An engineer uses OptiStruct explicit structural analysis software to assess a car crash.

Overview Capabilities Resources

Altair® OptiStruct®

One Model, One Solver, One Optimizer

OptiStruct offers more to the engineering community than structural analysis. After over 30 years of development, it has matured into a multiphysics and multidisciplinary simulation and optimization workhorse, spanning implicit to explicit analysis. When engineers embrace OptiStruct’s “One Model, One Solver” approach, its advantages become clear. OptiStruct improves workflow efficiency, provides all the analyses engineers need, and speeds time to results — without compromising on accuracy. Optimization isn’t about improving a single aspect of a product’s design — engineers must take every physical analysis into consideration. True design innovation comes from assessing, refining, and optimizing the entire system within a single, integrated tool. OptiStruct makes this possible.

OptiStruct Overview Video

Why OptiStruct?

Multiphysics electro-thermomechanical simulations assess the electric potential and thermal map of this battery assembly.

Multiphysics Simulations From One Model and One Solver

Engineers have traditionally relied on multiple CAE tools and simulation models to study various physical phenomena. With OptiStruct, engineers can assess multiple physics using one model. By integrating structural and multiphysics analysis, OptiStruct streamlines workflows and helps organizations accelerate time-to-market. The software seamlessly links implicit and explicit solvers, making it the ideal solution for multiphysics assessments like durability, heat transfer, acoustics, fatigue, and more.

Open architecture and automated workflows simplify the thermomechanical simulation of this battery assembly.

Open Architecture and Third-Party Support

Switching between software and translating models wastes time and disrupts workflows. OptiStruct enables engineers to work with their preferred tools while maintaining its One Model, One Solver methodology. Its open architecture lets engineers implement third-party code and customize the software to meet their specific needs. Prebuilt to interface with leading CAE technologies, OptiStruct makes it easy to extend features and streamline collaboration across platforms.

Structural optimizations of this rail ensures the final design is lightweight, strong, and manufacturable.

Leading Optimization

OptiStruct has set the standard for optimization across lightweighting, structural, multi-model, nonparametric shape, and multi-material topology applications. With these capabilities, engineers can enhance their designs for strength, weight, and manufacturability. The software can also optimize designs based on specific materials, like composites and lattices, or key performance indicators, like fatigue and sustainability. This advanced multi-attribute analysis and optimization functionality enables engineers to quickly iterate on models, balance design trade-offs, map the design space, and overcome development challenges.

Key Features

Structural Optimization

Use linear and nonlinear solvers to assess, optimize, and validate designs for stiffness, strength, dynamics, vibrations, acoustics, fatigue, heat transfer, fluid-structure interactions, electric potential, electrostatic forces, and more.

Material Analysis

Assess advanced materials properties for composites, lattices, and nonlinear materials (like viscoelastic, elastoplastic, and hyperelastic materials) through seamless integration with Altair® Material Data Center™, or study user-defined materials.

Vibration and Acoustic Analysis

Assess physics like vibration, frequency response, acoustics, and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Use an automated multilevel sub-structuring eigen value solver (AMSES) or the fast frequency response (FASTFR) solver to assess dynamic behavior of the model.

Comprehensive Nonlinear Analysis

Comprehensive nonlinear features include modern, efficient contact algorithms, bolt and gasket modeling, elasto-plastic / hyperelastic / viscoelastic / viscoplastic material, and large deformation analysis.

Highly Nonlinear Explicit Analysis Capabilities

Assess highly nonlinear problems like drop tests, crash tests, impacts, bumps, erosion, damage, stretching materials beyond elastic yields, and more.

Real-World Multiphysics

Thermomechanical simulation and solver coupling for complex phenomenon including fluid-structure, electromagnetic-structure interactions, linking with manufacturing simulation and more.