In addition to isolating components for various analyses in OpenVSP, Sets are a great way to quickly switch between configurations or assembly groups. For example, you can have multiple different versions of a vehicle in the same model and only include particular configurations in a Set. One configuration may have a highly swept wing and V-tail while another may have a low aspect ratio wing with no sweep and a cruciform tail. This is different than leveraging Variable Presets to alter the overall parametric shape of a component for a design change and intended more for significant configurations changes. Similarly, Sets may be used to show only specific groups or assemblies so the user can focus on a particular element or region of the model. Hiding everything in a model except for the engines or propellers is one such use case. Your modeling efficiency and speed are greatly improved by leveraging Sets for group isolation in these ways.
In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to use Sets for analyses in OpenVSP. In each case, the analysis menu will show a dropdown selection for the set you wish to operate on. Once a set is chosen, you can execute the analysis as usual and only those components included in the set will be considered. Note that OpenVSP has three named sets that are always present and represent all components in the model (All), the visible components (Shown), or the hidden components (Not Shown).
This topic will introduce Sets to the user and illustrate how to leverage the Set Editor to select which components will belong to any given Set. Sets are a great way to choose which components or features to include in an analysis, file export, assembly group, or configuration. For example, users can choose to include only the lifting surfaces in the model for a VSPAERO Vortex-Lattice analysis without having to hide all other components in the model.
Components may each be grouped into collections known as Sets in OpenVSP by choosing the individual components relevant to an analysis, assembly, configuration, or for export. Sets are intended to make it quick and easy to switch between pre-selected groups rather than individually showing or hiding components in the model tree under the geometry browser window. The Set Editor enables users to quickly add or remove components from a set, copy and paste components from one set to another, and rename sets. Individual components may also be added or removed from sets under the Set Export/Analysis box in the component window.