FAQs

What can I use Swan for?
Swan's versatility means that it can have as many uses as you can imagine. Here are some examples that have motivated previous developments of the code:
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Lattice structures
  • Compliant mechanism designs
How do you represent the domain?

Swan currently includes 3 methods to represent the domain:

  • Density-based methods
  • Phase-field methods
  • Level-set (implicit functions)

Which optimizers can I use?

Well, that depends on the way you represent your domain:

  • Density-based: Projected Gradient, MMA, Interior Point Method, Augmented Lagrangian, Null Space
  • Level-set: SLERP, Projected SLERP, Hamilton-Jacobi, Augmented Lagrangian, Null Space

Which constraints can I use?

So far, Swan includes the following constraints:

  • Compliance
  • Volume
  • Limiting von Mises stress norm
  • Minimum length scales
  • Overhang angle
  • Perimeter
  • Eigenvalue problems

Contributors

Swan is Àlex Ferrer's brainchild. He started developing this toolbox as part of his PhD thesis, and its scope has since broadened. This code is currently used by the Composite and Advanced Materials for Multifunctional Structures research group at CIMNE, the International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering.

Here are some of the contributors to the Swan code:
Àlex Ferrer
Researcher at CIMNE and lecturer at UPC, Àlex defended his thesis on multi-scale topological design of materials
Ferran de la Fuente
As part of his dissertation, Ferran worked on topology optimization with a focus on manufacturability
Albert Torres
As part of his dissertation, Albert focused on using topology optimization for material design
Raul Rubio
As part of his dissertation, Raul used the finite element method to study the flow around an airfoil
Ignacio Izquierdo
As part of his dissertation, Ignacio studied large deformations of a wing using both linear and non-linear models
Oriol Trujillo
As part of his dissertation, Oriol worked on topology optimization problems with stress constraints
Marc Núñez
As part of his dissertation, Marc set benchmark cases and studied the results using various filters and algorithms
Ton Creus
As part of his dissertation, Ton worked on accelerating the implementation of the finite element method
Aitziber Mañeru
As part of her dissertation, Aitziber implemented the optimal design of topologies considering mode analysis
Arnau Pena
As part of his dissertation, Arnau implemented and evaluated the results of the fmincon and a Null Space optimizers
Joel Carrasco
As part of his dissertation, Joel studied the relation of shape symmetry with isotropy and orthotropy in material design
Jofre Geli
As part of his dissertation, Jofre extended the SIMP-ALL formulation for material interpolation in n-dimensional cases
Jose Antonio Torres
As part of his dissertation, Jose focused on 3D printing and anisotropic perimeter constraints for topology optimization