Cambridge, UK, 16 May 2016 – International TechneGroup Limited (ITI), the global leader providing reliable interoperability, validation and migration solutions for product data and related systems, announces success on a three-year UK government research initiative aimed at advancing geometry handling and integration (GHandI). The project was aimed at improving the methods and processes for generating and manipulating high fidelity aircraft and turbo machinery component geometries and their associated computational meshes.
One of the most fundamental properties affecting the aerodynamic performance of a body is its shape. Demands for improved performance and optimization of airframe shape simulation and analysis continue to increase. ITI’s CADfix team worked with GHandI program partners, to develop new capabilities for extracting information from geometry and adapting for use elsewhere in the aerodynamic simulation process.
Figure 1. CADfix automatic partitioning of the air domain close to the aircraft skin
(inset image shows complex region of wing-pylon-nacelle junction)
These new capabilities included enabling the automatic generation of a high quality mesh for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the airflow around an aircraft. Traditionally creating the geometry for complex high quality CFD meshing is a costly, time-consuming and semi-manual process, often suffering from issues of reliability and repeatability. Technological demonstration of the automation of this process was accomplished in GHandI using CADfix.
The program, an ATI funded collaborative research and development project, involved key organizations in the UK aerodynamics community, manufacturers, aerodynamic modeling and technology providers, and members of academia. This was the latest of several UK government initiatives established to tackle the fundamental building blocks for next generation simulation tools in the aircraft industry.
CADfix made three key contributions: advances in the unique CADfix medial object technology, automatic domain sub-division of the air close to the aircraft skin into connected partitions, and the development of a framework for integrating best in class meshing technologies and external components to orchestrate the creation of a high quality hybrid CFD mesh. The results demonstrate the potential for real application in future aerospace programs, and extend to improving geometry handling for internal airflow simulation in aero engines, hypersonic simulation of missiles, and other advanced aircraft simulations.
Figure 2. Section through hybrid mesh of auto partitioned air domain
(inset image shows partitions filled with high quality hybrid mesh at the wing-fuselage junction)
“The success of this initiative is meaningful for both the aerospace industry at large and for ITI,” stated Mark Gammon, Technical Director and CADfix Product Manager at ITI. “Working with the medial object as the basis for leading edge geometry processing operations such as those developed within GHandI is unique to CADfix. At this time, CADfix is the only tool that has proven success in implementing real world applications of this academic theory, and has achieved exacting and robust results for generating high-quality mesh.”
ITI UK Commercial Director, Andy Chinn, added, “ITI continues to ensure that CADfix delivers breakthroughs in 3D geometry processing, tackling some of the toughest 3D geometry issues affecting industry. Working closely with customers on project initiatives such as GHandI, ITI is able to clearly identify areas where novel geometry processing technology is required, and that could have a significant impact on engineering process efficiency.”
ITI will deliver a presentation covering their involvement and successes on GHandI at the summer 2016 NAFEMS UK conference in Telford on 15-16 June.
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About GHandI
One of the most fundamental properties affecting the aerodynamic performance of a body is its shape. With progressively increasing demands for performance, the need to explore and optimize the performance of novel airframe shapes rapidly and with robust, efficient processes is becoming increasingly important. This poses significant challenges for the ways in which the associated geometry is generated and manipulated (in support of design) both on its wetted surfaces and in the adjacent air flow (i.e. the computational mesh). Greater attention is being focused on these challenges globally and it is vital that the UK keeps ahead of the competition. The proposed research program will, for the first time, bring together key strands of the UK aerodynamics community who are currently active in this area, facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-fertilization via complementary, research activities, and establish innovative capabilities and shared understanding. http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/projects?ref=101372
About International TechneGroup (ITI)
International TechneGroup Incorporated began in 1983 with a mission to help manufacturers drive innovation and time to market by applying computer-aided product development to engineering problems. Today, ITI is the global leader providing reliable interoperability, validation and migration solutions for product data and related systems. Our customers recognize the value in having a trusted solution partner that provides more than just software. ITI solves complex product data interoperability problems so that the world’s leading manufacturers can focus on making great products. www.iti-global.com