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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).
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.

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.
  - Create multiple mesh types
    Practice to mesh a CPU cooler assembly using different mesh types, such as 3D solid, 2D, or 1D beam meshes.
  - Create multiple mesh types for a spacecraft model
    Practice to mesh the structure and the equipment of a spacecraft using different mesh types, such as 3D solid, 2D, 1D beam, and 0D meshes.
  - Set up physical properties and mesh collectors
    Practice defining physical properties and different types of mesh collectors.
  - Meshing a model and assigning physical properties
    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.
- Advanced meshing and assemblies
  This lesson covers advanced meshing techniques, including primitives-based modeling, mesh controls, mesh quality improvements, and assembly-level meshing workflows.
- 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.

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.

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

Selecting mesh and element types

Simcenter 3D Space Systems Thermal supports the following element types to represent different physical behaviors and modeling needs.

Diagram showing supported thermal element types

You can also generate 3D meshes from existing 2D shell meshes, where the 2D mesh controls the size and type of the resulting 3D elements.

Mesh collectors and material assignment

Meshes are organized using Mesh Collectors, which group meshes that share the same element family and properties. Use mesh collectors to:

Work with complex, non-homogeneous models, or models based on assemblies (1).
Display specific areas of the model (2).
Create logical groupings of meshes to help you manage models (3).
Improve performance with large models.

Simulation Navigator showing mesh collectors organized by FEM files, with numbered callouts highlighting the AFM file, individual FEM components, and their associated 2D mesh collectors.

All meshes, except those with null element types, must have Material Properties assigned. The required material properties to perform a thermal analysis are listed in the following table.


Material property	Variable with	Required for
Mass density	Constant	Transient analysis
Thermal conductivity	Temperature	Transient analysis and steady state
Specific heat	Temperature	Transient analysis
Emissivity	Constant	Radiation simulation
Latent Heat, Phase Change Temperature, Specific Heat above Heat Change	Constant	Phase change simulation

Defining Physical Properties

Physical Properties describe characteristics such as thicknesses, nonstructural mass, and thermal behaviors, and are assigned to mesh collectors. Different physical property types are used depending on the element type:

0D properties define concentrated mass for thermal capacitance.
1D properties model beams or ducts for simplified thermal behavior.
Thin shell properties define thickness and nonstructural mass for shell elements.
Multi-layer shell properties allow modeling of layered structures with different materials and thicknesses.

Hands-on material

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

Further learning

How to create a large assembly from smaller sub-assemblies?