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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).
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.

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.
- 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.
  - Map the heat distribution of a solar panel
    Practice to create a mapping solution on the target structural model, mapping the temperature results for a specific time step, from a source thermal model, and run a structural analysis.
  - Mapping solar panel temperature results onto the structural model
    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.
  - Map temperatures to a PCB structural model
    Practice aligning source and target models for mapping the temperature results from thermal model to the structural model and use these temperature results as a temperature load for the structural model.
- 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.

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.

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

Result mapping allows you to transfer temperature or flow results from a source model to a target model, which can be another thermal model, a structural model, or a flow model. Mapping is commonly used to reuse thermal results in downstream analyses without re-solving the original model.

The mapping process transfers results from a selected solution in the source model to a mapping solution in the target model. For accurate mapping, source and target models must be geometrically congruent and share a common global coordinate system, or be aligned using the Source Model Mapping simulation object. Alignment can be performed graphically or by applying scaling, translation, and rotation operations.

Temperature mapping uses a proximity-based method to associate target nodes or elements with source elements. Temperatures are interpolated when the target location lies within a source element and extrapolated when it lies outside. You can restrict extrapolated temperatures using limits based on the element range or the overall model range to avoid non-physical results.

Mapping constraints provide additional control over the mapping process. Association zones and target zones allow you to restrict which regions of the source model map to specific regions of the target model, improving accuracy and reducing computation time for large or complex assemblies. Specialized mapping options support axisymmetric models, transverse temperature gradients, mixed 2D/3D models, and rotational periodicity.

Mapped results are written to binary results files and can be viewed in post processing or reused as inputs to other analyses, such as structural preload solutions. Multiple mapped solutions can be combined, and results can be interpolated across time steps when mapping transient data.

Hands-on material

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