- #Cfd solidworks flow simulation update
- #Cfd solidworks flow simulation software
- #Cfd solidworks flow simulation license
First, all Discovery Live simulations are inherently time-dependent and naturally result in appealing and intuitive flow visualizations showing unsteady behavior. There are two aspects that attract me to Discovery Live.
#Cfd solidworks flow simulation software
I had been transported into an alternate universe where ANSYS, the company who says “to get serious CFD results, you need serious software,” was unabashedly hyping and releasing an unvalidated software with the new call-to-action “utility over accuracy.” Simulation was to be fun again. I have to admit, I was shocked when I first saw a Discovery Live demo by how out of character the product and the roll-out was for ANSYS. Autodesk CFD post-processing is a little like being transported back in time about 10 years compared to the best-in-class tools. Currently, Autodesk CFD Premium and CFD Ultimate are available as annual subscription for around $9,500 and $11,600. Our trials have confirmed that Autodesk CFD is much slower than the best-in-class FV solvers and marginally slower than SolidWorks Flow Simulation, when run on comparable computational meshes. As far as simulating, Autodesk CFD is somewhat of an outlier in the CFD community as it employs a finite element solver. One nice mesh-related feature available is a surface wrapping tool that can be used to define the domain for external flow simulations, i.e., wind tunnel tests. Prismatic layers in the boundary layer of solid surfaces can be achieved with the “wall layer” option activated.Īutodesk Surface Wrap by Autodesk - External Flow Geometry Mesh Tool. The standard meshing tools allows for slider bar mesh density assignment, much the same as with SolidWorks, and attempting to refine individual surfaces or regions is messy though possible. The software does an adequate job of covering most of the basics including the ability to model multi-component fluids or gases, steady or unsteady flows, a built-in material database, and decent pre-and post-processing tools.īecause Autodesk CFD is finite element based, surface meshes are triangular and volume elements are by default tetrahedral. The workflow in Autodesk can be a bit broken up, but it is, in general, much the same as in SolidWorks. Example #2: Autodesk CFDĪlthough Autodesk CFD is not technically CAD embedded, it still qualifies in this category because connectivity between simulation files and the original 3D CAD model can be maintained by following the correct procedures.
#Cfd solidworks flow simulation license
At last check, a node-locked, perpetual Flow Simulation license could be purchased for around $14,000. The post-processing, while not spectacular, does benefit from being embedded in SolidWorks with its refined visual approach to presenting 3D information. Image Courtesy of MyoPro from Myomo, Inc.įor simulations, SolidWorks Flow uses a finite volume solver, which we’ve found to be rather inefficient. Overall, the process of 3D CAD model cleanup and preparation with SolidWorks Flow is very similar to that which you would use if you were exporting to a neutral file format for import into a stand-alone CFD package, but meshes tend to be of average to poor quality, requiring a higher number of cells to achieve the same accuracy as lower cell-count, higher quality meshes produced with some of the other tools available.įlow Streamlines Colored by Temperature alongside a 3D Geometry, Rendered in SolidWorks Flow Simulation. The basic interface and workflow is organized logically, and SolidWorks Flow has grown in capabilities over the last decade. SolidWorks Flow Simulation may be considered the most “CAD embedded” CFD program in this class. Our original article looks in detail at two leaders in this market segment: SolidWorks / Flow Simulation from Dassault Systèmes and Inventor / Autodesk CFD from Autodesk and discusses newcomer, ANSYS with its Discovery Live. If you are a CFD software user, consider participating in their CFD User Survey to help them compile results that will provide an impartial view from real CFD users about what, why, and how they use CFD software across different industries and countries.
#Cfd solidworks flow simulation update
Part 5 of the series will be an update of Resolved Analytics' CFD User Survey results. The series goes into the nitty-gritty details on the pros, cons, capabilities and costs of many of the market leading CFD packages in each category. Editor's Note: This is Part 1 of 5 in a CFD Software Comparison Series from Resolved Analytics.