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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.
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.
Visualization Workflow
Scenes are the central objects that you use for visualizing results in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. In general, scenes are composed of one or more displayers to which you assign parts or regions for rendering. Each displayer is responsible for rendering solution data, geometry surfaces, or mesh surfaces according to your selections.
Controlling Scene View and Perspective
To change the direction and distance from which you view objects in a scene, you generally use the mouse pointer interactively in the graphics window. You can rotate, pan, and zoom the model using your mouse. There are also several actions on the Vis toolbar, particularly within the Save-Restore-Select-Views menu, that let you apply quick orientation options to the scene.

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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.
  - Scenes
    In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you can visualize the results of your simulation using scenes. Scenes, which are stored within the Scenes node, are compositions of one or more displayers that render solution data on the parts you choose.
  - Visualization Workflow
    Scenes are the central objects that you use for visualizing results in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. In general, scenes are composed of one or more displayers to which you assign parts or regions for rendering. Each displayer is responsible for rendering solution data, geometry surfaces, or mesh surfaces according to your selections.
    - Refining a Vector Display
      Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to view vector fields using either arrows (glyphs) or a texture-based method known as line integral convolution. For each method, multiple properties are provided for customizing the appearance.
    - Refining a Scalar Display
      Typical considerations when rendering a scalar quantity are which contour style to apply, which color map to use, and whether to include visual artifacts from the mesh or geometry.
    - Controlling Scene View and Perspective
      To change the direction and distance from which you view objects in a scene, you generally use the mouse pointer interactively in the graphics window. You can rotate, pan, and zoom the model using your mouse. There are also several actions on the Vis toolbar, particularly within the Save-Restore-Select-Views menu, that let you apply quick orientation options to the scene.
    - Arranging Items in a Scene
      Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to resize and reposition most objects that compose a scene, including the order in which they are stacked from background to foreground.
    - Presenting the Whole Domain
      In many engineering simulations, it is common practice to reduce the size of the computational domain using planes of symmetry, axes of rotation (axisymmetry), or periodicity. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to reconstruct the whole domain in post-processing scenes.
    - Creating Streamlines
      Streamline displayers render solution data on streamline derived parts in a scene. Streamline displayers are responsible for visualization only—controls for streamline integration are found on the streamline derived parts themselves.
    - Setting the Scene Background or Environment Map
      Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to change the scene background to a different color, color gradient, or an environment background map. You can also set a checkerboard background that fills the space with colored squares.
    - Adding Annotations To Scenes
      A variety of options exist for working with the annotations in Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
    - Adding Scene Margins
      In a scene, you can provide margins (empty space) around the sides of the rendered objects by reducing the size of the model window and repositioning it.
    - Revealing Hidden Surfaces Using Clip Planes
      Clip planes allow you to slice through the rendered objects using plane sections and hide the sliced portion on one side.
    - Animating Objects in a Scene
      Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides multiple approaches for exploring solutions using moving images. In-scene animation provides dynamic observation of specific scene displayers. Exporting to an MP4 file builds an animation while a solution progresses (particularly transient solutions). Screenplay animation gives a higher level of story construction and control.
    - Controlling Scene Orientation
      By default, scenes fill the area of the graphics window and automatically resize as you change the width and height of the window. Alternative choices are available, including fixed aspect ratios and landscape or portrait modes.
    - Applying Lighting in a Scene
      When Simcenter STAR-CCM+ renders objects in a scene, virtual lights within the scene control the illumination of object surfaces and any data rendered on them. As well as allowing you to turn lights on or off and reposition them, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to activate advanced rendering effects that use the same set of lights.
    - Saving Scene Images to File
      The versatile scene exporting capabilities of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ give you a wide range of choices for visualizing solution results. You can save scenes to any one of various image file types as either a single action or at regular intervals during the simulation run. As an alternative to writing static image files, you can export scenes to an MP4 file, building an animation while a solution progresses (particularly transient solutions).
    - Exporting an Interactive 3D Scene to Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Viewer or VRML
      You can export the contents of a scene to a .sce or VRML file from Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
    - Visualizing the 6-DOF Body and Related Quantities
      For simulations that contain 6-DOF bodies, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a dedicated displayer by which you can visualize DFBI artifacts in a scene. These artifacts include the 6-DOF bodies, force and moment vectors, body couplings, and centers of mass.
    - Applying and Managing Color Maps
      Color maps provide the range of color values to which simulation data is mapped when Simcenter STAR-CCM+ renders the data on object surfaces in a graphics scene. Colormaps have a significant impact on how well data is understood when rendered in the scene.
    - Displaying Cell Values in Scalar Scenes
      To view the cell values for a region on one side of the interface only, you must create a threshold derived part and use this in the scalar displayer.
    - Linking Scene Views
      To improve understanding of results, you can link multiple scenes so that they move in tandem as you interact with one of them. This visual parallelism allows you to compare and contrast information concurrently without trying to remember views.
  - Advanced Rendering
    Advanced rendering provides realistic visual presentation at an economic computational cost through ray tracing. Ray tracing simulates the travel of light as it passes through the domain and comes into contact with objects in that domain.
  - Screenplay Animation
    Screenplay is an integrated animation tool in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that allows you to tell a story about figures of merit in your simulations. The underlying technology used in Screenplay is known as keyframe animation.
  - Annotations
    Annotations are objects that you add to scenes in order to provide extra information or visualization within the same window. For example, you can show the current time-step in a scalar scene or include a numerical value from a report. Possible annotations include report values, 2D or 3D images, and embedded versions of other scenes.
  - Using Transforms
    Displayers use transforms to modify the default position, orientation, or size of the part in the displayer.
  - Obtaining Render Performance Data for a Scene
    You can view a report that provides rendering statistics for a scene that is open in the Graphics window.
  - Visualization Reference
    Visualization tools in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ include a wide range of objects in the UI with which you can control the appearance, scope, and type of data in the display. The controls, documented in the following sections, include a comprehensive set of properties as well as convenient right-click actions.
- 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).
- Signal Processing
  Signal processing applies data set functions to sets of wave data.

Controlling Scene View and Perspective

To change the direction and distance from which you view objects in a scene, you generally use the mouse pointer interactively in the graphics window. You can rotate, pan, and zoom the model using your mouse. There are also several actions on the Vis toolbar, particularly within the Save-Restore-Select-Views menu, that let you apply quick orientation options to the scene.

As you move objects interactively, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ updates the focal point and position properties within the View node for the scene. It is unlikely that you need to set these properties directly unless for some precise positioning. See <reference link> for details.

By default, realistic relative scaling is applied to objects in the scene. Objects far from the viewer are shown as smaller than objects close to the viewer.

To change the viewing mode for a scene, choose one of the following methods:
- In the View toolbar, click (Save-Restore-Select Views), select Projection Mode and choose Perspective (scaling applied) or Parallel (no scaling).
- Within the node tree for a scene, select Attributes > View and set Projection Mode to Perspective or Parallel.

After setting the viewing mode, you typically rotate, pan, and zoom the scene until you have an acceptable view.

To save the view settings for future use, in the Vis toolbar, select Save-Restore-Select Views > Store Current View.
If you made changes to the view and you want to return to a previously saved view or a known state, choose one of the following actions from the Vis toolbar:
- Select Save-Restore-Select Views > Restore View > [stored view].
- To return to the default positioning, click Reset View. This option is often useful when you lose sight of some or all of the model due to mouse interactions.

As an alternative to interactively changing the view, you can choose from a wide range of preset options.

To apply a preset option, from the Vis toolbar select Save-Restore-Select Views and then continue within either Views or Standard Views.
For example, to switch to an isometric view with the Z axis upwards, select Views > +X +Y +Z > Up +Z.
To cycle through recent views, in the Vis toolbar, use the (Previous View) and (Next View) buttons.