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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.
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.
Post-Processing the Co-Simulation Results
The structural response and interface response for FSI simulations can be post-processed in Abaqus/CAE. The fluid behavior and interface solution can be viewed in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Combined fluid and structural solution post-processing can be done using third-party software.

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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.
- 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.
  - General Requirements
    This section describes the general requirements for running a co-simulation with Abaqus.
  - Co-Simulation Interface and Exchanged Fields
    Co-Simulation with Abaqus allows for thermal and mechanical coupling at the fluid-structure interface. In thermal co-simulation analyses, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ exports boundary heat flux to Abaqus and imports temperature data. In mechanical co-simulation analyses, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ exports traction data (pressure and wall shear stress) to Abaqus and imports nodal displacements. Co-Simulation with Abaqus allows for implicit or explicit coupling.
  - General Workflow for Co-Simulation with Abaqus
  - Specifying Co-Simulation Settings in Abaqus
    Add co-simulation commands to the Abaqus input file, to specify the co-simulation step, the coupled Abaqus surfaces or nodes, and the fields that are exchanged during the co-simulation.
  - Specifying Co-Simulation Settings in Simcenter STAR-CCM+
    Specify the general settings for co-simulation with Abaqus in the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ simulation.
  - Running the Co-Simulation
    Prepare the simulations as described in the previous sections, then run the co-simulation.
  - Restarting from a Previous Abaqus Simulation
  - Remeshing the Fluid in Simcenter STAR-CCM+
    Large displacements of the solid can lead to large deformations of the fluid mesh. To preserve the mesh quality, you can remesh the fluid in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ before continuing the co-simulation.
  - Post-Processing the Co-Simulation Results
    The structural response and interface response for FSI simulations can be post-processed in Abaqus/CAE. The fluid behavior and interface solution can be viewed in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Combined fluid and structural solution post-processing can be done using third-party software.
  - Allocating Cores to Abaqus in Batch Queuing Systems
  - Abaqus Co-Simulation Models Reference
    The Abaqus co-simulation model allows you to couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and Abaqus in a co-simulation analysis. This type of co-simulation supports implicit or explicit coupling.
  - Abaqus Link Reference
    In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you specify the settings for co-simulation with Abaqus in a link node under the External Links node.
  - Additional Considerations
- 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.

Post-Processing the Co-Simulation Results

The structural response and interface response for FSI simulations can be post-processed in Abaqus/CAE. The fluid behavior and interface solution can be viewed in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. Combined fluid and structural solution post-processing can be done using third-party software.

Analyzing with Simcenter STAR-CCM+

In Simcenter STAR-CCM+ you can view imported data using the corresponding field function. For example, you can visualize the field functions Co-Simulation: Imported Displacement, Co-Simulation: Imported Velocity, and Co-Simulation: Imported Temperature, in scenes and reports for the coupled boundary. Generated images from the scenes can be exported for use in creating animations using the methods that are described in Saving Scene Images to File. For general information on post-processing in Simcenter STAR-CCM+, refer to the Analyzing section of the User Guide.

Output Analysis in Abaqus

The structural response and the co-simulation traction vectors (CF), as well as the co-simulation heat flux vectors (CFL) for thermal coupling, can be visualized in Abaqus/CAE. The output file for the co-simulation is located in the directory containing the Abaqus input file. The output file is named <current job name>.odb, where <current job name> corresponds to the Current Job Name property specified in the co-simulation session properties. Details on how to choose the data that is included in the *.odb file can be found in "Output to the output database", Section 4.1.3 of the Abaqus Analysis User’s Guide.

Imported co-simulation traction and heat flux vectors can be displayed by requesting CF and CFL as nodal field output. The following example illustrates an output request for nodal displacements, nodal traction vector, nodal temperature (NT), and heat flux vectors imported from Simcenter STAR-CCM+, and computed material point stresses.

Input File Usage:

*OUTPUT, FIELD
*NODE OUPUT
 U, CF, NT, CFL
*ELEMENT OUTPUT
 S