An interface tool for finite element–based optimal design

Optimal design of engineering systems with complex geometry under multiple loadings is always a challenging procedure. This paper introduces a computational interface tool between ABAQUS® and MATLAB® that can be used for carrying out the parametric optimal design of complex mechanical components. The software is developed entirely in MATLAB® environment which can handle constrained optimization problems without the need for the user to explicitly define the constraints using mathematical equations or functions. In this software, the design variables are proposed for selection through a user-friendly environment and the objective function can be iteratively evaluated by the finite-element analysis in ABAQUS®. The finite-element model is modified and updated according to the post-processing results in the ABAQUS® environment. The optimizing tool can cover metaheuristic optimization algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm in MATLAB®. Finally, the capability of the proposed tool is illustrated by investigating the optimal design of some engineering case studies.