We need this test data (ideally in some simple ASCII format) for academic research on connectivity compression for unstructured volume meshes. Thanks"

The cornerstone feature of Gridgen Version 14 is Glyph, a new Tcl-based scripting language. Using Glyph, engineers can create customized meshing applications and utilities that significantly reduce the effort required to perform a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. "Glyph helps both expert and novice analysts", said John Chawner, Pointwise's president. "The novice analyst can use a customized, Glyph-scripted application that hides all the meshing details while the expert analyst can use Glyph to customize Gridgen for his or her way of working. In both cases Glyph allows the analyst to concentrate on the product, not the mesh."

Gridgen Version 14 also features Native CAD Import, import of CAD models in triangular (STL) format, automatic joining and decimation of surface meshes, baffle faces, a mirror transform, several new grid diagnostic functions, integration of the grid examine command with the elliptic solver, and export filters for CFD++, CRUNCH, and NCC.

Geometry:

• undo
• curve projection to surface
• geometry clean-up/repair improvements
• faceted surface between two curves

Meshing:

• Tetra - better leak repair tools
• Tetra - speed improvements
• Tetra - prism improvements
• Tetra - multi-processor support
• HEXA - edge smoothing
• HEXA - undo in replay mode
• HEXA - move vertex normal to surface
• AutoHexa - improved GUI
• AutoHexa - tree structure to save/create data
• CART3D - cartesian mesher for aerospace geometries
• Edit Mesh - special bar element configuration
• Edit Mesh - extrusion along curve
• Edit Mesh - better mesh repair control
• Output - new interfaces for Attila, LL-Dyna3D, LS-Dyna3D, Trio-U, SpecElem, MAZe, TSAR, N3S-Natur, CSP, FEAST, SAUNA, VRML2
• Direct CAD - converts GEMS, Capri, IDI, I-DEAS, ProE, Cadds, Acis, DWG and Tecplot mesh files to tetin format

Visualization:

• more options in streams manager
• multiple simulaneous views

For more information, visit What's New with ICEM CFD Engineering.

The only fluid dynamics program that is fully embedded within the SolidWorks user environment, COSMOS/FloWorks provides design engineers with a fundamental analysis of the flow of gases and liquids, heat transfer, and other forces on immersed or surrounding solids. The same qualities that make SolidWorks the industry's leading mid-range CAD system for the design of engines, valves, hydraulics, piping, pumps, HVAC, and other complicated assemblies make COSMOS/FloWorks the perfect tool for analyzing them.

COSMOS/FloWorks ignores the traditional practice of handing off fluid analysis to specialists by translating problems into engineering analysis goals rather than numerical convergence criteria and solver parameters. Leaving the SolidWorks geometry as a solid model, COSMOS/FloWorks empowers engineers who are not analysis experts to succeed in today's design environment.

FINE/Design3D includes Autoblade and Design3D.

Autoblade is a versatile parametric blade modeler for accurate representation of all types of turbomachinery blades and channels. Geometry definition is generic (Pressure/Suction side or Camberline/Thickness) and highly flexible (independent control of the tangential and meridional lean and sweep, multiple choices for the 3D blade stacking, multiple splitters, rounded or cut-off leading and trailing edges with tailored shapes…).

Design3D is a powerful and integrated optimisation process for turbomachinery applications. Through a comprehensive interface, customised to the turbomachinery design industry, an optimisation loop is performed that includes:

• A self-learning database that stores the parameters of the optimisation runs;
• An optimization step with gradient, simulated annealing and genetic algorithm methods.

Optimisation targets can be linked to local and global features of the flow field, while geometrical constraints can limit the solution domain.

CFdesign makes it possible for 3D product designs built in SolidWorks to be evaluated and optimized without any type of translation or conversion process. Changes made to geometry within SolidWorks are automatically reflected in CFdesign, eliminating the time-consuming and confusing process of creating and managing multiple geometry models during a project lifecycle. With CFdesign there is always only one model, and it is updated and managed within the SolidWorks environment.

“We believe the global SolidWorks user community is starting to come of age where design analysis is concerned. The value proposition is just too great to ignore,” stated Blue Ridge Numerics President, Ed Williams. “We consistently see our customers increase product quality and strip away costs while bringing products to market faster than ever before when CFdesign is used hand-in-glove with an MCAD system on the mechanical engineer’s desktop PC.”

When SolidWorks users launch CFdesign directly within the SolidWorks interface, the component or assembly will automatically appear inside CFdesign where comprehensive fluid flow and heat transfer simulations can reveal product performance concerns and identify areas for product optimization.