Optimization studies help you automate the search for the optimum solution. In optimizing a design, you need to define your objective (objective function), the dimensions of the design that can change (design variables), and the conditions that the design must satisfy (behavior constraints).
For example, you may want to vary some of the dimensions in your model to minimize the material, while maintaining a safe level of stresses. In this case, your objective is to reduce the volume of the material, the varying dimensions are the design variables, and the condition that the stress level cannot exceed a certain limit is the behavior constraint.
The analysis software exploits the parametric, feature-based modeling, and the automatic regeneration capabilities of the CAD software to automate the optimization process. It quickly detects the effects of changing design variables to minimize the number of design cycles leading to the optimum design.
For more information on optimization studies, refer to the Optimization section. For an example, refer to the Online Tutorial.