Using the CAD Client Translators to Import Geometry

You can import geometry into Simcenter STAR-CCM+ using the CAD client translators. These translators can provide a better result when importing your geometry compared to other translators.

To use this feature, you must have a valid CAD Client license and CAD client installation on your machine. If you are importing a native CAD format, the appropriate CAD client is selected by default.

To use the CAD client translators when importing geometry in Simcenter STAR-CCM+, in the Import Surface Options dialog, activate the Use Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Client for [CAD Client] option.

If a geometry file contains design parameter data from a CAD client, importing this file into Simcenter STAR-CCM+ also imports the design parameters. A link between the imported geometry and the original geometry file is also established. See [CAD Client] > [CAD Client User Guide] > Transferring Geometry to STAR-CCM+ > Transferring Geometry with Design Parameters.

If a geometry file contains assigned face colors, you can import the face colors by activating the Import Colors option. The assigned face colors can be modified in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ or in CAD client. If you assign a face color in Simcenter STAR-CCM+, colors assigned in the CAD client are ignored during the model update process unless the face color is set to Unassigned in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. For NX, CATIA, and Inventor, if you do not assign a color to a face, a default color is assigned and transferred to Simcenter STAR-CCM+. However, for Creo, the face color is classed as Unassigned unless you assign a color to a face during model update.

When Simcenter STAR-CCM+ imports the geometry, all pre-defined face names are maintained. For cases where you define a color to a face without a face name the following naming conventions are used when the geometry is imported into Simcenter STAR-CCM+:
  • NX and Creo—ColoredFace[X]
  • CATIA and Inventor—[featureName]_[X]

Imported face colors can be visualized in a scene by setting the Color Mode on the displayer to Geometry Part. For Inventor, you can import part model face colors using direct import, which, however, does not import assembly component face colors. To import assembly component face colors, use the CAD Client Geometry Transfer option.