Creating objective functions

An objective function defines the objective of your optimization. To configure an objective function, you select a design response or a combination of design responses and specify the target; for example, to minimize the total strain energy in the model.

  1. From the main menu bar, select Objective FunctionCreate.

    The Create Objective Function dialog box appears.

    Tip: You can initiate the Create procedure in two other ways:

    • Click Create in the Objective Function Manager. (You can display the Objective Function Manager by selecting Objective FunctionManager from the main menu bar.)

    • Click the tool in the Optimization module toolbox.

  2. From the Create Objective Function dialog box that appears, enter the name of the objective function.

    The Edit Objective Function dialog box appears.

  3. Select the Target of the objective function. You can select one of the following:

    • Minimize design response values: create an optimized model that tries to minimize the sum of the weighted differences between the design response and the reference value.

    • Maximize design response values: create an optimized model that tries to maximize the sum of the weighted differences between the design response and the reference value.

    • Minimize the maximum design response values: find the maximum weighted difference between the design response and the reference value and create an optimized model that minimizes that maximum difference.

  4. From the menu in the Name column, select the design response that will be used to define this objective function.

    The objective function editor displays the type of the design response along with its default weight and reference value.

  5. To create an objective function that is a weighted sum of multiple design responses, choose from the following:

    • Select to add a design response to the list of design responses.

    • Select to add all of the valid design responses to the list of design responses.

    • Select to delete a design response from the list of design responses.

    • Select to create a new design response and add it to the list of design responses.

  6. If desired, click on the weight or reference value of an objective function and enter a new value.

  7. Click OK to save your data and to exit the editor.