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Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
Model Setup
Create connections and apply loads, constraints, materials, and manufacturing controls to your model.
Manufacturing Controls
Apply manufacturing constraints using shape controls and bead patterns.
Shape Controls
Use the Shape Controls to apply optional constraints to your model such as draw directions or symmetry.
Symmetry and Cyclic Repetition
Symmetry and cyclic repetition are used to create optimized shapes with repeating patterns and/or nearly symmetric results.
Cyclic
Use the Cyclic tool on the Structure ribbon to apply cyclic repetition to a design space.

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What's New
Discover new features and enhancements.
Get Started
New to Inspire? Learn the basics here.
Tutorials
Start using Inspire with our interactive tutorials.
Parametric Modeling
Create parametric sketches, geometry, and PolyNURBS with construction history and variables.
Implicit Modeling
Create implicit models with primitives, lattices, point clouds, fields, offsetting, Booleans, inverting, smoothing, morphing, and filleting.
Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
- Model Setup
  Create connections and apply loads, constraints, materials, and manufacturing controls to your model.
  - Connections
    Create and define connections such as fasteners, joints, connectors, spot welds, and contacts.
  - Loads and Constraints
    Apply loads and supports, displacements, accelerations, gravity, temperatures, and center of gravity.
  - Materials and Libraries
    Create materials, assign materials to parts, and organize them into libraries.
  - Concentrated Masses
    Use the Masses tool to create a concentrated mass either on a part or at a point in space.
  - Systems
    Use the Systems tool to create and apply user-defined coordinate systems to loads, supports, and displacements.
  - Manufacturing Controls
    Apply manufacturing constraints using shape controls and bead patterns.
    - Shape Controls
      Use the Shape Controls to apply optional constraints to your model such as draw directions or symmetry.
      - Draw Directions
        Draw directions are used to ensure that a design space can be physically manufactured using a specific process such as casting, stamping, or extrusion.
      - Symmetry and Cyclic Repetition
        Symmetry and cyclic repetition are used to create optimized shapes with repeating patterns and/or nearly symmetric results.
        Symmetric
        Use the Symmetric tool on the Structure ribbon to apply symmetry planes to a design space.
        Cyclic
        Use the Cyclic tool on the Structure ribbon to apply cyclic repetition to a design space.
        Cyclic Symmetric
        Use the Cyclic Symmetric tool on the Structure ribbon to apply cyclic symmetric repetition to a design space.
      - List Shape Controls
        Use the Shape Controls table to view and manage shape controls that have been applied to your model.
    - Bead Patterns
      Beads are used to help meet specific design requirements such as stiffness when running a topography optimization on a surface.
  - Mesh Controls
    Use mesh controls to assign an element size to parts or faces.
  - Temperatures
    Use the Temperature tool to simulate the effects of temperature changes on your model.
  - Center of Gravity (COG)
    Use the Center of Gravity Constraint (COG) tool to apply, reposition, and set upper and lower bounds for a center of gravity constraint. COG constraints are used to limit the position of the center of gravity while running a topology optimization.
  - Gravity
    Use the Gravity tool to apply gravitational acceleration (G) and adjust its direction.
- Structural Analysis
  Set up and run a linear static analysis using the SimSolid or OptiStruct solver. You can also analyze normal modes and buckling modes.
- Structural Optimization
  Set up and run a topology, topography, or gauge optimization.
- Report
  Generate PPT or PDF reports from analysis results. The Report tools are available after you have run an analysis.
Motion
Set up and run a motion analysis, plot the results, and export the results.
Fluids
Prepare and run a computational fluid dynamics simulation.
Design Explorer
Evaluate designs by using geometric variables and applying a design-of-experiments (DOE) or optimization method. We recommend fully constraining your sketch when sketch variables are used in the design exploration.
Manufacture
Set up and run a basic porosity or thinning analysis.
Print 3D
Prepare and run an additive manufacturing simulation, and export a file for 3D printing.
Rendering
Adjust the materials and environment of objects in the scene to create a photorealistic image.
Inspire Python API
Learn how to access the Inspire Python API including online help, quick start demos, and the Extension Manager.
Reference
View the glossary, frequently asked questions, and errors and alerts.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.

Cyclic

Use the Cyclic tool on the Structure ribbon to apply cyclic repetition to a design space.

Cyclic repetitions are valid for optimization but not analysis.

You can generate cyclically repeating shapes like starfish, propellers, or spoked wheels even if you use a design space or loads that are not cyclic themselves. There are two kinds of cyclic shapes: those with symmetric sectors and those with asymmetric sectors. The Cyclic tool is used to create asymmetric sectors, as shown below. (Use the Cyclic Symmetric tool to create symmetric sectors.)

Figure 1. Cyclic repetition with asymmetric sectors

To enforce cyclic repetition on a design space, you specify a center line and the number of repetitions to create within a 360 revolution. Red edges appear on cyclic repetition planes to indicate symmetric sectors and black edges to indicate asymmetric sectors, as shown above. You won't usually generate perfectly cyclic shapes, but you will get nearly cyclic shapes.

Apply Cyclic Repetition

Select a design space and the number of cyclic sectors.

On the Structure ribbon, select the Symmetric tool on the Shape Controls icon.

Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
Click the Cyclic tool on the secondary ribbon.
If you selected a design space before invoking the tool, cyclic repetitions are automatically applied to that design space. Otherwise, click on a design space to apply a cyclic constraint.
A microdialog and a set of three black radial planes appear.
Specify the number of Sectors in the text field of the microdialog.
Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.

Microdialog Options

Double-click a shape control to edit it and access the microdialog options.


Icon	Description
Apply Symmetry and Cyclic Repetition	Click to convert to a different type of shape control.
Sectors	Enter the number of cyclic sectors.
	Translate or rotate the shape control.
	Align the radial planes to the global x, y, or z direction.
	Align a shape control to a design space after moving it. By default, the radial planes are positioned and aligned to capture the natural shape and orientation of the design space, however it is oriented in space.
	Click to manually enter the x, y, z components of the direction vector.