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Pre-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solves physics problems on a computational mesh. To provide this mesh, you first define geometry using internal or external tools, and then create a mesh pipeline whose operations generate the mesh in repeatable steps.
3D-CAD
3D-CAD is a feature-based parametric modeler within Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that allows you to build geometries from scratch. The geometries that you create with 3D-CAD are stored as 3D-CAD models, which you can then convert to geometry parts for integration with the meshing and simulation process.
Sketches in 3D-CAD
3D-CAD supports two types of sketch—2D sketches that are created on a planar surface and 3D sketches that are built from points located anywhere in geometric space. You can use both types of sketch in 3D geometry operations such as extrude, revolve, or sweep.
Creating a Sketch in 3D
Use 3D sketching to create sketches whose entities are constructed from points and lines located anywhere in 3D space. These 3D sketches can then be used to build or modify complex three-dimensional shapes.
3D Sketch Creation Controls
When creating a point or a line in a 3D sketch, there are additional controls available to help you create and place these sketch entities in 3D space.

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Pre-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solves physics problems on a computational mesh. To provide this mesh, you first define geometry using internal or external tools, and then create a mesh pipeline whose operations generate the mesh in repeatable steps.
- 3D-CAD
  3D-CAD is a feature-based parametric modeler within Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that allows you to build geometries from scratch. The geometries that you create with 3D-CAD are stored as 3D-CAD models, which you can then convert to geometry parts for integration with the meshing and simulation process.
  - 3D-CAD Environment
    The 3D-CAD environment provides you with a feature tree from which you can activate all steps for creating and modifying geometry, and a 3D-CAD View scene in which you interact with the geometry. Many of the same feature actions are available for selection in the 3D-CAD View scene.
  - Sketches in 3D-CAD
    3D-CAD supports two types of sketch—2D sketches that are created on a planar surface and 3D sketches that are built from points located anywhere in geometric space. You can use both types of sketch in 3D geometry operations such as extrude, revolve, or sweep.
    - Creating a Sketch
    - Dimensioning Sketches
      Dimensions are used to control sizes, distances, and angles in a sketch.
    - Constraining a Sketch
      Constraints are used to impose geometric limitations on sketch entities as well as to control their position on the sketch plane.
    - Creating Sketch Fillets
      The Sketch Fillet option rounds off the corner that is formed between two lines on a sketch.
    - Creating Sketch Chamfers
      A sketch chamfer is a feature that makes a straight cut across the corner that is formed between two lines on a sketch.
    - Splines
      A spline is a smooth curve that is composed from a series of points (called spline points).
    - Projecting Entities to the Active Sketch
      You can project sketch entities from other sketches onto the active sketch.
    - Creating a Sketch in 3D
      Use 3D sketching to create sketches whose entities are constructed from points and lines located anywhere in 3D space. These 3D sketches can then be used to build or modify complex three-dimensional shapes.
      - Helix Sketch Panel
        The following table summarizes the properties that are available for a helix sketch.
      - Equation Based Curve Panel
        The following table summarizes the properties that are available for an equation-based curve sketch. To define a curve using an equation, you enter the entire equation directly in the panel.
      - 3D Sketch Entity
        Sketches are comprised of sketch entities. The following table describes the 3D sketch entities that are available in 3D-CAD.
      - 3D Sketch Creation Controls
        When creating a point or a line in a 3D sketch, there are additional controls available to help you create and place these sketch entities in 3D space.
      - Offsetting Entities in a 3D Sketch
        You can offset specific points in a 3D sketch to help you trace the shape of an existing object. This feature is useful in situation where you want to maintain the curvature of an object while offsetting the curve a fixed distance away from the original surface.
  - 3D-CAD Geometry Modeling
    Bodies represent the individual objects that make up the 3D-CAD model. Imported CAD geometry appears as bodies in 3D-CAD, and you can also create your own bodies directly using 3D-CAD features.
  - Freeform Surface Modeling
    Freeform surface modeling is a modeling technique in 3D-CAD that allows you to deform existing surfaces for desired shapes.
  - Importing and Exporting Geometry
  - Working with 3D-CAD Models
  - Geometry Repair and Preparation
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a suite of tools in 3D-CAD that helps you to prepare your CAD geometry so that it is suitable for meshing. CAD that is designed for manufacture can have gaps or inaccuracies that cause problems when trying to generate a watertight mesh.
  - Design Parameters
    Design parameters allow Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to update geometry designs during design exploration studies. Although you define them within the 3D-CAD environment, they are exposed outside 3D-CAD for manual or automatic update.
- Modeling Geometry
  This part of the User Guide describes how to use 3D-CAD, the parametric solid modeler available within Simcenter STAR-CCM+. It also describes the features and tools available for further preparation of the geometry model and its surfaces.
- The Surface Repair Tool
  The Surface Repair tool diagnoses errors in, and provides repair tools for, tessellated surfaces and part curves. The same tool allows you to reorganize discretized geometry by searching for face-based features and attributes then assigning the results to new or existing part surfaces or curves.
- Defining the Regions Layout
  An essential part of the process in setting up your simulation is to define the relationship between geometry parts and regions, boundaries, and interfaces.
- Meshing
  A mesh is a discretized representation of a geometric domain. This domain can include real-world geometry, its content, and its surrounding environment.

3D Sketch Creation Controls

When creating a point or a line in a 3D sketch, there are additional controls available to help you create and place these sketch entities in 3D space.

Create Point Controls

You can control the placement of points using the options in the following table.


From Scene	There are two options available that defines the way you create points for a 3D sketch. When Pick a Plane() is active, you can create and place points using the sketch triad. To place a point, click the desired plane on the central triad. The current position coordinates for the point are displayed in the Current Coordinates group box. When Pick on Geometry is active, you can create points on a face or surface of an existing body. To create a point on an edge, hover the mouse pointer over an edge in the scene and then position the point anywhere on the highlighted edge. To create a point on a face, hover the mouse pointer over a face in the scene and position the point anywhere on the highlighted face.
Coordinate Input	Places the point using coordinate inputs. To place a point, enter the X, Y, and Z coordinates for the point in the Point Coordinate group box, and click Apply.
Offset From Point	Places the point by offsetting a reference point in the scene. To place a point, select a reference point in the scene, enter the offset distances in the X, Y, and Z fields, and click Apply. In the following example, the point is offset by a distance from the reference point in the X direction. The reference point is displayed in green.

Create Line/Spline Controls

These options control the placement and positioning of lines and splines in the 3D sketch.


Start/End Point	Specifies the start/end point for the line entity. Enter the X, Y, and Z coordinates for the point. When the first point in a line is active, the coordinates for its current position are displaced in the Start Point field. For all subsequent points, this information is displayed in the End Point field. These options only apply when drawing lines in a 3D sketch.
Current Point	Displays the current position of the point as you draw the spline in a 3D sketch. As you click and place the points in 3D space, the position of the next, current, point is displayed. This option only appears when drawing splines in a 3D sketch.