HS-1060: Link Variables of a Model to Output Responses of Other Models

Learn how to link variables of a model to output responses of other models.

Before you begin, copy the model files used in this tutorial from <hst.zip>/HS-1060/ to your working directory.
The input variables are the thickness of each of the three components, defined in the input deck via the PSHELL card. The thickness should be between 0.05 and 0.15; the initial thickness is 0.1.
Figure 1. Double Symmetric Plate Model


Perform the Study Setup

  1. Start HyperStudy.
  2. Start a new study in the following ways:
    • From the menu bar, click File > New.
    • On the ribbon, click .
  3. In the Add Study dialog, enter a study name, select a location for the study, and click OK.
  4. Go to the Define Models step.
  5. Add a Parameterized File model.
    1. From the Directory, drag-and-drop the plate.tpl file into the work area.
      Figure 2.


    2. In the Solver input file column, enter plate.fem.
      This is the name of the solver input file HyperStudy writes during any evaluation.
    3. In the Solver execution script column, select OptiStruct (os).
  6. Add a Spreadsheet model by dragging-and-dropping Cost.xls file from the Directory into the work area.
    The Resource, Solver input file, and Solver input arguments fields become populated. The Solver input file field displays hst_input.hstp, this is the name of the solver input file HyperStudy writes during an evaluation.
    Note:

    When you create an Excel spreadsheet model, it is important that the spreadsheet is formatted correctly. A variable's value and label can be formatted in two consecutive rows or two consecutive columns. Variable labels should only contain English characters, or a combination of English characters and numbers. If a label is not created for a variable, HyperStudy will assign one by default.

    Figure 3.


  7. Click Import Variables.
    The cost.xls spreadsheet opens.
  8. Add input variables.
    1. In the Excel dialog, click Yes to begin selecting input variables.
    2. In the spreadsheet, select the cells that contain the input variable's labels and values.
      Figure 4.


    3. In the Excel dialog, click OK.
    4. Click Cancel to stop selecting input variables.
  9. Add output responses.
    1. In the Excel dialog, click Yes to begin selecting output responses.
    2. In the spreadsheet, select the cells that contain the output response's label and value.
      Figure 5.


    3. In the Excel dialog, click OK.
    4. Click Cancel to stop selecting output responses.
      Two input variables and one output response are imported from the cost.xls spreadsheet.
  10. Go to the Define Input Variables step.
  11. Review the input variable's upper and lower bound ranges.

Perform Nominal Run

  1. Go to the Test Models step.
  2. Click Run Definition.
    An approaches/setup_1-def/ directory is created inside the study Directory. The approaches/setup_1-def/run__00001/m_1 directory contains the input file, which is the result of the nominal run.

Create and Evaluate Output Responses

In this step you will create output responses, Mass and Displacement.

  1. Go to the Define Output Responses step.
  2. Create the Mass output response.
    1. From the Directory, drag-and-drop the plate.out file, located in approaches/setup_1-def/run__00001/m_1, into the work area.
      Figure 6.


    2. In the File Assistant dialog, set the Reading technology to Altair® HyperWorks® and click Next.
    3. Select Single Item in a Time Series, then click Next.
    4. Define the following options, then click Next.
      • Set Type to Mass.
      • Set Request to Mass.
      • Set Component to Value.
      Figure 7.


    5. Label the output response Mass.
    6. Set Expression to First Element.
      Note: Because there is only a single value in this data source, [0] is inserted after m_1_ds_1, thereby choosing the first (and only) entry in the data source.
    7. Click Finish.
      Figure 8.


    The Mass output response is displayed in the work area.
  3. Create the Displacement output response.
    1. From the Directory, drag-and-drop the plate.h3d file, located in approaches/setup_1-def/run__00001/m_1, into the work area.
    2. In the File Assistant dialog, set the Reading technology to Altair® HyperWorks® and click Next.
    3. Select Single Item in a Time Series, then click Next.
    4. Define the following options, and then click Next.
      • Set Subcase to Subcase 1 (Load).
      • Set Type to Displacement (Grids).
      • Set Request to N298.
      • Set Component to MAG.
    5. Label the output response Displacement.
    6. Set Expression to First Element.
    7. Click Finish.
    The Displacement output response is added to the work area.
  4. Click Evaluate to extract the response values.

Link Input Variables to Output Responses

In this step you will link Mass_Excel input variable of Model 2 to Mass output response of Model 1.

  1. In the Explorer, click Define Input Variables.
  2. Click the Links tab.
  3. In the Expression column of the input variable Mass_Excel, click .
  4. In the Expression Builder, click the Output Responses tab.
  5. Select the output response Mass.
  6. Click Insert Varname.
    The expression m_1_r_1 appears in the Evaluate Expression field.
  7. Click OK.
    The input variable Mass_Excel of Model 2 is now linked to the output response Mass of Model 1.
    Figure 9.


  8. Perform a System Bounds Check and verify that the input variable Mass_Excel is equal to the output response Mass.
    1. In the Explorer, right-click and select Add from the context menu.
    2. In the Add dialog, select Basic and click OK.
    3. Go to the Basic 1 > Specifications step.
    4. In the work area, set the Mode to System Bounds Check.
    5. Click Apply.
    6. Go to the Evaluate step.
    7. Click Evaluate Tasks.
    8. Click the Evaluation Data tab and verify that the input variable Mass_Excel is equal to the output response Mass.
      Figure 10.