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SST getting started
This getting started guide provides a comprehensive introduction to thermal modeling using Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal (SST).
Advanced meshing and assemblies
This lesson covers advanced meshing techniques, including primitives-based modeling, mesh controls, mesh quality improvements, and assembly-level meshing workflows.

Knowledge base articles
Knowledge base articles provide concise, practical guidance for solving thermal, flow, multiphysics, space systems, and turbomachinery modeling challenges in Simcenter 3D.
SST getting started
This getting started guide provides a comprehensive introduction to thermal modeling using Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal (SST).
- Getting started with Space Systems Thermal
- Introducing the user interface
  This topic covers the user interface (UI) in Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal. You will learn how to navigate the modeling environment and how to efficiently use the available tools, menus, and commands to build, set up, and review your models.
- Simulation process
  This topic covers the typical simulation workflow used to perform thermal analyses.
- Preparing a geometry for meshing
  This topic introduces the geometry creation and preparation workflow used in Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal. You will learn how to create or import geometry, modify and repair it for analysis, create associative copies for CAE workflows, and idealize the geometry prior to meshing.
- Meshing a model
  This lesson introduces the core meshing workflow in Simcenter 3D Pre/Post, including element selection, mesh creation, mesh organization, and assignment of material and physical properties.
- Advanced meshing and assemblies
  This lesson covers advanced meshing techniques, including primitives-based modeling, mesh controls, mesh quality improvements, and assembly-level meshing workflows.
  - Build a model with primitives
    Practice creating meshes using primitives, translating and reflecting existing elements. The starting FEM contains only 2D mesh collectors, no geometry or mesh.
  - Automate meshing with selection recipes and template files
    Learn how to use selection recipes together with template files to automate tasks required to mesh a finite element model.
  - Create the mesh mating conditions and mesh controls
    Practice following workflow for connecting meshes using the Mesh Mating Conditions command and control the mesh density using the Mesh Controls command.
  - Resolve mesh quality issues
    Practice the workflow for checking element quality and resolving quality problems.
  - Create an assembly FEM and mesh components
    This is an objective-based lab. Instead of being provided a list of instructions, you are simply provided a scenario and problem statement to solve. Please work to solve the scenario of each activity listed below.
  - Create an assembly FEM for the airplane cabin model
    Practice creating an assembly FEM for an aircraft cabin model.
- Applying boundary conditions
  This topic covers boundary conditions, which define how heat is generated, transferred, and constrained within a model.
- Defining thermal contacts
  This lesson introduces thermal couplings and explains how conduction, convection, and radiation couplings are used to model heat transfer between unconnected or simplified regions of a model.
- Solving the model
  This lesson introduces the numerical solution techniques used by the thermal solver for steady-state and transient thermal analyses.
- Post-processing results
  This lesson introduces post-processing commands to help you review and evaluate simulation outcomes using visualization and data analysis.
- Radiation modeling methods and optical properties
  This lesson explains the two Radiation simulation object types and how each defines radiative enclosures and affects radiation calculation efficiency.
- Orbital modeling
  This lesson explains how to define orbit parameters and solar and celestial body characteristics to establish spacecraft position, orientation, and environmental conditions for space thermal analysis.
- Solar and planetary heating
  This lesson introduces solar and planetary heating, covering solar flux, atmospheric and ground effects, model orientation, and radiative heating for space and near-planet thermal analysis.
- Multilayer and thermal protection system modeling
  This lesson introduces multi-layer shell modeling to efficiently represent layered thermal structures, including thermal protection systems and insulation, using 2D meshes with through-thickness heat transfer.
- Material transformation
  This lesson introduces material transformation modeling, including phase change, ablation, charring, and thermo-optical property degradation, for simulating materials exposed to intense thermal environments.
- Articulation and motion modeling
  This lesson introduces articulation and motion modeling to capture the thermal effects of moving and rotating components, including their impact on view factors, heat loads, and radiation.
- Joule heating and thermal devices
  This lesson introduces Joule heating and thermal device modeling, covering coupled thermal–electrical simulation, electrical boundary conditions, and simplified modeling of Peltier coolers and heat pipes.
- 1D hydraulic network modeling
  This lesson introduces 1D hydraulic network modeling to simulate fluid flow, pressure losses, and convective heat transfer in duct systems using efficient one-dimensional elements.
- Mapping the results to another model
  This lesson introduces temperature result mapping between models and explains how to align source and target models for accurate data transfer.
- Customizing the thermal solver
  This lesson explains how to extend the thermal solver using user-written subroutines and plugin functions to model custom thermal behavior.
- Creating ESC models from PCB Exchange
  This lesson introduces the PCB Exchange application and explains how to import, validate, and prepare ECAD models for thermal and structural analysis.
- Electronics thermal management
  This lesson introduces electronics thermal management in space systems, focusing on heat dissipation mechanisms, cooling techniques, and thermal modeling of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic components.

Advanced meshing and assemblies

This lesson covers advanced meshing techniques, including primitives-based modeling, mesh controls, mesh quality improvements, and assembly-level meshing workflows.

This lesson may include hands-on exercises. Review the Discussion section for background information or click the button to proceed to the practical section.

Discussion

Advanced meshing techniques allow you to control mesh density, improve mesh connectivity, and refine existing meshes to support accurate and efficient thermal analyses.

Controlling local mesh density

Mesh density is controlled using the Mesh Control command, which allows you to refine or coarsen mesh sizes in specific regions of a model. Mesh controls help manage the number of elements in large models while ensuring sufficient resolution in areas where higher accuracy is required. They can be applied before or after mesh generation and support multiple control types.

Mesh mating and mesh connectivity

Mesh Mating conditions are used to connect individual 2D or 3D meshes at specified interfaces. They modify polygon body geometry to enforce common surface definitions and shared meshes where bodies mate. Mesh mating conditions are also used to resolve issues such as coincident nodes, which occur when duplicate nodes lie on top of each other at mesh interfaces.

Primitives-based modeling

A Primitive is an object that defines a set of 2D or 3D elements in terms of their geometry, size, location, and mesh. You can:

Position and orient primitives using coordinate systems.
Modify primitive geometry, size, and location after creation.
Use primitives to efficiently model simplified or repetitive thermal features.

Illustration of geometric primitives showing 2D primitives (surface shapes) and 3D primitives (solid cube and sphere).

Modeling assemblies with assembly FEMs

Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal supports assembly-level analysis using an Assembly FEM (.afm) file. Assembly FEMs are designed to efficiently model and analyze large systems composed of multiple component FEMs.

When working with Assembly FEMs, you may encounter different component classifications, such as:

CAD-mapped components.
Ignored components.
Matching or reused components.

Simulation Navigator showing a CAD assembly with matching components, ignored components, and CAD-mapped components highlighted within the AFM and FEM structure.

Hands-on material

To gain experience with the topics discussed here, complete the following: