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Interacting with CAE Software
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ can interact with a wide range of other computer-aided engineering (CAE) software. This interaction includes import/export of mesh and solution data as well as coupling capabilities for multiphysics simulations.
Simcenter Nastran Co-Simulation
For fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analyses, you can couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Simcenter Nastran in a co-simulation analysis.

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Interacting with CAE Software
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ can interact with a wide range of other computer-aided engineering (CAE) software. This interaction includes import/export of mesh and solution data as well as coupling capabilities for multiphysics simulations.
- File Import and Export
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to import mesh and solution data from other CAE packages using files. You can also export such data from Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for use in external software.
- File-Based Coupling (through Imported CAE Model)
  File-based coupling is a method used to couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with another CAE code via external files stored in the computer memory.
- Rotor Blade Aeroelasticity
  Rotor Blade Aeroelasticity (RBA) simulations model the aerodynamic performance of elastic rotor blades using displacement and twist data from external files. You can create these data files in multi-body dynamics software such as RCAS, CAMRAD-II, DYMORE, and FLIGHTLAB. Typical RBA applications include urban air vehicle rotors, wind turbines, and helicopter rotors.
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Co-Simulation
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to couple two running simulations together in a co-simulation analysis. The Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to Simcenter STAR-CCM+ co-simulation capability targets analyses involving conjugate heat transfer (CHT), fluid-structure interaction (FSI), and exchange of any scalar or vector fields across the coupled boundaries or regions.
- Simcenter Nastran Co-Simulation
  For fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analyses, you can couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Simcenter Nastran in a co-simulation analysis.
  - Activating Co-Simulation Models in Simcenter STAR-CCM+
    Prepare the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ simulation and activate the physics models that enable co-simulation with Simcenter Nastran.
  - Defining the Coupled Boundaries and Exchanged Fields
    Define the fluid boundaries that couple with Simcenter Nastran at the fluid-structure interface and specify the fields that are exchanged during the co-simulation.
  - Launching Simcenter Nastran for Co-Simulation
    Specify the details for launching Simcenter Nastran, including the location of the Simcenter Nastran executable and input file.
  - Simcenter Nastran Co-Simulation Models Reference
    For co-simulation with Simcenter Nastran, you require two physics continua. In both continua, you add co-simulation models that enable coupling between Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Simcenter Nastran.
- Simcenter Amesim Co-Simulation
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows for two-way co-simulation with Simcenter Amesim, which is used for modeling dynamic systems.
- FMU Co-Simulation
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to import Functional Mock-up Unit (FMU) models for co-simulation. An FMU is a time-dependent model, typically representing a dynamic network, that is written according to the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) standard. The FMI standard is a software-independent standard that provides an interface for coupling simulation software.
- Abaqus Co-Simulation
  The co-simulation technique can be used to solve complex fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems by coupling Abaqus and Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Mechanical and/or thermal fields can be exchanged across the fluid-structure interface.
- GT-SUITE Co-Simulation
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows for two-way co-simulation with GT-SUITE, a multiphysics simulation tool from Gamma Technologies. GT-SUITE provides a modeling framework for the design and analysis of engineering systems, such as engines, vehicles, and thermal-hydraulic networks.
- Reacting Channel Coupling
  The Reacting Channel Coupling feature provides the ability for exchange of data between three-dimensional Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and the one-dimensional Plug Flow Reactor which uses the CVODE solver. You can use the Reacting Channel co-simulation model in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to solve reacting flow simulations in tubular heat exchangers with channels that are long and thin.
- Generic Launcher
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a generic launcher for external applications that allows you to launch any application or file at a specified time interval during a simulation.
- Co-Simulation API
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows you to write partner code that exchanges data with a running Simcenter STAR-CCM+ simulation. As the partner code can be part of any other application that supports linking to a flat C library, the co-simulation API extends the range of co-simulation scenarios possible with Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
- Data Mappers
  In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, data mappers allow you to interpolate field data available either on a source mesh or on a source table to a target mesh representation, so that the mapped fields can be used for applying boundary or volume conditions on the target mesh.
- Coordinate Cell Clustering
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to group mesh cells into clusters, based on their position with respect to a specified coordinate system, and provides a field index for querying values based on cluster. You can create threshold reports based on these clusters of cells.

Simcenter Nastran Co-Simulation

For fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analyses, you can couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Simcenter Nastran in a co-simulation analysis.

During the co-simulation, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ computes the flow solution and Simcenter Nastran performs the structural analysis. Specifically:

Simcenter Nastran computes the solid displacement in response to the fluid loads (pressure and wall shear stress) computed in Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ uses the morpher to update the fluid mesh in response to the solid displacement received from Simcenter Nastran.

The fluid-structure interface is between Simcenter STAR-CCM+ boundaries and Simcenter Nastran surfaces (surface-to-surface coupling). The coupling mode is explicit, that is, the simulations exchange data once per time-step.

Simcenter STAR-CCM+ supports several versions of Simcenter Nastran, and also allows you to specify a custom version if necessary. For a list of supported versions, see the External Package Support section of the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Release Notes.