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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-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.
Mapping STAR-CCM+ Solution Data to a CAE Model
Solution data from a Simcenter STAR-CCM+ model can be mapped onto a CAE model for use with third-party CAE software.
Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints
Some cases require additional checks to ensure that the matching entities of the source and target objects are correctly identified. These checks, or constraints, are provided in the Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints group box of the Map Imported Model Data dialog.

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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.
  - What Is the Imported Models node?
    Every CAE model that is imported in the simulation is represented by a node within the Imported Models node. These imported CAE model nodes, located within the Imported Models node, provide an interface for file-based coupling.
  - Visualizing an Imported CAE Model
  - Understanding Data Mapping
    Mapping is the process of interpolating a set of data between two separate models. For example, pressure data from a fluid domain can be mapped onto the corresponding surface of a solid domain and used as a traction load.
  - Mapping STAR-CCM+ Solution Data to a CAE Model
    Solution data from a Simcenter STAR-CCM+ model can be mapped onto a CAE model for use with third-party CAE software.
    - Mapping Boundary Data to Imported Surfaces
    - Mapping Boundary Data to Imported Beams
      It is possible to map pressure and shear stress data, that are defined on the faces of the wetted surface in Simcenter STAR-CCM+, to the nodal forces and moments of an imported beam model.
    - Mapping Region Data to Imported Volumes
    - Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints
      Some cases require additional checks to ensure that the matching entities of the source and target objects are correctly identified. These checks, or constraints, are provided in the Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints group box of the Map Imported Model Data dialog.
      - Using the Mapped Flag Field Function
        The faces that satisfy the specified nearest neighbor search constraints are successfully mapped using an appropriate interpolation technique. The faces that fail these tests are not mapped at all. To allow you to troubleshoot and choose appropriate values for the tolerances, a field function named Mapped Flag is created upon each mapping operation.
    - Selecting a Reference Temperature Evaluation Option
      When you map heat transfer coefficients from Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to an imported CAE model, you can select the method by which Simcenter STAR-CCM+ evaluates the heat transfer coefficient and reference temperatures.
  - Exporting Mapped Data
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solution data that has been mapped onto an imported CAE model can be exported from Simcenter STAR-CCM+ so that it can be used in an external CAE package. Data is exported from Simcenter STAR-CCM+ in text files that can be read by the respective CAE package.
  - Mapping and Exporting Transient Surface Data
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to map transient surface data onto the surfaces of an imported transient model, and to export the mapped data to an external .trn or .mat (Matlab) file.
  - Importing CAE Solution Data
    In two-way coupling, a solution is obtained by sequentially running Simcenter STAR-CCM+ and a third-party code to obtain a complete solution. This may involve using Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to compute the traction load on a flexible structure caused by fluid flow, and a third-party code to compute the deflection of the structure and associated displacements and stresses. In order to carry out a two-way coupled simulation, not only do you need to map and export solution data from Simcenter STAR-CCM+, but you will also need to import solution data from the third-party software, and map it onto the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ model.
  - Mapping CAE Solution Data to a STAR-CCM+ Model
    In two-way coupling, data from the third-party CAE solution is used to specify boundary conditions in Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
  - Exchanging Heat Transfer Coefficients
  - Working with Specific CAE Products
  - Working with Abaqus
    This section describes how to couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with Abaqus using file-based coupling.
  - Working with ANSYS
    This section describes how to couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with ANSYS using file-based coupling.
  - Coupling with NASTRAN
    You can couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with Nastran using file-based coupling, for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) applications. In an FSI file-based coupled analysis, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solves for the fluid loads and Nastran solves for the response of the solid structure. You can export the field data computed in each code to external files that are then used in the partner code to set appropriate boundary conditions.
  - Working with TAITherm
    This section describes how to couple Simcenter STAR-CCM+ with TAITherm using file-based coupling.
  - Working with es-ice or pro-STAR
    The .dbs file format is commonly used to import a surface mesh. It can also be used to map solution data from pro-STAR or es-ice to Simcenter STAR-CCM+ by importing the file as a CAE model, rather than a surface mesh.
  - Working with Ensight
    You can use the export capabilities of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to compare multiple solutions in one simulation. This approach involves saving the results of each run in a separate Ensight file and is only possible for boundaries and parts, not volumes.
  - Working with the STAR-CCM+ Boundary Data (.sbd) Format
    The Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Boundary Data (.sbd) file format is an internal Simcenter STAR-CCM+ format that allows you to exchange boundaries across different simulations. For boundaries that you choose, this binary file contains mesh information as well as selected scalar or vector solution data.
  - Working with the Visualization Toolkit (VTK) Format
    The VTK format is part of a system of visualization and computer graphics programming known as the Visualization Toolkit. The .vtk format itself is designed to present different types of data consistently. Two styles of this file format exist: legacy (serial) and XML-based. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ works with the first style, either binary or ASCII, to import surface data. VTK files are also used by the arbitrary probe derived part.
  - Coupling with RCAS
    RCAS (Rotorcraft Comprehensive Analysis System) is a Computational Structural Dynamics (CSD) tool for modeling rotor blades. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to import RCAS models for fluid-structure interaction analyses using file-based coupling. The RCAS model mesh and motion data are stored within the same file, with the standard CSD *.in format.
- 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.
- 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.

Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints

Some cases require additional checks to ensure that the matching entities of the source and target objects are correctly identified. These checks, or constraints, are provided in the Nearest Neighbor Search Constraints group box of the Map Imported Model Data dialog.

Using these constraints also allows you to use the mapped flag field function to assess the result of the mapping. For more information, see Using the Mapped Flag Field Function.

Check Source/Target Proximity—The source face from which data is being mapped should lie within a certain distance of the target face. For more information, see Proximity Constraint Reference.
This constraint ensures that data is not mapped from surfaces which are too far away. The tolerance is set by specifying a fraction of the maximum of the mesh sizes on the source/target surfaces. The default value is 1.0.
Check Source/Target Face Normals—This check enforces the rule that the source face normal and target face normal be facing each other. The Minimum angle option specifies the minimum angle permissible between opposing face normals. For more information, see Normal Direction Constraint Reference.
This constraint is essential when a single surface wraps around edges and corners of the geometry. In the example below, the constraint ensures that data on each side of the source box is mapped to the correct side of the target box.

Without face normals check With face normals check

This check should also be activated when you are mapping to shell elements—particularly when the imported shell does not have a consistent distribution of positive and negative faces. If the geometries of the source and target surfaces match closely, you can choose to map to both sides of the shell element and rely on this constraint to choose the correct side (positive or negative) on which data is mapped.

If some faces are not intended to be mapped, and will fail either of the criteria above, you can choose to assign reasonable alternate values for the unmapped faces. This can be done by specifying a value in the alternate value text boxes. The default alternate values are 0.0.