Tips & Tricks

Fit to View in CFD-VisCART

In CFD-VisCART, the 'Fit to View' function was improved in V2007. It now checks the blanking status before setting the view. In this tip, a car model will be used to demonstrate the Fit to View capability.

Coloring Surfaces in CFD-VisCART for Better Model Visualization

A typical model imported into CFD-VisCART may contain a number of parts and surfaces. By default, all surfaces come in with the default color (set under Edit → Preferences → Colors → Geometry Colors → Surfaces). Representing these surfaces with different colors would improve the appearance of the model and make it easier for the user to distinguish one surface (or part) from the other.

CFD-VisCART 'Save Image' feature

As in CFD-VIEW, CFD-VisCART has a 'Save image' feature that allows you to save snapshots of you model. If you are interested in this tip, please read on.

Making it Easy to Add a Box Source in CFD-VisCART

Sources are used in CFD-VisCART to refine the grid in localized regions of the domain. One of the many types of sources available is the Box Source where the user specifies a cuboid box around the region a finer grid is required. In the earlier versions, the user would have to add a Box Source and then specify its X, Y and Z extents to position the box in the desired location.

Hole Detection Feature in CFD-VisCART

CFD-VisCART can handle geometries with small gaps, cracks and overlapping parts, but what if there is a big hole or opening in one of the parts that the user is not aware of? The grid will flow through this opening and the result will be a mesh that has cells both inside and outside the model. This leaves the user with the near impossible task of finding this opening. In CFD-VisCART, a Hole Detection feature has been introduced that performs this task for the user.

Distance Measuring Tool in CFD-VisCART

CFD-VisCART has a simple and easy-to-use tool for measuring the distance between two points in a geometry. This tool can be found under the Geom tab.

Understanding cell-splitting in CFD-VisCART and its effect on cell count

A grid created in CFD-VisCART will have a high percentage of Cartesian cells (100% for Stair-Step Mesh; as high as 90-95% for Projected Mesh). Since these form the bulk of the grid, it helps to make sure that these cells are built in an efficient manner.

Using CFD-VisCART in Batch Mode

CFD-VisCART allows you to handle extremely complex geometries with lots of details. Often, you may have a geometry that you only modify slightly, but would like to use the mesh parameters that you used previously. In order to make this very simple, a batch mode was implemented for CFD-VisCART v2006.

Splitting a Model in CFD-VisCART

CFD-VisCART is a 3D unstructured adaptive Cartesian mesh generator. It is ideally suited for external aerodynamics and automotive underhood applications involving extremely complex geometries. Models/geometries in SAT, Parasolid, STL, Nastran, 3DS, Plot3d and FAST formats can be imported into CFD-VisCART.

Grouping Objects in CFD-VisCART

When handling complex geometries in CFD-VisCART, the list of geometric surface can quickly become very large and make the management of the model rather tricky.