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Post-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to post-process the solution after each iteration or time-step, (while the simulation is running), as well as when the simulation completes. For this reason, you generally create post-processing objects before running the simulation. Post-processing objects are also known as analysis objects.
Triggers and Update Events
Several features of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ require that you define a trigger for when an action takes place. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides three built-in trigger types, and one custom trigger type (defined by an update event).
User-Defined Update Events
User-defined update events are custom triggers that provide you with more flexibility compared to the built-in trigger types. With a user-defined update event, you can trigger an update based on monitor values.
Creating User-Defined Update Events
You can create user-defined update events using various update event parameters.

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Post-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to post-process the solution after each iteration or time-step, (while the simulation is running), as well as when the simulation completes. For this reason, you generally create post-processing objects before running the simulation. Post-processing objects are also known as analysis objects.
- Analysis Workflow
  The key steps in successfully analyzing simulation results are to: (1) be clear on what quantities you want to extract; (2) locate or define surfaces on which to obtain the data; and, (3) present the data in visual scenes or numeric output.
- Data Interpolation
  Most visualization objects such as plots, reports, and scalar displayers allow for smooth and non-smooth values. For example, the contour style for scalar displayers provides a Smooth Filled option (smooth) and a Filled option (non-smooth). The way these values are calculated depends on the discretization method.
- Field Function Interpolation and Interfaces (FV)
  For finite volume meshes, understanding how Simcenter STAR-CCM+ deals with field function data is important for avoiding non-physical results in post-processing at an interface, and to appreciate the difference that smoothing makes when it is applied.
- Accessing Solution Data through Derived Parts
  Although Simcenter STAR-CCM+ can display, analyze, and report simulation data on regions, boundaries, and parts, there are many cases when you want to access data in other entities of the solution space. Derived parts provide a mechanism for defining additional entities on which you can access solution data.
- Visualizing the Solution
  The visualization tools in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ are integrated with the analysis, allowing for the interactive extraction and viewing of solution data from either a running or converged simulation.
- Transient Solution Data
  For transient solutions, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides the simulation history file (.simh) to which you can save selected data while a simulation is running. After the simulation completes, you can load this file and query its states for post-processing.
- Sampling Data Values Using Reports and Monitors
  This workflow incorporates the roles of both reports and monitors.
- Accessing Field Data from Previous Time-Steps or Iterations
  A field history is a type of field monitor that stores a finite number of past values (or samples) of a field function, captured at moments defined by its update policy, for a given set of input regions or boundaries (or both).
- Reporting Results
  Reports provide summaries of solution data.
- Monitoring the Solution
  Monitors sample, save, and plot solution data.
- Plots
  The plotting features in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allow you to create three kinds of two-dimensional plots.
- Exploring Solutions with Data Focus
  This interactive tool lets you extract knowledge of merit -- information that facilitates a correct engineering decision -- from a large volume of data.
- Parametric Positioning for Analysis Surfaces in Turbomachine Domains
  In studies of cases of revolving volumes, such as turbomachinery, a typical requirement for post-processing is to render and plot data on surfaces or profiles that are positioned parametrically in relation to the domain bounding surfaces. For example, you may wish to view the total pressure on a surface located exactly half-way between the hub and shroud, or you may wish to plot pressure across both blade surfaces on a given slice.
- Triggers and Update Events
  Several features of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ require that you define a trigger for when an action takes place. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides three built-in trigger types, and one custom trigger type (defined by an update event).
  - Setting the Trigger for an Update
    In general, features that require you to define a trigger expose the Update node. Use the properties of this node, and any child nodes, to define when an update action occurs.
  - Trigger Types
  - Trigger Properties
    Triggers control when an update event occurs.
  - User-Defined Update Events
    User-defined update events are custom triggers that provide you with more flexibility compared to the built-in trigger types. With a user-defined update event, you can trigger an update based on monitor values.
    - Creating User-Defined Update Events
      You can create user-defined update events using various update event parameters.
      - Logic Event
        The logic event allows you to apply logic arguments to multiple update events. Three logical expressions are available: AND, OR, and XOR.
      - Monitor Asymptote
        When the calculations reach a specified threshold, the monitor asymptote event triggers an update. This threshold is passed when the maximum difference among a set of samples drops below a user-specified value.
      - Monitor Delta
        The monitor delta event observes the change in values that are collected by a monitor.
      - Monitor Frequency
        The monitor frequency event observes the number of samples collected by a monitor.
      - Monitor Range
        The monitor range event updates when the monitor value is within the specified range.
      - Monitor Frequency Range
        The monitor frequency range event triggers an update every time that the number of samples collected by a monitor are within a specified range.
      - Monitor Waypoint
        The monitor waypoint event assumes that the monitor is sampling a continuous function over time, which could be periodic. The monitor waypoint event triggers an update when the values from two consecutive monitor samples cross a specified waypoint value.
      - DFBI Equilibrium Forces Converged Event Reference
        The DFBI Equilibrium Forces Converged event is available only when a 6-DOF body is associated with Equilibrium motion. The update event is created by right-clicking the Automation > Update Events node and selecting New Event > DFBI Equilibrium Forces Converged. This event enables you to monitor the converged force or moment values that act on a rigid body. The event triggers an update when the forces and moments are converged after a motion step. Typically, a new motion step is performed afterwards.
      - Solution View Event
        The solution view event is available when your simulation uses simulation history (.simh) data, and is created automatically with the creation of a solution view. This update event is only active during an animation, when it is triggered for each state change of the simulation history.
- Signal Processing
  Signal processing applies data set functions to sets of wave data.

Creating User-Defined Update Events

You can create user-defined update events using various update event parameters.

To create a user-defined update event:

Right-click Automation > Update Events and select New Event > [Update_Event_Type].
A new event node appears.
Set up the update event parameters. Refer to the individual update event documentation for more information.
- The following update events are available for all types of simulations:
- If you perform a DFBI simulation that sets the Equilibrium motion option, you can define the following update event:
  - DFBI Equilibrium Forces Converged
- If you use simulation history (.simh) data for filling monitors, you can use the following update event for triggering other updates while the animation is playing:
  - Solution View Event
In the feature of your choice, navigate to the Update node, and set Trigger to Update Event. In this example, the Update node of a scalar scene is selected.
Select Update > Event Frequency and set Update Event to the update event you created, in this case Logic Event.