Tips & Tricks

Advanced Blanking and Picking Tools in CFD-GEOM

Manipulating very large, complex models can be a challenging task, especially when small features of the geometry are included. CFD-GEOM has many advanced blanking/unblanking tools, as well as advanced picking tools, that can make dealing with large models easier.

How to Generate 3D Hybrid Meshes?

This tip will show you how to create a simple hybrid (structured/tetrahedral) mesh system. A hybrid mesh can be useful when part of the geometry is simple and the other part is to complex to use a structured mesh.

Mixing Structured and Unstructured 2D Grids

One of the most common questions that occurs during CFD-GEOM Training sessions is "How do I generate mixed structured and unstructured grids?" Both grid types have their specific advantages and disadvantages, e.g. structured grids are very efficient in resolving the viscous terms, whereas unstructured grids can be used to handle complex geometries.

Using "Visual Scaling" for Models with Drastically Varying Length Scales

For models that have drastically varying length scales, it can be difficult to create the grid, setup a model, and post-process the results. CFD-GEOM, CFD-ACE-GUI and CFD-VIEW have a "Visual Scale" capability that can significantly help when working with these types of models.

Parametric Studies Using SimManager

Parametric studies are an important aspect of CFD analysis. Parametric studies are used to perform trend base analyses, optimize the deign of a device, and/or to study the affect of different parameters on a process (What if? type analysis).

How to Compare the Model Setup Between Two DTF Files

Have you ever wanted to find the differences between two DTF files? If you have, then you will probably be interested in a DTF utility included in your ESI Software installation. The utility is called dtf_diff and can be found in your UTILS_2009.0/bin directory.

CFD-ACE+ and CFD-TOPO Coupling

There is a growing demand and challenge in different industries, especially semiconductor and MEMS areas, to have increased wafer size with reduced feature size, i.e. high quality process uniformity.

Gridding a Hemisphere in a Box with a Structured Butterfly Grid

Since spheres, hemispheroids, ellipsoids, and related geometries are very common in a great variety of problems, some techniques have been developed to mesh this class of geometries with structured grid systems. Just as a butterfly grid can be used to grid a circular face, here we will demonstrate how this approach is used to create a 3D butterfly grid for meshing a hemisphere.

DTF utility: the -vd and -ud options

The DTF utility offers several options for viewing and manipulating simulation data in a DTF file. Simulation data is essentially all settings that are not Volume Conditions or Boundary Conditions. By using a couple of DTF commands, you can update the data in the DTF file without opening it in CFD-ACE-GUI. In this tip, we will demonstrate how to use the -vd and -ud options of the DTF utility.

CFD-TOPO: A Tool for Feature Scale Simulation of Semiconductor Processes

CFD-TOPO is a simulation tool that predicts how the shape of entities change due to the combined effects of chemical species transport and surface reactions at gas-solid interfaces. This application provides a wide array of tools to analyze the steps of a semiconductor process on the feature scale of a device (typically the order of micro-meter).