Review the following requirements and limitations associated with performing a density-based optimization analysis. These limitations apply only to the optimization analysis and are not applicable to any downstream design validation systems. In addition, see the next section, Topology Optimization - Density Based Solution Methodology, for a description of the theory behind the solution methodology used for density-based optimization analyses.
Element Type Requirements
The density-based optimization analysis supports Solid, Shell, and Plane elements in the optimization region. The application excludes any other element type used in this region from the optimization solution.
Recommendations
For a density-based optimization analysis, Ansys recommends that you:
Use the mixable density method when you specify a Thermal Condition in an upstream Static Structural analysis to enable a more versatile and robust problem formulation.
General Limitations
The density-based optimization analysis method does not support:
Imported Plies (Composites).
Graphical view of Exclusions created by Direct FE boundary conditions.
Cracks defined within the Fracture object.
If you specify the Solver Type as , the application only supports Response constraints types of Mass and Volume and Manufacturing Constraints where only the Minimum Member Size can be specified.
Use of Section Planes with Topology Density and Topology Elemental Density results. Note that the User Defined Result does support this feature.
Pre-stressed Modal analysis.
Large-deflection effects in a Static Structural analysis (NLGEOM, ON).
Nonlinear contacts (supported contact includes and ).
Axisymmetric model when you wish to define a Global Stress Constraint and Local von-Mises Stress Constraint.
Any Thermal system linked to the upstream Static Structural system.
A solution run on high performance computing (HPC) using Distributed Ansys across multiple machines, when:
You have Thermal Condition included in a Static Structural analysis linked to a Structural Optimization analysis.
You want to optimize a Static Structural analysis that is linked to an upstream Steady-State Thermal analysis.
A Structural Optimization that includes a Reaction Force Constraint.
Modal Analysis Limitations
When linked to a Modal analysis, the density-based optimization analysis does not support:
Damping when the Damped property set to (and therefore also the Campbell Diagram chart).
solver selection.
solver selection.
Linked Static Structural Analysis Limitations
When linked to a Static Structural analysis, the density-based optimization analysis does not support the following boundary conditions:
Joint Load.
Fluid Solid Interface.
EM Transducer.
Linked Thermal Analysis Limitations
For a density-based optimization analysis linked to an upstream Steady State Thermal analysis, the application does not support the use of the Ansys Remote Solve Manager (RSM) to submit jobs on a remote machine.