-less meshing and how to mesh a bracket.
Surface-less meshing is defined as the creation of mesh using points, lines, and nodes rather than surfaces. Some parts may have missing
surfaces and some parts may not have any surfaces at all and are instead defined by line data. Either way, a mesh still must be created.
HyperMesh has a number of panels that allow you to create a mesh based on geometry other than surfaces
Exercise: Meshing a Bracket

This exercise uses the model file, bracket_line.hm. The model consists of only line data; no surfaces are present.
Step 1: Retrieve and view the model file

Take a few moments to observe the model using the different visual options available in HyperMesh (rotation, zooming, etc.).
Step 2: Create a concentric circle around a hole on the top face using the scale panel.
There are three circles on the upper region of the bracket representing three holes in the bracket. Two of the holes have concentric circles
around them. This configuration allows you to create a radial mesh pattern around the holes. The following steps will show you how to
create a concentric circle around the third hole.
1. Go to the Scale panel by doing one of the following:

i. From the menu bar, select Geometry > Scale > Lines
ii. On the main menu, select the Tool page and go to the Scale panel
2. Click uniform and enter 2.0 for the scale factor. And then click on Enter.
3. Press F4 (on your Keyboard) to go to the Distance panel.
4. Go to the three nodes subpanel.

5. Verify that the node selector N1 is active.
6. Move the mouse pointer to the graphics area. While keeping the left mouse button pressed, drag the mouse pointer over the
circle representing the hole. When the mouse pointer changes to a square and the circle is highlighted, release the mouse button.
The circle remains highlighted. Left-click the highlighted circle to create a node for N1. Click twice more at different locations on
the line to create nodes N2 and N3.
7. Click circle center.
A node is created at the circle’s center. This node will be selected as the origin node when the circle is duplicated and scaled.
8. Click return to go back to the Scale panel.

9. Switch the entity type to lines.
10. In the graphics area, select the circle.
11. Click lines >> duplicate >> original comp.
12. Click the origin: node selector to make it active.
13. Select the temporary node you created as the circle’s center.
14. Click scale +.
A new circle is created, which is concentric with the original.
15. Click return.
Step 3: Create a radial mesh between each of the concentric circles using the spline panel.
1. Go to the Spline panel by doing one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Spline.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and go to the Spline panel.
2. With the entity type set to lines, select all lines as shown in the figure.
3. Switch from mesh, keep surf to mesh, dele surf.
This option creates surfaces based on the selected entities, uses the surfaces to create a mesh, and then deletes the surfaces.
4. Make sure the keep tangency checkbox is unselected.
5. Click create.
The meshing module appears. Element edge density numbers appear on the selected lines.
6. Click return.
7. Now you are still in the spline panel.
8. Now select all the six circular lines. As shown below.
9. Then click on create.

10. Now you will be in the density panel, Here in the elem density = enter 8. Then click on set all to and then click on mesh.
11. Click return twice to exit the spline panel.
Step 5: Mesh the back face of the bracket using the line drag panel.
1. To go to the Line Drag panel, do one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Line Drag.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and enter the Line Drag panel.
2. Go to the drag geoms subpanel.
3. Switch the drag: entity type from node list to line list.
4. Select the line that is on the perimeter of the existing mesh and adjacent to the bracket’s back face.
5. Click the along: line list selector to make it active.

6. Select one of the two lines defining the back face that are perpendicular to the selected line to drag.
7. Leave the toggle set to use default vector.

8. Leave the creation method set to mesh, w/o surf.
9. Click drag.
The meshing module appears.
10. Click return twice to accept the mesh and exit the panel.
Mesh of top and back faces
Step 6: Mesh the bottom face of the bracket using the ruled panel.
1. To go to the Ruled panel, do one of the following:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Ruled.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and enter the Ruled panel.
2. Make sure the upper entity type is set to node list.
3. Click node list and select by path.
The entity selector changes to node path.
4. Select the end nodes located on the back face edge that borders the bottom face, as indicated in the following image.
All the nodes between the two selected nodes are automatically selected.
5. Now select the second entity selector as line. And select the line opposite to the nodes as shown in the image below.
6. Click create.
7. Click return twice to exit the ruled panel.
Step 7: Mesh the rib using the skin panel
1. To go to the Skin panel, do one of the following:

i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D Elements > Skin.
ii. On the main menu, select the 2D page and enter the Skin panel.
2. With the line list selector active, select any two of the three lines defining the rib.
3. Switch the creation method from mesh, keep surf to mesh, dele surf.
4. Leave the toggle set to auto reverse.

5. Click create.
6. The meshing module appears.
7. Click return to accept the mesh and exit the panel.

TUTORIAL – 6
Checking and Editing Mesh

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:
 Identify shell element connectivity problems.
 Correct shell element connectivity problems.
 Review the model’s shell elements to ensure connectivity problems were corrected.
 Remesh the elements along the rib.
Exercise
This exercise uses the model file, cover.hm.
Step 1: Retrieve and view the HyperMesh model file
Step 2: Review the model’s free edges to identify shell element connectivity problems.
1. Access the Edges panel in the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Components > Edges.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, and then click
iii. Press the SHIFT+F3 keys.

2. With the comps selector active, click any element in the graphics area.
The component containing the element is selected.
3. Click find edges.
Red, 1-D elements are displayed. They are organized into the new component named ^edges. A red 1-D element is
created along each shell element edge that is free; one or more of the element edge’s nodes is not shared by the
adjacent elements
Note: For a component name whose first character is ^, the component and its contents is not written to the input file
when the model is exported.
4. Click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines ( ).

5. Observe the red, 1-D elements (free edges).
6. Try to identify gaps in the continuity of the mesh.
Hint: Look closely at free edges interior to the model.
7. In the Model Browser, turn the display on and off for the component shells to continue to identify which red, free edges
do not belong.
8.
9. Turn on the display for the component, shells. (follow the same procedure as given in step 7; above)
Step 3: Correct the shell element connectivity problems using the Edges panel.
1. In the tolerance= field, type 0.01.
2. Select an element in the graphics area to select the component.
3. Click preview equiv.
The status bar displays the following message: "81 nodes were found."
A sphere, , is created on nodes having a distance between each other equal to or less than the specified tolerance.
4. Notice that for this exercise’s model, a sphere is not created on every node along all of the red, free edges, which do not
belong. A larger tolerance must be specified to identify the rest of the nodes.
5. For tolerance = 0.1, increase its value until all 96 nodes are identified as shown in the following image.
Be careful not to increase the tolerance value to too much. Although the 96 nodes will be identified, an excessively large
tolerance value may collapse elements when the identified nodes are equivalenced. To find out the maximum value that
can be safely used for tolerance without collapsing the elements, press the F10 key to go to the check elems panel, go
to 2-d subpanel and click length. The status bar will display ‘… The min length is 1.49.’ A tolerance value < 1.49 can
safely be used, without causing any elements to collapse when identified nodes are equivalenced. Click return to go
back to Edges panel.
6. Click equivalence.
The 96 coincident nodes are equivalence.

7. Rotate and observe the model to see that the mesh still looks as it should and no elements are collapsed.
8. Click delete edges.
The red, free edges and their component, ^edges, are deleted.
Note: Remain in the Edges panel.
Step 4: Review the model’s free edges again to confirm that all of the shell element connectivity
problems have been corrected.
Observe the red, 1-D elements (free edges).

Are there any red, free edges that should not belong if the mesh was continuous or if all of the elements were
connected?
Hint: Only red, free edges should exist on the perimeter of the part and on periphery of internal holes.
2. Use the Model Browser to turn the display off and on for the component, shells, to observe that all of the free, red
edges belong.
3. After verifying that the model has correct red, free edges, click delete edges.
4. Click return to exist the Edges panel.
Step 5: Display the element normals and adjust them to point in the same direction.
1. Go to the Normals panel. The Normals panel can be accessed in the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Normals.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, then click normal.
iii. Press the SHIFT+F10 keys.

2. Choose the elements subpanel and set toggle to vector display normal.
3. With the comps selector active, select one element from the graphics area to select the component.
4. Click display normal.
Arrows (vectors) are drawn from the element centroids and show the direction of the element normal.
Notice the arrows do not all point from the same side of the part. For some analyses, the element normals should
point from the same side.
5. Click size = and enter the size which the normal should be in model units and select display normals again.
When size = is set to 0, the vector will be 10% of the screen.
6. Toggle vector display normals to color display normal.
7. Click display normal.
The element normals are displayed using colors. The red side of the elements is the positive normal direction, while the
blue side is the negative normal direction.
8. Notice each side of the part shows red and blue.
9. Click the orientation: elem selector to make it active.
10. Select an element from the graphics area.

11. Click adjust normal.
All elements on either side of the part are the same color, red or blue.
The status bar displays the following message: "[X] elements have been adjusted."
If after adjusting the normals, there are still elements on one side of the part which are of different color, change to
elems from comps for the entity selector, choose these elements and click reverse normal.
12. Click return.
Step 6: Review the quality of the elements using the check elems panel.
1. Access the check elems panel in one of the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements.
ii. From the main menu, select the Tool page, then click check elems
iii. Press the F10 key.

2. Go to the 2-d subpanel.
3. Verify that jacobian < field is set to 0.7.
4. Click jacobian to determine if any elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7.
Elements having a jacobian of less than 0.7 are highlighted.
5. Notice that several elements on the triangular rib and around the smaller of the two holes have a jacobian of less than
0.7.
The status bar displays a message indicating how many elements failed this check.
6. In the graphics area, click an element.
A window appears that lists each quality check result for the element.
7. Click the right or left mouse button to close the pop-up window.
8. On the right side of the panel menu, switch from standard to assign plot.
9. Click jacobian to review again.

A legend for jacobian values appears and each element is colored accordingly. The red elements have a jacobian less
than the threshold, 0.7.
10. Verify that quads: min angle < is set to 45.
11. Click min angle to determine if any quad elements have an angle of less than 45.
12. Notice that a couple of elements on the rib have an angle of less than 45.
13. Verify that the max angle > field is set to 135.
14. Click max angle to determine if any quad elements have an angle greater than 135.
15. Notice that several elements on the rib have an angle greater than 135.
16. Click return.

Step 7: Remesh the elements on the rib using the automesh panel.
1. Access the Automesh panel in one of the following ways:
i. From the menu bar, select Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh.
ii. From the main menu, select the 2D page, then click automesh.
iii. Press the F12 key.

2. Verify that you are in the size and bias subpanel.
3. Switch the entity selector to elems.
4. Toggle to interactive.
5. For element size=, type 3.5.
6. Select one rib element from the graphics area.

7. Select one element on the plane of elements perpendicular to the rib and in the same plane as the rib’s shortest edge
as shown in the following image.
Example of elements to select.
8. Select elems >> by face to complete the selection of elements as shown in the following image.
Elements selected using by face
9. Click mesh.
The meshing module appears.
10. In the density subpanel, change the element density on the rib’s hypotenuse edge to 9.
11. Change the element density on the rib’s shortest edge to 5.

12. Keep all other element edge densities the same.
Adjusting element edge densities
13. Access the mesh style subpanel.
14. Under mesh method, set the last option to free (unmapped).
15. Under mesh method, select set all.
16. Click mesh to preview the mesh.
17. Go to the checks subpanel, and check the jacobian, quads: min angle, and quads: max angle.
18. Notice that no elements fail the minimum and maximum angle checks.
Only a couple of elements have a jacobian of less than 0.7. The smallest jacobian is 0.68, which can still be considered
good quality.
19. Click return twice to accept the mesh and go back to the main menu.
Step 8: Use the smooth panel to adjust the node placement on the rectangular plane of remeshed
elements
1. Go to 2D page and click on smooth to open the Smooth panel.
2. Go to the plates subpanel.
3. With the smooth: elems selector active, select an element on the rectangular plane of re-meshed elements.
4. Select elems >> by face.
5. For iterations = specify 10.

6. Switch the smoothing algorithm from autodecide to shape corrected.
7. Click smooth.
8. Click return.
Step 9: Remove tria elements from another area of the model using the edit element panel, split
and combine subpanels.
1. On the 2D page, enter the edit element panel.
2. Go to the split subpanel.
3. With the splitting line: points selector active, click four screen points as shown the following image.
Temporary line segments are drawn to connect the points.
4. You can right-click to undo the last line segment drawn or you can click delete line to start over with selecting points.
5. Click split.
Elements that have the line pass through them are split. The resulting mesh should look like the mesh in the following
image. There are two pairs of adjacent tria elements.
6. Go to the combine subpanel and set the toggle to combine to quad.
7. Select two adjacent tria elements as indicated in the following image.

8. Click combine.
9. Repeat 11.7 and 11.8 for the other two adjacent tria elements.
10. Remain in the edit element subpanel.
Trias to select Combining trias into quads
Step 10: Dynamically move nodes on the mesh area modified in the previous step to improve
element quality.
1. Go to the cleanup subpanel and ensure it is set to displayed elems.
2. Click cleanup.
The element cleanup menu appears. It allows you to select various combinations of quality checks, specify a
warning/unacceptable range for each check, and dynamically move nodes around to place them where you desire.
Elements are colored as follows:

 No color, appearing blank: element passes quality checks.
 Yellow: one or more quality check results falls into warning/unacceptable range
 Red: one or more quality check results are beyond unacceptable
Among the group of elements you modified in the last step, Step 11, two quad elements are red and one quad element
is yellow.
3. Clear the warpage and jacobian check boxes, so that just the max angle is checked.
4. The model has three elements that are colored red.

5. With the node selector active, click an interior node of a red element and drag the node around until the element is no
longer red.
6. Repeat 12.4 for the other red elements.
7. Click return twice.
Step 11: For the same area of elements you focused on in the previous step, optimize element
quality by clicking nodes and elements.
1. On the 2D page, go to the qualityindex panel.
2. With the element optimize selector active, click a few elements of the mesh area you modified.
When an element is clicked, it is repositioned so that the elements attached to it have the best possible quality based on
the criteria specified in the qualityindex panel.
3. Click return.
Step 12: Add a ring of radial elements around the smaller of the two holes.
1. Click the Utility tab. If the Utility Menu is not displayed in the HyperMesh session, go to View menu and check Utility
Menu.
2. On the Geom/Mesh page, click Add Washer.

3. With the nodes selector active, select one node on the edge of the smaller hole as indicated in the following image.
4. Click proceed.
A pop-up window for Add Washer along a Circular Hole utility appears.
5. Toggle to Width, and for Value specify 3.0.
6. Select the Minimum number of nodes around the hole check box.
7. In the Density: field, enter 12.
8. Click Add.
9. Click Close.
The mesh around the hole should look like the mesh in the following image.
When to use 3-D elements
3-D elements should be used when all dimensions are comparable.

x~y~z
Element shape – Tetra, Penta, hex, pyramid

Additional data from user – Nothing
Element type – Solid
Practical applications : Gear box, engine block, crankshaft, etc.
3-D Element types

DOFs for solid elements
2-D thin shell and 1-D beam element supports 6 dofs, but all solid elements have only 3 translational
dofs (no rotational dof ) i.e. a 10 noded tetra element has total of 10 x 3 = 30 dofs
Why does a solid element have only 3 translational and no rotational dofs (Physical
interpretation)?
Consider a piece of paper (2-D geometry) or long steel scale (1-D geometry). It could be easily bent and
twisted (rotational dof ). But now consider a solid object like a duster or a paper weight. It could not be
subjected to very high bending or torsion stiffness. Hence, solid elements have been formulated with 3
translational dofs and no rotational dofs.
Quality check for Tetra elements.
• Tetra Collapse:
Ideal Value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.1)
Tetra collapse = h * 1.24 / A
(Defined as the distance of a node from the opposite face
divided by the area of the face multiplied by 1.24)
• Volumetric Skew :
Create a sphere passing through the corner nodes of the tetra,
fit an ideal (equilateral) tetra in it. Find the volume of the ideal
and actual tetra elements.
Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable < 0.7)
Volumetric Skew = (Videal - Vactual)

Videal
Quality check for Tetra elements.
• Stretch:
Ideal value = 1.0 (Acceptable > 0.2)
Stretch = R * √24 / Lmax
R = Radius of largest possible sphere inside given tetra element.
• Distortion :
Distortion = | J | * VolmLCS / VolmGCS
LCS – Local Coordinate System
GCS – Global Coordinate System
• Jacobian:
In simple terms, the Jacobian is a scale factor arising because of the transformation of the
coordinate system. Elements are transformed from global coordinates to local coordinates to reduce the
solution time.
Brick Mesh Quality Checks
• Warp angle:
Ideal value = 0 (Acceptable <300)
Warp angle is calculated on faces (quadrilateral) of a hex element. It is the angle between the planes
that form by splitting the quad element.
• Jacobian:
In simple language, the Jacobian is a scale factor arising because of the transformation of the
coordinate
system. Elements are transformed from global to local coordinates to reduce the solution time.
• Distortion:
Distortion = |J | * VolmLCS / VolmGCS
LCS – Local Coordinate System
GCS – Global Coordinate System
Brick Mesh Quality Checks
• Stretch:
Stretch = min. edge length * √ 3 / max. diagonal length
• Aspect ratio:
Ideal value =1.0 (Acceptable < 5)
Aspect ratio = max. edge length / minimum edge length.
• Skew:
Ideal value = 00 (Acceptable < 450)
Skew is checked on all the faces of a hex element (quadrilateral). For the skew definition, please refer
to the shell element checks.
Quad face included angles: 450 < θ < 1350

Tria face (wedge / Penta elements) included angles: 200 < θ < 1200
% of Pentas: Acceptable < 5 %
Tutorial - TetraMeshing
In this tutorial, you will learn about:

 Volume tetra mesher
 Standard tetra mesher
 Checking tetra element quality
 Remeshing tetra elements
HyperMesh provides two methods of generating a tetrahedral element mesh. The volume tetra mesher works directly with
surface or solid geometry to automatically generate a tetrahedral mesh without further interaction from the user. Even with
complex geometry, this method can often generate a high quality tetra mesh quickly and easily.
The standard tetra mesher requires a surface mesh of tria or quad elements as input, then provides you with a number of
options to control the resulting tetrahedral mesh. This offers a great deal of control over the tetrahedral mesh, and provides the
means to generate a tetrahedral mesh for even the most complex models.
The Tetramesh panel allows you to fill an enclosed volume with first or second order tetrahedral elements. A region is
considered enclosed if it is entirely bounded by a shell mesh (tria or quad elements) where each element has material on one
side and open space on the other.
Exercise
Step 1: Retrieve and view the model file

The model for this exercise is housing.hm. Take a few moments to observe the model using the different visual options
available in HyperMesh (rotation, zooming, etc.).
Only the geometry in the component cover is currently displayed. The file contains two parts defined by a volume of surfaces.
The geometry has been cleaned such that surface connectivity is proper and surface edges that would cause sliver elements
are suppressed.
Step 2: Use the volume tetra mesher and equilateral triangles to create a tetra mesh for the cover.
1. Access the Tetramesh panel from 3D > tetramesh.
2. Go to the Volume tetra subpanel.
3. Set the entity selector to surfs and select one of the surfaces in the model.
Page 1
The connected surfaces are selected automatically
.
4. Verify that 2D type: is set to trias and 3D type: is set to tetras.
These control the type of element that will be created for the surface mesh and solid mesh of the part.
5. Select Elems to Current Comp to place the newly created elements in the current component collector.
6. Verify that the Use curvature and Use proximity options are not active.
7. For element size= specify 10.
8. Click mesh to create the tetra mesh.
Page 2
9. From the toolbar, click Shaded Elements and Mesh Lines ( ).
10. Take a moment to inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created.
Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel and equilateral triangles (2D: trias).
11. Click reject to reject the mesh.
The mesh is deleted.
Step 3: Use the volume tetra mesher and right triangles to create a tetra mesh for the cover.
You should still be in the Tetramesh / Volume tetra subpanel.
1. Select one of the surfaces in the model.
2. Switch 2D type: to R-trias.
4. Inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created.
5. Compare it to the first mesh you created and note the differences. The 2D type: R-trias setting tends to create tetra
elements with triangular faces that are right triangles (90-45-45 angles) while the 2D type: trias setting tends to create
equilateral triangles (60-60-60 angles).
Page 3
Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel and right triangles (2D type: R-trias)
Step 4: Use the volume tetra mesher to create a tetra mesh with more elements along curved
surfaces.
You should still be in the Volume tetra subpanel.
2. Activate the option, use curvature.
Additional parameters appear. The option, Use curvature, causes more elements to be created along areas of high
surface curvature. Thus, curved areas such as fillets will have more and smaller elements, which capture those
features with higher resolution.
3. For Min element size = specify 1.0.
4. Verify that Feature angle = is set to 30.
6. Shade the tetrahedral elements.

7. Inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created.
8. Compare it to the previous meshes you created and note the differences. More elements are created around the
fillets.
Page 4
Tetra mesh from the volume tetra sub-panel and the option use curvature active.
Step 5: Use the volume tetra mesher to create a tetra mesh with more elements around small
features.
2. Activate the Use proximity option.
The Use proximity option causes the mesh to be refined in areas where surfaces are smaller. The result is a nice
transition from small elements on small surfaces to larger elements on larger, adjacent surfaces.
4. Shade the elements.

5. Inspect the mesh pattern that the volume tetra mesher created. Compare it to the previous meshes you created and
note the differences. More elements were created around surfaces with small angles as indicated in the following
image.
Page 5
Tetra mesh from the volume tetra subpanel with options Use curvature and Use proximity.
Step 6: Prepare the display to tetra mesh the hub component using the standard tetra mesher.
1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to turn off the display of geometry for all components.
2. Turn on the display of the geometry for the hub component.

3. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to turn off the display of elements for all components.
4. Turn on the display for the hub and tetras components for elements.
There are tria shell elements in the hub component. Currently, there are no elements in the tetras component.
Page 6
Step 7: Review the connectivity and quality of the tria mesh to validate its integrity for the
standard tetra mesher.
Use the Edges and Check Elems panels to make sure that there are no free edges or very small angles in the tria shell mesh.
1. Access the Edges panel from tool page, then click on edges.
2. With the comps selector active, pick any tria element on the hub component.
A message in the status bar should state, "No edges found. Selected elements may enclose a volume."
This is desired as the tetra mesher requires a closed volume of shell elements.
5. Access the Check Elements panel from tool pages, then click on check elems panel.
Page 7
6. Verify that you are in the 2-d subpanel.
7. Identify elements having an aspect ratio greater than 5.
Aspect ratio is the ratio of the longest edge of an element to its shortest edge. This check helps you to identify sliver
elements.
All of the hub’s shell elements pass the check; all of the elements have an aspect ratio less than 5.
8. Identify tria elements having an angle less than 20. (trias: min angle).
This check also helps you to identify sliver elements.

All the hub’s shell elements pass the check; all the elements have angles greater than 20.
The surface mesh is suitable for creating a tetra mesh.
Step 8: Create a tetra mesh for the hub using the standard tetra mesher.
1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to set the current component to tetras. Right click on tetra component and then
click on Make Current, to make tetra component as current component.
Page 8
2. Access the Tetramesh panel from 3D page, and then click on tetramesh panel.
3. Enter the Tetra mesh subpanel.
4. With the comps selector active under Float trias/quads to tetra mesh, select one of the hub shell elements from the
graphics area.
Using this option, HyperMesh will swap the diagonal for any pair of surface trias that will result in a better tetra mesh
quality. If you would rather keep the diagonal, see sub-step 5.
5. (Optional) To keep the diagonal as is, select the comps selector under Fixed trias/quads to tetra mesh.
6. Click mesh to generate the tetrahedral elements.
7. To view the tetra elements turn-off the mesh of hub component. (from model browser)
Cut-away view of tetrahedral elements
Page 9
Step 9: Check the quality of the hub’s tetra elements.

1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to display only the elements in the tetras component.
2. Access the Check Elements panel.
3. Go to the 3-d subpanel.
4. Identify the smallest element length among the displayed elements.

If the minimum length is acceptable for a target element size of 5.0, then no further action is necessary.
5. Identify the smallest angle (tria faces: min angle) among the displayed elements.
If the minimum tria face angle is no less than 10°, then the mesh quality should be acceptable.
6. Identify elements having a tet collapse smaller than 0.2.
The tet collapse criteria is a normalized volume check for tetrahedral elements. A value of 1 indicates a perfectly
formed element with maximum possible volume. A value of 0 indicates a completely collapsed element with no
volume.
The message bar indicates that one element has a tetra collapse smaller than 0.2.
Step 10: Isolate the element with the tetra collapse smaller than 0.2 and find the elements
surrounding it.
You should still be in the Check Elements panel.
1. With 0.2 still specified for tet collapse, click tet collapse again.
2. Click save failed.
The element that failed the tetra collapse check is saved in the user mark, and can be retrieved in any panel using the
extended selection menu.
Page 10
4. Access the Mask panel from the Display toolbar by selecting Mask ( ).
You can also press F5 on your keyboard to enter the Mask panel.
5. Set the entity selector to elems and select elems >> retrieve.
The element that was saved in the Check Elements panel is retrieved.
6. Select elems >> reverse.
Only the one tetra element that failed the tetra collapse check should be displayed.
Page 11
9. On the Display toolbar, click Unmask Adjacent ( ).
The layer of elements that is attached to the one displayed element is identified and displayed.
10. Click Unmask Adjacent two more times.
The layer of elements that is attached to the displayed elements is identified and displayed. The functionality of
unmask adjacent can be duplicated using the Find panel, find attached subpanel on the Tool page.
Step 11: Remesh the hub’s displayed tetra elements to improve their tetra collapse.
1. Access the Tetramesh panel.
Page 12
2. Go to the Tetra remesh subpanel.
3. For 3D elements, select elems >> displayed.
4. Click remesh to regenerate this area of the mesh.
Note that the re-meshing operation works on only one group of elements (one volume) at a time.
6. Access the Check Elements panel.
7. Click tet collapse to find out if the tetra collapse has improved for the displayed elements.
The message in the status bar should indicate that the minimum tetra collapse is larger than the value reported before
the tetra elements were remeshed.
Page 13
Summary
A tetra mesh has been created for both parts in the file. Different procedures for tetra meshing were used. Either method can
be used to mesh parts, depending on the needs of the analysis. Also, the tetra remesh function was used to show how to
quickly fix the quality of tetra elements
Page 14
HW-PTC-India
Professional Training Centre
Tutorial – 8: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces..
In this tutorial, you will learn how to:
 Create solids using different functions.
 Check and fix improper model connectivity.
For some analyses, it is desirable to use a mesh of hexahedral and pentahedral elements. This is especially true
for parts which have a large thickness compared to the element size being used, or for parts that have many
features and/or changes in thickness. Castings or forgings are good examples.
Exercise: Creating a Hex-Penta Mesh using Surfaces

This exercise uses the model file, arm_bracket.hm. This exercise introduces you to a number of HyperMesh
functions that are used to create hexa-penta meshes. The model is organized into four IGES layers, consisting of
1) the base, 2) the first section of the arm, with a constant cross section and curvature, 3) the second section of
the arm, with a tapered cross section, and 4) the boss.
Step 1: Retrieve and review model file.

Open the arm_bracket.hm file.
Step 2: Mesh the top surface of the base, including the L-shaped surface.
1. Set the active component collector to base using the HyperMesh Model Browser. In the Model
Browser right-click base and select Make Current.
2. While in the HyperMesh Model Browser, hide all components except the base component.
3. Access the Automesh panel from the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 2D Automesh.
4. Select the surfaces on the top of the base, including the L-shaped surface at the intersection of the base
and the arm.
For this part of the exercise it might be easier to view the geometry in a shaded mode by clicking Shaded
Geometry and Surface Edges ( ).

5. Select the size and bias subpanel.
6. Set the meshing mode to automatic.
7. For element size = specify 10.
8. For element type specify quads only.
9. Click mesh to mesh the surfaces.
Rev 1.0 : Created on March 15, 2013, using HyperWorks Student Edition 11.0 Page 1
HW-PTC-India
Resulting quad mesh on base surfaces.
10. Click return to return to the main menu.

You can now change back to an unshaded view for the geometry.
Step 3: Create layers of hex elements for the base.

1. Go to the Elem Offset panel by selecting Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Element Offset from the
menu bar.
2. Select the solid layers subpanel.
3. With the elems selector active under elems to offset, select the elements on the base.
4. For number of layers = specify 5.
5. For total thickness = specify 25.
6. Click offset+.
The hexa mesh is created.
Hex mesh on base
Step 4: Prepare the display for meshing the arm’s curved segment.
1. Turn on the display of the arm_curve component using the HyperMesh Model Browser.
2. Press the F5 key to go to the Mask panel.
3. Select elements >> by config, and select the hex8 configuration.
4. Click select entities.
All of the elements with a configuration of hex8 in the model are selected.
HW-PTC-India
Step 5: Create a node at the center of the arm radius.

The first segment of the arm can be meshed using the Spin panel. This requires a node to be selected as the
center point of rotation. The node you create in this step will be used as that center point. To create the center
node, you will use the distance / 3 nodes subpanel.
1. Press the F4 key to enter the Distance panel.
2. Go to the three nodes subpanel.
3. With the N1 selector active, create the temporary nodes on one of the curved lines of the arm as
described below:
i. Press and hold the left mouse button.
ii. Move the cursor over a curved line.
iii. Once over the line, the cursor will change to a square with a dot in the center, , and
the line will be highlighted. Release your mouse button.
4. Click three locations along the selected line. The active selector advances from N1 to N2 to N3, and the
locations will be selected as though there was a node there.
5. Click circle center to create the node at the center.
This node will be used in the next step when you mesh the arm.
Three nodes to create a center node
Step 6: Create hexa elements in the curved portion of the arm using spin.
1. Set arm_curve as the current component using the HyperMesh Model Browser.
2. Go to the Spin panel by selecting Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Spin from the menu bar.
3. Select the spin elems subpanel.
4. Using elems >> by window, select the plate elements within the L-shaped cross section of the arm.
HW-PTC-India
Elements to select for spin function
6. For angle = specify 90 degrees.

7. For the direction, select the x-axis (Y-Z plane).
8. For the base node (B), click the center node created in step 5.
9. For on spin = specify 24.
24 layers of hex elements will be created when the plate elements are spun.
10. Click spin -.
spin panel results
HW-PTC-India
Step 7: Create faces on the hex elements.
1. Go to the Faces panel by selecting Mesh > Check > Compenents > Faces from the menu bar.
2. With the entity selector set to comps, select the arm_curve component.
3. Click find faces.
2-D shell elements are created on the free faces of every 3-D solid element in the component. They are
placed in a new component named ^faces.
The ^faces component is created with its visualization set to wireframe, so you will not be able to see the
new elements right away if the arm_curve component is displayed and in shaded mode.
4. On the toolbar click Shaded Elements & Mesh Lines ( ) to shade the elements.
You will now see the elements in the ^faces component.
Step 8: Prepare the display for meshing the second arm segment.
1. Use the Model Browser to turn on the display for the arm_straight and ^faces components.
Step 9: Mesh the L-shaped set of surfaces between the arm_straight and boss
components.
1. Set the current component collector to arm_straight.
2. Go to the Automesh panel.
3. Select the three surfaces lying on the intersection between the arm_straight and boss components.
These surfaces are in the arm_straight component.
4. Set the meshing mode to interactive.
5. Click mesh to go to the meshing module.
6. From the Density subpanel, adjust the densities to obtain a mesh that matches the following image.
This mesh pattern matches the mesh pattern at the intersection of the two arm segments. This is
necessary for the next step.
Densities to correspond to the mesh on the end face.

7. Click mesh to update the mesh density.
8. Click return to create the elements and go back to the Automesh panel.
Step 10: Use linear solid to build the mesh between the two sets of shell elements
1. Access the Linear Solid panel through the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 3D Elements >
Linear 3D.
2. With the from: elems selector active, select the ^faces elements lying on the intersection between the
first and second arm segments.
You can select one of the elements and then select elems >> by face to select the rest of the necessary
elements.
3. Click the to: elems selector to make it active. Then select the shell elements between the arm and boss,
which you created using the Automesh panel in the last step.
HW-PTC-India
4. Click the from: alignment: N1 selector to make it active. Then select three nodes on one of the "from
elements" you selected in sub-step 10.2.
5. Click the to: alignment: N1 selector to make it active. Then select three nodes on the "to element"
corresponding to the "from element" with the three "from nodes" you selected in sub-step 10.4. Refer to
the following image.
Example selection for alignment nodes

6. For density = specify 12.
7. Click solids to create the mesh.
Linear solid mesh.

8. Click return to the main menu.
Step 11: Prepare the display for meshing the boss

1. Use the HyperMesh Model Browser to show the boss component.
HW-PTC-India
Step 12: Create a shell mesh on the bottom of the boss.
1. Set the current component collector to boss.
2. Go to the Automesh panel.
3. Select the five surfaces on the bottom face of the boss.
4. Click mesh to go to the meshing module.
5. Adjust the densities to match the following image:
Mesh densities on the bottom of the boss

6. Click mesh to update the mesh density.
7. Click return twice to return to the main menu.
Step 13: Project a node to the bottom face of the boss.

1. Go to the Project panel by selecting Mesh > Project > Nodes from the menu bar.
2. Select the to line subpanel.
3. Select the node on the rightmost top vertex, as per the following image.
4. Click nodes >> duplicate.
5. For the to line select the line on the boss’ top face. Refer to the following image.
Projecting a node to a line

6. Select along vector: x- axis.
HW-PTC-India
7. Click project to project the node to the line.
Step 14: Generate hexas for the boss using the Solid Map panel.
1. Go to the Solid Map panel by selecting Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh from the menu bar.
2. Go to the general subpanel.
3. Select source geom: (none).
4. Select dest geom: surf and select the top surface of the boss.
5. Select along geom: mixed.
6. Under along geom: mixed, click lines to make it the active selector.
7. Select the line indicated in the following image.
8. Click node path to make it the active selector.
9. Select nodes to define the exact location of the solid element layers, as indicated in the following image.
A total of 13 nodes should be selected, starting at the boss mesh, and then using all of the nodes along
the edge of the arm_straight component, ending with the node projected to the top of the boss
Along nodes for solid map
10. For elems to drag:, select elems >> by collector and select the boss component.
11. Click mesh.
The elements are created and the mesh on this part is completed.
HW-PTC-India
Completed mesh of the arm bracket.
Step 15: Check the connectivity of the model

1. Go to the Faces panel.
2. Click comps to go to a list of components.
3. Select every component from the list, or select comps >> all.
4. Click Select complete the selection and go back to the Faces panel.
5. Click find faces.
6. Turn off the geometry display of all components via the Model Browser.
7. Turn off the element display of all components except ^faces.
8. Click return to exit the the panel.
9. On the Post page go to the Hidden Line panel.
10. Activate the xz plane and trim plane options.
11. Click show plot.
The faces are now displayed with a plane cutting the model in half. This is so that the interior of the
model can be viewed.
12. Click near the cutting plane. Holding the left mouse button down, move the mouse back and forth.
The cutting plane moves through the model, allowing you to see if any face elements exist on the interior
of the model.
You should see that there are face elements interior to the model, between the boss and arm. You need
to perform some corrections on the connectivity.
HW-PTC-India
Hidden line view of faces

Step 16: Correct the connectivity of the model.

1. Display elements for all components except for the ^faces component.
2. Display the elements of the solidmap component as transparent.
3. Go to the Faces panel.
4. Select elems >> displayed.
5. Click preview equiv.
Coincident nodes on the intersection between the arm and the boss are highlighted.
6. Specify a slightly larger value for tolerance =, and click preview equiv to identify more coincident nodes
on the intersection.
7. Repeat sub-step 16.6 until all 60 coincident nodes have been found.
8. Click equivalence.
The nodes are replaced to the location of the lowest node ID.
9. Switch all the components to the shaded visual mode.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 9: Creating a Hexahedral Mesh using the Solid Map Function.
In this tutorial, you will learn:
 What solid geometry is
 What topology is
 What 3-D topology looks like
Solids are geometric entities that define a three-dimensional volume. The use of solid geometry is helpful when
dividing a part into multiple volumes. For example, divide a part into simple, mappable regions to hex mesh the
part.
Exercise: Hex-meshing Solid Geometry

This exercise uses the model file, solid_map.hm
Step 1: Retrieve model file, solid_map.hm.
Step 2: Mesh the 1/8th sphere-shaped region.

1. On the toolbar, click Shaded Geometry and Surface Edges ( ).
2. Enter the Solid Map through the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh.
3. Go to the one volume subpanel.
4. Under along parameters:, set elem size= to 1.
5. With the solid entity selector under volume to mesh active, select the small cube-shaped solid, as
shown in the following image.
HW-PTC-India
6. Click mesh.
7. On the toolbar, click Shaded Elements with Mesh Lines ( ).
8. Select the solid indicated in the following image.
9. Click mesh.
Step 3: Create a shell mesh with the automesh panel to control a mesh pattern.
1. Enter the Automesh panel through the menu bar by selecting Mesh > Create > 2D AutoMesh.
2. Select the surface indicated in the following image.
HW-PTC-India
3. Verify that the meshing method is set to size and bias and interactive.
4. Set the element size = to 1.000.
5. Verify that mesh type: is set to mixed.
6. Click mesh.
7. In the elem density = field, enter 4.
8. Click set all to.
All the densities are set to 4.
9. Click mesh.
10. Click return twice to return to the main menu.
Step 4: Mesh the solid volume on which the surface mesh was created in Step 3.
1. Enter the Solid Map panel by clicking Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh.
2. Go to the one volume subpanel.
3. Select the volume shown in the following image.
4. Under along parameters:, toggle elem size= to density= and then enter 10.
5. Click mesh.
HW-PTC-India
6. Rotate the part and note how the mesh pattern created with the automesh panel has been used for the
solid elements.
Step 5: Mesh the remaining solid volumes.

You should still be in the solid map panel.
1. Select one of the remaining unmeshed solid volumes.
Make sure to select a solid adjacent to one that has already been meshed so that connectivity is
maintained.
2. For source shells: select mixed.
3. Under along parameters:, toggle density= to elem size= and enter 1.5.
4. Click mesh.
5. Repeat until all solid volumes are meshed.
Automated Solid Map Meshing
The capability to automate the solid map meshing process is now available. Using the “Mappable” visualization
mode in conjunction with the multi-solids feature will inform you that the solid(s) are ready for solid meshing.
Using the multi-solids feature will allow for all solids within the model to be meshed in one step provided that they
are Mappable.
In this section of the tutorial we will delete all the elements from the previous section. Use the Mappable
visualization mode and solid mesh the part using multi-solids.
Step 7: Delete the elements within the model.

1. Press F2 to access the Delete panel.
2. Select all the elements.
3. Click delete entity.
Step 8: Use the mappable visualization mode.

1. On the toolbar, click Shaded Geometry and Surfaces ( ).
2. From the Geometry Visualization pull-down, select Mappable ( ).
3. You will notice that each solid is color coded, the color of the solid represents its mappable state. The
goal is to ensure that each solid is either 1-directional or 3-directional Mappable.
4. The color of the mappable state can be found (and adjusted if necessary) within the Preferences >
Color GUI within the Geometry tab.
HW-PTC-India
By mappable display control (solids)
• ignored map Default visualization for solids that require partitioning to become mappable.
• not mappable Visualization for solids that have been edited, but still require further partitioning
to create mappable solids.
• 1 dir. map Visualization for solids that can be mapped (for 3-D meshing) in one direction.
• 3 dir. map Visualization for solids that can be mapped (for 3-D meshing) in three
directions.
Once in the mappable visualization mode it is clear that there is one 3-directional mappable solid and the
rest are 1- directional Mappable.
HW-PTC-India
Step 9: Use the multi-solid feature to mesh the part.

1. From the menu bar, click Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh to open the Solid Map panel.
2. Select the multi solids subpanel.
3. Select all the all solids.
4. For source shells, select mixed and set elem size: to 1.
5. Click Mesh.
This will bring you to an interactive mesh mode.
6. Select mesh again to accept the shell elements and create the solid elements.
The solids will be sequentially solid meshed. Once complete inspect the model and note that the mesh within all
of the solids is correctly equivalence.
7. Select return to accept the solid element mesh and return to the Solid Map panel.
What are the different types of Analysis

The term CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) includes the following types of analyses:
1) Linear static analysis 6) Fatigue analysis
2) Non linear analysis 7) Optimization
3) Dynamic analysis 8) CFD analysis
4) Buckling analysis 9) Crash analysis
5) Thermal analysis 10) NVH analysis
Linear Static Analysis

• Linear : Linear means straight line. In linear analysis, the FE solver will therefore always follow a
straight line from base to deformed state.
• Static:There are two conditions for static analysis:
1) The force is static i.e. there is no variation with respect to time
(dead weight ).
2) Equilibrium condition Σ forces (Fx, Fy, Fz) and ΣMoments (Mx, My, Mz) = 0.
• Non linear analysis

• Material based non-linearity:
Force (stress) vs. Displacement (strain)
curve is non linear (polynomial)
• Geometric non-linearity: In real life,

the stiffness [K] is a function of
displacement [d] (remember: for linear
Analysis [K] is constant, independent
of [d]). This means in a geometric
non-linear analysis, the stiffness K is
re-calculated after a certain predefined
displacement .
• Contact non-linearity: In Contact analysis, the Stiffness K also changes as a function of displacement
(when parts get into contact or separate).
• Non-linear analysis deals with true stress and strain (unlike engineering stress and strain in linear static
analysis)
• Dynamic Analysis
• Linear Buckling Analysis
Some key aspects:

• Applicable for only compressive load
• Slender beams and sheet metal parts
• Bending stiffness <<< Axial stiffness
• Large lateral deformation
• Thermal Analysis

• Fatigue Analysis
In materials science, fatigue is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs
when a material is subjected to cyclic loading. The nominal maximum stress values are less than the ultimate
tensile stress limit, and may be below the yield stress limit of the material. Fatigue occurs when a material is
subjected to repeated loading and unloading. If the loads are above a certain threshold, microscopic cracks will
begin to form at the surface. Eventually a crack will reach a critical size, and the structure will suddenly fracture.
The shape of the structure will significantly affect the fatigue life; square holes or sharp corners will lead to
elevated local stresses where fatigue cracks can initiate. Round holes and smooth transitions or fillets are
therefore important to increase the fatigue strength of the structure analysis.
• Optimization
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
A fluid is a substance that continuously deforms under an applied shear stress regardless of the magnitude
of the applied stress. Gas and liquids are both fluids. Fluid mechanics deals with the study of fluid, its
properties, and its behaviour. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the branch of fluid mechanics which uses
numerical methods to analyse fluid dynamics problems. It is based on the Navier –Stokes equations (Mass,
Momentum, and Energy conservation equilibrium equations).

• Crash Analysis
• Noise Vibration and Harshness, NVH

HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 10: Linear Static Analysis of a Plate with a Hole.
This tutorial demonstrates how to create finite elements on a given CAD geometry of a plate with a hole, apply
boundary conditions, and perform a finite element analysis of the problem. Post-processing tools will be used in
HyperView to determine deformation and stress characteristics of the loaded plate.
The following exercises are included:

 Setting up the problem in HyperMesh.
 Applying Loads and Boundary Conditions.
 Submitting the job.
 Viewing the results.
Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh and set the RADIOSS (Bulk Data) User Profile.
1. Launch HyperMesh.
A User Profiles Graphic User Interface (GUI) will appear.
2. Select RADIOSS in the User Profile dialog.
3. From the extended list, select BulkData.
4. Click OK.
This loads the User Profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk Data Format for
RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
Step 2: Open the File plate_hole.hm.

1. Click File > Open > Model
An Open Model browser window opens.
2. Select the plate_hole.hm file.
3. Click Open.
The plate_hole.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing
data. The database only contains geometric data
Setting Up the Problem in HyperMesh

When building models, we encourage you to create the material and property collectors before creating
the component collectors. This is the most efficient way of setting up the file since components need to
reference materials and properties.
Step 3: Create the material.

1. Click the Materials icon .
2. Make sure the create subpanel is selected using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
3. Click mat name = and enter steel.
4. Click type = and select ISOTROPIC.
5. Click card image = and select MAT1.
6. Click create/edit.
The MAT1 card image appears.
If a material property in brackets does not have a value below it, it is off. To edit these material
properties, click the property in brackets you wish to edit and an entry field will appear below it. Click the
entry field and enter a value.
7. Enter the following values for:
E as 2e5.
NU as 0.3.
RHO as 7.9e-09.
A new material, steel, has been created. The material uses RADIOSS's linear isotropic material model,
MAT1. This material has a Young's Modulus of 2E+05 and a Poisson's Ratio of 0.3. It is not necessary to
define a density value since only a static analysis will be performed. Density values are required,
however, for other solution sequences.
At any time, the card image for this collector can be modified using the Card Editor .
HW-PTC-India
Step 4: Create the properties and update the Component Collector
1. Click the Properties icon .
2. Click prop name = and enter plate_hole.
3. Click type = and select 2D.
4. Click card image = and select PSHELL.
5. Click material = and select steel.
The PSHELL card image appears.
7. Click [T] and enter 10.0 as the thickness of the plate.
8. Click return twice and go back to the main menu.
The property of the shell structure has been created as 2D PSHELL. Material information is also linked to
this property.
9. Click the Component icon .

10. Make sure the update subpanel is selected using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
11. Click comps >> plate_hole from the list.
12. Toggle no property to property =.
13. Click property = twice and select the plate_hole property from the list.
Property card image and material information are listed below the property entry field.
14. Click update > return to go to the main menu.
The component plate_hole has been updated with a property of the same name and is currently the
“Current Component” (see the box in the lower right for plate_hole). This component uses the
plate_hole property definition with a thickness value of 10.0. The material steel is referenced by this
component.
At any time, the card image for this collector can be modified using the Card Editor and the material
referenced by this component collector can be changed using the update option in the Collectors panel.
Apply loads and boundary conditions to the model

In the following steps, the model is constrained so that two opposing edges of the four external edges cannot
move. The other two edges remain unconstrained. A total load of 1000N is applied at the edge of the hole in the
positive z-direction.
Step 5: Create load collectors (spcs and forces).

1. Click the Load Collectors icon .
3. Click loadcol name = and enter spcs.
4. Click color and select a color from the color palette.
5. Click the creation method switch and select no card image from the pop-up menu.
6. Click create.
A new load collector, spcs is created.
7. Click loadcol name = and enter forces.
8. Click color and select a different color from the color palette.
9. Click create.
A new load collector, forces is created.
10. Click return to go to the main menu.
Step 6: Create constraints

1. From Model Browser expand LoadCollectors, right-click on spcs and click Make Current to set spcs
as the current load collector.
HW-PTC-India
2. Click BCs > Create > Constraints to open the Constraints panel.
3. Make sure nodes are selected from the entity selection switch.
4. Click nodes and select by window from the pop-up extended entity selection menu.
5. Draw a window in the graphics area encompassing the nodes to be selected (shown in the figure).
The window is polygonal, and every mouse click creates a window vertex.
Illustration of which nodes to select for applying single point constraints.
6. Check the box beside interior and click on select entities.

7. Constrain dof1, dof2, dof3, dof4, dof5, and dof6 and set all of them to a value of 0.0.
Dofs with a check will be constrained while dofs without a check will be free.
Dofs 1, 2, and 3 are x, y, and z translation degrees of freedom.
Dofs 4, 5, and 6 are x, y, and z rotational degrees of freedom.
8. Click create.
This applies the constraints to the selected nodes.
Step 7: Create forces on the nodes around the hole

1. Set your current load collector to forces in Model Browser as shown before in point 1 under Step 6.
HW-PTC-India
2. Click BCs > Create > Forces to open the Forces panel.
3. Make sure nodes are selected from the entity selection switch.
4. Click nodes and select by window from the pop-up extended entity selection menu.
5. Draw a window in the graphics area encompassing the nodes shown in the figure below.
The window is polygonal, and every mouse click creates a window vertex.
The following figure indicates which nodes should be selected.
Nodes selected for creating loading around hole.
6. Check the box beside interior and click on select entities.

7. Set the coordinate system toggle to global system.
8. Click the vector definition switch and select constant vector.
9. Click magnitude = and enter 21.277 (that is 1000 divided by the number of nodes 47).
10. Click the direction definition switch below magnitude =, and select z-axis from the pop-up menu.
11. Click create.
This creates a number of point forces, with the given magnitude in the z-direction, to be applied to the
nodes about the hole.
Step 8: Create a RADIOSS subcase (also referred to as a loadstep).

1. Click Setup > Create > LoadSteps to open the LoadSteps panel.
2. Click name = and enter lateral force.
3. Click the type: switch and select linear static, if it is not already selected by default.
4. Check the box preceding SPC.
An entry field appears to the right of SPC.
5. Click on the entry field and select spcs from the list of load collectors.
6. Check the box preceding LOAD.
An entry field appears to the right of LOAD.
7. Click on the entry field and select forces from the list of load collectors.
8. Click create.
A RADIOSS subcase has been created which references the constraints in the load collector spcs and
the forces in the load collector forces.
Step 9: Submitting the job

1. From the Analysis page, enter the Radioss panel.
2. Click save as… following the input file: field.
A Save file… browser window opens.
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the RADIOSS model file and enter the name for the
model, plate_hole.fem, in the File name: field.
The .fem filename extension is the recommended extension for RADIOSS Bulk Data Format input
decks.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the plate_hole.fem file displays in the input file: field.
5. Set the export options: toggle to all.
6. Click the run options: switch and select analysis.
7. Set the memory options: toggle to memory default.
8. Click Radioss.
This launches the RADIOSS job. If the job is successful, you should see new results files in the directory
from which plate_hole.fem was selected. The plate_hole.out file is a good place to look for error
messages that could help debug the input deck if any errors are present.
The default files written to the directory are:
HW-PTC-India
plate_hole.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem formulation and
the analysis results.
plate_hole.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup, the setup
of your optimization problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk space
required for the run, information for each optimization iteration, and compute
time information. Review this file for warnings and errors.
plate_hole.h3d HyperView binary results file.
plate_hole.res HyperMesh binary results file.
plate_hole.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each step during
analysis process.
Viewing the Results

Displacement and Stress results for linear static analyses are output from RADIOSS by default. The following
steps describe how to view those results in HyperView.
HyperView is a complete post-processing and visualization environment for finite element analysis (FEA), multi-
body system simulation, video and engineering data.
Step 10: View a contour plot of stresses.

1. Once you receive the message 'Process Completed Successfully' in the command window, click
HyperView.
HyperView is launched and the results are loaded. A message window appears to inform of the
successful model and result files loading into HyperView.
2. Click the Contour toolbar button .
3. Select the first pull-down menu below Result type: and select Element Stresses [2D & 3D] (t).
4. Select the second pull-down menu below Result type: and select vonMises.
5. Select None in the field below Averaging method:
6. Click Apply.
A contoured image representing von Mises stresses should be visible. Each element in the model is
assigned a legend color, indicating the von Mises stress value for that element, resulting from the applied
loads and boundary conditions.
7. Click Top in the view controls from the bottom right corner to view the model, as shown in the following
figure.
HW-PTC-India
What is the maximum von Mises stress value?

At what location does the model have its maximum stress?
Does this make sense based on the boundary conditions applied to the model?
Step 11: View a contour plot of displacements

1. Select the first pull-down menu below Result type: and select Displacement (v).
2. Select the second pull-down menu below Result type: and select Mag.
3. Click Apply.
The resulting contours represent the displacement field resulting from the applied loads and boundary
conditions.
What is the maximum Displacement value?
At what location does the model have its maximum displacement?
Does this make sense based on the boundary conditions applied to the model?
Step 12: View the deformed shape

1. Click Iso in the view controls (bottom right corner) to display the isometric view of the model.
2. Click the Deformed toolbar button .

3. Set Result type: to Displacement(v), Scale: to Scale factor; and Type: to Uniform.
4. In the field next to Value, enter 500.
This means that the displacement results of the analysis will be multiplied by 500.
5. For Show:, select Wireframe.
6. Click Apply.
A deformed plot of your model with displacement contour should be visible, overlaid on the original
undeformed mesh. Refer to the following figure to see what the plot should look like in isometric view.
HW-PTC-India
Isometric view of deformed plot overlaid on the original undeformed mesh with model units set to 500
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 11: Normal Modes Analysis of a Splash Shield.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an automotive splash shield will be used to demonstrate how to
set up and perform a normal modes analysis. HyperMesh post-processing tools are used to determine mode
shapes of the model.
 Retrieving the RADIOSS input file.

 Setting up the model in HyperMesh.
 Applying Loads and Boundary Conditions to the Model.
 Submitting the job.
 Viewing the results.
The following file is needed to perform this tutorial: sshield.fem.
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh and set the RADIOSS (Bulk Data) User Profile.
A User Profiles… Graphic User Interface (GUI) will appear.
4. Click OK.
Step 2: Import a Finite Element Model File in HyperMesh
1. Click File > Import > Solver Deck.

An Import tab is added to your tab menu.
2. For the File type:, select RADIOSS (BulkData).
3. Select the Files icon button.
A Select RADIOSS (Bulk Data), OptiStruct file browser will open.
4. Browse for sshield.fem file.
5. Click Open > Import.
6. Click Close to close the Import tab menu.
Step 3: Review Rigid Elements.
Notice there are two rigid "spiders" in the model. They are placed at locations where the shield is bolted down.
This is a simplified representation of the interaction between the bolts and the shield. It is assumed that the bolts
are significantly more rigid in comparison to the shield.
The dependent nodes of the rigid elements have all six degrees of freedom constrained. Therefore, each "spider"
connects nodes of the shell mesh together in such a way that they do not move with respect to one another.
The following steps show how to review the properties of the rigid elements.
1. Click Mesh > Edit > 1D Elements > Rigids to open the Rigids panel.
2. Click review.
3. Select one of the rigid elements in the graphics region.
In the graphics area, HyperMesh displays the IDs of the rigid element and the two end nodes and
indicates the independent node with an 'I' and the dependent node with a 'D'. HyperMesh also indicates
HW-PTC-India
the constrained degrees of freedom for the selected element, through the dof check boxes in the Rigids
panel. All rigid elements in this model should have all dofs constrained.
Step 4: Setting up the Material and Geometric Properties.
The imported model has three component collectors with no materials. A material collector needs to be created
and assigned to the shell component collectors. The rigid elements do not need to be assigned a material. Shell
thickness values also need to be corrected.
1. Click the Materials icon .

2. Select the create subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
3. Click mat name = and enter steel.
4. Click card image = and select MAT1 from the pop-up menu.
The MAT1 card image appears.
6. For E, enter the value 2.0E5.
7. For NU, enter the value 0.3.
8. For RHO, enter the value 7.85E-9.
If a quantity in brackets does not have a value below it, it is off. To change this, click the quantity in
brackets and an entry field will appear below it. Click in the entry field, and a value can be entered.
9. Click return.
A new material, steel, has now been created. The material uses RADIOSS linear isotropic material
model, MAT1. This material has a Young's Modulus of 2E+05, a Poisson's Ratio of 0.3 and a material
density of 7.85E-09. A material density is required for the normal modes solution sequence.
At any time the card image for this collector can be modified using Card Editor.
10. Click return to exit the Materials Create panel.
11. Select the Card Editor toolbar button .
12. Click the down arrow on the right of the entity shown in the yellow box, select props from the extended
entity list.
13. Click the yellow props button and then check the box next to design and nondesign.
14. Click select.
15. Make sure card image= is set to PSHELL.
16. Click edit.
The PSHELL card image for the design component collector appears.
17. Replace 0.300 in the T field with 0.25.
18. Click return to save the changes to the card image.
Applying Loads and Boundary Conditions to the Model (Steps 5 - 7).
The model is to be constrained using SPCs at the bolt locations, as shown in the following figure. The constraints
will be organized into the load collector 'constraints'.
To perform a normal modes analysis, a real eigenvalue extraction (EIGRL) card needs to be referenced in the
subcase. The real eigenvalue extraction card is defined in HyperMesh as a load collector with an EIGRL card
image. This load collector should not contain any other loads.
Step 5: Create EIGRL card (to request the number of modes).
HW-PTC-India
1. Click the Load Collectors icon .

2. Select the create subpanel, using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
3. Click loadcol name = and enter EIGRL.
4. Click card image= and select EIGRL from the pop-up menu.
6. For V2, enter the value 200.000.
7. For ND, enter the value 6.
If a quantity in brackets does not have a value below it, it is off. To change this, click on the quantity in
brackets and
an entry field will appear below it. Click on the entry field, and a value can be entered.
8. Click return to save changes to the card image.
Step 6: Create Constraints at Bolt Locations.
1. Click loadcol name = and enter constraints.

2. Click the switch next to card image and select no card image.
3. Click create > return.
4. Click BCs > Create > Constraints to open the Constraints panel.
Selecting nodes for constraining the bolt locations.

5. Select the two nodes, shown in the figure above, at the center of the rigid spiders, by clicking on them in
the graphics area.
6. Constrain all dofs with a value of 0.0.
7. Click Load Type= and select SPC.
8. Click create.
Two constraints are created. Constraint symbols (triangles) appear in the graphics area at the selected
nodes. The number 123456 is written beside the constraint symbol, if the label constraints is checked
‘ON’, indicating that all dofs are constrained.
9. Click return to go the main menu.
Step 7: Create a Load Step to perform Normal Modes Analysis.
2. Click name = and enter bolted.
3. Click the type: switch and select normal modes from the pop-up menu.
5. Click on the entry field and select constraints from the list of load collectors.
HW-PTC-India
6. Check the box preceding METHOD(STRUCT).
An entry field appears to the right of METHOD.
7. Click on the entry field and select EIGRL from the list of load collectors.
8. Click create.
A RADIOSS subcase has been created which references the constraints in the load collector constraints
and the real eigenvalue extraction data in the load collector EIGRL.
Submitting the Job.
Step 8: Save the database.
1. Click File > Save As > Model to save the hm file.

2. Use the browser to select set the directory in which you want to save the file.
3. For the File name:, enter sshield_complete.hm.
4. Click Save.
Step 9: Running Normal Modes Analysis.

A Save As browser window opens.
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the file and, in File name:, enter
sshield_complete.fem.
4. Click Save.
Note that the name and location of the sshield_complete.fem file shows in the input file: field.
8. Click Radioss.
This launches the RADIOSS job.
If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory where the RADIOSS model file
was written. The sshield_complete.out file is a good place to look for error messages that will help
to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
The default files written to your directory are:
sshield_complete.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem

formulation and the analysis results.
sshield_complete.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file set up,
the set up of your optimization problem, estimates for the amount of
RAM and disk space required for the run, information for each
optimization iteration, and compute time information. Review this file for
warnings and errors.
sshield_complete.h3d Hyper 3D binary results file.
sshield_complete.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each step
during analysis process.
Review the Results using HyperView.
HW-PTC-India
Eigenvector results are output by default, from RADIOSS for a normal modes analysis. This section
describes how to view the results in HyperView.
Step 10: Load the Model and Result Files into the Animation Window.
In this step, you will load a HyperView .h3d file into the HyperView animation window.
1. Click the HyperView button in the Radioss panel.

HyperView is launched and the sshield_complete.h3d file is loaded.
2. Click Close to exit the Message Log menu that appears.
Step 11: View Eigen Vectors.
It is helpful to view the deformed shape of a model to determine if the boundary conditions have been defined
correctly and also to check if the model is deforming as expected. In this section, use the Deformed panel to
review the deformed shape for last Mode.
1. Click on the animation selector switch in the lower toolbar and select Set Modal Animation Mode
2. Select the Deformed toolbar button .

3. Leave Result type: set to Eigen Mode (v).
4. Set Scale: to Model units.
5. Set Type: to Uniform and enter in a scale factor of 10 for Value.
This means that the maximum displacement will be 10 modal units and all other displacements will be
proportional.
Using a scale factor higher than 1.0 amplifies the deformations while a scale factor smaller than 1.0
would reduce them. In this case, we are accentuating displacements in all directions.
6. Click Apply.
7. Under Undeformed shape:, set Show: to Wireframe (The point 2 has to come after the point 3).
A deformed plot of the model overlaid on the original undeformed mesh is displayed in the graphics area.
8. In the Results Browser pull-down menu, you can change the view between various subcases using the
Load Case and Simulation Selection drop-down menus, as shown below:
HW-PTC-India
9. Select Mode 6 - F=1.496557E+02 from the list to view Mode 6.
10. To animate the mode shape, click Start/Pause Animation in the animation toolbar.
11. To control the animation speed, use the Animation Controls on the animation toolbar, as shown below:
12. Review the other mode shapes.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 12: Nonlinear Gap Analysis of an Airplane Wing Rib.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an aluminum wing rib model will be used to demonstrate how to
perform nonlinear gap analysis using RADIOSS. HyperView will be used to post-process the stress and
deformation characteristics of the rib.
Wing rib model.
There are four shell components in the model: the mounting flange, the web, the top and bottom flanges, and the
lug. Gap elements have already been defined in the model and they connect the web to the lug. Coupling forces
are applied to the lug and pressure loading has been defined on the top and bottom flanges of the rib joint. The
mounting flange is constrained in all degrees of freedom at the four mounting hole locations and the lug is
constrained for the z-displacements and rotations to prevent rigid body motion.
Exercise 1: Linear gap analysis on the aircraft rib
 Create a cylindrical coordinate system and assign it to the gap elements.

 Create a gap property and assign it to the gap elements.
 Run a linear gap analysis.
 Post-process the results from the linear gap analysis using HyperView.
Exercise 2: Nonlinear gap analysis on the aircraft rib.
 Create a load collector to define nonlinear parameters.

 Update the subcases to include the nonlinear load collectors.
 Run a nonlinear gap static analysis.
 Post-process results using HyperView.
Exercise 1: Linear gap analysis.
Step 1: Load the User Profile and Retrieve the Model File.
HW-PTC-India
User Profiles can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
4. Click File > Open > Model.
An Open Model browser window opens.
5. Select the rib.hm file.
6. Click Open.
The rib.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing data. The
database only contains geometric data.
Note the location of rib.hm now displays in the file: field.
Step 2: Create a cylindrical coordinate system and assign it to the gap elements.
For gap elements with coincident nodes as is the case here, the gap coordinate system MUST be
specified.
1. Click the System Collectors icon .

2. Click the create radio button.
3. In the systcol name= field, enter cylindrical.
4. Click the card image switch and select no card image from the pop-up menu.
6. Click create.
8. Click the Model tab to activate Model Browser, as shown below.
9. Hide all load collectors by right-clicking on LoadCollector and selecting Hide.
10. From the Model Browser, click the Isolate Shown icon .
11. Expand the Component list and select the Lug component.
This will isolate the display of only the Lug component.
HW-PTC-India
12. Click the XY Top Plane View to set the model view.
13. Click Geometry > Create > Systems > Axis Direction to open the Systems panel.
14. The cyan halo around the yellow nodes button indicates that it is the current option. Select the center
node on the upper lug.
15. Click origin and select the center node again, click x-axis, select any node on the circumference and for
xy plane, select any node on the plane of the lug, as shown in the following figure:
16. Click the switch beside rectangular and select cylindrical.

17. Click create.
For cylindrical systems, the x-axis defines the radial direction (q= 0) and the xy plane defines the r-q
plane.
18. Repeat this process for the bottom lug (steps 11 through 17 of this sequence).
HW-PTC-India
19. Click return.
20. Click the Model tab to activate the Model Browser, if you left it.
21. Select only the gap component.
With Isolate Show still active this will display only the gap component.
22. Click the Card Editor button .

23. Click the entity selection switch on the top left of this panel and select elems.
24. Click elems and select by window from the pop-up menu.
25. Select the gap elements that are connected to the top lug, as shown by the selected window in the
following figure.
Gap elements connected to top lug.

27. Click config= and select gap from the pop-up menu.
28. Click edit.
29. Click CID, and select the system that was created at the center of the top lug, as shown below.
30. Click return twice to go back to the main menu.

31. Repeat this process for the gap elements that are connected to the bottom lug.
The gap elements have now been assigned with a cylindrical coordinate system.
Step 3: Define a property card and assign it to the gap elements.
1. Click the Properties icon .
HW-PTC-India
2. Click prop name = and enter gap_prop.
3. Click colour and select a colour from the colour palette.
4. Click type = and select Springs_Gaps.
5. Click card image = and select PGAP.
7. Make sure the check box next to U0_opts is checked.
This way the initial gap opening is calculated automatically.
8. Make sure the check box next to KA_opts is checked.
This determines the value of KA for each gap element using the stiffness of surrounding elements
automatically.
10. Click Mesh > Create > 1D Elements > Gaps to open the Gaps panel.
11. Select the update subpanel.
12. Click elems and select by collector from the pop-up menu.
13. Select gap by checking the box beside it.
14. Click the green select button.
15. Click property= and click on gap_prop.
16. Click update.
17. Check beside property.
18. Click update.
The gap elements have now been updated to the new property collector.
19. Click return.
Step 4: Run a linear gap analysis.
Two loadsteps have already been created in this HyperMesh model.

3. Select the directory where you would like to write the file and enter the name rib_linear.fem in the
File name: field.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the rib_linear.fem file displays in the input file: field.
8. Click Radioss.
rib_linear.fem was written. The rib_linear.out file is a good place to look for error messages
that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
rib_linear.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem

formulation and the results.
rib_linear.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup,
the setup of the problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk
space required for the run and compute time information. Review this
file for warnings and errors that are flagged from processing the
HW-PTC-India
rib_linear.fem file.
rib_linear.h3d HyperView binary results file.
rib_linear.res HyperMesh binary results file.
rib_linear.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each

step during analysis process.
Step 5: Post-process the results using HyperView.
1. From the Radioss panel, click the HyperView button.

This will launch HyperView and load the rib_linear.mvw file, reading the model and results.
2. Click the Curves Attributes button and undisplay all components except the Web component. You
can do this by activating the Auto apply mode: check box, (activating Display Off) and then clicking on
the components that you want turned off in the Graphic User Interface (GUI).
3. Go to the Contour panel.

4. Select the first pull-down menu below Result type: and select Element Stresses (2D & 3D).
6. Above the Results Browser in the left hand panel are the Load Case and Simulation Selection drop-
down menus.
7. Select Subcase 1 (Coup_Vert) from the Load Case drop-down menu.

8. Click the XY Top Plane View icon to display a top view of the Web.
9. Click Apply.
This should show the contour of stresses on the Web component under the coupled loading.
HW-PTC-India
Stress results on the Web from linear gap analysis.
10. Click Delete Page to end the HyperView session.
Exercise 2: Nonlinear gap analysis
Step 1: Create a load collector defining parameters for nonlinear static analysis.
1. Click the LoadCollectors icon .

2. Enter the create subpanel by selecting the radio button on the left-hand side of the panel.
3. Click loadcol name = and enter nonlinear.
5. Click card image = and select NLPARM from the pop-up menu.
7. Click on NINC and enter 10.
NINC denotes the number of load sub-increments. If NINC is blank, then the entire loading is applied at
once. An NINC of 10 signifies that the load will be sub-divided into 10 equal increments.
8. Click on MAXITER and leave the default value of 25.
9. The error tolerances EPSU, EPSP and EPSW can be left at their default values.
For details on these tolerances, please read the section Nonlinear Quasi-static Gap and Contact Analysis
in the Help.
Step 2: Update the loadsteps to include the nonlinear step.
2. Click review and select the Coup_Vert collector.
3. Check the box next to NLPARM and a new area opens.
4. Click on = next to NLPARM and select to the newly created nonlinear load collector.
5. Click update.
6. Repeat this process for the Pressure collector.
Step 3: Run a nonlinear gap analysis.

2. Click save as… following the input file: field..
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the file and enter the name for the
rib_nonlinear.fem, in the File name: field.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the rib_nonlinear.fem file displays in the input file: field.
8. Click Radioss.
rib_nonlinear.fem was written. The rib_nonlinear.out file is a good place to look for error
messages that will help to debug the input deck, if any errors are present.
HW-PTC-India
rib_nonlinear.html HTML report of the analysis, giving a summary of the problem
formulation and the results.
rib_nonlinear.out RADIOSS output file containing specific information on the file setup,
the setup of the problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk
space required for the run and compute time information. Review this
file for warnings and errors that are flagged from processing the
rib_nonlinear.fem file.
rib_nonlinear.res HyperMesh binary results file.
rib_nonlinear.h3d HyperView binary results file.
rib_nonlinear.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for each

step during analysis process.
Step 4: Post-process results using HyperView
1. From the Radioss panel, click the HyperView button.

This will launch HyperView and load the rib_nonlinear.h3d file, reading the model and results.
2. Go to the Curves attributes panel and undisplay all the components except the Web component.
You can do that by activating the Auto apply mode: to Display Off and then clicking the components
that you want turned off in the GUI.
3. Click the Contour panel toolbar button .

4. Select the first pull-down menu below Result type: and select Element Stresses (2D & 3D).
6. Above the Results Browser in the left hand panel are the Load Case and Simulation Selection drop-
down menus.
7. Click Load Case > Subcase 1 (Coup_Vert).
8. Click the XY Top Plane View icon to display a top view of the Web.
9. Click Apply.
This should show the contour of stresses on the Web component under the coupled loading.
HW-PTC-India
Stress results on the Web from nonlinear gap analysis.
Analysis Review
Even though the deformation patterns are similar for both linear and nonlinear analyses, the stress patterns differ.
Though the horizontal loads are in opposing directions in the lug, the stress distribution in the web for the linear
run are the same around both the lug holes which is not correct. This happens as all the gaps are in a closed
condition for the linear analysis. Nonlinear gap analysis gives more accurate representation. The gap status,
open or closed, depending on loading condition can also be observed from the .out file (shown below):
ITERATION 0
NONLINEAR ITERATION SUMMARY Subcase 1
LOAD FACTOR: 0.1000
------------------------------------------------------------
Nonlinear Error Measures Gap Elem Status
ITER EUI EPI EWI Open Closed
------------------------------------------------------------
1 9.9000E+01 1.1659E+00 1.1659E+00 23 25
2 2.9097E-02 2.5218E+02 1.1274E+01 23 25
3 8.4208E-05 1.9063E+01 1.9427E-02 22 26
4 1.4632E-06 0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 22 26
What is Optimization
Optimization can be defined as the automatic process to make a system or component as good
as possible based on an objective function and subject to certain design constraints. There are many
different methods or algorithms that can be used to optimize a structure, on OptiStruct is implemented
some algorithms based on Gradient Method.
Models used in optimization are classified in various ways, such as linear versus nonlinear, static
versus dynamic, deterministic versus stochastic, or permanent versus transient. Then it is very
important that the user include a-priori all of the important aspects of the problem, so that they will be
taken into account during the solution.
Mathematically an optimization problem can be stated as:
Objective Function: φ0(p) ⇒ min(max) (target)
Subject to constraint Functions: φi (p) ≤ 0
Design Space: pl ≤ pj ≤ pu where l is the lower bound and u is the
upper bound on the design variables
where:
φ0 (p) and φi (p) represent the system responses or a target value for system
identification study, and pj represents the vector of design variables (p1,p2,…,pn).
What are the different disciplines of optimization
• Topology: is a mathematical technique

that optimized the material distribution
for a structure within a given package
space.
• Topography: Topography optimization is an advanced form of shape optimization in which a

design region for a given part is defined and a pattern of shape variable-based
reinforcements within that region is generated using OptiStruct.
• Free Size: is a mathematical technique that produces an optimized thickness distribution per
element for a 2D structure.
• Shape: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on predefined shape variables to
find the optimal shape.
• Size: is an automated way to modify the structure parameters (Thickness, 1D properties, material
properties, etc…) to find the optimal design.
• Free Shape: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on set of nodes that can
move totally free on the boundary to find the optimal shape.
• Composite shuffle: is an automated way to determine the optimum laminate stack sequence.
DVs are the plies sequence of stacking. It is used for composite material only
defined using PCOMP(G) or PCOMPP.
Design Variable
Design Variable:
Design Variables or DVs are system parameters that can vary to optimize system
performance. For OptiStruct the type of parameter or DV defines the optimization type:
TOPOLOGY: is a mathematical technique that optimized the material distribution for a
structure within a given package space. DVs are defined as a fictitious
density for each element, and these values are varied from 0 to 1 to
optimize the material distribution.
TOPOGRAPHY: Topography optimization is an advanced form of shape optimization in
which a design region for a given part is defined and a pattern of shape
variable-based reinforcements within that region is generated using
OptiStruct
FREE-SIZE: This is a special method designed by Altair to optimize 2D structure
where the design variables are the thickness of each element. This
method is very useful for aerospace structures where shear panels are
preferable to truss structures.
Design Variable
SHAPE: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on predefined

shape variables to find the optimal shape. DVs are used to modify the
geometry shape of the component, on HyperMesh it is used HyperMorph
to define this parameter.
SIZE: is an automated way to modify the structure parameters to find the optimal
design. DVs are any Scalar parameter (Thickness, 1D properties, material
properties, etc…) that affects the system response.
GAUGE: Particular case of size optimization when the DV are PSHELL thickness.
FREE-SHAPE: is an automated way to modify the structure shape based on set of nodes
that can move totally free on the boundary to find the optimal shape. DVs
are defined based a set of nodes.
COMPOSITE SHUFFLE: is an automated way to determine the optimum laminate stack sequence.
DVs are the plies sequence of stacking. It is used for composite material
only defined using PCOMP(G) or PCOMPP.
Response
Response for OptiStruct is any value or function that is dependent of the Design Variable
and is evaluated during the solution.
OptiStruct allows the use of numerous structural responses, calculated in a finite element
analysis, or combinations of these responses to be used as objective and constraint functions in a
structural optimization.
Responses are defined using DRESP1 bulk data entries. Combinations of responses are
defined using either DRESP2 entries, which reference an equation defined by a DEQATN bulk data
entry, or DRESP3 entries, which make use of user-defined external routines identified by the LOADLIB
I/O option. Responses are either global or subcase (loadstep, load case) related. The character of a
response determines whether or not a constraint or objective referencing that particular response needs
to be referenced within a subcase.
Objective Function
The Objective function is a model response to be maximized or minimized.
There are two ways to specify an objective in OptiStruct. Either a single response can be
minimized or maximized or you can choose to minimize the maximum value, or maximize the minimum
value, of a number of normalized responses.
In the first instance, where a single response is defined as the objective, a DESOBJ card
must be included in the Subcase Information Section of the input file. The DESOBJ card references a
response, (DRESP1 or DRESP2), which is defined in the Bulk Data Section of the input file. If the
response, to which the DESOBJ card refers, is associated with a single subcase, the DESOBJ card
must be placed within that subcase definition. If the response is associated with more than one
subcase, the DESOBJ card must appear before the first SUBCASE statement.
The second instance, where the objective references multiple responses, requires
DOBJREF bulk data entries and MINMAX or MAXMIN subcase information entries. The DOBJREF
cards reference responses (DRESP1 or DRESP2) and provide positive and negative reference values
for these responses. Multiple DOBJREF cards may occur in the input file and they may or may not use
the same Design Objective IDs. The reference values allow for normalization of different responses. The
value of the response is divided by the appropriate reference value. When the value of the response is
positive, the positive reference value is used. When the value of the response is negative, the negative
reference value is used.
Constraint Functions
On all almost every engineering design there are constraints that need to be satisfied. These
constraints can be defined as a lower bound or an upper bound on any response that is dependent of
the design variable
Topology Optimization
Topology Optimization is a mathematical technique that produces an optimized shape and

material distribution for a structure within a given package space. By discretizing the domain into a finite
element mesh, OptiStruct calculates material properties for each element. The OptiStruct algorithm
alters the material distribution to optimize the user-defined objective under given constraints.
OptiStruct solves topological optimization problems using either the homogenization or

density method. Under topology optimization, the material density of each element should take a value
of either 0 or 1, defining the element as being either void or solid, respectively.
Topography Optimization
Topography optimization is an advanced form of shape optimization in which a design region

for a given part is defined and a pattern of shape variable-based reinforcements within that region is
generated using OptiStruct.
The approach in topography optimization is similar to the approach used in topology
optimization, except that shape variables are used rather than density variables. The design region is
subdivided into a large number of separate variables whose influence on the structure is calculated and
optimized over a series of iterations. The large number of shape variables allows the user to create any
reinforcement pattern within the design domain instead of being restricted to a few.
Shape and Free-Shape Optimization
Shape Optimization
OptiStruct has the capability of performing shape optimization. In shape optimization, the
outer boundary of the structure is modified to solve the optimization problem. Using finite element
models, the shape is defined by the grid point locations. Hence, shape modifications change those
locations.
Shape variables are defined in OptiStruct in a way very similar to that of other shape
optimization codes. Each shape variable is defined by using a DESVAR bulk data entry. If a discrete
design variable is desired, a DDVAL bulk data entry needs to be referenced for the design variable
values. DVGRID bulk data entries define how much a particular grid point location is changed by the
design variable. Any number of DVGRID bulk data entries can be added to the model. Each DVGRID
bulk data entry must reference an existing DESVAR bulk data entry if it is to be a part of the
optimization. The DVGRID data in OptiStruct contains grid location perturbations, not basis shapes
Shape and Free-Shape Optimization
Free-shape Optimization
Free-shape optimization uses a proprietary optimization technique developed by Altair

Engineering Inc., wherein the outer boundary of a structure is altered to meet with pre-defined
objectives and constraints. The essential idea of free-shape optimization, and where it differs from other
shape optimization techniques, is that the allowable movement of the outer boundary is automatically
determined, thus relieving users of the burden of defining shape perturbations.
Free-shape design regions are defined through the DSHAPE bulk data entry. Design regions are
identified by the grids on the outer boundary of the structure (the edge of a shell structure or the surface
of a solid structure). These grids are listed on the DSHAPE entry.
Free-shape optimization allows these design grids to move in one of two ways:
1. For shell structures; grids move normal to the surface edge in the tangential plane.
2. For solid structures; grids move normal to the surface.
During free-shape optimization, the normal directions change with the change in shape of the
structure, thus, for each iteration, the design grids move along the updated normals.
Size & Free-Size Optimization
Size Optimization.
OptiStruct has the capability of performing size optimization. Size optimization can be
performed simultaneously with the other types of optimization.
In size optimization, the properties of structural elements such as shell thickness, beam
cross-sectional properties, spring stiffness, and mass are modified to solve the optimization problem.
Defining size variables in OptiStruct is done very similarly to other size optimization codes.
Each size variable is defined using a DESVAR bulk data entry. If a discrete design variable is desired, a
DDVAL bulk data entry needs to be referenced for the design variable values. The DESVAR cards are
related to size properties in the model using a DVPREL1 or DVPREL2 bulk data entry. Each DVPREL
bulk data entry must reference at least one DESVAR bulk data entry to be active during the
optimization. HyperWorks includes a pre-processor called HyperMesh that can be used to set up any
number of size variables for the properties.
Size & Free-Size Optimization

Free-size Optimization
The purpose of composite free-sizing optimization is to create design concepts that utilize all
the potentials of a composite structure where both structure and material can be designed
simultaneously. By varying the thickness of each ply with a particular fiber orientation for every element,
the total laminate thickness can change ‘continuously’ throughout the structure, and at the same time,
the optimal composition of the composite laminate at every point (element) is achieved simultaneously.
At this stage, a super-ply concept should be adopted, in which each available fiber orientation is
assigned a super-ply whose thickness is free-sized.
For a shell cross-section (shown below), free-size optimization allows thickness to vary
freely between T and T0 for each element; this is in contrast to topology optimization which targets a
discrete thickness of either T or T0.
In addition, in order to neutralize the effect of stacking sequence, the SMEAR option is
usually a good choice for this design phase unless the user intended to follow through with the stacking
preference of the super-ply laminate model.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 13: TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION – Design Concept for a Structural C-clip.
The topology optimization technique yields a new design and optimal material distribution. Topology optimization
allows designers to start with a design that already has the advantage of optimal material distribution and is ready
for design fine tuning with shape or size optimization.
In this tutorial, topology optimization is performed on a model to create a new topology for the structure, removing
any unnecessary material. The resulting structure is lighter and satisfies all design constraints.
The optimization problem for this tutorial is stated as:
Objective: Minimize volume fraction.
Constraints: Translation in the y-axis for node A < 0.07mm.

Translation in the y-axis at node B > -0.07mm.
Design variables: The density of each element in the design space.
 Set up the model in HyperMesh.

 Analyze the baseline model.
 Set up the optimization.
 Post-process the optimization results.
Exercise
Set Up the Model in HyperMesh.
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh and Set the User Profile.
1. Launch HyperMesh through the start menu.

The User Profiles dialog will appear by default.
2. Choose the OptiStruct user profile by selecting the radio button beside it.
3. Click OK.
This loads the user profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import reader, paring
Step 2: Open the cclip.hm File
1. Click the Open .hm File button .

2. Select the cclip.hm file.
3. Click Open.
The cclip.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing data. The
database only contains geometric data and the mesh
Step 3: Create Materials and Properties; Assign to Components
Since components need to reference a material, the materials collectors should be created first.
1. Select the Model tab.
2. Right click inside of the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click Material.
HW-PTC-India
When in this popup, do not press the Enter key until you are done.
3. In the Name: field, type Steel.
4. Select MAT1 as Card Image:
5. Select the box for Card edit material upon creation and click Create.
The MAT1 card image pops up.
6. For E, enter the value 2.1E5
7. For Nu, enter the value 0.3.
8. For RHO, enter the value 7.9E-9.
9. Click return.
10. Right click inside the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click Property.
11. In the Name: field, type prop_shell.
12. Select PSHELL as the Card Image:.
13. Select the Material tab and check the box for Assign material.
14. From the Name pull down, select Steel as the material.
15. Select the Property tab and select the box for Card edit property upon creation, and click Create.
The PSHELL card image appears. A new property has been created and the material property (named
Steel) is assigned to it. Look for the material ID under the MID1 field.
16. Activate the thickness field for the shell component by clicking [T].
This allows you to edit this field. Accept the default of 1.0.
To update the component collectors with the newly created properties, click on the Components icon
.
18. Select the update radio button and click on comps.
19. Check the box for comp_shell, and click select.
20. Toggle <no property> to property=.
21. Double click on property= and select prop_shell.
22. Click update.
23. Click return.
Step 4: Create Load Collectors.
Next we will create two load collectors (Constraints and Forces) and assign each a color. Follow these steps for
each load collector.
1. Right click inside the Model Browser window, activate the menu over Create, and click LoadCollector.
When in this popup, do not press Enter on the keyboard until you are completely done.
2. In the Name: field, type Constraints.
3. Leave the Card Image: field set to None.
4. Select a colour from the palette.
5. Click create.
6. Using the same method, create the second load collector, named Forces.
Step 5: Create Constraints
For the three nodes that show constraints in the following figure, we need to create the SPC constraints and
assign them to the Constraints load collector as outlined in the following steps.
1. From the Model Browser, expand LoadCollector, right click on Constraints, and click on Make
Current.
HW-PTC-India
2. From the Analysis page, enter the constraints panel..

3. Select nodes and corresponding dofs, and click on create to create constraints as shown below.
Mesh showing the boundary conditions applied on the c-clip.

4. Click Return.
Step 6: Create Forces.
In this step, we will load the structure with two opposing forces of 100.0 N at the opposite tips of the opening of
the c-clip
1. From the Model Browser, under (expanded) LoadCollector, right click on Forces, and click on Make
Current.
2. From Analysis page, enter the forces panel.
3. To create the force at the top of the opening, click on the node at the top of the opening (A) of the c-clip
as in the figure below.
HW-PTC-India
Opposing forces created at the opening of the c-clip.

4. Click magnitude=, enter 100.0, and press ENTER.
5. Set the switch below to y-axis.
6. Click create.
An arrow, pointing up, should appear at the node on the screen.
7. Similarly, to create the force at the bottom of the opening, click on the node at the bottom of the opening
(B) of the c-clip.
8. Click magnitude=, type -100.0, and press ENTER.
9. Verify that the y-axis is selected.
10. Click create..
An arrow, pointing down, should appear at the node on the screen.
11. To provide a separation between the arrows, select uniform size=, type 7, and press ENTER.
12. Click return to go back to the Analysis page.
Step 7: Create Load Cases.
The last step in establishing boundary conditions is the creation of a loadstep.
1. From the Analysis page, enter the loadsteps panel.

2. Click name=, type opposing forces, and press ENTER.
3. Set type to linear static.
5. Click on the entry field and select constraints from the list of load collectors.
6. Check the box preceding Load and select forces from the list of load collectors.
7. Click Create.
Analyze the Baseline Model.
HW-PTC-India
Step 8: Run the Analysis.
A linear static analysis of this c-clip is performed prior to the definition of the optimization process. An analysis
identifies the responses of the structure before optimization to ensure that constraints defined for the optimization
are reasonable.
1. From the Analysis page enter the RADIOSS panel.

3. Select the directory where you would like to write the OptiStruct model file and enter the name for the
model, cclip.fem, in the File name: field.
.fem is the recommended extension for Bulk Data Format input decks.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the cclip.fem file displays in the input file: field.
8. Set the options: field to blank.
9. Click Radioss.
Upon successful completion of the analysis, the message ANALYSIS COMPLETED will appear in the
command window.
Step 9: View Displacement Contour.

1. From the Radioss panel, click on HyperView.
HyperView launches the cclip.mvw file which loads the model and the results files.
2. From the Results pull down menu, click on Plot and then click on Contour.
3. Choose Displacement as the Result type and set the pull-down menu below Displacement to Y.
4. Click Apply.
This shows the contour of Y displacements.

5. Verify if the values are equivalent to those in the image above.
6. From File pull-down menu, click on Exit to quit HyperView.
7. Back in HyperMesh, click return to exit the panel.
Set Up the Optimization
HW-PTC-India
The finite element model, consisting of shell elements, element properties, material properties, and loads and
boundary conditions has been defined. Now a topology optimization will be performed with the goal of minimizing
the amount of material to be used. Typically, removing the material in an existing volume with the same loads
and boundary conditions makes the model less stiff and more prone to deformation. Therefore, we need to track
the displacements (which represents the stiffness of the structure) and constrain the optimization process such
that the least material necessary is used and overall stiffness is also achieved.
The forces in the structure are applied on the outer nodes of the opening of the clip, making those two nodes
critical locations in the mesh where the maximum displacement is likely to occur. In this tutorial, we will apply a
displacement constraint on the nodes so that they would not displace more than 0.07 in the y-axis.
Step 10: Create the Topology Design Variables.
1. From the Analysis page, enter the optimization panel.

2. Select topology.
4. Click DESVAR=, type d_shell, and press ENTER.
5. Click props and choose prop_shell from the list of props; click select.
6. Choose type: PSHELL.
7. Verify that the base thickness is 0.0.
A value of 0.0 implies that the thickness at a specific element can go to zero, and therefore becomes a
void.
8. Click Create.
9. Click return to go back to the optimization panel.
Step 11: Create a Volume Response.
1. Enter the responses panel.

2. Click response= and type volfrac.
3. Click the switch below response type switch and select volumefrac from the pop-up menu.
4. Click create.
Step 12: Create a Displacement Response.
To create a displacement as a response, you will need to supply a meaningful name for the response, set the
response type to displacement, select the node for the response, and select the type of displacement (dof).
1. Click responses.
2. Click response= and type upperdis.
3. Change the response type: to static displacement.
4. Click the node labeled A (upper opening of c-clip) as shown in the figure to select it.
HW-PTC-India
5. Choose dof2 for the node.
6. Click create.
7. Click response= and type lowerdis.
8. The response type: should still be static displacement.
9. Click the node labeled B (lower opening of the c-clip) as shown in the figure.
.
10. Select dof2 and create the response.
Step 13: Create Constraints on Displacement Responses.
In this step we set the upper and lower bound constraint criteria for this analysis.
1. Select the dconstraints panel.

2. Click constraint= and enter c_upper.
3. Check the box for upper bound only.
4. Click upper bound= and enter 0.07.
5. Select response= and set it to upperdis.
6. Click loadsteps.
7. Check the box next to forces.
8. Click select.
9. Click create.
10. Click constraint= and enter c_lower.
11. Check the box for lower bound only.
12. Click lower bound= and enter -0.07.
13. Select response= and set it to lowerdis.
14. Click loadsteps.
15. Check the box next to forces.
16. Click create.
Step 14: Define the Objective Function
1. Click objective.
2. The switch on the left should be set to min.
3. Click response= and select volfrac.
4. Click create.
5. Click return twice to exit the optimization panel.
Step 15: Run the Optimization Problem

1. From the Analysis page, click on control cards.
HW-PTC-India
2. Click next twice.
3. Click on SCREEN and return.
This will make OptiStruct output the optimization iterations to the output window.
4. From the Analysis page, select OptiStruct.
5. Click save as…, enter cclip_complete.fem as the file name, and click Save.
6. Click the run options: switch and select optimization.
7. Click OptiStruct to run the optimization.
The message following message appears in the window at the completion of the job:
OPTIMIZATION HAS CONVERGED
FEASIBLE DESIGN (ALL CONSTRAINTS SATISFIED).
OptiStruct also reports error messages if any exist. The file cclip_complete.out can be opened in a
text editor to find details regarding any errors. This file is written to the same directory as the .fem file.
8. Close the DOS window or shell and click return.
The default files that get written to your run directory include:
cclip_complete.res HyperMesh binary results file.
cclip_complete.h3d HyperView binary results file.
cclip_complete.HM.comp.cmf HyperMesh command file used to organize elements

into components based on their density result values.
This file is only used with OptiStruct topology
optimization runs.
cclip_complete.out OptiStruct output file containing specific information

on the file setup, the setup of the optimization
problem, estimates for the amount of RAM and disk
space required for the run, information for each
optimization iteration, and compute time information.
Review this file for warnings and errors that are
flagged from processing the cclip_complete.fem
file.
cclip_complete.sh Shape file for the final iteration. It contains the

material density, void size parameters and void
orientation angle for each element in the analysis.
This file may be used to restart a run.
cclip_complete.hgdata HyperGraph file containing data for the objective

function, percent constraint violations, and constraint
for each iteration.
cclip_complete.oss OSSmooth file with a default density threshold of 0.3.

The user may edit the parameters in the file to obtain
the desired results.
cclip_complete_hist.mvw Contains the iteration history of the objective,

constraints, and the design variables. It can be used
to plot curves in HyperGraph, HyperView, and
MotionView.
cclip_complete.stat Contains information about the CPU time used for the
complete run and also the break up of the CPU time
for reading the input deck, assembly, analysis,
convergence, etc.
HW-PTC-India
Post-process the Optimization Results
OptiStruct provides element density information for all iterations, and also gives displacement and von Mises
stress results (linear static analysis) for the starting and last iterations. This section describes how to view those
results in HyperView.
Step 16: View an Iso Value Plot of Element Densities.
This plot provides the information about the element density. Iso Value retains all of the elements at and above a
certain density threshold. Pick the density threshold providing the structure that suits your needs.
1. From the OptiStruct panel, click the HyperView button.

This will launch HyperView and open the session file cclip_complete.mvw which contains two pages
with the results from two files:
Page 1 - cclip_complete_des.h3d: Optimization history results (element density).
Page 2 - cclip_complete_s1.h3d: Subcase 1 results; initial and final (displacement stress).
2. On page 1, click in the area of the Results Browser circled below.
3. Select Design under the load case section and the last iteration listed.
4. From Results pull down menu, click on Plot > Iso.
5. In the panel area at the bottom of the GUI, choose Element Densities as the Result type.
6. Set the Current Value: to 0.3.
7. Click on Top view orientation to set the correct view.
8. Click Apply.
HW-PTC-India
Iso value plot of element densities.

9. Move the slider below Current value: to change the density threshold.
You will see the iso value in the graphics window update interactively when you scroll to a new value.
Use this tool to get a better look at the material layout and the load paths from OptiStruct.
Step 17: Compare Static Contour of Original to the Optimized Material Layout.
1. In HyperView, click on the Next Page arrow toolbar button to go to page 2.

This will bring up the cclip_complete_s1.h3d file, which contains the static subcase results for the
first and last iteration steps.
2. Divide this page into two vertical windows using the Page Layout toolbar icon .
3. Click on the Top view orientation to set the correct view .

4. From the Results pull-down menu, select Plot > Contour.
5. Choose Displacement as the Result type, and set the pull-down menu below Displacement to Y.
6. Click Apply.
7. Click on the Deformed toolbar button .

8. On the Deformed shape panel, change the scale value to 100, the unperformed shape to edges, and
click Apply.
9. From Edit pull-down menu, click on Copy > Window, and then click on the empty window.
10. Again, from the Edit pull down menu, click Paste > Window.
11. Switch the animation mode to Linear Static .

12. With the second window selected, choose Iteration 28.
HW-PTC-India
.
13. From Edit pull down menu, click Copy > Page.
14. From the Edit pull down menu again, click Paste > Page.
This will create a 3rd page on this report.
15. Now click on the first window and click on the Contour button .
16. Change the result type to Element Stresses (2D & 3D) (t).
17. For Averaging method:, select Simple and click Apply.
18. Click with the right button on the first window; choose Apply Style To, then Current Page, and select
Contour.
.
These stress results can be used only as reference to help understanding how far from the limits the
design is.
Remember that topologic optimization will show you a concept shape and the stress results should be
validated during the next design phases.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 14: Topography Optimization - of a Plate Under Torsion.
This tutorial demonstrates how to perform topography optimization of a plate under torsion. A finite element
model of the design space with loads and constraints applied is shown in the image below. It is assumed that the
part is to be formed using a stamping process. The objective is to minimize the displacement of the node where
the force is applied in the positive z-direction. Only the shape of the plate can be changed to achieve the
objective, not the thickness.
Finite element model of the design space with loads and constraints.
A finite element model (shown in the above figure) is loaded into HyperMesh. The constraints, load, material
properties, and subcase (loadstep) of the model are already defined. Topography design variables and
optimization parameters are defined and the OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal reinforcement
patterns. The results are viewed as animations of the contours of shape changes of the design space. Finally, the
use of the grouping patterns is shown; based on the shape changes suggested by OptiStruct, a possible pattern
is chosen for ease of manufacturing.
Objective: Minimize nodal displacement at grid point where loading is applied.
Design variables: Shape variables generated automatically on the designable space aligned
with the elements normal.
The processes covered in this tutorial include:

 Setting up a topography optimization in HyperMesh.
 Post-processing topology optimization results.
 Introducing a manufacturing constraint in the optimization process.
Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh, Load the User Profile and Retrieve the File.
HW-PTC-India
2. Choose OptiStruct in the User Profile dialog and click OK.
This loads the OptiStruct user profile. It includes the appropriate template, macro menu, and import
reader, paring down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models in Bulk
Data Format for RADIOSS and OptiStruct.
User Profiles… can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
3. From the File menu, click Open and browse to open the torsion_plate.hm file.
4. Click Open.
The torsion_plate.hm database is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing
data.
Step 2: Check the Thickness of the Component
1. From Results Browser, expand the Property entities.

2. Right click on design and select Card Edit.
A PSHELL card image panel should appear. OptiStruct stores information regarding shell thicknesses on
the PSHELL card.
3. Ensure that the thickness, T, is set to the value 1.0.
HW-PTC-India
Setting up a topography optimization in HyperMesh
Step 3: Define Design Variables for Topography Optimization
For topography optimization, a design space and a "bead" definition need to be defined. The following section
outlines how this is done. For further information on "bead" definition, please see the reference manual section
on the DTPG card.
1. From the Analysis page, click optimization to enter the panel.

2. Select the topography panel.
4. Click desvar= and type topo.
5. Click the highlighted props.
6. Check the box next to design and click select.
7. Click create to create the shape design variables for the selected component.
8. A topography design space definition, 'topo', has been created. All elements organized into the 'design'
component collector are now included in the design space.
9. Select the bead params subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
10. The field next to desvar = should contain the name of the newly created design space by default. If it
does not, click on desvar = and select topo from the list of topographical design spaces.
11. Click minimum width= and enter 5.0.
This parameter controls the width of the beads in the model. The recommended value is between 1.5
and 2.5 times the average element width.
12. Click draw angle= and enter 60.0 (this is the default).
This parameter controls the angle of the sides of the beads. The recommended value is between 60 and
75 degrees.
13. Click draw height= and enter 4.0.
This parameter sets the maximum height of the beads to be drawn.
14. Check the box next to buffer zone.
This parameter establishes a buffer zone between elements in the design domain and elements outside
the design domain.
15. Make sure the draw direction: toggle is set to normal to elements.
This parameter defines the direction in which the shape variables are created.
16. Make sure the boundary skip: switch is set to load & spc.
This tells OptiStruct to leave nodes at which loads or constraints are applied out of the design space.
17. Click update.
A "bead" definition has been created for the design space 'topo'. Based on this information, OptiStruct will
automatically generate bead variable definitions throughout the design variable domain as shown on the
DTPG page of the Reference Guide
18. Select the bounds subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
19. Ensure that topo is in the field next to desvar =. If it is not, click on desvar = and select topo from the
list of topographical design spaces.
20. Click on upper bound and enter 1.0 (this is the default).
Upper bound on variables controlling grid movement (Real > LB, default = 1.0). This sets the upper
bound on grid movement equal to UB*HGT.
21. Click on lower bound and enter 0.0 (this is the default).
22. Click update.
The upper bound sets the upper bound on grid movement equal to UB*HGT and the lower bound sets
the lower bound on grid movement equal to LB*HGT.
23. Click return to go to the optimization panel.
HW-PTC-India
Step 4: Define the Responses.
A detailed description can be found in the online manual under Responses. Define one response for the
objective: displacement at the node where the force is applied.
1. Enter the responses panel.

2. Click response = and enter displace.
3. Select the switch below response type and select static displacement from the pop-up menu.
4. Click nodes and select by ID from the extended entity selection menu that pops up.
5. Type 2500 and hit the Enter key.
The node where the force is applied is now selected.
6. Select dof3.
dof1, dof2, and dof3 refer to translation in the X, Y, and Z directions.
dof4, dof5, and dof6 refer to rotation about the X, Y, and Z axes.
total disp is the resultant of the translational displacements in x, y, and z directions.
total rotation is the resultant of the rotational displacements in x, y, and z directions.
7. Click create.
A response, 'displace', is defined for the z-displacement of node 2500.
Step 5: Define the Objective.
In this example, the objective is to minimize the displacement response defined in the previous section.
1. Enter the objective panel from the optimization panel.

2. Click the switch in the upper-left corner of the panel, and select min from the pop-up menu.
3. Click response = and select displace from the response list.
A loadstep button should appear in the panel.
4. Click on loadstep and select torsion from the subcase (loadstep) list.
5. Click create.
The objective function is now defined.
6. Click return twice to go to the main menu.
Step 6: Submit the Job.
1. From the Analysis page, enter the OptiStruct panel.

model, torsion_plate.fem, in the File name: field.
The .fem extension is suggested for OptiStruct input decks.
4. Click Save.
Note that the name and location of the torsion_plate.fem file is now displayed in the input file: field.
5. Set the export options toggle to all.
6. Click the run options switch and select optimization.
7. Set the memory toggle to memory default.
8. Click OptiStruct.
This launches the OptiStruct job. If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The torsion_plate.out file is a good place to look for
error messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
9. Important files for a topography optimization include:
HW-PTC-India
torsion_plate.grid An OptiStruct file where the perturbed grid data is written.
torsion_plate.hgdata HyperGraph file containing data for the objective function,

constraint functions, design variables, and response
functions for each iteration.
torsion_plate.hist An OptiStruct output file for xy plotting containing the

iteration history of the objective function, maximum
constraint violation, design variables, DRESP1 type
responses, and DRESP2 type responses.
torsion_plate.html HTML report of the optimization, giving a summary of the

problem formulation and the results from the final iteration.
torsion_plate.out The OptiStruct output file containing specific information on

the file set up, the set up of the optimization problem,
estimate for the amount of RAM and disk space required for
the run, information for each optimization iteration, and
compute time information. Review this file for warnings and
errors that are flagged from processing the
torsion_plate.fem file.
torsion_plate_des.h3d HyperView binary results file for information on shape

changes.
torsion_plate_s1_h3d HyperView binary results file for displacement and stress

results for subcase 1.
torsion_plate.sh Shape file for the final iteration. It contains the material
density, void size parameters, and void orientation angle for
each element in the analysis. The .sh file may be used to
restart a run and, if necessary, run OSSmooth files for
topology optimization.
torsion_plate.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for

each step during analysis process.
Post-processing topology optimization results
Shape contour information is output from OptiStruct for all iterations. In addition, Displacement and Stress results
are output for the first and last iteration by default. This section describes how to view those results in HyperView.
Step 7: View a Static Plot of Shape Contours.

2. This will launch HyperView and load the torsion_plate_des.h3d and torsion_plate_s1.h3d
files reading the model and optimization results.
3. Click Close to close the message window.
4. Click the Contour icon on the toolbar to enter the contour panel.
5. Set Result type: to Shape Change (v) and type to Mag.
HW-PTC-India
6. Click to choose the last iteration from the Simulation list.

A deformed plate appears.
7. Click Apply.
Is the max= field showing 4.0e + 00?
In this case, it is. If it is not, your optimization has not progressed far enough. Decrease the OBJTOL
parameter (set in the opti control panel on the optimization panel). This value, 4.0e+00, comes from the
draw height defined earlier.
Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern at the last iteration (converged solution)
Step 8: View a Transient Animation of the Shape Contour Changes.

A transient animation of contour shapes will give a good idea of the shape changes happening through different
iteration.
1. Verify that the animate mode menu is set to Transient .
HW-PTC-India
2. Click to start the animation.
3. Click to open the Animation Controls panel.

4. With the animation running, use the slider bar below Max Frame Rate: on the left side of the panel to
adjust the speed of the animation.
5. Click to stop the animation.
Step 9: View the Deformed Structure.

The displacement and stress results from the first and last iterations (default) are given in the
torsion_plate_s1.h3d file.
1. Click the forward arrow icon to go to the next page.

This page has the subcase information from the torsion_plate_s1.h3d file.
2. Verify that the animate mode menu is set to Linear Static.
For a better visual of what it happening with this model, turn on mesh lines and contour the results.
3. Click the Deformed icon on the toolbar to enter the panel.

4. Set Result type: to Displacement(v).
5. Select the first iteration (Iteration 0) in the Results Browser as shown.
6. Set the animation mode to Linear Static .
7. Click to start the animation.
8. Click to go to the Animation Controls panel.

9. With the animation running, use the slider bar below Max Frame Rate: on the left side of the panel to
adjust the speed of the animation.
A deformation animation of the original model is shown in the graphics window.
Does the deformed shape look correct for the boundary conditions you applied to the mesh?
HW-PTC-India
10. Click to stop the animation.

11. Go to File on the pull-down menu and click Exit to quit HyperView.
Introducing a manufacturing constraint in the optimization process

Next, pattern grouping will be added as a constraint for manufacturability.
The configuration obtained in the previous example (see the contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern at
the 17th iteration) might be difficult to manufacture. It does give an idea of what kinds of patterns are likely to
optimize the structure (in this case -- to minimize the displacement at the selected node).
A possible pattern, suggested by the static contour plot obtained in the previous exercise, is to use channels
parallel to a diagonal. In this example, we choose the diagonal emerging from the node where the load is applied.
Step 10: Add Pattern Grouping Constraint

1. Going back to HyperMesh, click return to exit the OptiStruct panel.
2. From the Analysis page, click optimization to enter the panel.
3. Click topography to enter the panel.
4. Select the pattern grouping subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
5. Click desvar = and choose topo from the list of topographical design spaces.
6. Click on the pattern type: switch and select linear.
7. Make sure the sub-type: switch is set to basic.
8. Click anchor node and select the node at the corner where the load is applied by clicking on it in the
graphics window.
9. HyperMesh automatically moves the blue halo around the first node; select the node in the opposite
corner by clicking on it in the graphics window.
Pattern grouping node location.
10. Click update.

HW-PTC-India
Step 11: Submitting the Job

1. From the Analysis page, click OptiStruct to enter the panel.
model, torsion_pattern.fem, in the File name: field.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the torsion_pattern.fem file displays in the input file: field.
5. Set the export options toggle to all.
6. Click the run options switch and select optimization.
7. Set the memory toggle to memory default.
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The torsion_pattern.out file is a good place to look for
error messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present.
View the new results as before. Also check the objective value for the zero-th and last iteration in the
.out file. How does the final value for the objective compare to the final value obtained using 'none'
option for pattern grouping?.
Step 12: View a Static Plot of Shape Contours

Repeat the steps in the previous exercise to view the contour plot of the shape change
Contour plot showing the reinforcement pattern with pattern grouping constraint at the last iteration
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 15: Shape Optimization - of a Cantilever Beam.
In this tutorial, a shape optimization on a cantilever beam modeled with shell elements will be performed. The
structural model with loads and constraints applied is shown in Figure 1. The deflection at the lower right corner
should be limited to 3mm. The optimal design would use as little material as possible
Figure 1. Cantilever beam, structural model.
The structural model, shown in figure 1, is loaded into HyperMesh and is used to generate and run a shape
optimization of the cantilever beam. Shape perturbation vectors are generated using HyperMorph, which is
accessed, through the HyperMesh interface. The OptiStruct software is used to determine the optimal shape. The
results are then reviewed in HyperView.
Objective: Minimize volume.
Constraints: Given maximum nodal displacement at the end of the beam < 3.0 mm.
Design variables: Shape variables defined with HyperMorph.
 Set up the shape optimization problem in HyperMesh.

 Post-process the results in HyperView
Exercise
Step 1: Load the OptiStruct User Profile and Retrieve the Geometry.
1. Launch HyperMesh Desktop.

2. Choose OptiStruct as the User Profile and click OK.
User Profiles… can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
3. From the File menu, select Open > Model.
HW-PTC-India
4. Select the beamshape.hm file.
5. Click Open.
The beamshape.hm is loaded into the current HyperMesh session, replacing any existing data. The
database only contains geometric data.
Note the location of beamshape.hm now displays in the file: field.
Setting up the shape optimization problem in HyperMesh.
Step 2: Create Shapes using HyperMorph
This section makes use of HyperMorph. For a more detailed description of the functionality of HyperMorph,
please refer to the HyperMorph section of the HyperMesh documentation.
1. From the Analysis page, click on the optimization panel.

2. Select the HyperMorph panel.
3. Select the domains panel.
4. Select the create subpanel using the radio buttons on the left side of the panel.
5. Change the switch subpanel to auto functions and keep the default settings.
6. Click generate.
A number of domains and handles are created which will enable us to morph the shape of the beam.
There are two types of handles: global handles, which are represented by larger red balls; local handles,
which are represented by smaller yellow balls. Only local handles will be covered in this tutorial.
7. Click return to return to the HyperMorph panel.
8. Select the morph panel.
9. Select the move handles subpanel.
10. Click the right-hand switch and select move to node from the pop-up menu.
11. If the handle button is not highlighted, click on it.
12. Select the top right local handle (where the force is applied) by clicking on it in the graphics window.
Figure 2 shows the node to be selected in black.
Figure 2. Selecting a local handle for morphing.

13. If the nodes button is not highlighted, click on it.
14. Select the node in the middle of the right-hand side of the beam.
The beam instantly changes shape, so that the handle you selected moved to the location of the node
you selected. See figure 3 below. Note how the mesh adjusted to this change in shape.
.
Figure 3. Morphed shape 1.
15. Select the save shape subpanel.
16. Click shape = and enter shape1.
17. You can select the color button and change the color of the shape vectors or leave the default color set.
18. Set the toggle under shape = to as node perturbations.
19. Click save.
HW-PTC-India
20. Click Yes.
This shape has been saved, and can be associated with a design variable later.
21. Click undo all.
The model returns to its original shape.
23. Select the handles panel.
24. Select the create subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
25. Click on name = and enter aux1.
26. Click on domain and select the top edge domain by clicking on the top edge in the graphics window.
27. To ensure that you select the top edge domain, hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse
over the top edge of the beam until the edge is highlighted (white), then release the mouse button.
28. Set the toggle to by nodes.
29. Click on nodes and select the node at the center of the top edge of the beam by clicking on it in the
graphics window.
30. Click create.
A new handle, 'aux1', is created at the center of the top edge of the beam, see figure 4.
Figure 4. New handle added at the center of the top edge of the beam
32. Select the morph panel.
33. Select the move handles subpanel.
34. Click the switch beside move to node and select interactive from the pop-up menu.
35. The handle button should be highlighted. If not, click on it.
36. Select the handle you just created by clicking on it in the graphics window.
37. Click morph.
38. Click the new handle in the graphics window and keep the mouse button held down.
39. Move the mouse downwards in a straight line.
40. Note how the mesh morphs interactively as you move the handle.
41. When the handle is roughly at what was the center of the beam, release the mouse button.

42. Select the set biasing subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
43. Click on handles.
44. Check the box next to aux1 and click select.
45. Verify that the box next to make retroactive is checked.
46. Switch the bias to screen edit.
47. Click screen edit.
The number 1.000 appears next to the handle 'aux1'.
48. Click the number and keep the mouse button held down.
If you move the mouse upwards the number increases, if you move the mouse downwards the number
decreases.
HW-PTC-India
49. Move the mouse upwards until the value reads 1.500, then release the button and click update.
50. Note how the curvature of the top edge has altered. See Figure 6..

51. Select the save as shape subpanel using the radio buttons on the left-hand side of the panel.
52. Click shape = and enter shape2.
53. Select a color or leave the default.
54. Set the toggle under shape= to as node perturbations.
55. Click save.
56. Click Yes in the dialog box that asks if you want to Save perturbations for nodes at global and morph
volume handles.
We have now saved this shape, later we can associate it to a design variable.
57. Click undo all.
The model returns to its original shape.
58. Click return twice to return to the OptiStruct panel.
Step 3: Define the Shape Design Variables.
1. Select the shape panel.

2. Select the desvar subpanel.
3. Switch the design variable option from single desvar to multiple desvars.
4. Click shapes.
5. Check the boxes next to shape1 and shape2 and click select.
6. Click create.
Two shape design variables are created using the shapes that were saved earlier.
7. Click return to return to the optimization panel.
Step 4: Define Responses.
Two responses are defined in this tutorial; a volume response for the objective function and a displacement
response for the constraint. A detailed description can be found in the OptiStruct User's Guide under Responses.
1. Select the responses panel.

2. Click response = and enter vol.
3. Click the response type switch and select Volume from the pop-up menu.
4. Click create.
A response, 'vol', is defined for the total volume of the model.
5. Click response = and enter disp.
6. Click the response type switch and select static displacement from the pop-up menu.
7. Click nodes and select by id from the extended entity selection menu.
8. Enter 1115 and press Enter.
9. Select dof1.
Dofs 1, 2, and 3 refer to translation in the X, Y, and Z directions.
Dofs 4, 5, and 6 refer to rotation about the X, Y, and Z axes.
10. Click create.
A response, 'disp', is defined for the x-displacement of the node 1115.
HW-PTC-India
Step 5: Define a Constraint
A constraint with upper bound is to be defined for the displacement response defined in the previous section.
1. Select the dconstraints panel.

2. Click constraint = and enter constr.
3. Click response = and select disp from the list of responses.
A loadstep button should appear in the panel.
4. Click loadstep.
5. Check the box next to Load and click select.
6. Check the box next to upper bound =..
7. Click upper bound= and enter 3.0..
8. Click create.
A constraint is defined on the response 'disp'. The constraint is an upper bound with a value of 3.0. The
constraint applies to the subcase 'Load'.
Step 6: Define the Objective Function.
In this example, the objective is to minimize the volume response defined in the previous section.
1. Select the objective panel.

2. Click the switch in the upper left corner of the panel, and select min from the pop-up menu.
3. Click response = and select vol from the response list.
4. Click create.
The objective function is now defined.
Step 7: Define the SHAPE Card
Only displacement and stress results are available in the _s#.h3d file by default. In order to look at
displacement/stress results on top of a shape change that was applied to the model in HyperView, a SHAPE card
needs to be defined.
1. From the Analysis page, select the control cards panel.

2. Select SHAPE.
3. Use the green next button to see more cards.
4. Set both TYPE and OPTION to ALL.
5. Click return twice to go back to the main menu.
Step 8: Launch OptiStruct

1. From the Analysis page, click on the OptiStruct panel.
model, beamshape.fem, in the File name: field.
4. Click Save.
Note that the name and location of the beamshape.fem file is now displayed in the input file: field.
HW-PTC-India
where the OptiStruct model file was written. The beamshape.out file is a good place to look for error
messages that will help to debug the input deck if any errors are present. Make sure the process is
complete before checking the results files.
Post-processing the Results in HyperView

This section describes how to view results in HyperView, which will be launched from within the OptiStruct panel
of HyperMesh.
HyperView is a comprehensive post-processing and visualization environment for finite element analysis (FEA),
multi-body system simulation, video and engineering data.
Step 9: View the Shape Results

1. While in the OptiStruct panel of the Analysis page, click the green HyperView button.
Note that a message window pops up to indicate that beamshape_des.h3d and beamshape_s1.h3d
are loaded.
2. Click Close to close the Message Log window.
beamshape_des.h3d will be opened on page 2 and beamshape_s1.h3d will be opened on page 3 of
HyperView.
3. From the Graphics pull-down menu, choose the Select Load Case option.
This will bring up the Load Case and Simulation Selection dialog (which is also accessible from the
lower right portion of the status bar).
4. Select last iteration from Simulation (load final iteration results).
5. Click OK.
6. Go to the Contour panel .

7. Set the Result type: to Shape change (v).
8. Select Mag.
9. Click Apply.
Shape optimization results applied to the model.
Step 10: View a Contour Plot of the Displacement on Top of the Shape Optimized
Model.
HW-PTC-India
1. Click the Next Page arrow to move to page 2.
2. From the Graphics pull-down menu, choose the Select Load Case option.
3. In the Load Case and Simulation Selection dialog, select the last iteration from Simulation (load final
iteration results).
4. Click OK.
5. Go to the Deformed panel and set Shape Change (v) as the Result type:.
6. Click Apply.
The optimized shape of the beam is shown on the screen now.
7. Go to the Contour panel and select Displacement (v) as the Result type:.
8. Select Mag using the toggle.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click the Measure panel toolbar button .

11. Check the box in front of Static MinMax Result.
12. Notice that node 1115 has a displacement which is within the constraint value.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 16: Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization on an Airplane Wing Rib.
In this tutorial, an existing finite element model of an aluminum wing rib model will be used to demonstrate how to
do free-sizing optimization using OptiStruct. HyperView will be used to post-process the thickness pattern in the
rib.
Wing rib model
There are four shell components in the model: the mounting flange, the web, the top and bottom flanges, and the
lug. The web is connected to the lug by gap elements. Appropriate properties, loads, boundary conditions, and
nonlinear subcases have already been defined in the model. The design region is the web and the rest of the
components are non-design. Since a large portion of aerospace components are shell structures which are
manufactured by machining or milling operations, free-sizing optimization is very suitable for those components.
To understand the limitations of topology optimization for such applications, a nonlinear gap topology optimization
will also be done on the wing rib model.
Objective: Minimize weighted compliance WCOMP.
Constraints: Volume fraction on the web < 0.3.
Design variables for free Thickness of each shell element in the design space.
sizing optimization:
Design variables for Element density of each element in the design domain.
topology optimization:
HW-PTC-India
 Set up a free-sizing optimization with nonlinear gap elements.

 Post-process the thickness convergence in the design domain.
 Set up a topology optimization with nonlinear gap elements.
 Post-process the material distribution in the design domain.
 Review and compare results from free-size optimization and topology optimization.
Exercise
Step 1: Launch HyperMesh Desktop, Set the User Profile, and Retrieve the File.
1. Launch HyperMesh Desktop.

2. Choose OptiStruct in the User Profile dialog and click OK.
3. From the File drop-down menu on the toolbar, select Open…
An Open file… browser window pops up.
4. Select the rib_complete.hm file.
5. Click Open.
Step 2: Create Design Variable for Free-sizing Optimization.
1. From the Analysis page, select the optimization panel.

2. Select the free size panel.
3. Choose the create subpanel using the radio button on the left.
4. Click desvar= and enter shells.
5. Verify that type: is set to PSHELL.
6. Click props, choose the Web component and click select.
7. Click create.
This creates the design variable for free-sizing optimization.
Step 3: Create Manufacturing Constraints for Free-sizing.

1. While still in the Free Size Optimization panel, select the parameters subpanel.
2. Click desvars and select the shells design variable created previously.
3. Toggle minmemb off and, for mindim =, enter 2.0.
4. Click update.
5. Click return.
Step 4: Create Optimization Responses, Objective, and Constraints.

First, the weighted compliance response will be created.
2. For response =, input the name wcomp.
3. Click the switch for response type and go to the next page of available types by using >>, and then click
on weighted comp.
4. Click loadsteps and select both the Coup_Ver and Pressure loadcases.
The weighting factor should be 1.0 for both.
5. Click return.
6. Click create.
7. For response =, input the name volfrac to create the volume fraction response.
HW-PTC-India
8. For response type, go to the previous page using <<, and then click on volume frac.
9. Leave the type as total.
10. Click create.
11. Click return.
12. Click on the dconstraints panel to define the volume fraction constraint.
13. For constraint =, input the name vol.
14. Click response =, and select the volfrac response.
15. For upper bound =, input a value of 0.3.
16. Click create.
17. Click return.
18. Click on the objective panel to define the objective.
19. Toggle to min if not already done.
20. For response =, select the wcomp response.
21. Click create.
22. Click return twice to exit the panel.
The optimization parameters have now been defined.
Step 5: Run Free-sizing Nonlinear Gap Optimization.

1. From the Analysis page, select the OptiStruct panel.
3. Select the directory where you would like to write the optimization file and enter the name
rib_freesize.fem in the File name: field.
4. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the rib_freesize.fem file shows in the input file: field.
This launches the OptiStruct job
If the job was successful, new results files can be seen in the directory where the OptiStruct model file
was written. The rib_freesize.out file is a good place to look for error messages that will help to
debug the input deck if any errors are present.
rib_freesize.hgdata HyperGraph file containing data for the objective function,

percent constraint violations, and constraint for each
iteration.
rib_freesize_hist.mvw This file is a HypeView session file and may be opened from
the File drop-down menu in HyperView or HyperGraph. The
file automatically creates individual plots for each of the
results (objectives, constraints) contained in the .hist file.
Each plot occupies its own page within HyperView
(HyperGraph).
rib_freesize.HM.comp.cmf This is a HyperMesh command file. When executed in

HyperMesh, the .HM.comp.cmf file organizes all elements
in the model into ten new components based on their
element thicknesses at the final iteration. The components
for this run are named 0.0-0.01, 0.01-0.02, 0.02-0.03, and
so on, up to 0.09-0.1, considering the plate thickness of the
Web is 0.1mm.
HW-PTC-India
rib_freesize.HM.ent.cmf This is a HyperMesh command file. When executed in
HyperMesh, the .HM.ent.cmf file organizes all elements
in the model into ten new sets based on their element
thicknesses at the final iteration. The set for this run are
named 0.0-0.01, 0.01-0.02, 0.02-0.03, and so on, up to
0.09-0.1, considering the plate thickness of the Web is
0.1mm.
rib_freesize.html HTML report of the optimization, giving a summary of the

problem formulation and the results from the final iteration.
rib_freesize_frame.html The file contains two frames. The top frame opens one of
the .h3d files using the HyperView Player browser plug-in.
The .h3d file opened depends on the results selected for
display in the bottom frame. The bottom frame opens the
_menu.html file, which facilitates the selection of results to
be displayed.
rib_freesize_menu.html This file facilitates the selection of the appropriate .h3d file
for the HyperView Player browser plug-in in the top frame of
the _frames.html file, based on chosen results.
rib_freesize.oss The file contains default settings for running OSSmooth

after a successful optimization.
rib_freesize.out OptiStruct output file containing specific information on the

file setup, the setup of the optimization problem, estimates
for the amount of RAM and disk space required for the run,
information for each optimization iteration, and compute
time information. Review this file for warnings and errors
that are flagged from processing the rib_freesize.fem
file.
rib_freesize.res HyperMesh binary results file.
rib_freesize.sh Shape file for the final iteration. The .sh file may be used to
restart a run.
rib_freesize.stat Summary of analysis process, providing CPU information for

each step during analysis process.
rib_freesize_des.h3d HyperView binary results file for element thickness

information.
rib_freesize_s1.h3d HyperView binary results file for displacement and stress

rib_freesize_s2.h3d HyperView binary results file for displacement and stress

rib_freesize.fsthick The element definitions for those elements that were part of
a free size design space. The optimized thickness of these
elements are provided as nodal thickness values (Ti).
rib_freesize.hist ASCII table file with: Iteration Objective

Max_Const_Violation Design_variables DRESP1s
DESP2s.
HW-PTC-India
rib_freesize.mvw This file is a HypeView session file and may be opened from
the File drop-down menu in HyperView. The file
automatically creates individual load the optimization results
(dens.h3d) and the loadstep results (s#.h3d).
Post-process the Thickness Convergence in the Design Domain
Element thickness distributions are output from OptiStruct for all iterations. In addition, Displacement and Stress
results are output for each subcase for the first and last iteration by default. This section describes how to view
those results in HyperView.

This should launch HyperView and load the rib_freesize.mwv session which is linked with the .h3d
files, reading the model and the results.
2. Click close to close the message window.
3. Click the Entity Attributes icon on the toolbar and undisplay all of the components, except Web.
You can do this by activating the Auto apply mode: (Display OFF) and then clicking on the component
that you want turned off in the GUI.
4. Click the Mesh:, shaded mesh option .

5. Click on the Web component to get a shaded mesh.
6. Go to the Contour panel and set the Result type: to Element Thicknesses.
7. From the Graphics drop-down menu, choose Select Load Case to open the Load Case and
Simulation Selection dialog.
8. Select the last iteration listed in the Simulation list and click OK.
9. Click Top in the view controls section (in bottom right of HyperView panel) to get a top view of the Web.
10. Click Apply.
This will show the contour element thickness on the Web component.
Thickness contour from free-sizing nonlinear gap optimization, on the Web of plate thickness 0.1mm.
As can be seen from the figure above, the result from free-sizing optimization is a web with optimized
thickness distribution that can be reduced subsequently into larger zones for simplification of the
manufacturing process. Moreover, the design obtained from free-sizing offers the freedom to create
cavities, ribs, and varying thickness simultaneously, which is not possible in topology optimization.
11. Use the Page Navigation controls to return to Page 1 and the HyperMesh client.
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 17: Composite Optimization of CARGO DOOR.

Free-size, Composite-size & Shuffling Optimization.
This tutorial discusses the optimization-driven design approach of a composite cargo door using OptiStruct.
The design takes a three-phased approach:
Phase 1: Concept design synthesis

Free-size optimization is used to identify the optimal ply shapes and locations of patches per ply
orientation.
Phase 2: Design fine tuning
Size optimization is used to identify the optimal thickness of each ply bundle.
Phase 3: Ply stacking sequence optimization.
Shuffling optimization is used to obtain an optimal stacking sequence.
The process expands upon three important and advanced optimization techniques; free-size optimization, size
optimization and ply stacking sequence optimization. By stringing these three techniques together, OptiStruct
offers a unique and comprehensive process for the design and optimization of composite laminates. The
process is automated and integrated in HyperWorks by generating the input data for a subsequent phase
automatically from the previous design phase.
Phase 1 – Concept design synthesis (free-size optimization)

In free-size optimization, the thickness of each designable element is defined as a design variable. Applying
this concept to the design of composites implies that the design variables are the thickness of each ‘Super-ply’
(total designable thickness of a ply orientation) per element.
The following optimization setup is defined in the concept design phase to identify the stiffest design for the
given fraction of the material. To obtain more meaningful results, manufacturing constraints are incorporated
and carried through all design phases automatically.
Design Variables: Element thickness of each ply orientation.

Objective: Minimize the volume fraction.
Constraints: Maximum allowable displacement is 12 mm.
Manufacturing 1) Ply percentage for 0s and 90s such that no less that 10% and no more than 60% can
exist.
Constraints: 2) The manufacturable ply thickness is 0.25
3) A balance constraint that ensures an equal thickness distribution for the +45s and -45s.
HW-PTC-India

Step 1: Load the OptiStruct user profile and open the model.
2. Select OptiStruct in the User Profile dialog and click Ok.
This loads the user profile. It includes the appropriate templates, macro menu, and import reader,
paring down the functionality of HyperMesh to what is relevant for generating models OptiStruct.
User Profiles….can also be accessed from the Preferences pull-down menu on the toolbar.
3. Click on File, go to open, click on model. Select the file Cargo_Door.hm file from the destination folder
where you have saved/downloaded the contest model files.
4. Click Open.
Step 2: Delete Pressure and Constraints, and Re-Mesh the model.
1. Press F2 from your Keyboard or click on the delete icon as show.
2. Click on the drop down icon as shown in the image and select loads from the list.
3. Click on loads and select all, then click on delete entity.

4. Click return.
5. Press F12 from your keyboard or go to 2D page and click on automesh panel
6. Click on the drop-down icon and select elems, then click on elems and select all, in element size= enter
35, select the mesh type: as quards and then click on mesh keep all the other parameters same as shown in the
image below.
Step 3: Apply Constraints and Pressure on the Model.

1. Click on the ‘+’ icon in front of Load Collector (2), this will expand the Load collector ,now right click on SPC
and click on make current.
HW-PTC-India

2. Go to Analysis page and click on constraints.
3. Click on nodes and select by path option.

4. Click on any of the nodes at the circumference of the cargo door. And then keep on selecting all the
nodes along the circumference of the cargo door. As shown in the figure
5. Keep all the other parameters as shown in the image and click on create.
6. Click return.
7. Then again go to Load Collector (2) in the model browser and right click on pressure and select make
current.
8. Go to Analysis page click on pressures.
9. Click on elems and select all, then click on nodes and select all, in magnitude enter -0.0008.keep all the
other parameters as show in the image.
10. Click create.

11. Click return.
Step 4: Save the file and Run Analysis.

1. Click on File pull down go to save as and select models.
2. Create a new folder and save the file.
3. Go to Analysis page, click on Radioss; set the export option: to all click the save as button to save the
.fem file and then click on Radioss.
A solver window will open….
HW-PTC-India

Once you see ANALYSIS COMPLETE close the solver window.
Step 5: View the displacement contour.

1. Click on the Page Window layout option and select the two window from the drop-down list. As
shown below
2. Click on the 2nd window.

3. Now click on the open folder icon as show in the image and then click the open folder icon in front of
Load Model
4. Select the .h3d or Altair HyperView Player file from the folder where you have saved the model file.
And then click on Apply.
5. Click on Contour icon and click Apply. This will show you the displacement contour.
6. Now click on Measures icon and check the box in front of Static MinMax Result, then uncheck the box
in front of Min, note down the node number and maximum displacement value on that node/model.
HW-PTC-India
7. Now click on the 1st window again.

8. Click return.
PHASE 1:- Free-size Optimization (SET-UP)
Step 1: Create free size design variable.

1. Go to Analysis page and select optimization panel.
2. Now click on free size panel.
3. In free size panel select the radio button as create. In desvar= enter door. Select the type as
PCOMP(G), click on props and check the box in front of LAM and click select. Then click create.
HW-PTC-India

4. Then select the radio button composites, click on desvar and select door. In laminate thickness: toggle
the minimum thickness off to minimum thickness= and enter 9. Click Update.
5. Then click on edit button, check the box in front of PLYTHK, PLYPCT AND BALANCE. Now in PYLPCT
option instead of all select Specify Number, and enter 2 in DSIZE_NUMBER_OF_PLYPCT
6. Now enter the value as show in the image below
7. Click return.
8. Click Update.
9. Click return.
Step 2: Create Responses.

1. Click on responses
2. In response= enter displ, in response type select static displacement, click on nodes and click on by id,
then enter the node number which you have noted down earlier from the static results. And press
enter, then select the radio button total disp. Click create.
3. Now in response= enter volfrac.

4. In response type select volumefrac.
HW-PTC-India

5. Click create.
6. Click return.
Step 3: Create Dconstraints.

1. Click on dconstraints.
2. In constraints= enter displ. Click on response= and select displ. Click on loadsteps and select Pressure.
Check the box in front of upper bound= and enter the value 12. Click create.
3. Click return.
Step 4: Create Objective.

1. Click on objective.
2. Select min from the drop down list, click on response= and select volfrac. Click create.
Step 5: Edit the Control Crads.

1. Go to Analysis page, click on control cards.
HW-PTC-India

2. Click on GLOBAL_OUTPUT_REQUEST.
3. Enter all the parameter as show in the image below.
4. Click return.
5. Now click on next and select OUTPUT
6. In KEYWORD select FSTOSZ, and select YES in FREQ.
7. Click return.
Step 6: Save the file and run the Free-size Analysis.

1. Click on File pull down menu. Go to save as and select model.
2. Create a new folder and save the file.
3. On Analysis page click on OptiStruct.
4. Set the export option: to all.
5. Set run options: to optimization.
6. Set memory option: to memory default.
HW-PTC-India

7. Click on save as. To save to .fem file.
8. Click on OptiStruct.
9. Once you see OPTIMIZATION HAS CONVERGED… FEASIBLE DESIGN <ALLCONSTRAINTS SATISFIED>.
Close the solver window.
Step 7: View the Element Thickness and Ply Thickness as results in HyperView.
1. Click on Page Window Layout icon as show… and select the 4 window lay-out.
2. Click on 3rd Window. And then load the …._des.h3d file (follow the same procedure as shown above to load the
result file)
3. Select the last iteration as show below.
4. Click on contour icon, set the Averaging Method as Simple and click Apply.
HW-PTC-India
5. Now Select Ply Thicknesses in Result type: and then click Apply
HW-PTC-India

6. To view the Ply thickness of each ply. Select 1 in Entity with layers:
0 0
This is ply thickness of 0 ply(to view this select 1) This is ply thickness of 45 ply (to view this select 2)
0 0
This is ply thickness of -45 ply (to view this select 3) This is ply thickness of 90 ply (to view this select 4)
Step 8: View the ply bundles through element sets
The optimized ‘Super-ply’ thickness is subsequently represented as ‘Ply Bundles’. Four ply bundles
per fiber orientation (Super ply) are output by default, based on an intelligent algorithm in OptiStruct. These ply
bundles represent the shape and location of the plies per fiber orientation through element sets. In this case, a
total of 16 ply bundles are created after free size optimization converges: element sets 1 through 4 represent
the ply bundles for 0 degree super-ply; element sets 5 through 8 represent ply bundles for both +45 and -45
degree super-ply; element sets 9 through 12 represent ply bundles for 90 degree super-ply.
1. Click on 1st Window.
2. Click on New icon.

3. Click Yes on the confirm message box which says The model has not been saved, would you like to
continue? (y/n).
4. Click on import solver deck icon
HW-PTC-India

5. Select OptiStruct in File type: now click on the folder icon in front of File: and then select the
….._sizing.4.fem file from the folder where you have saved the .hm file before running OptiStruct.
6. Click Import.
7. Click Close.
8. Go to Analysis page and click on entity sets panel
9. Click on review button. And then select the set1, set2, set3,…. To view the ply bundles due to each set.
HW-PTC-India
Set1 Set2 Set3
Set4 Set5 Set6
Set7 Set8 Set9
Set 10 Set 11 Set12
PHASE 2:- Composite Size Optimization (Design Fine tuning) Set-up.

In the second design phase, a size optimization is performed to fine tune the thicknesses of the
optimized ply bundles from Phase 1. To ensure that the optimization design meets the design requirements,
HW-PTC-India

additional performance criteria on natural frequencies and composite strains are incorporated into the problem
formulation. A load case of normal modes analysis is added to calculate the natural frequencies of the fairing
under assembled conditions. The optimization setup is also modified to factor in these additional performance
targets, among others.
The following is the modified optimization setup:
Design Variables: Ply thickness, which have been defined in the size input deck from Phase 1
Objective: Minimize the total designable volume
Constraints: - Natural frequencies (1st ~ 5th) ≥ 0.02 KHz
- Composite strains in the fairing < 1000 micro-strain
Manufacturing constraints are preserved and transferred to the DCOMP card. A minimum
manufacturable ply thickness of 0.25, defined in Phase 1, is transferred to the PLY card. It allows for the optimal
ply bundle thicknesses to be a multiple of the minimum ply thickness value, and helps in calculating the total
number of plies required per fiber orientation.
Step 1: Review the design variables for size optimization

The Size design variables were generated automatically at the free-size stage. They can be reviewed in the
size panel of optimization.
Step 2: Review the manufacturing constraints

The manufacturing constraints were carried over to the size optimization phase automatically. They can be
reviewed in the composite size panel in HyperMesh.
1. From the Optimization panel, click on Composite Size.
2. Go to the parameters subpanel, click dcomp=, and select door.
3. Click edit and review the DCOMP card image as shown below. PLYPCT and BALANCE constraints are
transferred to DCOMP card. The manufacturable ply thickness constraint 0.25 in PLYTHK is transferred
to the PLY card.
HW-PTC-India

Step 3: Delete the responses defined in the free-size phase.

The Optimization will be re-formulated to satisfy the main design requirements. The responses weighted
compliance and volume fraction used in the free-size phase will be removed.
1. Click on Delete panel by clicking on the icon as show.

2. Click on the small arrow and selece optiresponses from the list
3. Click on the optiresponses. And then select the displ and volfrac from the list, click on select. And then
click on delete entity.
4. Click return.
Step 4: Set up the normal modes analysis.

1. Click on the load collectors icon, as show
2. Select the create radio button, Enter EIGRL in loadcol name=, click on card image= and select EIDRL
from the list of card images available.
HW-PTC-India

4. Enter 8 in [ND].

6. On Analysis page select loadsteps panel.
7. Enter norm_modes in name=, select normal modes as type:, check the box of SPC and
METHOD(STRUCT). Click on SPC and select SPC, click on METHOD(STRUCT) and select EIGRL.
8. Click create.
9. Click return.
Step 5: Create the responses for size optimization.

1. On Analysis page, click on optimization, then click on responses.
2. Enter volume in response=, in response type: select volume. Keep all the other parameters as show
below.
3. Click create.
4. In response= enter freq1, in response type select frequency, enter 1 in Mode Number:, click create.
5. Repeate set 4 and create 4 more responses for frequency as freq2 – mode number: 2, freq3 – mode
number: 3, freq4 – mode number: 4, freq5 – mode number: 5.
HW-PTC-India
6. Now in response= enter cstrain, in response type select composite strain. Click on the drop down
arrow as shown in the image and select piles from the list. Click on the piles and select all the plies. Set
maj. Principal as strain type, click create.
7. Click return to go back to optimization panel.
Step 6: Create optimization constraints

1. Click on dconstraints.
2. In constraint= enter freq1, click on response= and select freq1 from the list of responses. Check the box
in front of lower bound= and enter 0.02. Click on loadsteps and select norm_modes.click create.
3. Follow the above step 2, to create constraints as freq2, freq3, freq4 and freq5 having response as
freq2, freq3, freq4 and freq5 respectively. Having the same lower bound as 0.02 and same loadstep as
HW-PTC-India

norm_modes.
4. Now in constraints= enter cstrain, in response= select cstrain from the list of responses, click on
loadstep and select pressure as a load step. Check the box in front of upper bound= and enter value
0.001. click create.
5. Click return to exit the dconstraints panel.
Step 7: Create Objective function for the optimization.

1. Click on objective panel, in optimization.
2. Set the objective type as min click on the response and select volume from the list of responses. click
create.
3. Click return.
Step 8: Define the Output request for shuffling deck.

The output control on composite strain and stress results defined in the previous phase are carried over
HW-PTC-India

automatically. OUTPUT, SZTOSH (sizing to shuffling) is used to write a ply stacking optimization input deck
1. On the Analysis page, select control cards
2. Go to the OUTPUT panel
3. Enter 1 as the number_of_outputs.

4. Set SZTOSH as the KEYWORD and YES for FREQ.
OptiStruct will automatically generate a size model after the free-size optimization.
5. Click return twice to go back to the Analysis page.
Step 9: Save the file & run the Composite size Optimization
1. Follow the same procedure given in STEP 6 of PHASE 1 (see above…).
(But create a new folder and then save the file don’t save the file in the same folder).
Step 10: View the Thickness Results in Hyperview.

1. Follow the same procedure given in STEP 7 of PHASE 1 (see above….).
2. The Element Thicknesses (s) contour view is….
HW-PTC-India

3. The Orientation Thicknesses (s) contour view is….. for Max in Entity with layers:…..
Phase 3:- Ply Stacking Sequence/Composite Shuffling Optimization.

This algorithm is aimed at providing a global view of what the optimal stacking sequence could
be. An input deck for the ply stacking sequence optimization was generated from a previous design
stage. Each ply bundle is divided into multiple PLYs whose thickness is equal to the manufacturable
thickness (0.25 in this case), and the STACK card is updated accordingly. In this design phase, composite
plies are shuffled to determine the optimal stacking sequence.
It is important that design performances are preserved. Hence, the optimization problem is
retained as
previously formulated in the size optimization phase. Two manufacturing constraints are applied:
 The maximum successive number of plies of a particular orientation does not exceed 4 plies
 The + 45s and – 45s are reversed paired
Step 1: Load the OptiStruct user profile and import the composite size optimization
file.
1. Follow the same procedure given in STEP 8 of PHASE 1 upto POINT 7. And import the file
…._shuffling.*.fem file from the folder where you have saved the file before Analysis.
Step 2: Remove HILL option on [FT] card.
1. Click on the property collector icon as show

2. Select update radio button, then click on props and select LAM, click on update/edit.
3. Click on [FT] to deactivate it.
HW-PTC-India
Step 3: Update the composite strain Respose.

Since the ply bundles were divided into multiple plies in the shuffling model, the ply information
in CSTRAIN response needs to be updated as well.
1. Go to Analysis page, click on optimization panel
2. Click on responses panel.
3. Click on response=, and select cstrain from the list of responses.
4. Click on plies, and select all the plies, click select.
5. Click update.
6. Click return.
Step 4: Create the manufacturing constraints for shuffling

A DSHUFFLE card was created automatically during the sizing phase. Two manufacturing constraints
will be added for the shuffling optimization.
HW-PTC-India

1. On the optimization panel, click on composite shuffle
2. Click on create radio button. Then click on dshuffle and select door.
3. Click on parameters radio button; make sure the door is selected in dshuffle. Check the box next to
pairing constraint, select reverse as pair type: make sure the ply angle1= is 45 and ply angle2= is -45.
4. Click update.
5. Click on edit.
6. Check the box next to MAXSUCC and enter 4 in MSUCC.
7. Click return.
8. Click update.
9. Click return.
Step 5: Save the file and run the Composite Shuffling Optimization.
1. Follow the same procedure given STEP 6 in PHASE 1 (see above…).
(But create a new folder and then save the file don’t save the file in the same folder).
Step 6: Post process the results.

1. Go to the folder where you have save the phase 3 file….
2. There open the doore.shuf.html file, it will open in the default browser.
HW-PTC-India

3. This shows the final stacking sequence optimization results..
HW-PTC-India
Tutorial – 18: Combined Topology & Topography Optimization of a Slider Suspension.
This tutorial performs a combined topology and topography optimization on a slider suspension using OptiStruct.
The objective is to increase the stiffness of the slider suspension and make it lighter at the same time. This
requires the use of both topology and topography optimization.
The finite element model of the slider suspension contains force and boundary conditions. The structure is made
of quad elements and has both linear statics and normal modes subcases (loadsteps). Steps are described to
define topology and topography design space, responses, constraints, and objective function. The optimized
structure will be stiffer for both linear statics and normal modes subcases and will have beads and less material.
Disk drive slider.
Problem Statement.
Perform combined topology and topography optimization on a disk drive slider suspension to maximize the
stiffness and weighted mode. The lower bound constraint on the seventh mode is 12 cycles/ms.
Objective function: Minimize the combined weighted compliance and the weighted modes.
Constraints: 7th Mode > 12 cycles/ms.
Design variables: Element densities and nodes topography.
 Set up a combined optimization using HyperMesh.

 Post-process optimization results in HyperView.
Exercise
Step 1: Set the User Profile and Import a Finite Element Model.
A User Profiles… dialog will appear.
HW-PTC-India
2. Choose OptiStruct and click OK.
3. From the File drop-down menu on the toolbar, select Import….
An Import tab is added to your tab menu.
4. Select the Import type: FE Model .

5. Choose the proper File type: OptiStruct.
6. Click on the Select Files button and browse for the combined.fem.
7. Click Open.
8. Click Import.
9. Click Close to close the Import tab menu.
Step 2: Set up the Topology Design Space.
1. From the Analysis page, select the optimization panel.

2. Click topology.
3. Verify you are in the create subpanel.
4. Click props, select 1pin, and click select.
5. For desvar =, assign the name pin.
6. Change type: to PSHELL.
7. Verify base thickness is 0.0.
8. Click create.
9. Click props, check only 3bend and click select.
10. For desvar =, assign the name bend.
11. Verify base thickness is 0.0.
12. Click create.
13. Click return.
Step 3: Set up the Topography Design Space.
1. Click topography.
2. Verify you are in the create subpanel.
3. Click props, check 1pin and 3bend, and click select.
4. For desvar=, assign the name tpg.
5. Click create.
6. Select the bead params subpanel.
7. For minimum width=, assign a value of 0.4; for draw angle=, 60; and for draw height=, 0.15.
8. Toggle draw direction: to normal to elements.
9. Toggle boundary skip: to load & spc.
10. Activate buffer zone.
11. Click update.
We will use 1-plane symmetric beads, as it is the simplest and can be symmetric at the same time.
12. Go to the pattern grouping subpanel and set pattern type: to 1-plane sym.
13. Click anchor node, type 41, and press ENTER.
14. Click first node, type 53, and press ENTER.
15. Click update.
16. Select the bounds subpanel.
HW-PTC-India
17. Verify the bounds are as follows:
upper bound = 1.0, lower bound = 0.0.
18. Click update.
19. Click return.
Step 4: Create Responses for Optimization
Since this problem is a combined linear static and normal mode analysis, we are trying to minimize compliance
and increase frequency for the two load cases, while constraining the seventh frequency. Therefore, we define
two responses: comb and freq.

2. For response =, assign the name freq.
3. Change the response type to frequency.
4. For mode number, assign a value of 7.
5. Click create.
6. For response =, assign the name comb.
7. Change the response type to compliance index.
8. Click loadsteps and activate force.
9. Make sure that the option to define normalizing factor is toggled to autonorm.
10. Enter the mode numbers and their corresponding weights using the following chart.
Mode Weight
1 1.0
2 2.0
3 1.0
4 1.0
5 1.0
6 1.0
11. Click create.
12. Click return.
Step 5: Define Constraints.
1. Click dconstraints.
2. For constraint =, assign the name frequency.
3. Check lowerbound and assign a value of 12.
4. Click response= and select freq.
5. Click loadsteps and click the frequency checkbox, then click select.
6. Click create.
7. Click return.
Step 6: Define the Objective Function.
1. Click objective.
HW-PTC-India
2. Verify that objective is set to min.
3. Click response = and select comb.
4. Click create.
5. Click return.
Step 7: Define the Optimization Control Cards.
1. Click Opti Control.

2. Click the checkbox for MINDIM to activate it and assign a value of 0.25.
Minimum member size is generally recommended to avoid checkerboarding. It also ensures that the
structure has the minimum dimension specified in this card.
3. Click the checkbox for MATINIT to activate it and assign a value of 1.0.
MATINIT declares the initial material fraction in a topology optimization. MATINIT has several defaults
based upon the following conditions: If mass is the objective function, the MATINIT default is 0.9. With
constrained mass, the default is reset to the constraint value. If mass is not the objective function and is
not constrained, the default is 0.6.
4. Click return twice to exit the panel.
Step 8: Set Up Mode Tracking.
During optimization, the frequencies and their mode shape may change order due to the change in element
densities and other design changes. To overcome this, define a parameter to track the frequencies so that only
the intended frequencies are tracked during optimization runs.
1. Click control cards and click next twice.

2. Click PARAM.
3. Under Card Image, check MODETRAK.
4. In the card panel, set MODET_V1 to Yes.
5. Click return.
Note that the PARAM button is now green, indicating that it is active.
Step 9: Submit the OptiStruct Job
1. From the Analysis page, click on OptiStruct.

5. Click save as... following the input file: field.
model, comb_complete.fem, in the File name: field.
.fem is the suggested extension for OptiStruct input decks.
7. Click Save.
Note the name and location of the file now displays in the input file: field.
This launches an OptiStruct run ain a seperate shell (DOE or UNIX) which appears.
If the optimization was successful, no error messages are reported to the shell. The optimization is
complete when the line Processing complete appears in the shell.
Post-process Optimization Results in HyperView.
HW-PTC-India
Step 10: Post-process the Shape Change Result (Topography)
1. Once you see the message Process completed successfully in the command window, close the
command window to return to HyperMesh.
2. Back in HyperMesh, click HyperView (from the OptiStruct panel) to launch HyperView.
The HyperView GUI window opens and the results get loaded automatically in HyperView. A Message
Log window appears to inform about the successful loading of the model and result files into HyperView.
3. Click Close to close the message window.
4. Click on the Deformed toolbar button .
5. By clicking on the drop-down menus next to each option, for Result type:, select Shape Change(v); for
Scale:, select Scale factor; and for Type:, select Uniform.
6. For Value: 1.0.
7. Below the Undeformed shape: section, click on the drop-down menu next to Show: and select None.
8. Click Apply to display the shape change because of topography optimization.
9. At the bottom of the GUI, click on the name Design or Model Step,
to activate the Load Case and Simulation

Selection dialog and select the 25th iteration by double-clicking on Iteration 25.
Topography result applied on slider suspension.
Step 11: Contour of the Optimum Material Distribution (Topologic)
1. Click the Contour toolbar button .

2. Select the first drop-down list below Result Type: and select Element Thicknesses(s).
3. Select the second drop-down list below Result Type: and select Thickness.
4. Select Simple in the filed below Averaging method:.
5. Click Apply to display the density contour.
Step 12: Add Iso-surface of the Optimum Material Distribution (Topologic).
HW-PTC-India
1. Click the Iso Value toolbar button .

2. For the first drop-down list below Result Type:, choose Element Densities (s) and Density in the
second list.
3. Below the Display options:, make sure that Above is selected in the field next to Show values:.
4. Click Apply to display the density iso-surface plot.
5. Enter 0.3 in the field next to Current value and press the ENTER key.
6. An iso-surface plot is displayed in the graphics window. Those parts of the model with a density greater
than the value of 0.3 are shown in with density contour, the rest are removed from the display.

Hyperworks Tutorial

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hyperworks Tutorial

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Copyright © 2012 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.

FEM (Finite Element Method)

How the results are interpolated from a few calculation points

What is DOF (Degree Of Freedom) ?

When can we say that we know the solution to above problem?

What is DOF (Degree Of Freedom) ?

Graphics Area Main Menu

Open the HyperMesh model file

HyperMesh model file, bumper_cen_mid1.hm, opened in HyperMesh

Import the HyperMesh model file

 From the standard toolbar, click Import ( ).

Import the IGES geometry file

IGES geometry file, bumper_end.igs, imported into the session

Import the OptiStruct input file

Export the model’s geometry data to an IGES file

b. From the standard toolbar, click Export Geometry .

Export the model’s mesh data to an OptiStruct input file

b. From the standard toolbar, click New Model ( ).

Controlling the Display

Manipulate the model view using the mouse controls

Control the display of components using the toolbar

5. Right-click Shaded Elements and Feature Lines, , to access Shaded Elements, .

Control the display of entities using the Mask panel

1. Click Mask to open the Mask panel.

Open and view the model file, clip.hm.

4. Click Wireframe Geometry to display the model in Wire frame mode.

5. Click Visualization and navigate to the Topology tab.

Only the free edges should be displayed at this point.

Free edges indicating surface discontinuities of the clip geometry.

11. Select all the check boxes.

14. Click Shaded Geometry and Surface Edges

Surface overhanging an edge and a missing surface

Area of collapsed edge

Delete the surface that overhangs the round corner

3. In the graphics area, select the overhanging surface shown

Create surfaces to fill large gaps in the model

2. Now here click on Spline/Filler option to generate the missing surface.

3. Click the Keep tangency check box.

HyperMesh automatically creates a filler surface to close the hole.

Set the global geometry cleanup tolerance to 0.01.

2. Go to the geometry subpanel.

4. Click return to exit the panel.

2. Here select the equivalence radio button

3. Activate the equiv free edges only check box.

2. In the cleanup tol = field, type 0.1.

Area where free edges need to be toggled

Combine the remaining free edge pair using replace

2. In the Model Browser, click next to the View2 saved view

Find and delete all duplicate surfaces

2. Click on the duplicate radio button to activate the duplicate command.

3. Click surfaces >> displayed.

Generate a midsurface from midsurface panel.

Review the part’s midsurface

Midsurface generated from a volume of surfaces

4. On the Visualization toolbar, access the Transparency panel ( ).

When to Use 1-D Elements

Element shape – Line

Element type – Rod, bar, beam, pipe, axi-symmetric shell etc.

Practical applications - Long shafts, beams, pin joint, connection elements

Types of 1-D element

Problem Definition:- 30,000 N

Steps to solve the problem using HyperWorks.

Step 1 :- Open HyperWorks Student Edition.

Step 2 :- Create Material.