AutoPIPE Support Optimization

This tutorial provides an overview of the Support Optimization feature and a step-by-step workflow to set up
and solve a model.

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Sample Workflow
The following sample workflow describes the step-by-step procedures to set up and locate optimum support
locations using a pre-defined AutoPIPE model. In this pre-defined model, the support locators are already
defined, and the optimization settings are established. You will review these settings and later alter these
settings to refine the support optimizer definition and provide different support options for locators on
vertical pipes.

1. Select File > File > Example > Archive (*.APC) to display the Open dialog.
2. Select the SupportOptimizationTutorial.APC model, then press Open.

3. Review the existing support locator group (View > Grid > Input) by selecting the Support Locator Groups
tab from the Input Grid.

a. Notice that you can change the assignment of the Assembly Options by selecting the appropriate
value from the associated drop-down pick-list.
b. Only one support locator group is defined. You will add another later.

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4. Review the existing support locators by selecting the Support Locators tab from the Input Grid.

a. To highlight the support locators in the model, select the corresponding rows in the Input Grid.
b. Notice the same support locator group is defined for all support locators. You will define
different locator groups later for horizontal pipes and one for vertical pipes.
c. Notice that you can change the group assigned to each support locator by selecting the
appropriate value from the Locator Group drop-down pick-list.
5. For pre-existing supports not to be considered for support optimization (not to be changed), toggle
them on/off using the Ignore Existing Supports option.
a. Select the Support Locators tab from the Input Grid.
b. Toggle the Ignore Existing Supports check-box On for the appropriate support at B08.
6. Define a new support to be used in a new support group by selecting the Support Optimization >
Support Definition > Supports .

a. Press Add and define the new name for the support Guide Vert. Set Guide as the Type from the
drop-down picklist, then set all gaps to 0.000.
b. Press OK.
c. Select Support Optimization > Support Definition > Assemblies and add this support to an
assembly by pressing Add Assembly.

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 d. Provide a name and description for the new assembly and select Guide Vert from the Select
Supports for Assembly list.
e. Press OK and close the Add Assembly dialog.
f. Press OK.
7. Define a new support group for the vertical pipes by selecting Support Optimization > Support
Definition > Locator Group .
a. Enter the new support Group Name and select the Vertical Guide instead of the Guide already
in the assembly option list.
b. Update the Assembly Options so that they appear as shown below:

c. Press OK and close the dialog.

8. Review the existing support locator groups by selecting the Support Locator Groups tab from the Input
Grid.

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9. Select the Support Locators tab in the Input Grid.

a. Notice that the locator group column has been updated to include to the new name.
b. Select the Vertical Pipe Group from the Locator Group drop-down for locators at B02 F and B03.
10. Analyze the Model by selecting Analysis > Analyze > Analyze All . A successful analysis is needed for
running and passing the Support Optimization consistency checks.

a. Press OK.
11. Define the support optimization criteria for this model by selecting Support Optimization > Optimize >

Options .

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 a. Check the Support Forces Design Criteria.
b. Check the User Hanger Analysis option.
c. Set the Population Size to 30.
d. Set the Non Improve Gens to 10.
e. Set the Allowable max forces for the different support types to 10000.
f. Press OK.

NOTE: The Optimization Options settings affect the solution and run time. Refer to the AutoPIPE help
file to understand how these settings can be used and Bentley’s recommendations. With this workflow,
varying the settings provide these results. These results are only relevant for this model and may not
have this effect on other models.
Population Non Improve Time Solutions Minimum
Size Gens Supports
30 10 28:03 236 3
30 5 8:27 4 6
20 10 19:01 148 5
20 5 14:24 78 5

12. Select Support Optimization > Optimize > Submit and perform a consistency check by pressing Run
Consistency Checks.

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 a. Notice there are no consistency errors with this model.
b. Press OK.
13. Submit the job for optimization and monitor the progress by pressing Submit.

The optimizer iterates through multiple cycles as it progresses. Each cycle is made of individual trials
(i.e., configuration of supports evaluated by the program). At the end of every cycle, a best trial is
identified. The optimizer may need several cycles before finding a best trial that is a viable solution
satisfying all specified design criteria.

The graph provides feedback concerning the progress of the optimizer. This feedback is in the form of
tracking two metrics – number of supports and cost.

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 Each point on the number of supports graph and cost graph corresponds to the best trial in that cycle.
The cost is calculated as the addition of basic cost and additional cost of all support assemblies in the
trial.

A green circle indicates a solution to the design criteria. It may or may not coincide with the minimum
number of supports for a given trial, which may not have been a solution to all the criteria.

14. Review the different solutions in the Options list by selecting a solution and pressing Open Model to
review the support configuration.

NOTE: Pictured above is a solution with three supports, plus one existing support that was fixed.

NOTE: The Support Optimizer uses NTL to process geometry and loading information before generating
scenarios from the base input model. This process converts the original model to a base NTL file from
which scenarios are generated as individual NTL files that are imported back and analyzed by the
AutoPIPE analysis engine. This NTL round-trip process can cause some fidelity loss, resulting in some
differences between the base model and optimization solution model. This has been identified and will
be addressed in a future release.

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