New Release of Siemens’ STAR-CCM+ Software Adds Fully Integrated Design Exploration and Optimization

The latest release of Siemens’ STAR-CCM+ software for multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and analysis includes two new integrated features intended to enable automated product design exploration and optimization. STAR-CCM+ version 12.04 introduces Design Manager, allowing users to explore multiple design options within their CFD simulations, and STAR-Innovate software, which uses the same design optimization technology found in HEEDS software, a technology Siemens obtained as part of its 2016 acquisition of CD-adapco. STAR-CCM+ is developed by Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software business, and is part of the company’s Simcenter portfolio of simulation and test solutions.

“I firmly believe that single-scenario engineering simulations are about to become a thing of the past,” said Jean-Claude Ercolanelli, senior VP of Product Management at Siemens PLM Software. “If you know how to use STAR-CCM+, then you will instinctively know how to use Design Manager. This means that every engineer who installs STAR-CCM+ v12.04 can now conduct design exploration studies with ease to discover better designs, faster.”

Design Manager is said to enable users to set up and automatically evaluate families of designs directly within STAR-CCM+, including process management and performance assessment. It leverages the all-in-one platform, automated meshing, pipelined workflow and physics in STAR-CCM+ to overcome the complexities that have historically prevented many from using CFD simulation in this way. Design Manager, which automates the systematic exploration of designs by evaluating variations in geometry and operating conditions, is included with every instance of STAR-CCM+ v12.04.

With the addition of the STAR-Innovate add-on, users can take it one step further and perform single and multi-objective optimization studies to intelligently search the design space using the same time-tested and proven technology found in HEEDS, according to the company. It also provides stochastic analysis to help engineers determine the sensitivity of their simulation predictions to small changes in input parameters, such as manufacturing tolerances on a critical dimension or fluctuations in boundary condition values.

“STAR-CCM+ is the only multiphysics CFD offering that seamlessly enables engineers to perform design exploration studies backed by an industrial-strength optimization tool like HEEDS,” added Ercolanelli. “As a result, engineers can spend less time setting up and monitoring simulations, and more time assessing the outcomes to determine what makes good designs great. This is a game-changer.”

For more information, visit Siemens PLM Software.