Explorations

An exploration is a multi-run simulation. Each exploration includes input design variables, and output responses. Explorations may also include goals, consisting of one or more objectives and constraints.

Create Explorations

Use the Create Explorations tool to create DOE, Optimization, Sampling Fit, or Generative Design explorations.

  1. From the Design Explorer ribbon, Exploration tool group, click the Create Explorations tool.
    Figure 1.


    The Explorations dialog opens.
  2. Under the Create tab, click then select an exploration type.
    OptionDescription
    DOE A DOE is a series of tests in which purposeful changes are made to the input variables to investigate their effect upon the output responses and to get an understanding of the global behavior of a design problem. By running a DOE, you can determine which factors are most influential on an output response.
    Optimization An Optimization is a mathematical procedure used to determine the best design for a set of given constraints, by changing the input variables in an automatic manner.

    Optimization explorations require an objective.
    Sampling Fit A Sampling Fit is a combination of space-filling DOE method and mathematical model trained by the data generated.

    To build an accurate Fit model, it is crucial to have enough DOE runs. Since it is challenging to define the right number of runs in a single DOE, the solution has been to sample with an initial guess to build a Fit model. Then, if more data is needed, perform more sampling until the expected accuracy is achieved.

    Of course, there may also be inefficiencies if the initial guess results in more runs than necessary to achieve the desired accuracy.

    Sampling Fit remedies this by continuously sampling the design space and building a Fit at specified, fixed intervals until the required cross-validation R2 is achieved.
    Generative Design A Generative Design exploration is a DOE, where each run in the DOE is a Topology Optimization. Generative Design explorations can be used to generate and review multiple concepts for a given design space.
  3. Edit the study name and study path.
    A single study name and study path will be used for each HyperMesh session. All explorations will be stored under the same study path. When the first exploration is evaluated, a <study name>.hm file will be saved to the study path
  4. If more than one exploration is defined, use the radio button to decide which is currently active.
  5. Optional: From the Design Explorer Browser, right-click the desired exploration and select Check Run from the context menu.
    A Check Run is either a single nominal run or a bounds check, consisting of three runs where all design variables are set to their minimum, nominal, and maximum values. You can make this selection while evaluating explorations.
    Restriction: Check Run is only available for DOEs and Optimizations.

There are two ways to perform optimizations. Creating a “direct” optimization as described above creates an optimization exploration which will evaluate responses directly from the results of each solver run.

In addition, optimizations can be performed based on DOE explorations. In this case, responses are evaluated based on the response surface fit created automatically for each DOE. To create a DOE-based optimization, either check Optimize while evaluating the DOE or choose Optimize from the right-click context menu for a selected DOE exploration.

Tip: Clicking the Review Explorations satellite icon also invokes the Explorations dialog.