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Pre-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solves physics problems on a computational mesh. To provide this mesh, you first define geometry using internal or external tools, and then create a mesh pipeline whose operations generate the mesh in repeatable steps.
3D-CAD
3D-CAD is a feature-based parametric modeler within Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that allows you to build geometries from scratch. The geometries that you create with 3D-CAD are stored as 3D-CAD models, which you can then convert to geometry parts for integration with the meshing and simulation process.
3D-CAD Geometry Modeling
Bodies represent the individual objects that make up the 3D-CAD model. Imported CAD geometry appears as bodies in 3D-CAD, and you can also create your own bodies directly using 3D-CAD features.
Creating Bodies From Profiles
In 3D-CAD, you create bodies by extruding, revolving, lofting, or sweeping profiles. Once a body is created, you add or remove material from it.
Lofted Features
A lofted feature creates a body by fitting surfaces between a series of profile sketches.
Using Guide Wires in Loft Operations
You can create more complex lofts by using guide wires.

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Pre-Processing
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ solves physics problems on a computational mesh. To provide this mesh, you first define geometry using internal or external tools, and then create a mesh pipeline whose operations generate the mesh in repeatable steps.
- 3D-CAD
  3D-CAD is a feature-based parametric modeler within Simcenter STAR-CCM+ that allows you to build geometries from scratch. The geometries that you create with 3D-CAD are stored as 3D-CAD models, which you can then convert to geometry parts for integration with the meshing and simulation process.
  - 3D-CAD Environment
    The 3D-CAD environment provides you with a feature tree from which you can activate all steps for creating and modifying geometry, and a 3D-CAD View scene in which you interact with the geometry. Many of the same feature actions are available for selection in the 3D-CAD View scene.
  - Sketches in 3D-CAD
    3D-CAD supports two types of sketch—2D sketches that are created on a planar surface and 3D sketches that are built from points located anywhere in geometric space. You can use both types of sketch in 3D geometry operations such as extrude, revolve, or sweep.
  - 3D-CAD Geometry Modeling
    Bodies represent the individual objects that make up the 3D-CAD model. Imported CAD geometry appears as bodies in 3D-CAD, and you can also create your own bodies directly using 3D-CAD features.
    - Working with Bodies
      In 3D-CAD, a body is a single object, formed from a series of operations and features.
    - Creating Bodies From Profiles
      In 3D-CAD, you create bodies by extruding, revolving, lofting, or sweeping profiles. Once a body is created, you add or remove material from it.
      - Extrusion Features
        An extrusion projects a chosen profile in a specified direction to create a body or a cut.
      - Revolved Features
        A revolved feature is an object whose cross-sectional profile is constant around a specified axis.
      - Lofted Features
        A lofted feature creates a body by fitting surfaces between a series of profile sketches.
        Creating a Lofted Feature
        Loft and Loft Cut Panels
        Matching Vertices Manually
        By default, 3D-CAD predicts the pairs of matching vertices between successive profiles in lofts. Alternatively, you can use the Vertex Matching feature to manually define the matching pairs.
        Using Guide Wires in Loft Operations
        You can create more complex lofts by using guide wires.
      - Swept Features
        The swept feature allows you to create solid or sheet bodies by sweeping one or more profiles along a specified path.
      - Creating Sheet Bodies from Sketches
        You can create sheet bodies from closed sketches.
    - Working with Reference Geometry in 3D-CAD
      Reference geometry helps you construct models in 3D-CAD. You can also use reference geometry in downstream applications, such as FEA.
    - Working with Faces, Edges, and Vertices
      In 3D-CAD, vertices define edges, edges, define faces, and faces define bodies. These entities define the surfaces and curves in a geometry part, and the boundaries within a region.
    - Creating and Visualizing Contacts
      A contact defines the connection between two surfaces. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to define contacts directly in 3D-CAD. Face contacts in the 3D-CAD model become contacts between part surfaces, and, ultimately, can form interfaces in the physics regions.
    - Selecting Hidden and Obscured Objects in 3D-CAD
      Use the depth selector to view and select objects which are hidden or otherwise obscured by other objects in the graphics window.
    - The Turbo Slicing Tool
      In turbomachinery simulations, the repeat periodic nature of the geometry allows you to model flow through a single blade passage only. To create the fluid volume for a single blade passage, you must cut the blade passage out of the whole domain volume using surfaces that pass between adjacent blades. The Turbo Slicing tool computes these neutral surfaces for you.
  - Freeform Surface Modeling
    Freeform surface modeling is a modeling technique in 3D-CAD that allows you to deform existing surfaces for desired shapes.
  - Importing and Exporting Geometry
  - Working with 3D-CAD Models
  - Geometry Repair and Preparation
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a suite of tools in 3D-CAD that helps you to prepare your CAD geometry so that it is suitable for meshing. CAD that is designed for manufacture can have gaps or inaccuracies that cause problems when trying to generate a watertight mesh.
  - Design Parameters
    Design parameters allow Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to update geometry designs during design exploration studies. Although you define them within the 3D-CAD environment, they are exposed outside 3D-CAD for manual or automatic update.
- Modeling Geometry
  This part of the User Guide describes how to use 3D-CAD, the parametric solid modeler available within Simcenter STAR-CCM+. It also describes the features and tools available for further preparation of the geometry model and its surfaces.
- The Surface Repair Tool
  The Surface Repair tool diagnoses errors in, and provides repair tools for, tessellated surfaces and part curves. The same tool allows you to reorganize discretized geometry by searching for face-based features and attributes then assigning the results to new or existing part surfaces or curves.
- Defining the Regions Layout
  An essential part of the process in setting up your simulation is to define the relationship between geometry parts and regions, boundaries, and interfaces.
- Meshing
  A mesh is a discretized representation of a geometric domain. This domain can include real-world geometry, its content, and its surrounding environment.

Using Guide Wires in Loft Operations

You can create more complex lofts by using guide wires.

The guide wires constrain the loft along its length and give you greater control on the shape of the loft. You provide guide wires as open sketch profiles along the length of the loft.

Requirements

The following rules apply when using guide wires:

All loft profiles must have the same number of vertices. For example, a square profile cannot be linked to an elliptical profile using guide wires. However, a square profile can be connected to another profile that contains 4 vertices, as both profiles contain the same number of points.
The end points of the guide wires must be coincident with the vertices on the start and end sketch profiles for the loft. Guide wires must also pass through the relevant vertices of intermediate profile sketches. Use the pierce constraint to force the points on one sketch to coincide with the edge of another sketch. See Pierce Constraint.
Only open sketches can be used as guide wires. Closed sketches are automatically assumed to be loft profiles.
Guide wires must be formed from single, continuous, sketch entities.
For more complex shapes, use a guide wire at each vertex of the profile to produce the desired loft shape. The guide wires must connect smoothly between the vertices. Additionally, the rotation angle between profiles should be small. If the angle is large, use intermediate profiles to ensure the loft produces the desired shape.
Alternatively, for more complex shapes, consider using a sweep operation. The sweep operation should be used for spiral-like path/guides or when the gaps between profiles are large. For more information, see Swept Features.
The loft surface passes through all guide wires.
A single sketch can contain more than one guide wire.

Example

The following example demonstrates how the guide wires constrain the loft. 3D-CAD automatically calculates the shape of the loft based on the shape of the profiles and the distance that the profiles are apart.

By adding guide wires to the loft, you can control its final shape.