3D-CAD Contact Reference
When defining and visualizing contacts within 3D-CAD there are a number of different properties and options available. The contact display options allow you to visualize the contacts present in the model and identify areas which need improvement.
Create Face Contacts Dialog Properties
The following options are available in the Create Face Contacts dialog when creating contacts manually within 3D-CAD.
- Option
- Allows you to define which model entities are used to generate the contacts. There are five options:
- Entire Model—generates contacts from coincident faces across the entire model.
- Among Selected Objects—generates contacts from coincident faces within the selected Objects.
- Between Two Groups—generates contacts from coincident faces between the selected First Group Objects and Second Group Objects.
- Face Pair Filters—generates contacts from coincident faces within the selected Face Pair Filters.
- Body Pair Filter—generates contacts from coincident faces within the selected Body Pair Filters.
- Tolerance
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ creates contacts from coincident faces. This option specifies a tolerance for assessing whether two faces are coincident. If the distance between two faces is within the specified tolerance a contact is created; if the distance between two faces is outside the specified tolerance no contact is created. Perfectly coincident faces have a tolerance of .
Contacts Display Options
The following options are available within the Contact Display Options dialog. These options allow you to modify the 3D-CAD View scene to analyze the existing contacts within the model.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
 (Display the contact pairs as a sortable table) | Displays all the body pairs and face pairs in a flat table. You can sort the table by clicking on the columns present within the table. |
 (Display the contact pairs as a tree table) | Displays all the body pairs as a tree table with the face pairs contained as child nodes. |
 (Isolate the selected contact pairs) | In the 3D-CAD view, displays only the bodies that are associated with the selected contact. |
 (Set focus on the selected result) | Centers the selected body pairs or face pairs in the 3D-CAD View scene. |
 (Display contact pairs in auxiliary scenes) | Displays two auxiliary scenes, the top auxiliary scene displays the Side-1 body with the face highlighted. The bottom auxiliary scene displays the Side-2 body with the face highlighted. You can rotate, zoom, and pan the auxiliary scenes. |
 (Expand Tree) | Expands all body pair nodes to display the face pairs contained within them. Not available when the Display the contact pairs as a sortable table option is selected. |
 (Collapse Tree) | Collapses all the body pair nodes to hide the face pairs contained within them. Not available when the Display the contact pairs as a sortable table option is selected. |
 (Filter Contact Pairs) | Opens the filter options. In this sub-panel you can filter the contact table using the predefined operators. |
 (Search For New Contact Pairs) | Opens the Additional Contact Pairs From: [SelectedInput] sub-panel. In this table, you can search for potentially missing contacts in the selected features using a face to face proximity check. |
 (Resume Table) | Allows you to refresh the contact table when you have made changes to the features in the 3D-CAD Model tree. |
 (Change the face pair color (Side-1 Face)) | Sets the color of the Side-1 face in the top auxiliary scene. |
 (Make body pairs transparent in TOP auxiliary scene) | Makes the body in the top auxiliary scene transparent. |
 (Swap face pair colors) | Swaps the colors selected for the Side-1 and Side-2 faces within the auxiliary scene. |
 (Change the face pair color (Side-2 Face)) | Sets the color of the Side-2 face in the bottom auxiliary scene. |
 (Make body pairs transparent in BOTTOM auxiliary scene) | Makes the body in the bottom auxiliary scene transparent. |
 (Display only face pairs in main scene) | In the 3D-CAD view, displays only the selected face pairs. |
 (Display face pairs through bodies) | Makes the selected face pairs visible through the bodies in the auxiliary view. |
 (Show Contacts Among Selected Bodies) | Displays only the contacts present among the bodies or body groups that you select. This option is only available when you select bodies or body groups in either the 3D-CAD view scene or model tree. |
 (Activate Feature Menu) | Allows you to Color, Rename, or Create Filter from selected face of body pairs. Only available when you activate the checkbox next to the body or face pairs. |
Filter Options
The filter options available in the sub-panel above the Existing Contact Pairs allow you to filter the list of contacts using a specified body name, feature name, area, area difference, or tolerance. You can use multiple filters simultaneously.
| Filter | Operator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| All | Any | Includes all contacts. |
| Body Name and Feature Name | Contains | Includes all objects with names that contain the specified text string. |
| Does Not Contain | Includes all objects with names that do not contain the specified text string. | |
| Matches | Includes all objects with names that match the specified text string. | |
| Does Not Match | Includes all objects with names that do not match the specified text string. | |
| Starts With | Includes all objects with names that begin with the specified text string. | |
| Does Not Start With | Includes all objects with names that do not begin with the specified text string. | |
| Ends With | Includes all objects with names that end with the specified text string. | |
| Does Not End With | Includes all objects with names that do not end with the specified text string. | |
| Area, Area Difference, and Tolerance | Above | Includes all objects which have either an area, area difference, or tolerance above the specified value. |
| Below | Includes all objects which have either an area, area difference, or tolerance below the specified value. | |
| Equal To | Includes all objects which have either an area, area difference, or tolerance equal to the specified value. |
Table Headers
The following columns are available within the contacts table:
- Name
- Displays the name allocated to the contact.
- Allows you to select and deselect body pairs and face pairs from which features can be added.
- Side-1
- For body pairs, displays the name of the body containing the Side-1 faces of the contact. For face pairs, displays the id of the Side-1 faces.
- Side-2
- For body pairs, displays the name of the body containing the Side-2 faces of the contact. For face pairs, displays the id of the Side-2 faces.
- Area-1 m^2 (Read Only)
- Displays the area of the contacting faces.
- Area Diff. m^2 (Read Only)
- Displays the difference in area between the Side-1 and Side-2 faces within a face pair.
- Tolerance m (Read Only)
- Displays the tolerance allocated when the contact was created.
- Feature
- Displays the name of the feature used to create the specific contacts for the face and body pairs.
Additional Contact Pairs From: [SelectedInput] Options
(View a List of Body Pairs to be Searched) - Allows you to view which body pairs are being inspected to find potentially missing contacts.
- Proximity
- Allows you to define the face-to-face proximity between coincident faces. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ identifies any coincident face pairs found in the selected bodies if the distance between these faces is less than or equal to the proximity value specified.