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Convergence Panel

The convergence panel (labeled Solver Scope in the interface) displays line charts of key optimization metrics over iteration number. It appears as a floating, resizable panel in the viewport.

Opening the panel​

  • Click the Scope button in the results toolbar. The button shows a bar-chart icon and the label "Scope".
  • The panel opens automatically when a new solver job starts.
  • You can also open it from a solver job's properties panel in the sidebar.

Click the Scope button again or the panel's close button to hide it.

Job selection​

The panel shows data for one solver job at a time. When you open the panel:

  • If no job is selected, deFlex auto-selects the most recently created solver job.
  • You can switch jobs by opening the panel from a different solver job's properties in the sidebar.

The job status is shown in the status line at the bottom of the panel: Running, Completed, Failed, or Queued, with a color indicator (blue for running, green for completed, red for failed).

Metric tabs​

A row of tabs across the top of the panel lets you switch between metrics. The base tabs are always present. Additional K_p tabs appear when the job uses preserve pairs.

Base tabs​

TabMetricY-Axis LabelFormatNotes
ComplianceObjective complianceComplianceScientific notation (3 decimal places)The primary optimization objective. Should decrease and stabilize.
VolumeVolume fractionVol. FractionDecimal (3 places)Ranges from 0 to 1. Shows how much of the design domain is filled with material. The Y axis is fixed to [0, 1].
StressMaximum stressStress (MPa)Decimal (1 place)Peak von Mises stress in the design. Only meaningful if stress data is available.
ChangeDesign changeChangeScientific notation (3 decimal places)Measures how much the material layout changed between iterations. A decreasing change indicates the solver is settling.

K_p per pair tabs​

If the solver job has preserve pairs, one additional tab appears for each pair:

  • Tab label: K_p: {pair name} (e.g., "K_p: Pair 1").
  • Shows the stiffness ratio (K_p) for that specific pair over iterations.
  • Format: decimal with 3 places.
  • Each pair line uses a distinct color from a fixed palette.

Chart details​

Each tab shows a single-line chart:

  • X axis: Iteration number (1-based).
  • Y axis: The selected metric value. Auto-scaled except for Volume Fraction which is fixed to [0, 1].
  • Tooltip: Hover over the chart to see the exact value at any iteration. The tooltip shows "Iteration N" and the formatted metric value.
  • Design preview: When the panel is wide enough, a material layout thumbnail image appears to the right of the chart. It updates to show the hovered iteration, or the latest iteration when not hovering.

Status line​

Below the chart, a status line reads:

Iteration 15/50 · Running

This shows the number of completed iterations, the total iteration count (if known), and the job status.

Resizing​

Drag the panel edges to resize. The panel has minimum and maximum size limits. The chart area and design preview scale to fit the available space.

Interpreting the charts​

PatternWhat it means
Compliance decreasing and flatteningNormal convergence.
Compliance still dropping at final iterationThe solver may benefit from more iterations.
Volume fraction settling near the targetThe volume constraint is being satisfied.
Design change approaching zeroThe design has converged -- further iterations will produce minimal change.
Stress increasing late in the runIncreasing design sharpness is creating stress concentrations. Review the result geometry.
K_p values diverging between pairsThe pairs may be competing. Consider adjusting pair weights or decoupling.