Activity 4: Promote mesh & modify original geometry

In this activity you use the mesh object as a template for making modifications to the original geometry in the Design workspace. You

design model before and after optimization

Gripper arm shape optimization result (left) and Gripper arm design model following optimization (right).

Prerequisites

Steps

  1. Export the model to the Design workspace.

    1. Click promote mesh icon (Simulation workspace > Results tab > Result Tools panel > Promote) to open the Promote dialog.
    2. In the Promote dialog, change the Add mesh object to: selection to Model Workspace.

      Note: You select this option because you want to modify the original model geometry, not the simulation model.

    3. Click OK to export the mesh object and close the dialog.

      Notice that you are switched to the Design workspace, automatically, and the mesh object is superimposed on the original model design.



      promote mesh

  2. Access the Sketch environment, and create closed sketch objects around the material to be removed, by drawing splines point-to-point. Make sure to extend mesh sections that end abruptly.

    Tip: You do not need to follow the meshed body contour too closely. In fact, it is advantageous to smooth out the roughness of the raw shape optimization output resulting from the irregular element shapes and locations. You could draw straight lines and arcs instead of splines to make the cutouts look more like a typical manufactured part. In this activity, we follow the meshed body fairly closely to see the stress in the raw optimized shape.

    1. Click create sketch icon (Design workspace > Solid tab > Create panel > Create Sketch).
    2. Select the top surface of the gripper arm as the sketch plane, to open the Sketch Palette dialog.

      Notice that the Sketch tab appears on the ribbon and the Sketch commands are now available.



      sketch face
    3. Click spline icon (Design workspace > Sketch tab > Create panel > Fit Point Spline) to activate the Fit Point Spline command.
    4. Using the Fit Point Spline command, click along the cutout regions drawing splines point-to-point.

      Note: Click on the starting point to close the loop and start on a new closed spline.

      fit point splines

    5. Click (Design workspace > Sketch tab > Finish Sketch panel > Finish Sketch) after all of the closed splines have been made, to exit the Sketch environment.

      splines complete

  3. Cut out the enclosed sketch areas, to leave only the required geometry.

    1. Click extrude icon (Design workspace > Solid tab > Create panel > Extrude) to open the Extrude Spline.
    2. In the Extrude dialog, change the Operation to cut icon Cut
    3. Select all of the enclosed sketch areas by clicking inside the closed splines.

      select areas to cut
    4. Click and drag the extrusion direction/distance manipulator arrow down through the full thickness of the body.

      cut through
    5. Click OK to complete the operation, and close the Extrude dialog.

      Note: If there are extra bodies left after you complete the Cut operation, select them, and delete them from the Browser.

      delete bodies

      In the Browser, in the Bodies folder, you should now see only body icon Body1 and the mesh body icon MeshBody1

Activity 4 summary

In this activity, you used the mesh object as a template for making modifications to the original geometry in the Design workspace. You

Parent page: Tutorial: Shape optimization analysis
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