Atomizer/NX_SOLVER_INTEGRATION.md

NX Solver Integration Guide

Overview

The NX solver integration allows Atomizer to automatically run Siemens NX Nastran simulations in batch mode during optimization loops.

Architecture

Optimization Loop:
1. Update parameters in .prt file → nx_updater.py
2. Run NX solver in batch mode → nx_solver.py  ← NEW!
3. Extract results from OP2 → op2_extractor_example.py
4. Evaluate objectives/constraints → runner.py
5. Optuna suggests next parameters → repeat

Quick Start

Test 1: Verify Solver Integration

conda activate test_env
python examples/test_nx_solver.py

This tests:

• NX installation detection
• Batch solver execution
• OP2 file generation
• Error handling

Expected: Solver runs and produces .op2 file in ~1-2 minutes

Test 2: Run Optimization with Real Solver

conda activate test_env
python examples/test_optimization_with_solver.py

This runs 3 optimization trials with REAL simulations!

Expected time: ~5-10 minutes (depends on model complexity)

Usage in Your Code

Simple Usage (Convenience Function)

from optimization_engine.nx_solver import run_nx_simulation
from pathlib import Path

sim_file = Path("path/to/model.sim")
op2_file = run_nx_simulation(
    sim_file=sim_file,
    nastran_version="2412",
    timeout=600,  # 10 minutes
    cleanup=True  # Remove temp files
)

# op2_file now contains path to results

Advanced Usage (Full Control)

from optimization_engine.nx_solver import NXSolver

solver = NXSolver(
    nastran_version="2412",
    timeout=600
)

result = solver.run_simulation(
    sim_file=sim_file,
    working_dir=None,  # Defaults to sim file directory
    cleanup=True
)

if result['success']:
    print(f"OP2: {result['op2_file']}")
    print(f"Time: {result['elapsed_time']:.1f}s")
else:
    print(f"Errors: {result['errors']}")

Integration with Optimization Runner

from optimization_engine.nx_solver import run_nx_simulation

def my_simulation_runner() -> Path:
    """Simulation runner for optimization."""
    sim_file = Path("my_model.sim")

    # Run solver
    op2_file = run_nx_simulation(
        sim_file=sim_file,
        nastran_version="2412",
        timeout=600,
        cleanup=True
    )

    return op2_file

# Use in OptimizationRunner
runner = OptimizationRunner(
    config_path=config_path,
    model_updater=my_model_updater,
    simulation_runner=my_simulation_runner,  # Uses real solver!
    result_extractors=extractors
)

Configuration

Auto-Detection

By default, NXSolver auto-detects NX installation:

solver = NXSolver(nastran_version="2412")
# Searches:
# - C:/Program Files/Siemens/NX2412
# - C:/Program Files/Siemens/Simcenter3D_2412
# - C:/Program Files (x86)/Siemens/NX2412

Manual Configuration

from pathlib import Path

solver = NXSolver(
    nx_install_dir=Path("C:/Program Files/Siemens/NX2412"),
    nastran_version="2412",
    timeout=1200  # 20 minutes
)

Solver Output Files

Files Created

• model.op2 - Binary results (kept)
• model.f06 - Text output (kept)
• model.log - Solver log (kept)
• model.f04 - Intermediate (cleaned up)
• model.dat - Intermediate (cleaned up)
• model.diag - Diagnostic (cleaned up)

Cleanup Behavior

With cleanup=True (recommended):

• Keeps: .op2, .f06, .log
• Removes: .f04, .dat, .diag, .master, .dball, plots

With cleanup=False:

• Keeps all files for debugging

Error Handling

Common Issues

Issue: FileNotFoundError: NX Nastran solver not found

Solution:

• Check NX is installed at standard location
• Specify nx_install_dir manually
• Verify nastran.exe exists in NXNASTRAN/bin/

Issue: RuntimeError: NX simulation failed

Solution:

• Check .f06 file for error messages
• Verify .sim file is valid
• Check NX license is available
• Ensure model can solve in NX GUI first

Issue: TimeoutExpired

Solution:

• Increase timeout parameter
• Simplify model (fewer elements, linear analysis)
• Check solver isn't stuck (memory issues)

Checking Solver Success

The solver checks for completion by:

1. Looking for "NORMAL TERMINATION" in .f06
2. Checking for "FATAL MESSAGE" errors
3. Verifying .op2 file was created recently

Performance Tips

Speed Up Optimization

1. Reduce Model Complexity

   • Use coarser mesh for initial exploration
   • Simplify geometry in non-critical areas
   • Use linear analysis if possible

2. Parallel Trials (Future)

   • Run multiple trials simultaneously
   • Requires separate working directories
   • Use Optuna's parallelization features

3. Smart Sampling

   • Use TPE sampler (default) for efficiency
   • Increase n_startup_trials for better initial sampling
   • Use constraints to avoid infeasible regions

4. Cleanup Strategy

   • Use cleanup=True to save disk space
   • Only keep .op2 and .log files
   • Archive results after optimization

Typical Solve Times

Model Size	Analysis Type	Time per Trial
Small (<10k nodes)	Linear Static	30-60s
Medium (10-50k)	Linear Static	1-3 min
Large (>50k)	Linear Static	3-10 min
Any	Nonlinear	5-30 min

Batch Processing

For running many optimizations:

# Save solver instance to reuse
solver = NXSolver(nastran_version="2412", timeout=600)

for trial_params in parameter_sets:
    # Update model
    update_nx_model(prt_file, trial_params)

    # Solve
    result = solver.run_simulation(sim_file, cleanup=True)

    if result['success']:
        # Extract and analyze
        results = extract_all_results(result['op2_file'])

Troubleshooting

Enable Debug Output

solver = NXSolver(nastran_version="2412")

result = solver.run_simulation(
    sim_file=sim_file,
    cleanup=False  # Keep all files
)

# Check detailed output
print(result['errors'])

# Manually inspect files
# - Check .f06 for solver messages
# - Check .log for execution details
# - Check .f04 for input deck

Verify NX Installation

from optimization_engine.nx_solver import NXSolver

solver = NXSolver(nastran_version="2412")
print(f"NX Dir: {solver.nx_install_dir}")
print(f"Solver: {solver.solver_exe}")
print(f"Exists: {solver.solver_exe.exists()}")

Next Steps

1. Test solver integration: Run test_nx_solver.py
2. Test optimization loop: Run test_optimization_with_solver.py
3. Customize for your model: Modify simulation_runner function
4. Run real optimization: Increase n_trials to 50-150
5. Analyze results: Use history.csv to understand parameter sensitivity

Support

For issues:

1. Check this guide
2. Verify NX installation
3. Test .sim file in NX GUI first
4. Check solver logs (.f06, .log files)
5. Review error messages in result['errors']