SolidWorks Optimization
Design optimization can increase the value of a product by improving its performance within its operating environment, and by reducing the cost of producing it by reducing the amount of material used to make it.
Optimization is the calculation of weight, stress, cost, deflection, natural frequencies, and temperature factors, which are dependent on variables such as dimensions, loads and restraints, materials, and manufacturing requirements. The challenge is that we seldom know these inputs at the early stages of the design process.
This paper reviews some key concepts in optimization, tools now available for FEA-driven optimization, and then focuses on how design engineers can get the most out of optimization in their day-to-day work.
