designxplorer and apdl

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DesignXplorer and APDL

Chapter 6

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Training ManualChapter 6 Contents

• Introduction• APDL Basics• Parameter Initialization• DesignXplorer APDL Example

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Training ManualIntroduction

• DesignXplorer can be used to run ANSYS input files which are setup using ANSYS APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language).

• ANSYS input files are first read into a filter which scans the input for parametric information.

• The user can specify input and response parameters from the filter screen and run the input from the project page.

• When a solution is complete, postprocessing is done using the same DesignXplorer tools described earlier.

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Training ManualAPDL Basics

• ANSYS APDL provides several methods to define parameters. For example:– ABC = 10– *SET,ABC(1,2,3), 12.3,10.3, i– *GET,MAX_STRESS,NODE,STR_POINT,S,EQV– *VGET,MAX_STRESS(1,2,3),NODE,1,S,X

• DX uses an input file parser to expose parameter information.• Several limitations exist:– Where an input file calls a macro which contains parameter data.– Where APDL Parameters are used as part of the parameter assignment.

For example: ABC(1,I,J)=10.345 (here I and J are scalar parameters).– Where the APDL parameter is a character value or a character array.

For example: ABC='ANSYS‘.

• Users can directly enter parameters not found by the parser.

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Training ManualParameter Initialization

• The parser will attempt to determine an initial value for the Input Parameters placed in the list.

• Initial values cannot be determined when:– a parameter is defined by an APDL function.– A parameter is defined by using another parameter on the right hand

side of the equal sign.

• If an initial value cannot be determined a value of 1.0 will be used.• If changes are made to an input file it can be “refreshed” from the

parser screen.

• An example follows . . . .

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Training ManualDX APDL Example

Input parameters

Response parameter

Example:

The input file (ansys_dx.inp) shown here contains parametric entries used to construct, solve and postprocess a simple model.

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Training ManualDX APDL Example

• Chose Mechanical APDL from Toolbox

• RMB On Analysis > Add Input File to read APDL Input file

• Update Project

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Training ManualDX APDL Example

• When the parser screen opens we can see each defined parameter from the input is shown.

• Although the parameters are listed they are not yet identified as input or response. By checking the box in the Input and Output column we define which parameter is Input and which one is Output.

• Note the parameter “theta” is used internal to the file and not in the optimization. In this case:

Theta = atan(2*(ho-t)/(dout-din))

Note: Dock the property window before you check Input/Output box

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Training ManualDX APDL Example

• Once the Parameter set is defined you can proceed with the DX procedure as it was explained in previous chapters.

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Training Manual

Preview Design Points

Update Design Points

DX APDL Example

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Training Manual

Update Response Surface

DX APDL Example