Example of worflow automation: create geometry, model setup, and postprocess

Pernelle Marone-Hitz
Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 871
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edited June 2023 in 3D Design

Is there an example of workflow automation with geometry creation, model setup and postprocessing?

Answers

  • Pernelle Marone-Hitz
    Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 871
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    edited May 2023

    Below is an example.

    First, we'll create the geometry.

    The script below will work both in SpaceClaim and in Discovery. It:

    • creates a base block and four smaller blocks on the top
    • defines a name for the base block
    • creates four named selections (one for the base block body, one for the smaller blocks bodies, one for the bottom base face and one for the upper faces)
    # Python Script, API Version = V23
    ClearAll()
    
    # Geometry dimensions
    par_L = MM(50) # length of base block
    par_W = MM(25) # width of base block
    par_H = MM(10) # height of base block
    
    par_l = MM(20) # length of small block
    par_w = MM(10) # width of small block
    par_h = MM(5) # height of small block
    offset = MM(2.5)
    
    # Create base block
    base_block = BlockBody.Create(Point.Create(MM(0), MM(0), MM(0)), Point.Create(par_L, par_W, par_H ), ExtrudeType.ForceAdd)
    base_block.CreatedBodies[0].SetName('Base Block Body')
    my_body_selection = Selection.Create(base_block.CreatedBodies[0])
    my_body_selection.CreateAGroup('Base Block NS')
    my_faces_selection = my_body_selection.ConvertToFaces()
    for face in my_faces_selection.Items:
        if face.EvalMid().Point.Z == MM(0):
            Selection.Create(face).CreateAGroup('Base Face NS')
    
     # Create smaller blocks
    small_block_1 = BlockBody.Create(Point.Create(offset, offset, par_H ), Point.Create( par_L/2 - offset, par_w, par_H + par_h ), ExtrudeType.ForceIndependent)
    small_block_2 = BlockBody.Create(Point.Create(par_L/2 + offset, offset, par_H ), Point.Create(par_L-offset , par_w, par_H + par_h ), ExtrudeType.ForceIndependent)
    small_block_3 = BlockBody.Create(Point.Create(offset, par_W - offset-par_w, par_H ), Point.Create( par_L/2 - offset, par_W - offset , par_H + par_h ), ExtrudeType.ForceIndependent)
    small_block_4 = BlockBody.Create(Point.Create(par_L/2 + offset, par_W - offset-par_w, par_H  ), Point.Create(par_L-offset , par_W - offset, par_H + par_h), ExtrudeType.ForceIndependent)
    my_body_selection = Selection.Create(small_block_1.CreatedBodies[0], small_block_2.CreatedBodies[0], small_block_3.CreatedBodies[0], small_block_4.CreatedBodies[0])
    my_body_selection.CreateAGroup('Small Blocks NS')
    my_faces_selection = my_body_selection.ConvertToFaces()
    top_face_list = []
    for face in my_faces_selection.Items:
        if face.EvalMid().Point.Z == par_H + par_h :
            top_face_list.append(face)
    Selection.Create(top_face_list).CreateAGroup('Top Faces NS')
    

    In SpaceClaim, the resulting tree can be found in the "Structure" tab, and the named selections in the "Groups" tab:

    In Discovery, the tree is on the top left:

    and the named selections can be found in the "Advanced Selection" menu at the bottom right:


  • Pernelle Marone-Hitz
    Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 871
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    Then, we'll create the Mechanical model setup and postprocessing.

    For the script to work, it is assumed that two materials have already been added in Engineering Data:

    (these could also be created through scripting). It is also assumed that a Steady State thermal analysis is considered (the code could easily be adapted for other boundary conditions for other types of analyses).

    The script will:

    • add material assignements
    • add boundary conditions based on named selections
    • insert results
    • export these results to a specified folder to extract screenshots of the plots, animations of the plots, and values of the plots



  • Pernelle Marone-Hitz
    Pernelle Marone-Hitz Member, Moderator, Employee Posts: 871
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    The Mechanical script is:

    # Retrieve bodies
    all_bodies = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Geometry.GetChildren(DataModelObjectCategory.Body,True)
    base_block_body = [body for body in all_bodies if body.Name.Contains('Base')]
    small_block_bodies = [body for body in all_bodies if body.Name.Contains('Solid')]
    
    
    # Define material assignation
    material_assignation_steel = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Materials.AddMaterialAssignment()
    sel = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)
    sel.Ids = [body.GetGeoBody().Id for body in base_block_body]
    material_assignation_steel.Location = sel
    material_assignation_steel.Material = 'Structural Steel'
    
    
    material_assignation_iron = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Materials.AddMaterialAssignment()
    sel = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)
    sel.Ids = [body.GetGeoBody().Id for body in small_block_bodies]
    material_assignation_iron.Location = sel
    material_assignation_iron.Material = 'Aluminum'
    
    
    # Define boundary conditions based on Named Selections
    
    
    analysis = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Analyses[0]
    
    
    temp_base = analysis.AddTemperature()
    temp_base.Location = ExtAPI.DataModel.GetObjectsByName("Base Face NS")[0]
    temp_base.Magnitude.Output.SetDiscreteValue(0, Quantity(50, "C"))
    
    
    convection = analysis.AddConvection()
    convection.Location = ExtAPI.DataModel.GetObjectsByName("Top Faces NS")[0]
    convection.FilmCoefficient.Output.SetDiscreteValue(0, Quantity(25, "W m^-1 m^-1 C^-1"))
    convection.AmbientTemperature.Output.SetDiscreteValue(0, Quantity(5, "C"))
    
    
    # Solve model
    analysis.Solve()
    
    
    # Insert results
    solution = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Analyses[0].Solution
    temp_plot = solution.AddTemperature()
    temp_plot_on_ns = solution.AddTemperature()
    temp_plot_on_ns.Location = ExtAPI.DataModel.GetObjectsByName("Top Faces NS")[0]
    solution.EvaluateAllResults()
    
    
    # Export results
    import os
    export_folder = r'D:\Data'
    
    
    all_results = solution.GetChildren(DataModelObjectCategory.Result,True)
    for result in all_results:
        export_name = os.path.join(export_folder,result.Name)
        ExtAPI.Graphics.ExportImage(export_name +'.png')
        result.ExportAnimation(export_name + '.avi')
        result.ExportToTextFile(export_name + '.txt')