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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.
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.

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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.
- 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.
  - External Launcher Model Reference
    The External Launcher model allows you to launch any external application through the generic launcher external link. You only require this model in a physics continuum if the simulation does not contain any other external links under the External Links node.
  - Generic Launcher Link Reference
    In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you can specify the settings for launching an external application under the External Links node. A generic link node, External Links > [Generic Launcher 1], can be created either by activating the External Launcher model in the physics continua or by adding the generic launcher link within the External Links node.
- 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.

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.

The external application can run in conjunction with another co-simulation or file exchange instance. To set up the generic launcher, you define an external link under the External Links node. A generic launcher link can coexist with any other links.

Create an external link for the generic launcher in one of the following ways:
- If the simulation tree already contains the External Links node, right-click the External Links node and select New > Generic Launcher.
  The external application runs in conjunction with any other application defined by existing external links.
- If the simulation does not include other external links, create an additional physics continuum and activate the External Launcher model. For more information on the model requirements, see Generic Launcher Model Reference.
  When you activate this model, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ automatically creates a generic external link under the External Links node.
Select the External Links > [Generic Launcher 1] > Conditions > Concurrency Option node and set the Option to either Lead or Lag.

Optionally, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to automatically trigger launch events throughout the simulation. To set this option:

Select the Interval Trigger node and set Trigger to Time Step or Delta Time.
Select the corresponding Value node and specify the interval between launch events.
For more information see Generic Launcher Link Reference.
Select the [Generic Launcher 1] > Values > Executable File node and specify the Executable File and the Additional Command Line Options.
If you wish to run the generic link on more than one resource, select the Compute Processes node and set the Compute Processes to the appropriate number of resources.
Run the simulation using Resource Manager.
For more information, see Running a Co-Simulation Using Resource Manager.