Creating Construction Geometries

Follow these steps to build arbitrary solid objects or to build sheet objects for splitting QuickPart Surfaces.

Within the Electronics Cooling Toolset you can create Construction Geometries to describe sheet or solid objects. To create Construction Geometries, the following options are available:
To operate on created or imported geometrical shapes, the Electronics Cooling Toolset supports the following options:
To build a geometry based on simple shape templates:
  1. Right-click the Construction Geometry node and select New Construction Geometry > [Type], where [Type] is one of the following:
    • Block
    • Sphere
    • Cylinder
    • Sheet Body Rectangle
    • Sheet Body Circle
    Alternatively, you can create a Construction Geometry on the surface of another geometry object that is visible in the Graphics window. Usually, creating a Construction Geometry interactively reduces the time for placing the Construction Geometry on a previously created geometry object:
    1. In the Graphics window, select a suitable face of the object.
    2. Right-click and select New Construction Geometry > [Type].
    The position of the mouse pointer when selecting the face determines the position of the initial local origin of the new Construction Geometry.
An Edit dialog appears that displays the name, geometry, and placement properties of the Construction Geometry.

To define the properties of the Construction Geometry:

  1. For Name, enter a description of the Construction Geometry under which it is stored in the tree.
  2. In the Geometry and Placement sections, define the shape and position of the geometry as required. See Construction Geometries Shape Templates. Alternatively, dimension and place the Construction Geometry interactively and in reference to other geometrical objects. See Dimensioning and Placing Objects Interactively.
  3. If you want to preview your geometry and placement settings, click Update at the bottom of the dialog.
  4. Click OK.
To import a geometry from another CAD package:
  1. Right-click the Construction Geometry node and select Import CAD model
  2. In the Open dialog, navigate to the folder that contains the CAD model.
  3. Select the CAD file and click Open.
    For more information, see Imported Construction Geometries.
To create a geometry within 3D-CAD and transfer it to the Electronics Cooling Toolset:
  1. Click the Simulation tab.
    The Simcenter STAR-CCM+ tree appears.
  2. Right-click the Geometry > 3D-CAD Models > Electronics Cooling 3D-CAD 1 node and select Edit....
  3. Build the respective geometry in 3D-CAD, see Using 3D-CAD.
  4. When you are done with creating the geometry, click Close 3D-CAD.
  5. Click the Electronics Cooling tab.
  6. Right-click the Construction Geometry node and select Transfer CAD Bodies.
    For more information, see Transferred Construction Geometries.
To edit the properties of a Construction Geometry:
  1. Right-click the respective Construction Geometry node and select Edit.
    The Edit dialog re-launches that allows you to change the name, geometry, and placement properties as required.
To apply a boolean operation on a previously created geometry:
  1. Right-click the node of the respective Construction Geometry and select Boolean Construction Geometry.
  2. In the Edit dialog, set the geometry and placement properties as required. See Construction Geometries Operations—Boolean Construction Geometry.
  3. Click OK.
To generate a pattern of identical geometries:
  1. Right-click the node of the Construction Object that you want to multiply and select Pattern Construction Geometry.
  2. In the Edit dialog, set the properties to suit the required pattern. See Construction Geometries Operations—Pattern Construction Geometry
  3. Click OK.