Perform Final Post-Optimization Analysis

Import the Model

  1. Click File > Import > Solver Deck.
    An Import tab is added to your tab menu.
  2. For the File type, select OptiStruct.
  3. Select the Files icon files_panel.
    A Select OptiStruct file browser opens.
  4. Select the oht_opti_ph3.fem file you saved to your working directory.
  5. Click Open.
  6. Click Import, then click Close to close the Import tab.

Set Up the Model

Import Final Optimization Properties

  1. In the Import Browser, File field, browser for the oht_opti_ph3.prop file.
  2. Under Import options, select FE overwrite.
  3. Click Import.
The properties of the model are updated with the optimized parameters.

Edit the Contol Cards

  1. In the Model Browser, expand the Cards folder.
  2. Delete the OMIT card.
    1. Right-click on OMIT and select Delete from the context menu.
    2. HyperMesh asks you to confirm the delete. Click Yes to continue.
  3. Edit the OUTPUT card.
    1. Click the OUTPUT card.
    2. In the Entity Editor, in the number_of_outputs field, enter 2.
    The final section of the card is deleted.

Delete the Optimization Entities

  1. In the Model Browser, right-click on the Design Variables folder and select Delete from the context menu.
  2. Click Yes to continue.
  3. In the Model Browser, right-click on the Optimization Responses folder and select Delete from the context menu.
  4. Click Yes to continue.

Review the Model

In this step you will change the settings on the Visualization toolbar to update the appearance of the model.
  1. Set the element visualization model to 2D detailed element representation.
    This will thicken all shells in the model to their total thickness, displaying them as 3-dimensional representations of their thicknesses.
  2. Set Layers to Composite Layers.
    This will separate the view into individual plies.
  3. Set the element color mode to By Prop.

    This will assist you in determining which plies are which in the layup.

    This represents each of the plies in the model according to the color of its ply as shown in the Model Browser. If all of the plies in the model are the same color, change the ply colors in the Model Browser so that each is different to help differentiate the plies in the graphics area.


os3400_ph4_review
Figure 1. Model Thickness with Half of the Model's Elements Masked

Submit the Job

  1. From the Analysis page, click the OptiStruct panel.

    OS_1000_13_17
    Figure 2. Accessing the OptiStruct Panel
  2. Click save as.
  3. In the Save As dialog, specify location to write the OptiStruct model file and enter oht_final for filename.
    For OptiStruct input decks, .fem is the recommended extension.
  4. Click Save.
    The input file field displays the filename and location specified in the Save As dialog.
  5. Set the export options toggle to all.
  6. Set the run options toggle to analysis.
  7. Set the memory options toggle to memory default.
  8. Click OptiStruct to launch the OptiStruct job.
If the job is successful, new results files should be in the directory where the oht_final.fem was written. The oht_final.out file is a good place to look for error messages that could help debug the input deck if any errors are present.

View the Results

  1. From the OptiStruct panel, 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. On the Results toolbar, click resultsContour-16 to open the Contour panel.
  3. Set the Result type to Composites Strains(Mech) (s) and the subtype to Normal X Strain.
    This corresponds to the fiber strain in the model.
  4. To view the individual strain contributions from any one ply, select the appropriate ply name in the Layers drop-down. Confirm that no ply exceeds 9000 microstrain (9e-3).
  5. Set the Result type to Composites Strains(Mech) (s) and the subtype to Normal Y Strain.
    This corresponds to the matrix strain value.
  6. To view the individual strain contributions from any one ply, select the appropriate ply name in the Layers drop-down. Confirm that no ply exceeds 7000 microstrain (9e-3) for the matrix.
The final design weighs ~0.33 lbs.

os3400_ph4_result
Figure 3. Maximum Normal Y Strain Across all Plies. No element exceed 0.007 me.