Static Analysis of Optimized Model

[Dani2323]

Hi.
I have performed a topology optimization in Abaqus. Now I want to conduct a static analysis of this optimized model in Abaqus and plot a force/displacement diagram. What is the easiest way to achieve this? I have tried exporting the file as an .inp, but it only contains the geometry. There is another .inp file that includes the assembly, load, material properties, etc. Can I merge these two files together? Or is there an alternative solution

 

[FEA way]

You can go to the Job module and use Optimization --> Extract to save the result of the optimization to the .inp or .stl file.

 

[Dani2323]

I have done it, but this inp file only contains the geometry consisting of many elements. There is no information about the load, boundary conditions, material properties, etc. If I have to do this manually, I have to select each element and specify the different loads and boundary conditions. Isn't there a way to retrieve information about the load, boundary conditions, material properties, etc., so that it doesn't have to be done manually?

 

[FEA way]

This tool only extracts the surface mesh. You still have to convert it to geometry to be able to create a solid mesh and assign analysis features properly. The following tools can help with that:
- Plug-ins --> Tools --> STL Import
- Plug-ins --> Create geometry from mesh (the 3D Mesh to Geometry plug-in has to be downloaded and installed first)
- Virtual Topology: Combine Faces

Check the article "Meshing Complex Geometries in Abaqus" on the Simuleon blog, it discusses similar cases when only surface (STL) mesh is available at first.