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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.
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.
Applying Axisymmetric Parameteric Coordinates
When defined correctly, an axisymmetric parameterization registers several field functions that you can use in creating isosurface derived parts on which to render simulation data such as Axial Velocity. The parameterization also adds an axisymmetric embedding transform that you can use to view an unwrapped version of an isosurface.

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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.
- 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.
  - Computing Axisymmetric Parametric Coordinates
    Computing axisymmetric parametric coordinates requires you to identify part surfaces that compose each of the bounding surfaces of the domain—in the case of turbomachinery, all six bounding surfaces. (In this section turbomachinery is discussed as an example due to the frequency of the application.) When the coordinate computation is complete, several field functions are available for you to use in defining isosurface derived parts.
  - Applying Axisymmetric Parameteric Coordinates
    When defined correctly, an axisymmetric parameterization registers several field functions that you can use in creating isosurface derived parts on which to render simulation data such as Axial Velocity. The parameterization also adds an axisymmetric embedding transform that you can use to view an unwrapped version of an isosurface.
  - Computing Blade Parametric Coordinates
    In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you can parameterize a blade surface in two directions. The first direction (Leading-Trailing) goes from -1 at the trailing edge, across the suction side of the blade to the leading edge where the value is 0, and then across the pressure side back to the trailing edge where the value is +1. The second (Root-Tip) goes from 0 at the root of the blade to 1 at the tip of the blade. In essence, the parameterization maps blade vertices to a 2D rectangle that goes from -1 to + 1 in one direction and from 0 to 1 in the other.
  - Applying Blade Parametric Coordinates
    When defined correctly, a blade parameterization registers field functions that you can use in creating profile derived parts on which you can plot quantities such as pressure (for blade loading). By applying the Leading-Trailing function, you can create an unwrapped plot showing suction and pressure sides of the blade in succession.
  - Parameterization Objects Reference
    The Parameterizations objects let you compute parameters for an axisymmetric solid of revolution, typically for turbomachinery applications, or for one or more turbomachine blades.
- 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.

Applying Axisymmetric Parameteric Coordinates

When defined correctly, an axisymmetric parameterization registers several field functions that you can use in creating isosurface derived parts on which to render simulation data such as Axial Velocity. The parameterization also adds an axisymmetric embedding transform that you can use to view an unwrapped version of an isosurface.

To create an isosurface, follow the procedure in Defining an Isosurface and make the following selections:
- Set Scalar Field to one of the parameterization field functions, for example, Axisymmetric 1 S Normalized that locates an isosurface between the hub and shroud of the turbomachine.
- Set Isovalue or Isovalue Range to give the isosurface location you require.
Within a scene displayer, use the isosurface derived part for rendering solution data.

Unwrapping an Isosurface

In the scene that shows the isosurface, set the Transform property of the isosurface displayer to use the axisymmetric embedding transform.
This transform has a label such as Embedding: Axisymmetric 1 (Conformal).

The transform projects the isosurface data onto a plane, essentially flattening the surface. Data sampling occurs on the original 3D surface, not the 2D projection.

Other post-processing that relies on the axisymmetric parameterization includes:

defining an average surface that generates a 2D data set from an averaged 3D solution
defining an average profile that lets you examine the 1D variation of a specified scalar over an isosurface