When creating a new model, you can add any of the predefined Study and Study Step Types. At any time you can also add studies (see
The Add Study Window). However you choose to add a study, a study node is added to
The Model Builder including a corresponding
study step (for example,
Stationary in
Figure 20-1), and in some cases, additional study steps. The study step represents the next level of detail.
Study steps correspond to part of a solver configuration (solver sequence), which is the next level of detail. There are also study steps for cluster computing, for example, which correspond to part of the
Job Configurations.
Solver Configurations contain nodes that define variables to solve for, the solvers and settings, and additional sequence nodes for storing the solution, for example (see
Figure 20-1). The solvers also have nodes that can control the solver settings in detail. Knowing
The Relationship Between Study Steps and Solver Configurations is useful to help define and edit the settings before computing a solution. Bear in mind, however, that the default solver settings defined by the study usually provide a good starting point.
Once the studies are added and defined, the simplest option to compute the solution is to right-click the Study node for a predefined study type and select
Compute (
). This generates the default solver configuration for the corresponding study steps and computes the solution. There are a variety of techniques you can use while
Computing a Solution, including many custom adjustments.
There are also Study Extension Steps (Parametric Sweep and Optimization) and categories of
Advanced Study Extension Steps ( Parametric, Batch, and Cluster Computing) for additional settings customization and extensions of a study.
When you use separate studies, you have to use more settings in the main Study node to point to the results in the preceding study. This approach can be useful if you need to examine the results of one study step before proceeding to the next. See
Study Reference for information about referencing another study.