Topology optimization

[bek_ad]

my first topology optimized part using "bezo" , this tool is awesome, thank you "fandaL", (i want to send picture but as it is my first post on the forum i don’t know how)

[jmaustpc]

(i want to send picture but as it is my first post on the forum i don’t know how)

The forum rules link above the help forum shows you how and other useful tips.

[Matael]

Hi!

it sounds to me there is a difference between topology optimization and shape optimization am I wrong?

[fandaL]

Hi!

it sounds to me there is a difference between topology optimization and shape optimization am I wrong?

Yes, but sometimes it is not so clear if you look at specific method.
Frequent classification in structural optimization is to

• Size optimization - e.g. searching for width and high of cantilevered beam

• Shape optimization - searching for outer shape, e.g. by moving surface nodes

• Topology optimization - to find distribution of material in the space, i.e. each element is there or not

[Matael]

Yes, but sometimes it is not so clear if you look at specific method.
Frequent classification in structural optimization is to

• Size optimization - e.g. searching for width and high of cantilevered beam

• Shape optimization - searching for outer shape, e.g. by moving surface nodes

• Topology optimization - to find distribution of material in the space, i.e. each element is there or not

Thank's for your answer!
Is there an order to run each optimization?

[fandaL]

Is there an order to run each optimization?

It depends on your task, tools available, and manufacturing possibilities. It's hard to generalize.
When you are only improving existing model (solving some specific issue) you can use sizing optimization to vary radii, thickness of some features and so. If you are starting from a scratch you could use topology optimization, smooth results and then use shape optimization - maybe you can directly 3D print it, but if you would like to get rather inspired for drawing part by yourself, e.g. for milling, you can jump from topology optimization over shape optimization and use size optimization to get "human" readable or normalized dimensions instead of organic shapes.

[Matael]

@fandal

Thank's for your answers ! it's really interresting =)

[Ehn]

I was wondering what is the status of the topology optimization using CalcliX FEM solver at this present time? its been 2 years, I was wondering if there are other topology optimization tools for FreeCAD

[fandaL]

I can speak only according to my project https://github.com/fandaL/beso I don‘t know if someone else is planning to implement topology optimization to FreeCAD (e.g. https://github.com/DMST1990/ToOptiX )
I was thinking already long time ago about making a simple GUI for FreeCAD which would be easier to use for a basic task (in compare to setting manually all parameters in the python configuration file), but as you can see… I have not started yet.

[DMST1990]

I can speak only according to my project https://github.com/fandaL/beso I don‘t know if someone else is planning to implement topology optimization to FreeCAD (e.g. https://github.com/DMST1990/ToOptiX )
I was thinking already long time ago about making a simple GUI for FreeCAD which would be easier to use for a basic task (in compare to setting manually all parameters in the python configuration file), but as you can see… I have not started yet.

I created a macro for FreeCAD, so you can define a model in FreeCAD and start an optimization run by using a simple macro. The process will start externally, so that a termianl will pop up. There you have to wait for the results (which are located in the ToOptix folder 'work'). (You can use FreeCAD during the analysis)


This works for simple 3D models with the first material definition as design space and the second material definition as the non design space by default.



https://github.com/DMST1990/ToOptixUpdate
You can use MayAvi as a post processor during the analysis as well (I would not recommend this and you have to install VTK).
The optimization settings can be defined in the file 'run_optimization_freeCAD.py'.

So in may case you have to specify everything in a configuration file like in "fandaL"´s project.