Figure. Parameters: extent of rounding 0.0 (no rounding).
Common configuration data can not be attributed to a specific configurator, but is needed to configure properly the optimization domain.
The following obligatory data has to be provided.
Boundary conditions options
Define the status of FE nodes belonging to a free region and being either supported or loaded. Although they belong to a free region, such nodes are often required to behave like they would belong to a fixed region to prevent becoming void. Usually, supported nodes are left to remain free and loaded nodes are changed to fixed. But this might be different, depending on the actually considered problem.
Extent of thickness limits rounding
Range [0.0, 1.0]
Defines a relative extent of rounding applied to minimal and maximal thickness limits. Shell/lattice configured designs might exhibit sharp edges at lattice crossings and lattice/shell interfaces at regions where the optimizer pushed the shell/lattice thicknesses either to minimum or maximum. To avoid the appearance of these sharp edges, thickness limits can be rounded numerically.
Application of rounding procedures
Numerical rounding procedures can be applied either to lattice and shell or solely to lattice configurations. In the later case a relative extent of lattice to shell transition rounding can be specified to make the lattice/shell interfaces smoother.
Localization of rounding procedures
Range [0.0, 1.0]
Defines a relative localization intensity factor which limits the influence of the rounding procedures. By larger factors the influence of rounding procedures is more localized around lattice crossings and lattice/shell interfaces.
The figures below show a detail of shell/lattice configured structure. Lattice crossings and lattice/shell interfaces are clearly exposed. Rounding procedures are applied to minimal thickness limit to shell and lattice configurations. Minimal thickness design is shown.
Figure. Parameters: extent of rounding 0.0 (no rounding).
Figure. Parameters: extent of rounding 1.0 (full rounding); localization intensity 0.0 (no localization).
Figure. Parameters: extent of rounding 1.0 (full rounding); localization intensity 1.0 (full localization).
The following figure illustrates the same detail obtained by applying rounding procedures to lattice configurations only. Minimal thickness design is shown.
Figure. Parameters: extent of rounding 1.0 (full rounding); localization intensity 1.0 (full localization); applied to lattice only.