CFD | Essentials - Fundamentals of Simulation and Analysis

CFD | Essentials – Fundamentals of Simulation and Analysis is a comprehensive two-day private course, available virtually or in person, designed for professionals seeking to develop foundational skills in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Led by an Autodesk Certified Instructor, this course covers the simulation and analysis of fluid flow and thermal performance, providing the essential knowledge needed to make informed design decisions with confidence.

During this course, you will learn how to prepare your models for CFD simulation, ensuring they are optimised for accurate and efficient analysis, and develop the essential skills to interpret and evaluate your simulation results effectively. Starting with an introduction to CFD concepts, you will build a solid technical understanding of the role of Autodesk CFD in evaluating fluid flow and thermal performance. You will practise modifying CAD geometry for accurate analysis and learn how to address common issues such as sliver surfaces and extra edges. The course covers assigning materials using the material library, customising material properties for specific analyses, and using Devices to simulate physical components such as fans and blowers. You will also practise defining accurate flow and thermal boundary conditions, setting constraints such as flow rates and thermal properties to reflect realistic operating conditions. The course guides you through creating high-quality meshes, refining mesh settings to analyse flow and heat transfer at the element level, ensuring precision in your simulations. With a solid foundation in model preparation, you will then progress to running the analysis. You will discover the Solve dialog box and understand the functionalities of different solver settings, including configuring simulations, running design studies, and managing simulation progress using Autodesk CFD tools. You will learn how to visualise and extract results data, create detailed reports, and compare results across designs using the Decision Center tool. Finally, you will follow a structured validation checklist to verify the accuracy of your results, ensuring that your simulations provide the confidence needed to confirm that your design meets project specifications and performance requirements.

By the end of this course, you will have a strong understanding of how to use Autodesk CFD for fluid flow and thermal simulations. You will be equipped with the skills to prepare and optimise models, set up simulations, and validate results with precision. These capabilities will enable you to confidently evaluate and refine your designs to meet project specifications, ensuring improved performance and reliability in your engineering projects.

During this course, you will explore the following topics:

• Module 1 – Introduction to CFD: Learn the fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and its applications in product design and development. This module introduces you to the basics of CFD simulation and digital prototyping, helping you understand how to analyse models and make informed design decisions. You will explore the role of Autodesk CFD in evaluating fluid and thermal performance, equipping you with essential tools to integrate simulation into your workflow effectively.
• Module 2 – Geometry Preparation | Common Issues: Discover how to prepare CAD geometry for accurate CFD simulation by modifying models to meet analysis requirements. This module also teaches you how to address common issues, such as sliver surfaces and extra edges, to improve model quality. Additionally, you will explore techniques for adding parts to simulate flow inside cavities or surrounding volumes and simplifying complex geometries to accelerate the analysis process. These skills will ensure your models are optimised for efficient and reliable simulations.
• Module 3 – Materials & Devices: Learn how to create internal and external fluid volumes and assign materials to model components using the material library. This module covers editing material properties to suit specific analysis requirements and explores the use of Devices to simulate the behaviour of physical components such as fans and blowers. These tools will enhance your ability to replicate real-world conditions accurately in your simulations.
• Module 4 – Boundary Conditions: Understand how to define flow and thermal conditions for your simulations by assigning accurate boundary conditions. This module guides you through the process of applying constraints, such as flow rates and thermal properties, to specific geometry within your model. You will also explore best practices for ensuring that boundary conditions are correctly represented, providing a strong foundation for reliable and accurate simulation results.
• Module 5 – Meshing Techniques: Learn how to create high-quality meshes to prepare your models for accurate analysis. This module covers the fundamentals of breaking down models into smaller elements, focusing on strategies to ensure mesh quality and efficiency. You will practise refining your mesh to accurately represent flow and heat transfer at each element, improving the precision and reliability of your simulation outputs.
• Module 6 – Solver Settings: Learn how to configure solver settings to prepare your model for simulation by setting up materials, boundary conditions, and mesh effectively. This module introduces the Solve dialog box, guiding you through simulating design study scenarios and exploring options for customising solutions. You will also learn how to manage simulation progress using Autodesk CFD tools, ensuring efficient and accurate analysis workflows.
• Module 7 – Results Visualisation & Interpretation | Decision Center: Practise visualising and extracting simulation data to meet your design requirements. This module covers using Autodesk CFD tools to review results, generate detailed reports, and share findings effectively. You will also create visually engaging views, extract critical values, and compare identical result sets across multiple designs using the Decision Center tool, enabling informed decisions and optimised design outcomes.
• Module 8 – Validation & Quality Assurance: Learn how to validate your simulation results to ensure accuracy and reliability. This module guides you through a structured validation checklist, covering essential steps to review and confirm the accuracy of your solution. By applying these techniques, you will gain confidence in your analysis outcomes and ensure your design meets project requirements.

To join the course, participants will need basic computer skills and a solid understanding of engineering or design concepts. No prior experience with Autodesk CFD is required, but exploring the user interface beforehand is recommended.

This course includes 12 months of complimentary access to the course-related ASCENT Center for Technical Knowledge e-book (valued at 70 USD) which contains files that need to be installed prior to joining the training. This e-book provides comprehensive training notes that you can refer to after the training to further ensure your knowledge retention. Login details for the ASCENT platform will be issued a few days before the training. To learn more about ASCENT, please visit their website.

ARKANCE, an Authorized Autodesk Training Center, delivers high-quality training for Autodesk software users. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an official ARKANCE Certificate of Completion, demonstrating their commitment to ongoing professional development.

Additionally, participants are encouraged to register their attendance with Autodesk Education to receive a Certificate of Completion from Autodesk. To obtain this certificate, participants must follow the steps provided in the confirmation email sent after registration and submit a post-training feedback survey within 60 days of completing the course.

Participants joining this course virtually will need:

• Autodesk CFD installed on their computer, together with all recent updates (required). Please contact us if you need to purchase a software licence.
• The latest Zoom version installed on their computer (required).
• A stable internet connection with a minimum download speed of 10 Mbps (required).
• A secondary screen to follow instructions shared by the course instructor during training, along with a mouse for easy software navigation (recommended).
• A headset to ensure clear communication with the instructor, and preferably a microphone and webcam for interactive conversations (recommended).

Participants joining this course in person will need:

• Autodesk CFD installed on their computer, together with all recent updates (required). Please contact us if you need to purchase a software licence.
• A large computer screen, along with a keyboard and mouse for easy software navigation (recommended).

Additionally, the training venue should be equipped with:

• A projector setup or a large screen enabling the instructor to connect their laptop, facilitating attendee visibility of the instructor's screen (required).

Our private training sessions are offered at a flat rate per course and accommodate up to eight participants. Delivered on request, these courses can be conducted virtually or on-site at your venue.

The training can follow a standard agenda or be customised to align with your team’s specific workflows, existing templates, and project requirements. Please note that in-person training will incur additional travel costs, and pricing may vary for customised curriculums.

Please contact us to discuss organising this training for your team.