Setting Up the Reference Simulation

Every design study requires a reference simulation from which to start. In this reference simulation you create and expose the design and global parameters by which Design Manager can modify the simulation setup. You also prepare reports, plots, and scenes for feedback and analysis.

To set up the reference simulation in Simcenter STAR-CCM+:
  1. If you want Design Manager to modify the geometry of your product, build and parameterize your geometry using one of the following approaches:
    • Set up the geometry in 3D-CAD using design parameters. See Using 3D-CAD and Working with Design Parameters.
    • Set up the geometry in your CAD tool using design parameters and import the geometry directly from the respective CAD client. This approach transfers the design parameters in addition to the geometry model. See CAD Clients.
  2. Set up your simulation with suitable mesh and physics settings.
    Construct the mesh in a manner that accounts for expected geometry variations. For example, use refinement zones that capture the varying geometry of the product. Field functions allow you to dimension refinement zones and cell sizes as functions of design parameters.
  3. If you want Design Manager to modify physical quantities such as flow inlet velocity, define and apply global parameters to the physical quantities of interest. See Working with Global Parameters.
  4. If you want Design Manager to replace parts during design studies, include a Replace Part operation in the meshing pipeline. To define the replacement part, use a file global parameter. See Replacing a Part in a Parts-Based Volume Mesh.
  5. Create reports for all objectives and constraints.
    Additionally, create reports for quantities that you want to monitor for each design. Examples are pressure drop, lift force, drag force, or the Reynolds number.
  6. Create the relevant scenes and plots that you want Design Manager to use for post-processing.
    Make sure that the scenes and plot are appropriate for design comparison. For example, for scenes, use fixed minimum and maximum values for the displayed solution fields so that the color bars are identical for all designs. However, in case you expect large variations in the displayed solution fields, use variable maximum and minimum values.
  7. Make sure that the stopping criteria are appropriate for running various designs.
    To reach convergence, some designs might require less iterations than the reference design, others might need a few more. For this reason, avoid a fixed number of iterations as only stopping criterium. Instead, combine the fixed number of iterations criterium with monitor-based criteria where possible. See Setting Up Stopping Criteria.
  8. If your simulation requires specific input files, set absolute paths to these files. Examples:
    • If your simulation connects to a remote STAR-NX CAD client, set the absolute path to the CAD file location.
    • If your simulation uses table data files, set the absolute File Path.