Importing SolidWorks Model DIRECTLY into openfoam

bgood44 · July 20, 2009, 20:44

Hello All,

I am currently working on developing a UAV for a university project. Unfortunately, the wind tunnels at my school aren't quite big enough for this uav and I don't want to go through the hassle of building a scale model. I have a very accurate SolidWorks model of the aircraft and would like to use OpenFoam to do some analysis ( specifically, I want to find the control derivitives, so essentially I just need to find the pressure distribution on the surface of the aircraft).

Is there a way I can use my SolidWorks model and generate a mesh using an open source software, and than use openfoam to find the pressure distribution on the aircraft. I would prefer to use openfoam ( Its a software I really want to learn), and I would like to use my current SolidWorks model. I know cosmos is an option with solidworks, but I would prefer not to go that route, so please don't go there...

Thanks for the Help!

hellorishi · July 21, 2009, 01:59

Hello Brad,

There are a few opensource meshing tools for OpenFOAM. You might have to export Solidwork file as STL for snappyHexMesh
http://www.opencfd.co.uk/openfoam/do...pyHexMesh.html

Or IGES /STEP for NetGen or Gmsh
http://www.hpfem.jku.at/netgen/
http://www.geuz.org/gmsh/

I am not sure if one can get boundary layers with NetGen or Gmsh.
SnappyHexMesh does that, but I find it a bit complicated to use.

tutorial->
http://www.tfd.chalmers.se/~hani/kur...ppyHexMesh.pdf

hellorishi · July 21, 2009, 02:05

I forgot to mention EnGrid.
http://www.ohloh.net/p/engrid

I have not tested this one yet. Seems promising.

bgood44 · July 22, 2009, 11:48

And all of the programs you listed work with solidworks? Is there any downside to using Engrid, NetGen, or Gmsh with solidworks ?

hellorishi · July 23, 2009, 04:45

These programs work with generic file formats like STL, IGES /STEP
Solidworks or almost any CAD package can export to the above 3 formats.

The downside of exporting to such formats is slight loss of accuracy in shape, due to approximations. e.g. it might export a circle as a 10sided polygon. You can increase the accuracy by exporting as 36 sided polygon for better approxitmation.

bgood44 · July 23, 2009, 17:53

When I download OpenFoam, do these programs come with it or do I need to add it seperately

Thanks,

Brad

hellorishi · July 24, 2009, 01:27

snappyHexMesh is native OpenFOAM.

Others have to be downloaded separately...

ironsamosa · December 31, 2018, 20:18

Hi there, would you be kind enough to guide with with what command line statements on how to import a Solidworks or Inventor model or assembly into OpenFoam, then meshing it and then opening in on paraview?

thanks!

yambanshee · January 18, 2019, 03:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironsamosa

Hi there, would you be kind enough to guide with with what command line statements on how to import a Solidworks or Inventor model or assembly into OpenFoam, then meshing it and then opening in on paraview?

thanks!

A good source is this: http://sourceflux.de/blog/tag/snappyhexmesh/

Long answer is; it's not just a little bit of command line work. Generating a good mesh with open source software is often quite challenging.

ms.hashempour · January 20, 2020, 06:47

Dear guys

I have solidworks tunnel shape. But I cant using salome. It hangs on and stops working.

What sould I do?

July 20, 2009, 20:44	Importing SolidWorks Model DIRECTLY into openfoam	#1
bgood44 New Member Brad Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 16	Hello All, I am currently working on developing a UAV for a university project. Unfortunately, the wind tunnels at my school aren't quite big enough for this uav and I don't want to go through the hassle of building a scale model. I have a very accurate SolidWorks model of the aircraft and would like to use OpenFoam to do some analysis ( specifically, I want to find the control derivitives, so essentially I just need to find the pressure distribution on the surface of the aircraft). Is there a way I can use my SolidWorks model and generate a mesh using an open source software, and than use openfoam to find the pressure distribution on the aircraft. I would prefer to use openfoam ( Its a software I really want to learn), and I would like to use my current SolidWorks model. I know cosmos is an option with solidworks, but I would prefer not to go that route, so please don't go there... Thanks for the Help!

July 24, 2009, 01:27		#7
hellorishi Senior Member Rishi . Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 149 Rep Power: 17	snappyHexMesh is native OpenFOAM. Others have to be downloaded separately... ironsamosa likes this.

December 31, 2018, 20:18	importing solidworks model to openFOAM	#8
ironsamosa New Member Henry Keller Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	Hi there, would you be kind enough to guide with with what command line statements on how to import a Solidworks or Inventor model or assembly into OpenFoam, then meshing it and then opening in on paraview? thanks!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Importing Solidworks Assembly	rmc	CFX	3	September 30, 2014 10:34
Fluent OpenFoam comparison kepsilon model	alimansouri	OpenFOAM Running, Solving & CFD	5	January 19, 2009 09:35
OpenFOAM 13 Intel quadcore parallel results	msrinath80	OpenFOAM Running, Solving & CFD	13	February 5, 2008 05:26
OpenFOAM 13 AMD quadcore parallel results	msrinath80	OpenFOAM Running, Solving & CFD	1	November 10, 2007 23:23
Does OpenFoam have a HybridURANS model	andycong	OpenFOAM Running, Solving & CFD	2	February 16, 2006 21:20

July 21, 2009, 01:59		#2
hellorishi Senior Member Rishi . Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 149 Rep Power: 17	Hello Brad, There are a few opensource meshing tools for OpenFOAM. You might have to export Solidwork file as STL for snappyHexMesh http://www.opencfd.co.uk/openfoam/do...pyHexMesh.html Or IGES /STEP for NetGen or Gmsh http://www.hpfem.jku.at/netgen/ http://www.geuz.org/gmsh/ I am not sure if one can get boundary layers with NetGen or Gmsh. SnappyHexMesh does that, but I find it a bit complicated to use. tutorial-> http://www.tfd.chalmers.se/~hani/kur...ppyHexMesh.pdf

July 21, 2009, 02:05		#3
hellorishi Senior Member Rishi . Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 149 Rep Power: 17	I forgot to mention EnGrid. http://www.ohloh.net/p/engrid I have not tested this one yet. Seems promising.

July 22, 2009, 11:48		#4
bgood44 New Member Brad Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 16	And all of the programs you listed work with solidworks? Is there any downside to using Engrid, NetGen, or Gmsh with solidworks ?

July 23, 2009, 04:45		#5
hellorishi Senior Member Rishi . Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 149 Rep Power: 17	These programs work with generic file formats like STL, IGES /STEP Solidworks or almost any CAD package can export to the above 3 formats. The downside of exporting to such formats is slight loss of accuracy in shape, due to approximations. e.g. it might export a circle as a 10sided polygon. You can increase the accuracy by exporting as 36 sided polygon for better approxitmation.

July 23, 2009, 17:53		#6
bgood44 New Member Brad Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 16	When I download OpenFoam, do these programs come with it or do I need to add it seperately Thanks, Brad

January 20, 2020, 06:47		#10
ms.hashempour New Member Masoumeh Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 21 Rep Power: 6	Dear guys I have solidworks tunnel shape. But I cant using salome. It hangs on and stops working. What sould I do?