Explore automation and productivity enhancements in Siemens’ flagship multiphysics CFD tool — Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
STAR-CCM+ stands out by focusing on four pillars that drive its best-in-class capabilities:
- Modeling complexity: Ensuring you can capture the detailed geometry.
- Exploring possibilities: Enabling exploration through automation, moving from a single design to hundreds of design points, helping you find the optimal solution to drive innovation and stay competitive.
- Speed: Allowing quick problem setup and solution generation within hours, not weeks.
- Integration: Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio and can be coupled with other analysis and PLM tools.
This post will focus on the third pillar: achieving faster workflows. The 2310 release of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ introduced several new automation capabilities, helping users reduce preprocessing and model setup time.
Key feature updates in version 2310
Automation node
In the 2310 release, Siemens introduced the automation node in Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
In earlier versions of the software, commonly used nodes for automation and customization were spread out under the tools node.
Now, these nodes are conveniently organized in one place, reducing the time spent scrolling and searching. This reorganization boosts productivity for simulation engineers by making frequently used features easily accessible.
Stages: a new automation capability
The stages feature, also introduced in 2310, extends automation capabilities significantly. Stages allow users to set up different configurations within a single model. You can create multiple stages, each defining its own physics and boundary conditions.
Stages can be coupled with simulation operations, enabling users to automate switching between different stage variants. This eliminates the need for custom Java macros, which enhances workflow efficiency.
For example, you can set up a simulation to automatically switch between steady-state and transient thermal analyses, streamlining complex workflows.
Demonstrating stages in a thermal analysis
Let’s look at an example. Suppose you have an insulated chilled water tank exposed to solar radiation and outside temperatures. Typically, chilled water enters and exits the tank at a constant temperature. But in this case, you want to simulate how the system responds to a sudden temperature increase.
Using stages, we can automate this process by:
- Creating two stages: one for the steady-state thermal analysis and one for the transient thermal analysis.
- Setting all physics models in the steady stage to the steady time domain and applying a constant inlet temperature.
- In the transient stage, switching the time domain from steady to implicit unsteady and applying a field function that ramps the inlet temperature.
Finally, we use simulation operations to automate the entire process. The workflow will automatically run the steady-state analysis, switch to the transient stage, and solve the physics in sequence. This fully automated workflow reduces the need for manual intervention and custom coding, which greatly enhances user productivity.
Inline parameter and field function
Another time-saving feature added in the 2310 release is the inline creation of parameters and field functions. Previously, users had to plan and create parameters separately for boundary conditions or field functions. Now, you can create these definitions directly at the point of use, saving time and simplifying the process.
For example, when defining a temperature ramp function in the function expression editor, you can now define scalar parameters—such as ramp time, high temperature, and low temperature—on the fly. These scalar parameters will be stored under the automation parameter node and can be reused in future simulations.
Summary
- The 2310 release of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ introduces significant improvements in automation and productivity.
- The automation node makes critical tools easier to find. The new stages node extends automation capabilities by allowing users to configure multiple simulation setups in one model.
- These enhancements reduce simulation setup time, allowing you to focus on design exploration and innovation, helping you stay ahead in a competitive market.
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ empowers engineers to achieve superior product designs faster by streamlining processes and boosting productivity.
By Dr. Clay Hearn, PhD, PE.
Senior Application Engineer (STAR-CCM+) – Applied CAx
Principal Mechanical Engineer – Predictive Engineering Inc.