All Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Viscoelastic Material

The behavior of Viscoelastic materials is intermediate between the idealized behavior of elastic solids and viscous liquids. The time domain Viscoelastic material in OptiStruct is represented by the generalized Maxwell model and is defined by a Prony series expansion.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Creep Material

Creep is the permanent time dependent deformation occurring in structures, can be defined using MATVP bulk card entry. It is based on power-law model and can be used in its ‘time hardening’ form or in the corresponding ‘strain hardening’ form.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Manufacturing Constraints Support for Multiple-Material Topology Optimization

All manufacturing constraints are supported for Multiple Materials Topology optimization (MMAT) from v2019.1.Different manufacturing constraints could be applied to different candidate materials in the same design domain. The original material defined by property will not be taken as candidate material by default. OptiStruct will error out if there is only one candidate material defined for the same design domain in MMAT.The element density result is available for all candidate materials in v2019.1.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimSolid – Copy Boundary Condition

Copy of loads and boundary condition: This would allow user to copy loads and boundary condition from one structural subcase to another structural subcase or structural subcase to modal subcase.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimSolid – Spots for Load Application

Many traditional FEA systems require faces to be split to create localized loads and constraints. SimSolid has a better way – Spots.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimSolid – Linear Superposition of Subcases

Linear Superposition of subcases in SimSolid.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimSolid – Partial Dynamic Response & Dynamic Reaction Forces

Partial dynamic response & dynamic reaction forces in SimSolid.

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperView – New Door Intrusion Tool

New door intrusion tool in HyperView.

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperView – New MPDB Projection Tool

New MPDB projection tool in HyperView.

Tips & Tricks

MediaView – Marker Lock

Marker lock in MediaView.

Tips & Tricks

Altair Inspire – Joint Coupler

Rotational and/or translational movements of connected parts in your motion model can now be coupled together with the Couplers tool.

Tips & Tricks

Altair Inspire –Top Bottom Mid Surface Extraction

Top bottom mid surface extraction in Altair Inspire.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct – Nonlinear Axisymmetric Analysis

Nonlinear axisymmetric analysis with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair Inspire – Mesh Control

How to use the mesh control option in Altair Inspire.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct – Mode Tracking and Rotor Energy from Complex Eigen Value Analysis

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct – Key Performance Indicator Output

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct – Section Force Output from Pretension Bolt

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Flatten Face

Flatten face option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – New Model Types Support

New model types supported in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – Input Variable Constraints

Input variable constraints in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – Data Sources

Data Sources in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – Gradients Tab

Gradients tab in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – New Online Help

New online help in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Identical Features

Identical Features option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Solver Online Help

New online help with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair HyperStudy – Ordination Post Processing

Ordination Post Processing in HyperStudy

Tips & Tricks

Altair Radioss – Recommendations for Crash Applications Interface Type 24

Recommendations for Crash Applications for Interface Type 24 in Radioss.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Enhanced FSTOSZ Functionality for Composites Optimization

Enhanced FSTOSZ functionality for composites optimization with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Output of Multiple Failure Theories for Composites

Output of multiple failure theories for composites in OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Zone Based Discrete Composite Free-Size Optimization

Zone based discrete composite free-size optimization with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – LGDISP support for Anisotropic Materials

LGDISP support for anisotropic materials with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Equivalent Plastic Strain Response for optimization

Equivalent plastic strain response for optimization with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Contact Pressure/Force as a Response for optimization

Contact Pressure/Force as a response for optimization with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Failure response for topology optimization

Failure response for topology optimization in OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Neuber optimization response in nonlinear subcase

Neuber optimization response in nonlinear subcase in OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair OptiStruct – Manufacturing constraints for composite optimization

Manufacturing constraints for composite optimization with OptiStruct.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Create Rib

Create rib option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Modify and Remove Fillet

Modify and remove fillet option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Morph Features

Morph features option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

Altair SimLab – Face Mesh Control with Layer option

Face mesh control with layer option in SimLab.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct - Equivalent Plastic Strain Response for Optimization

Equivalent plastic strain can be used as an internal response when a nonlinear response optimization is run using the equivalent static load method. This is made possible through the use of an approximated correlation between linear strain and plastic strain, which are calculated in the inner and outer loops respectively, of the ESL method.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct - Contact Pressure, Force as a Response for Optimization

Contact Pressure can be used as an internal response when a model with contact and optimization is run. Contact pressure response is activated using RTYPE=CNTP option. The PTYPE should be set to CONTACT and the corresponding CONTACT Bulk Data ID(s) can be referenced on the ATTi field.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct - Failure Response for Topology Optimization

Factor of Safety (FOS) and margin of safety (MOS) optimization responses are now available for Topology optimization. It is calculated using NORM approach on design domain. All optimization types are now supported including Topology.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct - Neuber Optimization Response in Nonlinear Subcase

Neuber Stress and Neuber Strain sensitivities are supported for optimization in small displacement NLSTAT. It was already supported for optimization in FASTCONT analysis. It is supported only for small displacement analysis, it is not supported for large displacement. Once Neuber response is defined, the material will be treated as linear and MATS1 props are used only for Neuber correction. It is supported for solids as well as shells. It is supported for all optimization types except topology & freesize optimization.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct - Manufacturing Constraints for Composite Optimization

Certain manufacturing constraints are important when designing composite laminates, like balancing of plies, thickness of plies, etc. ln OptiStruct, manufacturing constraints can be defined during free size optimization, shuffling optimization for a better manufacturability and desired stacking sequence. The following are some of the manufacturing constraints which can be used depending on the requirement.

Tips & Tricks

5 ways to optimize your design

Gauge optimization, size and shape, and shell optimization, can be used to improve an existing design without altering its overall architecture. 3D topology optimization can be used when a significant re-design is desired because it identifies the optimal load paths of a structure and recommend material reduction. The material layout produced in the 3D topology is then interpreted into a concept design which is dimensioned and fine-tuned with the gauge, size, and shape approaches resulting in a final structure. Do you want to learn how to execute all the techniques mentioned? Step-by-step tutorials are available now for download!

Tips & Tricks

SimLab – Create Rib

How to create rib option in Simlab.

Tips & Tricks

OptiStruct Lessons Learned from a Cambered Structure with Welds made Post-Decambering using Modchg

Problem Description - A pre-cambered trailer is loaded to nearly flat under 1g down by a permanent payload (large steel transformer oil reservoir box). - As the payload is loaded, the trailer is 'de-cambered." They payload is then welded in place to the trailer. - Other operational load cases are applied as the subsequent load cases to the de-cambering load. Topology optimization is conducted with responses from both de-cambering load case and subsequent load cases. - All subsequent analysis must take into account the de-cambering held in place by the welds. The de-camber is a "large displacement" formulation and the loading happens via sliding contact with the payload box.

Tips & Tricks