Tutorial 2: Generating you solid using SolidWorks and reading it into STAR-CCM+

Introduction: The intention of this tutorial is to use SolidWorks software to generate a mesh that then is exported to STAR-CCM+ and then imported to STAR-CCM . This tutorial assumes that you have the minimum knowledge on how to use SolidWorks. This tutorial is essential for later stages in STAR-CCM, if the student doesnt master this tutorial he wont be able to run flow simulations on desired geometries he wants. Try to read whats written before each step and what follows it under the figure title.

Step1: Launch Solid works by double clicking on its icon on the desktop, then go to file and choose New.

Figure1: a reminder that not all lab machines have the STAR-CCM software installed on them.

Step2: You will get a window asking you to choose an option choose Part.

Figure2: You can generate a mesh also using assembly but that would be covered in later tutorials. Step3: select the top plane and choose insert sketch, then draw a 2d profile which looks like the bottom one.

Figure3: you can chose whatever 2d profile you like as long as you can revolve it around a predefined axis.

Step4: Once you have revolved the 2d profile around the selected axis and then mirrored the revolved part against its base side you should get some this like this (capsule shaped object).

Figure4: The student can choose whatever method that proves to be convenient with him, remember that in modelling there are lots of different approaches used. Step5: The following step is aimed at generating a cavity shaped like a capsule and thats done by inserting a new sketch on the top plane and drawing a square that contains the capsule shape. Once the 2d drawing sketch is done the student choses the extrude command on the square profile. NOTE THAT REMMBER TO DESELECT THE MERGE REUSLT TICK BOX, IF YOU DONT YOU WILL NOT GET THE CAPSULE CAVITY BECOUSE THE CAPSULE 3D SHAPE WILL BE MERGED WITH THE BOX DOMAIN.

Figure5: Just by looking at the Output Star 1 , and reading the comments the arrow is pointing at, you can make sure that things are alright.

Step6: The extruded box should like something like this.

Figure6: Try to use the rotate view command to check that the box domain is to the required manner. Step7: Choose the wire frame to make the solid capsule is inside the extruded box domain.

Figure7: The main objective to use wire frame view is because if you use the slice commands you cant view the existence of the solid capsule inside the extruded box.

Step8: Now go to Insert then features and from feature choose combine.

Figure8: Notice that the view of the part is in perspective view and its in shaded mode without edges. Step9: Once you get the combine window choose subtract.

Figure9: Notice the main body that was selected is highlighted in green wireframe while the body to subtract is in blue wire frame.

Step10: Choose the slice command to view that the cavity has been generated inside the box domain.

Figure10: try to offset the slice plane in the forward and backward direction to check that the cavity fulfils the required conditions by the user. Step11: This is the last step in the SolidWorks environment, go to file and chose save as: Parasolid(*.x_t).

Figure11: Always try to work in an organized manner create a folder with a name that you can remember and choose a file name that is application related to your studied case, these tips can speed up your work.

Step12: Lunch Star-CCM and choose new session, for more detail on how to start working on STARCCM go to Tutorial 1. Go to file then Import then Choose Import Surface Mesh .

Figure12: You cant Import a volume mesh till you previously generate one, this is a very important note. Step13: Then comes choose from the Import Surface Options, Create new Region, then press ok.

Figure13: Getting around the other provided options will be covered at later tutourials.

Step14: Change the transparency of your part to see what kind of mesh your part is made up of.

Figure14: What is visible to the user is that the grid sizing is to big and their isnt much detail captured for the modelled part. Step15: To increase the density and type of structure of the mesh, you will have to modify the base size for your mesh. Go to Continua then Reference values and under reference values you will find base size. By looking at the properties section you will find that the base size value is 1, we will have to see what is the size of the base value for the modelled part, thats done by using the measure feature covered in Tutorial 1. As is obvious the measured value is 0.116 (m) while the base size value is one. Go to the Base Size Properties and modify the value from 1 to 0.01.

Figure15: Its very essential to get the right value for the base size, to ensure that you get the required grid density to capture as much as possible data from the run simulation.

Step16: The modified value of the base value is in blue colour.

Figure16: Under the Output-Star 1, you can see the details of the coordinates of the previously selected points and the measured distance between them. Step17: Go to Continua and choose click on your right hand mouse button and choose select meshing model, you will get a Mesh 1 Model Selection choose Surface Remesher.

Figure17: Depending on your studied case for your volume mesh you choose what kind of Mesh type, either Polyhedral Mesher , Tetrahedral Mesher . etc.

Step18: For our case choose Tetrahedral Mesher, once finished press close.

Figure18: once the previous steps are accomplished youre nearly got to the end. Step19: Go to Mesh and Choose: Generate Surface Mesh.

Figure19: Once the command is conducted by the software proceed to the next step.

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Step20: Go to Mesh and choose Generate Volume Mesh

Figure20: Now that you have given the command of Generate Volume Mesh youre in business now. Step20: The volume mesh you created should look something similar to this.

Figure20: if your note happy with the size of chosen elements you can modify the base size value to a much smaller value.

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A Reminder on the application of the three mouse button for STAR-CCM+: Always try to work in an organized manner create a folder with a name that you can remember and choose a file name that is application related to your studied case, these tips can speed up your work. Pan View (Right Button): Press once and the specified point on the screen and move mouse you pan your view angle. Zoom of View (Middle Button): Press once and the specified point on the screen and move mouse you can zoom your view. .angle.

Rotation of View (Left Button): Press once and the specified point on the screen and move mouse you can rotate your view. angle.

Thats the end of the second tutorial I hope that was helpful please feel free to contact me regarding any mistakes or recommendations for the tutorial. Ahmed Al Makky
A.al-Makky@warwick.ac.uk

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/pg/students/esrhaw

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