MultiStrategy Intelligent Optimization Algorithm for computationally expensive CAE simulations

Computer aided simulation technologies combined with multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) constitute a great opportunity for companies which recognize their potential for solving increasingly complex engineering design problems and meeting conflicting functional demands. This paper showcases the optimization of a vehicle model, the objective of which was to minimize the vehicle weight while meeting safety and NVH requirements. The optimization process was defined with the process integration platform for multiobjective and multidisciplinary optimization, modeFRONTIER, which integrated with different CAE solvers and piloted the simulations to find the optimal designs. Due to a large number of design variables and computationally expensive simulations, the optimization turnaround time would in this case be excessive. For this reason, preliminary tests with several optimization algorithms available in modeFRONTIER were run and the best performing algorithms were applied to the vehicle case study. The results obtained with each algorithm were then compared. The pilOPT algorithm significantly improved the baseline design with a limited number of design evaluations, enabling engineers to save both turn around time and computational resources.