Creating a clustering restriction

You can specify that selected regions contain clusters of shell elements of equal thickness after a sizing optimization or clusters of elements of equal pseudodensities after a topology optimization.

See Also
Creating a geometric restriction in a topology or sizing optimization
Creating a geometric restriction in a shape optimization

Context:

You can use clustering to

  • generate strengthening ribs or rings in the sheet metal structure you are optimizing,
  • define borders between regions of equal thickness, or
  • obtain an extrudable profile in the solid structures.

Clustered regions can be reproduced in manufacturing using sheets of constant thickness; for example, a vehicle body in white formed by welding and stamping individual sheet metal structures. To allow for maximum design flexibility, you should first optimize your structure without specifying clustering and use the initial design to decide which regions to cluster in your final optimization.

  1. From the main menu bar, select Geometric RestrictionCreate.

    The Create Geometric Restriction dialog box appears.

    Tip: You can initiate the Create procedure in two other ways:

    • Click Create in the Geometric Restriction Manager. (You can display the Geometric Restriction Manager by selecting Geometric RestrictionManager from the main menu bar.)

    • Click the tool in the Optimization module toolbox.

  2. From the Create Geometric Restriction dialog box that appears, enter the name of the geometric restriction.
  3. Select Cluster areas (Sizing) or Cluster areas (Topology) from the list of geometric restrictions, and click Continue.

    The Edit Geometric Restriction dialog box appears.

  4. From the list of Eligible Sets, select the sets specifying regions that will contain clusters of elements of equal thickness or of equal pseudo densities after the optimization.

    Note:

    If the desired set does not exist, click to create it.

  5. Click the arrow to move the selected sets to the list of Selected Sets.
  6. Click OK to create the thickness clustering geometric restriction and to exit the editor.