Questions

• An associate professor at MIT seeks answers to this question: “If we can provide instantly available, massively parallel CFD service in the cloud, would you consider purchasing the service?”
• Engineersrule.com asks whether the CAD interoperability problem is over. [I shouted “NO” at my computer before reading a word after the title. But I did read the article.]
• Not as much a question as a statement that some might question is PTC’s Subscription is the Mega Trend for 2016.
  • Would you license CFD software on a subscription basis?
  • Regardless of your answer, what expectations or assumptions do you make about subscription-based software licensing?

Software

• Tridiagonal’s MixIT is a cloud-based CFD tool for stirred tank mixing simulations.
• The first two previews of STAR-CCM+ v11.02 are out: Co-extrusion and DEM cylindrical particles.
• DEVELOP3D takes a look at the latest version of cloud/browser based CAD system Onshape.
• And more good reading from DEVELOP3D on the new MSC Apex Eagle release.
• Tecplot Chorus 2016 was released for design-space simulation exploration.
• ESI released new capabilities in its Virtual Performance Solution.
• Sim Specialists have created a freely available tool called VolFlowCalc to ensure use of proper units for basic flow calculations.

Screenshot of Tecplot Chorus 2016 in action. Image from Tecplot. See link above.

Applications

• CFD used again to design bicycle racing wheels.
• The work described in this article is an interesting convergence of topics: cloud-based CAD Onshape is being used to design an open-access Formula 1 car.

Modeling a drone’s blades using CAESES. Image from Friendship Systems. Click image for article.

Reading

• As reported by Monica Schnitger, the topic of CFD arose during Dassault Systemes’ presentation of their Q4 results. In particular, their CEO [and I’m quoting directly from Monica’s article] “told investors that he thinks there’s significant opportunity in the historically conservative CFD market, but that DS intends to address this with its own, highly-integrated technology that is ‘breakthrough, new approach for CFD.'”
  • I’ll admit to not being very aware of DS’ CFD products let alone whether they’re “breakthrough.” But would anyone else categorize the CFD market as “conservative.” [No conservation of mass jokes, please.]
• Our friends at Technavio published the report Global PLM in Aerospace and Defense 2016-2020 in which they cite the “top three emerging trends” one of which [quite remarkably IMO] is the outsourcing of FEA preprocessing work to India and China. The reason cited is that work done in those countries costs half as much as work done domestically that costs “about 43% of the overall investments.”
  • Do you agree that outsourcing FEA preprocessing is a top trend in A&D PLM?
  • Bonus: The article uses the term “imbibe” in the context of meshing and not in the usual sense of needing a strong drink when one finishes the mesh.
• Total cost of ownership, open source, and proprietary software.

Meshing

• Parallel Generation of Large-Size Adapted Meshes from the team an INRIA.
• Five best practices for meshing turbomachinery. #5 Cell expansion ratio in the boundary layer should be maintained at 20-25%.
• VRMesh 9.0 was released with extension UI improvements.

Events

• Science in the Age of Experience is the new incarnation of Dassault Systemes’ SIMULIA Community Conference. This year’s event is in Boston on 23-25 May.
• The CEI India Conference for users of EnSight and CONVERGE CFD will be held 23-25 February in Pune and Bangalore.
• The ERCOFTAC seminar on Oil and Gas Modeling and Simulation Best Practices and Technology Trends is coming to Oslo, Norway on 20-21 April 2016.

A Mesh You Can Climb On

Gwen Fisher’s Bat Country is a giant tetrahedron, or more precisely a third-generation Sierpinski fractal. It’s built from baseball bats and softballs, but despite this sports influence from out of left field [pun intended], it remains the only mesh I’m aware of that you and your friends can climb up, on, and through.

Gwen Fisher, Bat Country, 2013. Image from Gwen’s blog. See link above.