Guides
Topology
Min wall, Shell, Keep %, Validation FEA, symmetry.
nTop and Inspire both teach: run a static check, then optimize. Leaving Validation FEA on mirrors that — you pay a small credit premium to avoid optimizing nonsense.
What topology does here
Topology studies maximize stiffness subject to a Keep % of the design space. Material leaves free regions; Preserve stays; Obstacle stays empty. Min wall sets the smallest member size; Shell / Clearance set how deep tagged faces stay locked solid or empty.
Recommended loop
- Optional: switch to Stress check once to confirm deformation direction (Design space).
- Lighten this part or Design in a box with Keep % typically 0.2–0.45. Below ~0.15 can starve load paths; above ~0.6 leaves little to remove (Study Coach warns).
- Tag Supports / Loads / Preserve / Obstacle, then set Shell for bolt pads and Min wall for printable walls (Supports & loads).
- Keep Validation FEA enabled for topology queues.
- Start Draft; raise quality after the organic shape looks continuous.
- Inspect results, scrub density if needed, then export (Results, Density Explorer, Export).
Min wall matters
Good
Avoid
Smooth
- Smooth organic mesh — post iterations on the iso-surface (default 8). More smooth ≠ more accurate FEA. High smooth can soften preserved holes — drop toward 0 when pads must stay sharp.
Symmetry & multi-load
- Symmetry (X / Y / Z + plane) mirrors density each iteration — useful for symmetric brackets. Supports/loads should respect the plane or the solver will fight itself.
- Load cases with weights run independent FEAs and minimize Σ wᵢCᵢ. Cost scales with case count.
Warm-start
Reopening a succeeded study (or bringing back CAD that already has a density field) automatically reuses that prior density for a cheaper tweak when the geometry still matches. Use it for small BC or density changes — not for a completely new load case family.