All engineering simulation starts with geometry to represent the design, be it a solid component for a structural analysis or the air volume for a fluid or electromagnetic study. The engineer either has geometry that has been produced in a computer-aided design (CAD) system or builds the geometry from scratch. ANSYS DesignModeler software is the gateway to geometry handling for an ANSYS analysis.CAD models are often designed for manufacturing use and not for simulation. Using CAD models results in a complex geometry that includes details not needed for simulation, such as logos and other small features. Simulating such a fully detailed model will increase solver run times. It can be more efficient to spend a short time removing these details to reduce the total run time by hours or days. ANSYS DesignModeler features that reduce model complexity include:

• Fillet removal
• Symmetry division
• Fluid domain extraction
• Small surface detection and removal
• Cavity fill
• Geometry repair

ANSYS DesignModeler software has connections to all major CAD systems, allowing seamless transfer of existing data including parameters. For example, if your CAD model has a parameter that defines the wall thickness of a part, this can be exposed in ANSYS DesignModeler. You can then adjust the parameter and update the design. Any feature removal or simplification is maintained. This results in rapid turnaround of any design changes and updates.

ANSYS DesignModeler technology also provides powerful tools for construction of geometry from the ground up. Using familiar solid modeling operations, a complex model can be produced. Built on the Parasolids kernel which means the geometry engine is robust and conforms to industry standards. 2-D sketches can be extruded into 3-D solids and then modified with Boolean operations. A construction history is recorded during the creation of the geometry, allowing the user to make changes and then update the design.

Whether importing an existing CAD model or building your own, the ANSYS DesignModeler product is fully parametric. Combine this with parametric meshing and parametric solver setup within the ANSYS Workbench platform and you can use the same geometry for multiple design variations.

• ANSYS DesignModeler Brochure