Direct Modeling and CFD Partner

By Anthony J. Lockwood

SpaceClaim Corp. (Concord, MA) and Simerics Inc. (Huntsville, AL) recently announced a direct integration between their flagship products, the SpaceClaim Engineer 3D CAD modeler and PumpLinx and Simerics MP CFD (computational fluid dynamics)  systems, respectively.

SpaceClaim Engineer provides 3D direct modeling capabilities for developing concepts,  rendering, and preparing 3D solid model designs for analysis, digital prototyping, and manufacturing. Because SpaceClaim Engineer is a direct modeler, analysts can use it to create new geometry or import, modify, and de-feature existing geometry without the complexity of traditional CAD or the downtime waiting for their CAD teammates to develop or simplify a model for them.

Image courtesy of Simerics.

“Coupling the direct-modeling capabilities of SpaceClaim Engineer with the CFD simulation strengths of PumpLinx/Simerics MP provides the design engineer a cost-effective, comprehensive CAE design and testing solution,” said Rich Moore, vice president of business development at SpaceClaim, in the announcement.

Simerics provides transient simulation and analysis of complex processes and equipment in multiple dimensions. Described as producing “rigorous solutions of the fundamental laws of conservation of mass, energy, species, and momentum to provide accurate and physically meaningful simulations,” the software features automated grid generation and integrated pre-processor, solver, and post-processor abilities.

Simerics software uses a proprietary Mismatching Grid Interface (MGI) algorithm to accommodate the interface between rotating/sliding components. This feature is said to provide Simerics support for implicit overset grids, binary tree meshes, general polyhedral cells, one dimensional lines, and zero dimensional compartments. Simerics says that these different grid formats can coexist and interact with one another to provide solutions for devices with very complex geometries.

Simerics MP is a general-purpose computational physics system with a fully adaptive architecture. It solves CFD problems using such advanced multi-physics modules as cavitation, fluid flow, heat transfer, species mixing/reaction, and turbulence. PumpLinx, which is built on Simerics’s baseline technology, is a customizable 3D tool for simulating and designing pumps, motors, and assorted fluid devices with rotating or sliding components.

SpaceClaim and Simerics recently announced the integration of SpaceClaim Engineer with PumpLinx and Simerics MP. Image courtesy of SpaceClaim Corp.

PumpLinx offers automated grid generation as well as the ability to couple aeration/cavitation models with numerical processing, which is reported to enable the modeling of high volume fractions of vapor and/or non-condensable gas. Through its customization module, it provides a variety of pre-programmed pump configurations said to make setup time a matter of minutes. Currently available are such pump/motor templates as axial/centrifugal, crescent, gear, gerotor, piston,  propellers/fans, and vane.

“The integration with SpaceClaim Engineer provides an ideal tool for our customers to prepare complex geometry for our CFD solutions,” said Sam Lowry,  president of Simerics, in a press statement. “The combination is both extremely cost-effective and easy to use and deploy.”

Next Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. (eastern), SpaceClaim and Simerics will co-present a complimentary live webinar demonstrating the integration of PumpLinx and Simerics MP with SpaceClaim Engineer for the preparation of complex geometry for CFD simulations. Further details and registration information are available from the link below.

For complete details on SpaceClaim Engineer and Simerics MP and PumpLinx, visit the company websites.

For more on Simerics MP, click here.

For more on PumpLinx, click here.

Check out some PumpLinx applications.

For more on SpaceClaim Engineer, click here.

Learn more about simulation-driven design with SpaceClaim Engineer.

Go here for details on the live webinar on the integration of SpaceClaim Engineer and Simerics MP and PumpLinx on October 3rd.

See why DE’s editors selected the integration of SpaceClaim Engineer and Simerics MP and PumpLinx as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.