Chapter 35: Engine Mount Topology Optimization

Engine Mount Topology

35 Optimization


Summary 542

Introduction 543

Solution Requirements 544

Optimization Solution 544

Modeling Tips 547

Input File(s) 547
542 MD Demonstration Problems
CHAPTER 35

Summary
Title Chapter 35: Engine Mount Topology Optimization
Topology optimization • Averaged compliance minimization
features • Multiple TOPVAR entries
• Multiple load cases
• Displacement constraints
Geometry
Front Mount Beam
Link

Front Mount Beam

Trunnion
Front Mount Ring

Thrust Strut

Material properties Young’s Modulus = 2.05x105 MPa, Poisson’s ratio = 0.3

Boundary conditions Supported on rollers at one point and fixed support at another point.
Applied loads 14 load cases (forces)
Element type HEXA, PENTA, TETRA, and RBE3
Topology result Material distribution
)
 CHAPTER 35 543
Engine Mount Topology Optimization

Introduction
The main goal is to minimize the compliance of the engine-front-mount-beam (shown in Figure 35-1) with mass target
0.3 (material savings 70%) and displacements within a range (-0.6, 0.6) at selected 5 grids. The analysis model has 14
load cases. The finite element model is shown in Figure 35-2. There are 62306 HEXA elements, 703 PENTA elements,
31 TETRA elements, and 5 RBE3 elements.

Link

Front Mount Beam

Trunnion
Front Mount Ring

Thrust Strut

Figure 35-1 Front-Mount-Beam

Front Mount Beam

Figure 35-2 Front-Mount-Beam FE Model

544 MD Demonstration Problems
CHAPTER 35

Solution Requirements
Design Model Description

Objective: Minimize averaged compliance

Topology design region: PSOLID = 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10
Constraints: Constraints: Mass target = 0.3 (i.e., mass savings 70%)
Displacements at grid points 76095, 76096, 76419, 76420,
and 76421 for all 14 load cases within the range (-6.0, 6.0)

This solutions demonstrates:

• The averaged compliance can be used for topology optimization problems with multiple load case to achieve
an efficient design concept.
• Multiple topological design parts are allowed.
• Displacement constrains can be well treated in topology optimization.

Optimization Solution
The input data related to the topology optimization model is given in Listing 7.
The TOPVAR entries define five topological design parts with XINIT (initial design)=0.3 that matches the mass target
so the initial design is feasible (reduce CPU time spent on optimizer).
In order for a structural response to be used either as an objective or a constraint, it first must be identified on a DRESPi
Bulk Data entry. The DRESP1 entries 200-213, for example, identify the compliance. DRSPAN and SET Case Control
Commands are then used to select one compliance DRESP1 entry for each subcase that are used in DRESP2=1000
response. The equation response DRESP2=1000 with the attribute FUNC=AVG spans all subcases to calculate averaged
compliance of the structure. A DESOBJ Case Control Command selects DRESP2=1000 to be an objective.
DRESP1=500 defines a fractional mass response. This mass target is imposed by the upper bound on the DCONSTR=50
entry. As always, fractional mass constraints should be applied at the global level in a design optimization by using
DESGLB. Separate DRESP1 entries 1 -5 identify displacements responses at gird points. There responses are
constrained by the bounds set using a corresponding set of DCONSTR entries.

Listing 7 Input File for Engine Mount

analysis=statics
set 1 = 200
set 2 = 201
set 3 = 202
set 4 = 203
set 5 = 204
set 6 = 205
set 7 = 206
set 8 = 207
set 9 = 208
 CHAPTER 35 545
Engine Mount Topology Optimization

set 10 = 209
set 11 = 210
set 12 = 211
set 13 = 212
set 14 = 213
DESOBJ = 1000
DESGLB = 50
DESSUB = 1
$ Direct Text Input for Global Case Control Data
$ ==================================================================
$ ==================================================================
SUBCASE 1
LOAD = 1
DRSPAN = 1
SUBCASE 2
LOAD = 2
DRSPAN = 2
SUBCASE 3
LOAD = 3
DRSPAN = 3
SUBCASE 4
LOAD = 4
DRSPAN = 4
SUBCASE 5
LOAD = 5
DRSPAN = 5
SUBCASE 6
LOAD = 6
DRSPAN = 6
SUBCASE 7
LOAD = 7
DRSPAN = 7
SUBCASE 8
LOAD = 8
DRSPAN = 8
SUBCASE 9
LOAD = 9
DRSPAN = 9
SUBCASE 10
LOAD = 10
DRSPAN = 10
SUBCASE 11
LOAD = 11
DRSPAN = 11
SUBCASE 12
LOAD = 12
DRSPAN = 12
SUBCASE 13
LOAD = 13
DRSPAN = 13
SUBCASE 14
LOAD = 14
DRSPAN = 14
$ ===================================================================
546 MD Demonstration Problems
CHAPTER 35

BEGIN BULK
$ *******************************************************************
$ Written by : MSC/NASTRAN
$ Version : 4.51
$ Translator : MSC/NASTRAN
$ From Model : D:\users\mulf\bmwroll\fmb.mod
$ Date :
$ *******************************************************************
$
$234567812345678123456781234567812345678
$DCONSTR 1 20 6. 6.1
$23456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678
$DCONADD 1 15 16 17 18 19 21 22
$ 23 24 25 50
DCONSTR 1 1 -6. 6.0
DCONSTR 1 2 -6. 6.0
DCONSTR 1 3 -6. 6.0
DCONSTR 1 4 -6. 6.0
DCONSTR 1 5 -6. 6.0
DCONSTR 50 50 .3
TOPVAR, 1 , psolid, Psolid, .3, , , , 1
TOPVAR, 2 , psolid2, Psolid, .3, , , , 2
TOPVAR, 3 , psolid3, Psolid, .3, , , , 3
TOPVAR, 4 , psolid8, Psolid, .3, , , , 8
TOPVAR, 5 , psolid9, Psolid, .3, , , , 9
TOPVAR, 6 , psolid10, Psolid, .3, , , , 10
$234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678
DRESP1 50 w FRMASS
DRESP1 1 d disp 123 76095
DRESP1 2 d1 disp 123 76096
DRESP1 3 d2 disp 123 76419
DRESP1 4 d3 disp 123 76420
DRESP1 5 d4 disp 123 76421
$234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678
DRESP1, 200, COMP1, COMP
DRESP1, 201, COMP2, COMP
DRESP1, 202, COMP3, COMP
DRESP1, 203, COMP4, COMP
DRESP1, 204, COMP5, COMP
DRESP1, 205, COMP6, COMP
DRESP1, 206, COMP7, COMP
DRESP1, 207, COMP8, COMP
DRESP1, 208, COMP9, COMP
DRESP1, 209, COMP10, COMP
DRESP1, 210, COMP11, COMP
DRESP1, 211, COMP12, COMP
DRESP1, 212, COMP13, COMP
DRESP1, 213, COMP14, COMP
$234567812345678123456781234567812345678123456781234567812345678
DRESP2 1000 COMPL AVG
DRESP1 200 201 202 203 204 205 206
207 208 209 210 211 212 213
 CHAPTER 35 547
Engine Mount Topology Optimization

A topology result shown in Figure 35-3 is obtained by MD Nastran. The topology optimization design proposal is
smoothed by Patran.

Figure 35-3 Front-Mount-Beam Topology Optimization Proposal

Modeling Tips
• If multiple mass targets (multiple DRESP1=FRMASS) are used, it is recommended each TOPVAR's initial
value XINIT matches its corresponding mass target.

Input File(s)
File Description
nug_35.dat Minimize averaged compliance/displacement constraints