Setting Up an Optimization Exercise

In this exercise you will setup an optimization after importing a model. You will run two
different types of optimization, one to maximize the stiffness and one to minimize the
mass. The exercise follows very closely the video in the See It portion of the exercise. If
you run into issues or get lost you can refer to the video.

Step 1: Open the Model

1. Click the Open icon.

2. Browse and select Exercise_4.x_t from the download location.

The model opens into session and appears as in the image.

Step 2: Apply the Forces

1. Click the Structure page to open the ribbon.
2. Select Forces on the Load icon.

3. Apply an 810N Force in the +Y direction on each upper pivot boss.

4. Apply an 2435N Force on each upper pivot boss, and rotate -45 degrees off the
positive Y-Axis.

5. Right click to exit the tool when complete.

Step 3: Add Fasteners, Joints, and Contacts

1. Click the Fasteners Icon to activate the tool.

2. On the guide bar, left click the drop-down menu, which says Aligned Holes, and
select Single Holes.

3. Left click the two holes at the bottom of the fork to add a nut and bolt fastener to
each.

4. Select the Joints icon.

5. Left click on the two holes of the rocker, which have no forces acting on them to add
pin connections.

6. Right click to exit the tool.

7. Select the Contacts icon.

8. Left click on the red surfaces near the pins where the rocker meets the seat tube and
the fork. Select Contacting to redefine the contact types.

9. Right click to exit the tool.

Step 4: Add Supports to the Model

1. Select Supports in the Load icon.

2. Apply supports to the two nut and bolt connections on the fork.

3. Apply another support to the one cylindrical hole through the seat tube.

4. Apply one final support to the surface at the end of the seat tube.

5. Right click to exit the tool.

Step 5: Create the Load Case and Add the Forces and Supports
1. Right-click Load Case 1 and select New>Load Case.

2. Right click on Force 3 and mouse over the Include/Exclude from menu.
3. Active Load Case 2 and deactivate Load Case 1.

4. Repeat sub-steps 2 and 3 for Force 4.

5. Left click on Support 1, hold the shift key down and click on Support 4 to select all of
the supports.

6. Right click and mouse over the Include/Exclude from menu.

7. Click All Load Cases from the menu.

Step 6: Assign Materials to the Parts

1. Right click on the Fork part to open the menu.
2. Select Material > Aluminum (7075).

3. Assign aluminum to the Seat Post part and the Seat Post Gusset.
4. Assign Titanium (Ti-17) to the Pins.

Step 7: Simplify the Rocker and Set the Design Space

1. Activate the Geometry ribbon
2. Select the Simplify icon.

3. Select the Holes function.

4. Remove the 6 pockets as shown in the images by left clicking on them.

The model is now simplified for the optimization run.

5. Right click to exit the Simplify tool.

6. Right click on the Rocker part and click Design Space.

The rocker model is now set to be the design space that the optimization will be run
on.

Step 8: Add a Shape Control to Maximize Stiffness

1. Click the Structure ribbon to open it.
2. Select the Draw Direction icon in the Shape Controls group.

3. Select Extrusion from the options.

4. Click the Rocker model to apply an extrusion constraint to the X-Y plane.

5. Right click to exit the Shape Control tool.

Step 9: Run the Optimization and Review the Results

1. Click the Run Optimization icon

2. For the Objective select Maximize Stiffness.

3. Set the Minimum Thickness to 0.008.

4. Click Run to run the optimization.

5. When the run is complete, click the green flag to import the results..
6. Explore the results using the Topology Slider.

Step 10: Adjust the Model and Run a Minimize Mass Optimization
1. Exit the results explorer by either selecting the Rocker radio icon in the Model
Browser.
2. Double click the X-Y plane used for the Extrusion.

3. Open the menu on the left side of the microdialog and select Split Draw.

4. Click the Run Optimization icon.

5. Under Objective, select Minimize Mass and leave the default Safety Factor at 1.2.
6. Keep the Minimum Thickness at 0.008 m

7. Click Run to run the model.

8. When complete, import the results and explore them with the Topology slider.