PTC Creo and Pro/Engineer

To launch a model, select the appropriate option from the Autodesk® Simulation CFD menu in the Wildfire or PTC Creo interface.

The launcher contains three options:

To launch only the visible model, select Launch Active Model. This opens Autoprep, which is useful for resolving accuracy issues, interferences, and changing the launch method. The model is then launched with the Design Study Manager. (Note that both launch methods, Granite and Mechanica, are available with this option.)
To launch the Family table of instances, select Launch Instances. This opens the Design Study Builder. (Note that only the Granite method is used for launching multiple instances.)
To collect parts and surfaces into groups for assigning settings with Rules or in the Design Study Builder, select CAD Entity Groups. (For more about CAD Entity Groups...) (Note that CAD Entity Groups are transferred to the Autodesk Simulation CFD model only when the Granite launch mode is used.)

Note: If the model contains multiple instances, you must launch from the generic instance. The launcher menu is not available from any instance other than the generic instance.

Note: The Mechania option is not available with Autodesk® Simulation CFD 360.

Note: To use geometry from Wildfire 3 or earlier, open the model into Autodesk® Inventor Fusion, and launch into Autodesk Simulation CFD. For more information, click here.

Autoprep

There are four primary steps necessary to ensure that a model in Pro/Engineer is ready to launch into Autodesk Simulation CFD:

All components must be in the same units system.
The same value of absolute accuracy should be assigned to all components. (In some models relative accuracy is sufficient, but absolute is required for many.)
Component interferences must be removed.
Prescribe the launch method (Granite or Mechanica).

All of these steps are accomplished manually within the Pro/Engineer user interface. However, to facilitate the model preparation process, the Autodesk Simulation CFD launcher within Pro/Engineer includes tools to accomplish the steps listed above.

This tool is called AutoPrep because it automates the preparation of the geometry for analysis.

To open AutoPrep, open the Autodesk© Simulation CFD. menu, and select Open AutoPrep.

AutoPrep checks for consistent units, accuracy values, and interferences. This information and tools for repairing problems are presented in the AutoPrep interface (shown above).

Note: Changes made with AutoPrep are saved to the Pro/Engineer model prior to launching into Autodesk Simulation CFD.

Step 1: Units

When Applications_Autodesk® Simulation CFD is first pressed, the assembly is scanned to ensure that all components have the same units. If parts with different unit systems are found, AutoPrep opens with the Units dialog.

All parts and assemblies and their corresponding units systems are listed for reference. The available units systems are also listed, and those with an "*" are included in the assembly.

Select the desired units system from the list
Click the Unify All button.(If a mistake was made, click the Reset button to return the assembly to its original units.)
Once all components have the same units, click the Continue button.

Note: This dialog will not appear if all components are assigned the same units system.

Step 2: Auto-Accuracy

In many assemblies, it is necessary that all components be assigned a consistent value of absolute accuracy. This is not always the case, and some assemblies will launch without a problem if all parts have relative accuracy. The process of manually changing accuracy values can be a big job, especially for large assemblies. If some trial-and-error is needed to get the optimal value, then the process is even harder.

The Auto-Accuracy tab of AutoPrep provides a tool-kit for changing accuracy values on all components that is very easy and quick.

The range of absolute accuracy values is first computed, and provides the bounds for the slider. The geometry will regenerate at any value on this slider. (There are occasional exceptions, but the model will be restored to its previous setting without causing any damage.)

1. Select a value with the slider. Note that the default accuracy value is the largest value (the far right position of the slider).

2. Click the Auto-Accuracy button to set the specified value of absolute accuracy to all components in the model.

3. Proceed to the Interference Removal tab or start Autodesk Simulation CFD by clicking the Autodesk Simulation CFD button.

If the geometry is such that the specified value of absolute accuracy does not allow a successful launch, reduce the value with the slider bar, click the Auto-Accuracy button, and launch again.

To reset all accuracy values to their original state, click the Reset All button.

To change all accuracy values to relative, click the Set Relative Accuracy button.

Step 3: Interferences

Click the Interference Removal tab to locate and fix part interferences. A list of all interfering parts is displayed.

1. Click on an interfering pair from the list, and the graphical display will zoom in on the interference. The two parts will be colored to correspond to the colors listed in the columns (blue and green). The interference region is colored red.

2. Click the Single Cutter button, and a dialog will open which prompts for which of the pair should be the cutter.

3. Select the part that will cut the other part, and click the Apply button. (In this case, if we select the board part, 04012401.prt, it will cut material away from the cylinder, resulting in a shorter cylindrical chip. If we select the cylinder, it will cut material away from the board, resulting in a cylindrically-shaped pocket in the board.)

4. Repeat for the other interferences.

5. When finished, click the Autodesk® Simulation CFD button to launch the model.

If several interference pairs include a common part, and that part is to be the cutter (as in the board in this example), then click the Multiple Cutouts button. A dialog will open prompting for the cutter part. This part will cut material away from all interference pairs of which it is a part.

Note: The changes made with these tools are saved to the Pro/Engineer assembly.

Step 4: Launcher Configuration

All of the functions in the AutoPrep launcher tool-kit are applicable for both Granite and Mechanica-based analyses. As part of the launch process, it is necessary to select which method will be used.

The default is Granite unless the model is two dimensional (or has 2D quilts). Both methods have their benefits and limitations, and the type of model should guide the configuration choice. Unless a model contains aspects that are limitations for the Granite method, it is recommended to select Granite. If a geometry is not suitable for Granite, then use the Mechanica method.

When the geometry is ready to launch, select the Launcher Configuration (Granite or Mechanica), and then click the Autodesk® Simulation CFD button at the bottom of the dialog to start Autodesk® Simulation CFD.