Altair SimLab Tutorials

Tutorials > Automation

SL-S920: Automation Execution using Process Automation

SL-S910 > SL-S910

 In order to record the macros used in this tutorial, please complete SL-S910
 For more details about using the Process Automation Menu, see also SL-P210

In this lesson you will learn:

 To set up an automation process in order to execute it with the Process Automation Menu.

Step1: Rename the files in the Project Directory

1. Navigate to the subfolder S9_EngineDummy_Automation/Project, in which you saved the files used in the
previous tutorial SL-S910.
2. In order to make the Process Automation Menu recognize the templates, rename the files as follows:
 S9_EngineDummy_groups.xml  GroupTemplate.xml
 S9_EngineDummy_names.dat  names.dat

Step2: Import the Parasolid Model

1. Start SimLab, or create a new session (Ctrl+N).

2. Click File|Import|CAD
3. In the Input subfolder of the automation, select the Parasolid file S_engine_dummy1.xmt_txt to re-run the
automation on the same geometry or rename the alternate geometry into S_engine_dummy1.xmt_txt
before importing it. Choose Units=Meter.

Step3: Define the Project folder

1. Navigate to Advanced | Process Automation to open the menu.

2. Click Select Project. In the directory containing the tutorial models, select the folder
S9_EngineDummy_Automation/Project and confirm with Select folder.

© 2017 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
 Altair SimLab Tutorials

Step4: Define Parameters

1. Select Advanced|Process Automation|Parameters

2. In the Parameter Panel, select Import. From the Project Folder, select the file
S9_EngineDummy_parameters.xml and confirm.
3. If desired, edit the values of the Parameters confirm with OK.

Step5: Name Mapping

1. Select Advanced|Process Automation|Map Body Names

2. Rename the bodies according to the picture. Choosing Save, to a file called Name_Mapping.xml will be
created to speed up the renaming in the following runs.

Step6: Group Mapping

1. Select Advanced|Process Automation|Map Groups

© 2017 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
 Altair SimLab Tutorials

2. For each group, check the Select box, then select the related faces on screen and select Add Entities.

Step7: Create a Run Template

1. Select Advanced|Process Automation|Run

2. Select the option Insert Row to add in sequence the three macros in the Project subfolder.

3. Clicking Save will create a process template called RunTemplate.xml in the Project folder. This will avoid to
source the macro files on the next runs.

Step8: Run the scripts

© 2017 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
 Altair SimLab Tutorials

1. Still in Advanced|Process Automation|Run, select the scripts you want to execute (i.e., all three) and click
Run.

2. The file created by SimLab are stored in the Output subfolder. Results are loaded into the graphic area.

Next Steps

You can now:

 Create a copy of the project directory to run the next simulation with different parameter values.

© 2017 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.