Converting Mesh Data to CAD

In many cases, geometric information is provided in the form of mesh data. To make changes to the mesh data in Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you first convert the data into a precise CAD geometry.

Converting the tessellation data to CAD geometry allows you to remesh the imported surface in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ as required. The Mesh to CAD tool can handle any data size, however, it is not suitable for converting a surface wrap generated in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to a CAD body, unless the wrap is of a very high quality.

The Mesh to CAD algorithm is continuously being improved.

To produce the best results:

For tessellation data which contains sharp corners, create part curves and split the geometry into separate patches. For more information, see Manipulating Part Surfaces.
If the input mesh is uneven, remesh the geometry using the Surface Remesher in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ before using the Mesh to CAD tool.
To reduce computation time, use the lowest Complexity value for your required quality.

Import the required .inp or .stl.

To import an .inp file successfully, make sure the associated .cel and .vrt files are located in the same folder as the .inp file. For more information, see Importing Geometry into a 3D-CAD Model. You can apply the Mesh to CAD tool to any mesh format, however, further preprocessing may be required to obtain a valid result. For more information regarding the preprocessing of bodies, see Working with Bodies.
To convert the mesh body to CAD, use one of the following methods:
- Right-click the required mesh body and select Mesh to CAD.
- In the 3D-CAD View scene, select the required bodies then right-click and select Mesh to CAD.
- In the feature toolbar, select (Body Feature) and select Mesh to CAD.
In the Mesh to CAD dialog, specify the required settings and click OK.

When executed, the Mesh to CAD feature splits the mesh data into separate bodies and then converts the data to a CAD body using an integrated Mesh to CAD algorithm. The progress bar indicates which body is being converted. For multiple input bodies, the progress bar indicates the body currently being converted. See Mesh to CAD Options.

Mesh to CAD Options

The following options are available within the Mesh to CAD dialog:

Mesh Inputs: Specifies the mesh bodies to covert to precise CAD bodies.
Complexity: Defines the resolution of the converted model. The Mesh to CAD algorithm uses the complexity value to calculate the number of quadrilateral elements generated for the model, according to the equation below:
$Q u a d E l e m e n t s = 2000 ({C o m p l e x i t y}^{2})$; The generated quadrilateral elements are used to convert the mesh bodies into precise CAD bodies.; It has a range of 1 to 15. If you specify a value of 1, the lowest resolution is used, whereas if you specify a value of 15 the highest resolution is used (and so, can take longer to process).; The complexity value is applied to all inputs independently. For example, if you are converting five mesh bodies with a complexity of 4, each body has a complexity of 4 applied to it.
Remesh: When activated, input bodies are remeshed using the Mesh to CAD remesher. When deactivated, the original input mesh is used.; If your surface mesh is uniform and contains a smooth transition between the different cell sizes remesh is not required.