Create Shape Inputs

Use the Shape tool to create shape design variables based on selected shapes.

1. From the Design Explorer ribbon, click the Shape tool.

   
   
   Figure 1.

2. Select shapes in the following ways:
   • On the guide bar, click . In the Advanced Selection dialog, select a shape then click OK.
   • If shapes are turned on in the model, select a shape from the modeling window
   Input design variables are created upon selection.

   By default, a shape variable's upper and lower bounds are chosen as 1.0 and -1.0 respectively. These can be modified in the Inputs review dialog or from the Entity Editor.

   Note: It is recommended that shapes used as design variables be defined by node perturbations. Issues can occur when some shapes are defined by handle perturbations as, depending on the order the shapes are applied during the exploration, nodes may move into or out of the volume. Shapes can be converted to node perturbations using the Shapes tool on the Morph ribbon.