Objective: Set up and optimize parts on a per-Element basis.
Element optimization can be used to explore more "organic" designs for a Structure; thickness transitions and Ply drops are not restricted to Zone boundaries as with Zone-based optimization.
Important
Element Optimization is only compatible with metal plates and composite one-stack concepts.
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Put elements to be optimized in a Structure.
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At least one Design Load must be specified.
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Set up Materials (Composites or Metal) to be used in the optimization.
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Create a Design Property - Element optimization is only compatible with metal plates and composite one-stack concepts.
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Specify "Element" in the Sizing mode drop-down.
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Select a Material.
Make sure the new or newly-edited Design Property is assigned to the desired Zones. Any Zone that is assigned this design can now be optimized using Detailed Sizing.
Tip
An easy way to check which Design Properties have been assigned to which Zones is to click on the Design Property's node in the Property Tree. Any Zones that have been assigned that design will be highlighted in the Viewport.
The Element Optimization settings can be accessed from the "Element Optimization" section of the Run tab on the main Ribbon. Optionally, the Element Pptimization settings will appear when the analysis is run (if the user has not already accessed settings before clicking the run button).
The first layer of settings lets you choose between optimization modes. The first option, "FEM Property Zone Based," is intended to be used in conjunction with Zone Pattern Optimization (but doesn't have to be). This mode has many settings for blending the results of the Element Optimization to smooth out thicknesses/ply counts, which are eventually used to generate new Zones.
The second mode for Element Optimization is "Ply Based," and only works with one-stack composite designs. This approach uses the Element Optimization to generate "organic" ply shapes.
FEM Property Zone Based
This mode of Element Optimization has many settings associated with it to control the level of fidelity as well as the smoothing of results.
Ply Based
The Ply Based optimization utilizes the same blending features as the Property Zone Optimization option which contribute to the ply shapes.
Note
If you use Ply Based optimization, you cannot utilize the ‘Use simpler smeared Dij values’ option.
Additionally, Stacking Options must be defined: preferences for the stacking sequence algorithm (determining the through thickness position of the individual plies): Pyramid, Triangle, Hourglass, Diamond and Interleaved.
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Pyramid - Prefers the ply with largest coverage on the bottom and the plies with smallest coverage on top.
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Triangle - Reverses the Pyramid; smallest coverage on bottom, highest on top.
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Hourglass - Prefers large plies to be on top and bottom, places smaller plies in the center on the laminate.
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Diamond - Reverses Hourglass; small plies on top and bottom, larger plies in the center.
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Interleaved - Combines Hourglass and Diamond; places largest plies on top and bottom, then alternates small and large plies through the thickness.
Note
‘Patched plies’ (the ones generated when the "Patching" option is used) are always places on the top and bottom of the laminate – regardless of stacking options. Further options to alter undesired plies can be turned on. The values for the option can be defined either in percent of the Structure’s total area, or as an absolute value.
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Erase plies smaller than - Removes all plies that have a smaller coverage than the defined values.
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This option is particularly helpful, when blending is not able to remove small plies – often found when loads localized on several locations or loads concentrate at discrete holes.
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Extend plies larger than X to at least Y - Removing plies often causes negative margins of safety resulting in an unsafe design. If small plies are still undesired, this option grows plies deemed too small for a design (X) to an acceptable minimum size (Y>X).
Note
This option is often used in conjunction with the erase smaller plies. Note, that the first entry is linked to the ‘erase plies’ option!
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Extend plies larger than Z to full part plies - This option creates plies that cover the entire structure, if the ply is larger than Z.
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This option is used to simplify ply shapes and ultimately reduce the number of cuts made during the manufacturing process.
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Fill holes smaller than A - This option is required to find holes in plies (boundaries that include at least one structural edge is not a hole). Should these individual holes be smaller than A, they are filled.
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This option sacrifices structural performance (increases weight) for manufacturability (decreases cuts per ply).
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Create a Peak Element Load Property and assign to each Zone. This is required to run Element Optimization.
Assign an Analysis Property to each Zone.
Select the desired Zones and click the Size button on the "Run" tab of the Ribbon.
Most of the standard HyperX Sizing results (thickness, margins, critical failure mode, critical load case) are generated from Element Optimization and can be plotted from the Legend.
Important
Make sure to set the Legend to plot Element results, rather than Zone, using the checkbox shown below.
The results of Element Optimization can be useful for informing the creation of Sizing Zones. The following workflows outline different ways to create Zones from Element-based results.
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Automatically Generate New Zones - Zone Pattern Optimization can be used to automatically group Elements into new "organic" Zone shapes based on the Element Optimization results.
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Manually Create New Zones - The Element Optimization results can also be used to guide the manual creation of Zones. This is done by plotting thicknesses or ply counts with the Legend and selecting Elements based on these results. The Selection tools such as the convex hull feature are useful for cleaning up these results.