Finite Element Analysis has traditionally been used as a design-verification method. Recent developments in Mathematics, Software and Mechanics have led to a dramatic change: Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is now widely deployed at the concept-design stage itself.

This volume presents these changes in the engineering industry and introduces you to the theory necessary to effectively apply optimization techniques using Altair’s OptiStruct.

To make the most of this book you should be an engineering student, in your third or final year of Mechanical Engineering. You should have access to licenses of HyperWorks, to the Altair website, and to an instructor who can guide you through your chosen projects or assignments.

The book can also be useful to working engineers faced with using OptiStruct for a project on short notice. It’s accompanied by a series of solved examples presented as videos with voice-over narration. The book is available both online and from Altair India. The PDF version is free: for printed versions, contact Altair India to check the price.

Areas covered include 

• definitions of optimization problems – constraints, objectives, and design variables
• applications in linear analyses
• the difference between analysis and design
• the optimization model, global and local minima and the Kuhn-Tucker conditions
• essential aspects of the finite element method (FEM or FEA)
• an introduction to OptiStruct’s capabilities
• techniques related to optimization of laminated fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP)