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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