Rules Workflow

There are two ways to create rules:

  1. The first leverages an existing setting, and is convenient because it eliminates the need to define settings that have already been assigned.
  2. The second is to create a new rule using the Rule Manager. In either case, manage all rules with the Rule Manager.

Method 1: Create a rule from an applied setting

  1. Right click on an entity under the Materials or Boundary Condition branches in the Design Study bar.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Select the appropriate option. Expand the following section for more information about the options:

Rule Types and Creation

This table summarizes the different rule types, and describes how to create them from the Design Study bar:

To assign this setting...

...to this Object...

...do this:

Material

CAD part name

  1. Right click on the part name under a material branch.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Click Associate part name to Autodesk CFD Material...

Use this if an often-used part is always assigned the same material.

Material

CAD material name

  1. Right click on a part name under a material branch.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Click Associate CAD Material name to Autodesk CFD Material...

This assigns the Autodesk® CFD material to every part that was assigned the material in the CAD model. Use this if you often assign materials in CAD.

Volumetric boundary condition (Total heat generation or Heat generation)

CAD part name

  1. Right click on a part name under a volumetric boundary condition branch.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Click Associate part name to BC...

Use this if an often-used part is always assigned the same volumetric boundary condition.

Material, volumetric boundary condition, surface boundary condition, or part suppression

Group

This rule uses CAD Entity Groups created in CAD.

  1. Right click on a group name.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Click Associate group name to Autodesk® CFD Setting...
  4. Specify the Setting type in the Rule Creation dialog.

(To create a rule that suppresses parts, check the Suppress box.)

This is the most versatile type of rule.

Part suppression

CAD part name

  1. Right click on a suppressed part under a material branch.
  2. Click Create rules.
  3. Click Associate part name to Autodesk CFD Material...

Method 2: Create a rule using the Rule Manager

To open the Rule Manager, click Setup (tab) > Design Study Tools (panel) > Rules:

To create a Rule

  1. Click ***Click to create a rule...***
  2. Define settings in the Rule Creation dialog. (The Rule Basis is the type of CAD entity the setting is applied to.)

To define the environment settings for a material assigned with a rule

  1. After creating the rule, right click on the Autodesk® CFD material, and select Edit environment reference...
  2. On the Material Environment dialog, specify if the material properties should be Fixed or Variable.
  3. If the material is operate at conditions different from the scenario environment, specify the Pressure and Temperature as appropriate.

To apply a Rule automatically

To change the order in which Rules are applied

To apply a Rule manually

Note: Surface materials in 3D models cannot be applied using Rules.

For an example of creating Rules...

Parent page: Rules
Next page: To Create a Rule that Defines a Default Material