Figure. Stripped surface (light green color) generated after finished topology optimization.
In ProTOp the exclusive active surface, on which the shape optimizer is allowed to operate, is the so-called stripped surface. The FE nodes belonging to this surface are physically moved with the aim to improve the design. It is important to note that the shape optimizer operating within ProTOp is intended to be used only as a supplemental tool to improve the design of stripped surfaces after topology optimization.
NOTE. In ProTOp the shape optimizer is intended to operate only on stripped surfaces as a supplemental tool to improve the design after topology optimization.
A stripped surface is generated by stripping the mesh by removing the void elements after topology optimization. The figure below shows an example structure with the stripped surface colored in light green.
Figure. Stripped surface (light green color) generated after finished topology optimization.