Technical Specification 
FLO/MCAD from Flomerics enables parts
and assemblies from any Mechanical Computer Aided Design (MCAD) software
(such as Pro/Engineer, I-DEAS, Solid Designer, etc.) to be transferred
easily and rapidly to and from FLOVENT for airflow analysis.
FLO/MCAD is more than just an interface
program - it intelligently filters the geometrical data for a particular
part or assembly and creates a simplified "equivalent" for analysis
purposes.
This is critical because production quality MCAD solid models contain
a vast amount of geometric detail which is insignificant in airflow modeling.
Simply importing the geometry from the MCAD system into FLOVENT will create
an airflow analysis problem so complex that it will take weeks to solve.
A wiser approach is to simplify the geometry to a level that matches the
importance of the part to the airflow, e.g. little or no simplification
for critical geometry, a lot of simplification for small or passive geometry.
A few moments spent simplifying the problem can save days or weeks later.
FLO/MCAD is a productivity tool designed
to help the engineer speed up and automate the simplification process
leading to greater productivity and faster turnaround in airflow analysis.
Normally the MCAD part geometry includes radii, fillets, draft angles,
small holes and other features which do not significantly effect airflow,
but which greatly increase the complexity and time required for airflow
analysis if included in the simulation. Using FLO/MCAD, the user can identify
and remove unnecessary geometrical features such as non-planar surfaces,
blends, fillets, small holes and protuberances, while preserving volume
or surface area as appropriate. FLO/MCAD then "dissects" (converts)
the part automatically into FLOVENT primitives and transfers it to FLOVENT.
Alternatively a one touch operation can both simplify and then dissect
the model using a slider bar to set the simplification level. This method,
called "decomposition ", provides a near instantaneous conversion
capability for seamless integration with MCAD environments.
The
Decomposition Process
The
MCAD geometry file is converted to an ACIS solid on import into
FLO/MCAD.
A desired
simplification level is set on a slider bar, appropriate for the
level of detail required.
The
model is then simplified, converted into FLOVENT objects and transferred
to FLOVENT in a single operation.
Airflow
analysis can then be conducted in the usual way.
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