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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.
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.
Global Tools
Global tools are designed for work on larger portions of the model as opposed to individual faces, edges, and vertices.
Intersect/Boolean Faces Tool
The Intersect/Boolean Selected Faces tool allows you to intersect or perform Boolean operations on two face sets. As the tool only operates on triangles faces, any quad faces in the input sets are decomposed to triangles.
Intersecting Faces With A Plane
Use this feature to intersect geometry parts based on a plane that you specify.
Specifying The Plane Normal
There are two Normal Specification options available to define the Plane Normal coordinates.

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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.
- 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.
  - The Surface Repair Workflow
    Use the Surface Repair tool to identify and manually repair surface and part curve errors on the discretized geometry.
  - Surface Repair User Interface
    The functions of the Surface Repair tool are contained within the Surface Repair environment. Repair tool modes are presented in the Surface Repair panel; display, selection, and diagnostics/search functions are embedded within the Graphics window.
  - Selecting Entities
    The surface repair tool allows you to select faces based on either individual triangles from the tessellation or underlying patch definitions in the CAD geometry. A number of methods are available for making rapid selections based on continuity and proximity.
  - Repairing Surfaces
    Diagnose and fix surfaces before running the surface remesher.
  - Repairing Features
    Diagnose and fix part curves before running the surface remesher.
  - Surface Repair Error Categories
    The Surface Repair tool diagnoses the geometry for surface and feature errors and groups the various errors into color-coded categories.
  - Repair Tools Reference
    Use the repair tools to repair errors on the geometry surface and part curves.
  - Global Tools
    Global tools are designed for work on larger portions of the model as opposed to individual faces, edges, and vertices.
    - Projecting Vertices
      This tool moves the selected vertex or vertices to a new location using one of five modes.
    - Transforming Surface Entities
      This tool transforms surface entities (vertices, edges, or faces) in a local coordinate system using one of five modes.
    - Offset Faces/Edges Tool
      The Offset Faces/Edges tool is used to inflate or translate faces or edges.
    - Merge and Imprint Tool
      The Merge/Imprint tool lets you imprint sets of faces and edges onto each other. After imprinting, you can switch to the review mode to identify critical issues that may exist in the contact definition.
    - Offset/Imprint Edges Tool
      The Offset/Imprint selected edges tool allows you to either offset or create edges and curves on the specified target faces. On creation, the edge to face imprinter imprints the new edges onto the destination surface.
    - Intersect/Boolean Faces Tool
      The Intersect/Boolean Selected Faces tool allows you to intersect or perform Boolean operations on two face sets. As the tool only operates on triangles faces, any quad faces in the input sets are decomposed to triangles.
      - Intersecting Two Face Sets
        Use this procedure to intersect two face sets.
      - Intersecting Faces With A Plane
        Use this feature to intersect geometry parts based on a plane that you specify.
        Specifying The Plane Origin
        You can specify the Plane Origin coordinates using three possible methods.
        Specifying The Plane Normal
        There are two Normal Specification options available to define the Plane Normal coordinates.
      - Performing A Boolean Operation On Faces
        A Boolean operation allows you to unite and intersect two face sets, or to subtract the Tool face set from the Target face set.
    - Edit Connected Surfaces Tool
      The Edit Connected Surfaces tool identifies the connection or disconnection between tessellated surfaces, and allows deletion of disconnected surfaces.
    - Reviewing Volume Topology
      The volume topology tool is a model topology diagnostic tool for analyzing volumes, faces, and edges. In particular, the tool identifies closed volumes from the set of surfaces supplied.
  - Query Tools
    Query tools provide information on selected entities in the Graphics window.
  - Classifying Surfaces
    In many cases, different surfaces of a geometry part require different mesh settings, for example, a different number of prism layers for internal and external surfaces. In Surface Repair, you can Classify faces based on specified criteria and create corresponding part surfaces. This classification process is suitable for regular geometries with well defined angles.
  - Organizing Discretized Geometry
    The search capability of the Surface Repair tool is a powerful feature that helps you organise and prepare discretized geometry for simulation.
  - Tagging Surfaces in Surface Repair
    You can tag selected surfaces in the Surface Repair Tool. You can manually select surfaces for tagging, or tag the surfaces returned by the search filters.
  - Part Controls
    The Organize tab allows you to create or reassign part entities using the Part Edit or Create New Part options.
  - Set Controls
    A set is a collection of faces, edges, or vertices, which you can store, recall and browse, using the Set Controls group box.
  - Query Diagnostic Responses From Java Macros
    This section provides example Java and reference material for accessing information from surface preparation query diagnostics.
  - Surface Repair Hotkeys
    Hotkeys, also known as keyboard shortcuts, execute surface repair operations using the keyboard instead of the user interface.
  - Pop Up Menu of the Surface Repair Tool Graphics Window
    The following pop-up menu items are available when you right-click a part or part surface in the Graphics window, while using the Surface Repair tool.
- 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.

Specifying The Plane Normal

There are two Normal Specification options available to define the Plane Normal coordinates.

Vector

Set Normal Specification to Vector.
To specify the Plane Normal coordinates, either:
- Enter Plane Normal X Y Z values, or
- Define Plane Normal Vector coordinates using the Display Plane Tool.
  See Specifying the Plane Origin.

Picked points

Set Normal Specification to Picked Points.
To specify the Picked Points coordinates, either:
- Specify three independent Plane Points coordinates that represent the Plane Normal. Using the same process as when specifying the Plane Origin, enter the Plane Points’ X Y Z values directly, or define the Plane Points interactively in the Graphics window.
- Specify three Plane Points coordinates using the Plane Origin coordinates for one of the Plane Points. Activate Use plane origin for plane point #1, then specify the remaining Plane Points’ using the same process as for specifying the plane origin.