Tosca

Tosca: Efficient Optimization Based on FEA & CFD Simulations

Today’s engineers aspire to develop innovative products in the shortest development time possible. Lightweight design, safety, comfort, performance, efficiency, and durability are just some of the aspects to take into account.

As leading technologies for structural optimization and flow optimization, both Tosca Structure and Tosca Fluid offer efficient optimization based on industry standard FEA (Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran) and CFD software (STAR-CCM+ and ANSYS Fluent).

The Tosca optimization suite enables engineers to take full advantage of any improvement potential while leveraging advanced simulation capabilities. It creates optimized design concepts to achieve the highest performance, quality, and eco-efficiency in a shorter development time.

Accelerated Product Development Time

Enhance existing CAE environments

Seamless integration with leading FEA and CFD solvers
Direct use of existing simulation input files
Full optimization potential without time-consuming model parameterizations
Easy setup of the optimization task

Direct use of existing knowledge and simulation models

Intuitive – minimal training is required
Choice of intuitive graphical user interfaces
Full design flexibility, without time-consuming parameterization
Reduced time-to-market

Fewer prototypes and physical tests

Faster turnaround from analysis to design/manufacturing
Automatic validation of topology optimization results possible
Shortened development cycles with optimization in an early phase
Manufacturing process constraints can be applied
Direct data transfer to CAD systems

High Quality Simulation Results

Benefit from realistic simulation and take advantage of the full optimization potential

Realistic results using nonlinear simulation

Optional use of fatigue analysis for more durable designs and low maintenance
Comprehensive choice of manufacturing constraints for realistic, ready to manufacture designs
Easy setup of the optimization task

Direct use of existing knowledge and simulation models

Intuitive – minimal training is required
Choice of intuitive graphical user interfaces
Full design flexibility, without time-consuming parameterization
Reduced time-to-market

Fewer prototypes and physical tests

Faster turnaround from analysis to design/manufacturing
Automatic validation of topology optimization results possible
Shortened development cycles with optimization in an early phase
Manufacturing process constraints can be applied
Direct data transfer to CAD systems

Enhanced Competitive Position with Optimized Designs

Efficient design concepts for durable and lightweight products

Solutions from early design exploration to detailed improvements of existing products
Optimized components considering static, dynamic and thermo-mechanical requirements
Optimized channels and ducts for flow homogenization, reduced pressure drop, improved velocity distribution and reduced flow-induced noise
Easy setup of the optimization task

Direct use of existing knowledge and simulation models

Intuitive – minimal training is required
Choice of intuitive graphical user interfaces
Full design flexibility, without time-consuming parameterization
Reduced time-to-market

Fewer prototypes and physical tests

Faster turnaround from analysis to design/manufacturing
Automatic validation of topology optimization results possible
Shortened development cycles with optimization in an early phase
Manufacturing process constraints can be applied
Direct data transfer to CAD systems

What’s New for Tosca Structure 2020x and Tosca Fluid 2020

Tosca Structure

Automatic creation of Stop Conditions
- Automatic stop conditions that check if the optimization has converged are now automatically created for sensitivity-based shape and bead optimization. This closes a gap to Topology and Sizing optimization workflows and ensures consistent behavior of all sensitivity-based optimization types.
Upgrade to Python 3.7.1
- Tosca now ships with python 3.7.1. All user scripts are called using the upgraded python interpreter. Most user scripts written for python 2.7 should automatically be converted without issues to run with the new version. In case of compatibility issues please contact support.
Tosca Structure.topology
- Optimization problem stabilization for minimizing structural volume or mass
  - Minimizing structural volume or mass: the mathematical optimization problem can be ill-posed leading to convergence issues. Stabilization can be activated to improve convergence behavior.
- Tosca Structure.shape
  - Enabling sensitivity based shape optimization with Abaqus non-linear analysis
  - Non-linear static analysis
    - (NLGEOM=YES, *PLASTIC, *CONTACT …)
  - Including all modeling non-linearities as large deformations, contact and non-linear materials.
  - Stress constraints
  - Reaction force constraints, even on *COUPLING elements
  - 2D and 3D elements
  - Abaqus execution in MPI-mode
  - Better performance, especially for stress constraints
  - Automatic creation of Stop Conditions
    - Automatic stop conditions that check if the optimization has converged are now automatically created for sensitivity-based shape and bead optimization. This closes a gap to Topology and Sizing optimization workflows and ensures consistent behavior of all sensitivity-based optimization types.
  - Sensitivity based optimization with plastic equivalent strain magnitude (PEMAG) design response is available for Abaqus in r2020x HF1-FP2006.
- Tosca Structure.bead
  - Enabling sensitivity based bead optimization with Abaqus non-linear analysis which replaces the “linearized” workflows
  - The Sensitivity based bead optimization now supports
    - Non-linear static analysis
      - (NLGEOM=YES, *PLASTIC, *CONTACT …)
    - Stress constraints
    - Reaction force constraints, even on *COUPLING elements
    - Abaqus execution in MPI-mode
    - Better performance
  - Automatic creation of Stop Conditions
    - Automatic stop conditions that check if the optimization has converged are now automatically created for sensitivity-based shape and bead optimization This closes a gap to Topology and Sizing optimization workflows and ensures consistent behavior of all sensitivity-based optimization types.
  - Sensitivity based optimization with plastic equivalent strain magnitude (PEMAG) design response is available for Abaqus in r2020x HF1-FP2006.
- Tosca Structure.sizing
  - Sensitivity based optimization with plastic equivalent strain magnitude (PEMAG) design response is available for Abaqus in r2020x HF1-FP2006.
- Tosca support in ABAQUS/CAE 2020
  - Improved command-line handling of Tosca and Abaqus within Abaqus /CAE, ie. more Abaqus command-line options are now allowed.
- Supported solver interfaces
  - Abaqus 2020
  - ANSYS® v19.2
  - MSC Nastran® 2017
  - Supported life solver interfaces
    - fe-safe 2020
    - Femfat ® 5.3

Tosca Fluid

Tosca Fluid improved interfaces for:
- STAR-CCM+® versions: 9.02 – 14.02