Create Global Design Spaces

Use the Global tool to create global voxel meshes.

  1. From the Design Space ribbon, click the Global tool.


    Figure 1.
  2. Define voxel options.
    1. On the guide bar, click .
    2. In the Voxel size field, enter a value.
    3. In the Create voxels at: field, select one of the following:
    • Intersections and Voids (default)
    • Voids only
    • Intersections only
      Figure 2.
  3. Select include volume entities.
    Include volume entities define the outer bound of the package space. All space within the include selection will have voxels created unless otherwise specified.
    Important: You must select at least one include.

    Components, elements, lines, surfaces, and solids are supported. Change the entity type from the guide bar selector.

  4. Optional: Select exclude volume entities.
    Exclude volume entities define the non-design parts and/or subsystems. All space within the exclude will be exempt from having voxels created within it.
    Components, elements, lines, surfaces and solids are supported. Change the entity type from the guide bar selector.
  5. Optional: Select or create a symmetry.

    Symmetry allows the voxel design space to be generated using one or more symmetry planes. Once the voxels are created and edited as necessary, the voxels can then be reflected to generate the full model.

    • Select an existing symmetry.
    • Create a new symmetry by clicking the Symmetry selector to activate, then right-click in empty space and select Create New from the context menu.
  6. Click Create.
Voxels are generated at both the intersection of the part(s) and fills the voids of the appropriate package space.


Figure 3.

When the voxels are generated, two new entities are created and append to the Model Browser: Design Spaces and Symmetry Planes. Symmetry Planes will only appear if the Symmetry option is used during voxel generation. Both of these entities store and persist the necessary information for further downstream use, and are saved in the .hm binary file. For example, if the non-design package space changes, you can simply select and update the exclude entities and re-generate the voxels.

Modify the Design Space entity by selecting it in the browser and then invoking the Global tool. Changing the voxel size, the include/exclude content, and symmetry usage is all possible. The Output Components can only be modified in the Model Browser, Entity Editor. Voxels can be organized into one or many components to group the regions into representative manufacturable parts, such as castings or machined parts for example. Typically, these sort of design variables (or regions) have specific topology optimization options applied such as draw direction for improved manufacturability.

The most efficient way to handle load case setup is to have the boundary conditions organized in a separate Include file. If the boundary conditions are applied via RBEs, then the RBEs should be included in the Include as well. Upon voxel creation or update, the Include can be imported and the RBEs can be equivalenced to the new or updated voxels. This process allows for design changes to occur and facilitates quick boundary condition reapplication.


Figure 4.