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Overview Syllabus FAQ

Overview

Meshing is nothing but discrete representation of the geometry. Mesh generation is the most challenging, effort demanding and manual time consuming task in the complete process of a CFD study. Although, people are talking on mesh-less CFD solvers, they are in research stage and it might take a good amount of time for them to get established. So, if you are planning to use CFD to predict flow behavior, you cannot avoid this meshing process. That adds to your ‘software to learn’ list. This makes us to look for a single pre-processing package that is capable of generating all types of meshing and CAD repairing.

ANSYS ICEM CFD meshing software has advanced CAD/geometry readers and repair tools to allow the user to quickly complete the CAD cleanup work. The interactive and user friendly meshing tool helps in generating high-quality volume or surface meshes with minimal effort. Advanced mesh diagnostics, interactive and automated mesh editing, output to a wide variety of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) makes ANSYS ICEM CFD preferable and easy to learn.

‘CFD Meshing with ANSYS ICEM CFD’ course provides a complete knowledge on the CFD meshing process using the software. Working of all the geometry and meshing tools, and the information on when and how to use the tools are covered in detail. Not only that, CFD foundation and the need for discretizing the geometry are also discussed in this course. Along with that, tips on generating good mesh are also discussed, as the quality of mesh and the cell count/mesh density has a direct impact on the convergence and the solution.

Recommended background

As this course is designed for people who have had little or no experience with ANSYS ICEM CFD, all the required basics are covered in this course. Anyone who wants to learn the meshing process for CFD analysis can subscribe for this course. Exposure on CAD modeling packages might give an advantage in learning geometry operation tools.

Your Learning

The objective of the course is to learn the geometry tools, surface and volume meshing options in ANSYS ICEM CFD. This includes unstructured, multi-block structured and hybrid meshing techniques. After successful completion of this course, you will be in a position to efficiently repair and mesh a given complex CAD model. Also you will understand the requirement of domain discretization or computational grid. To summarize, the focus will be on:

  • Getting familiar with the Graphical User Interface of ANSYS ICEM CFD
  • Geometry handling and CAD repairing
  • Structured hexahedral meshing using multi-block method
  • Shell / surface meshing
  • Unstructured tetrahedral meshing
  • Prism meshing
  • Mesh editing, smoothening or quality improvement
  • Exporting mesh to CFD solver

The course is delivered based on a concept of ‘learning lessons accompanied with live mentoring sessions’. Initial section of the course contains fundamental lessons, and the final part is based on mesh generation techniques using ANSYS ICEM CFD. Based on the content of the course, you can expect to complete the course in 4 weeks.

Course Format

The course contains video lessons and tests for the participants to learn and check their understandings. Apart from that, the course also has other components like software demos, video tutorials, and assignments.

Below are features or elements of our training process :

Video lessons : The course consists of video lessons on both theory and software knowledge. All lessons are split into smaller videos of lesser play length / time. A total of 7 video lessons are included in the course. You can gain knowledge and software skills by watching these video lessons any number of times.

Software Demos: The course also consists of software demos. These short videos explain some tools or operations of software so that you can watch and practice on your own.

Video Tutorials : Video tutorials will also be provided to you as part of the course. These video tutorials are sample CFD problems which explain or demonstrate how to conduct CFD simulation of common industrial problems using ANSYS ICEM CFD. There are 3 video tutorials in this course. They focus on CAD repair, multi-block hexahedral meshing and unstructured tetrahedral + prism meshing.

Objective Test or Quiz : After some specific amount of video lessons you will be asked to appear for test or quiz. These tests or quizzes are based on the knowledge from the video lessons. The purpose of these tests is to refresh your learning and evaluate your understanding till that point. Test question format includes short answer type, multiple-choice type. You can check your scores through online submission of results. This course contains 3 tests.

Software Assignments : After certain software learning is complete you will be provided with assignments. These assignments will be industrial level mesh generation or CFD solution problems which you will have to do on your own using skills acquired in the course. You will be provided with all the necessary input files for the assignments. Once you complete these assignments you will have to submit them to us for evaluation.

Mentoring : Along with our course content we also provide mentoring for the participants in this course. The mentoring is provided to resolve any of your doubts or question related to the course learning. There are two types of mentoring:

  1. Unlimited mentoring through email: During the course you may have queries or doubts about the course content. To resolve those queries our mentors will interact with you using email. You can ask your queries through email and our mentors will provide you with specific answers to help resolve your queries.
  2. Limited hours of live mentoring: In this our mentors will conduct a live mentoring session with you every week for an hour. So total you get 2 to 3 hours of live mentoring as part of the course. These live mentoring sessions will be sought of Q & A sessions to resolve any of your doubts related to the course learning. You can directly ask your questions to our mentor.

Please note that mentoring through email and live session is meant to resolve your queries related to learning through the course. This mentoring does not cover any queries which are not related to the course or for any of your other CFD related queries. For such queries we recommend to you our other learning services. Information of such learning services can be found on course page.

Certification : At the end of the course based on your performance and our evaluation you will be granted a certification from LearnCAx for successful completion of the course.

Course Material : At the end of the course LearnCAx will send you course material in the form of course lesson notes for your future reference.

Course Syllabus

The complete course syllabus is divided into 7 lessons. Each lesson is designed to provide a sound foundation of the necessary concepts required for the subsequent lessons. So, it is recommended that you do not move to the next lesson until all the concepts of the present lesson are well understood.

Video Lessons

Lesson 1 : Fundamental Concepts of Meshing

What is mesh generation? Have you heard the term pre-processing? The aim of this lesson is to introduce you to fundamental concept of meshing. You will learn what is grid or mesh generation. Then you will understand a grid cell and different cell types. Ever wondered what are the different methods of mesh generation? This lesson will also provide you with an overview of different grid generation methods. You will also get a first look of the software ICEM CFD in this lesson. By the end of this lesson you will be familiar with all the fundamental concepts of grid generation process.

Lesson 2 : Introduction to GUI of ICEM CFD

This lesson is your first introduction to meshing process. When you perform CFD using ANSYS CFD suite the meshing process is done using ICEM CFD. The objective of this lesson to provide you a clear understanding of the concept of mesh generation and why mesh is required. The lesson will also familiarize you with the user interface and the overall process of mesh generation within ICEM CFD software. By the end of this lesson you will have a clear understanding of ICEM CFD functions and its capabilities. Detailed operations will be taught in further lessons.

Lesson 3 : Geometry creation in ICEM CFD

For every CFD simulation we require a CAD model to create virtual CFD environment. We have to either generate CAD model in ICEM CFD or import it from third party software. Also many repair operations are needed to be performed on the imported CAD model as it is not ready for CFD. By the end of this lesson you will be able to create and import geometries in ICEM CFD. You will also know all skills to make geometry ready for CFD.

Lesson 4 : Hexahedral meshing in ICEM CFD

This lesson will introduce you to the most commonly used and preferred mesh type –Structured Hexahedral meshing. The objective of this lesson is to teach you all the skills required to generate a structured hexahedral mesh using multi-block method in ICEM CFD. By the end of this lesson you will have a clear understanding of mesh or grid generation process and also you will acquire all skills to decide a blocking topology and create hexahedral mesh for different levels of geometric complexity. 

Lesson 5 : Shell meshing in ICEM CFD

The objective of this lesson is to train you in surface meshing which is also called as the shell mesh. Many times we need to use shell mesh type for 2D cross section or as an input for 3D volume mesh. Although this lesson covers all types of shell meshing, the prime focus will be more on surface cell sizing and triangular element meshing using patch independent method. This lesson will teach you how to generate shell mesh in ICEM CFD.

Lesson 6 : Volume meshing process – Tetrahedral meshing in ICEM CFD

This lesson will focus on tetrahedral mesh generation. It will teach you the entire process of tetrahedral mesh generation using ICEM CFD. It is not always possible to generate hexahedral mesh for complex shapes of geometries in CFD. Hence you need to know how to generate tetrahedral mesh. By the end of this lesson you will be comfortable to generate mesh for complex CFD models which cannot be handled by hexahedral mesh.

Lesson 7 : Volume meshing process –Prism meshing in ICEM CFD

Another important aspect of mesh generation and perhaps the most advanced, is prism mesh generation. Accurate numerical simulation of most physical phenomenon in fluids depends on capturing boundary effects by using prism mesh near surfaces. The lesson will provide you complete knowledge of how to resolve boundary layer flows using prism mesh type in ICEM CFD.

Video Tutorials

Tutorial 1 : Geometry cleanup in ICEM CFD

The objective of this tutorial is to demonstrate you various geometry repair operations in ICEM CFD. The tutorial is based on geometry cleanup of a control valve model. You can practice different geometry repair tools by watching this tutorial. 

Tutorial 2 : Hexahedral meshing in ICEM CFD

Objective of this video tutorial is to demonstrate you the hexahedral mesh generation process in ICEM CFD. You can learn various techniques of hexahedral mesh generation process including blocking by watching this tutorial. 

Tutorial 3 : Tetrahedral meshing in ICEM CFD

The aim of this tutorial is to teach you the tetrahedral meshing process using ICEM CFD. An example of electronic cabinet CFD model is used for demonstrating tetrahedral mesh type. By watching this tutorial you can learn the process of tetrahedral mesh generation.

Course Assignments :

Assignment 1 : Meshing generation 2D profile geometry

The objective of this assignment is to provide you software practice opportunity to generate mesh for 2D geometry. Our mentors will be available to help resolve your queries related to assignment. By the end of this assignment you will become comfortable in using ICEM CFD for generating 2D mesh.

Assignment 2 : Meshing generation for Heat exchanger geometry

The objective of this assignment is to provide you software practice opportunity to generate volume mesh for a CFD model. The assignment is based on sample tube in tube geometry. Our mentors will be available to help resolve your queries related to assignment. By the end of this assignment you will become comfortable in using ICEM CFD for generating volume mesh.

Assignment 3 : Mesh generation for Catalytic convertor geometry

The objective of this assignment is to provide you software practice opportunity and gain confidence and expertise in the entire mesh generation process in ICEM CFD. The complexity level of this assignment is high as you will need to think from CFD physics point of view as well while generating mesh. The assignment is based on Catalytic convertor geometry. Our mentors will be available to help resolve your queries related to assignment.

Course Tests

Test 1 : ICEM CFD Geometry Creation

The objective of this test is to refresh and check your learning on geometry creation and repairing tools in ANSYS ICEM CFD. This test contains a total of 16 multiple choice type questions. The maximum time duration allotted for this test is 20 minutes. This will help you in approaching a geometry for CAD clean-up or repair.

Test 2 : ICEM CFD Blocking Topology

The objective of this test is to provoke your thought on blocking topologies or strategies for geometries. Three 2D geometries are shown and you need to sketch a blocking topology for those geometries and upload the file. You don’t have to consider ICEM CFD options for this test. This will help you in approaching geometry for multi-block structured hexahedral mesh generation. We suggest you to take this test only after you complete the lesson-7 i.e., ‘Hexahedral meshing in ICEM CFD’ of this course.

Test 3 : ICEM CFD Hexa Meshing

The objective of is this test to refresh and check your learning on ‘multi-block structured hexahedral mesh’ generation method and tools in ANSYS ICEM CFD. This test contains a total of 10 multiple choice type questions. This can be an open-software test. You can open ANSYS ICEM CFD and make use of it to answer the test. But the maximum time duration allotted for this test is 20 minutes. We suggest you to take this test only after you complete the lesson-7 i.e., ‘Hexahedral meshing in ICEM CFD’ of this course.

1. How much time needed to complete the course?

The course is available all the time. To start this course you need to buy the course. After this our executive will contact you and guide you through further process in order to activate your course. The course usually gets activated within 1 to 2 working days once all processing is completed. Considering difficulty level, understanding capacity and necessary extra reading, on average, we expect this course to be finished in 4 weeks.

2. Will I be able to apply the knowledge gained through this course on any other meshing software?

The overall concepts of meshing and the procedure can be used for learning new meshing software. But the structured hexahedral meshing philosophy and some of the tool operations will be different. Still this might give an edge in learning a new one.

3. I am a slow participant. Is there any restriction on course duration?

Based on the content of the course, complexity of the software, assignments and tests, the expected course duration is 4 weeks. Within this period, you are free to watch the video lessons, demos and tutorials any number of times. But on special cases with a prior request to the support team, the extending course duration might be considered.

4. What version of ICEM CFD will I need for practice?

Although ANSYS ICEM CFD V13.0 is used to explain the concepts in this course, a version lesser or higher won’t make much difference.

5. Do I need any CFD software access or will I get one?

Yes, you may need access for ANSYS ICEM CFD. No. software access for the participant is not a part of this program currently.

6. How difficult is this course?

The course is designed for beginners and we believe that it’s easy for everyone.

7. I have few queries related to work I am doing. Can I contact you?

As the course is designed for beginners, you might have specific questions. Feel free to ask those questions using the link “Ask a Question” given on course page.

8. What next learning you suggest once this course is completed?

Once you are familiar with meshing techniques, you can start learning a CFD solver preferably ANSYS CFX or ANSYS FLUENT. You can also consider open source CFD solvers.