Project Tree

The project tree is a hierarchical visualization interface that displays the complete workflow of your CFD simulation, from geometry to final results. It provides an intuitive way to track simulation progress and navigate between different stages of your analysis.

Note: The project tree is generated automatically based on your settings and intelligently identifies existing nodes that match your specifications.

For example, if a surface mesh with identical settings already exists in the project, Flow360 will reuse it rather than generating a duplicate. Similarly, when a case with matching simulation parameters exists, the system will utilize the existing case instead of running a redundant simulation.

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Icon Explanation

Icon	Name	Description
	Geometry	Represents the CAD geometry input for the simulation
	Surface Mesh	Represents the discretized surface of the geometry
	Volume Mesh	Represents the 3D computational mesh used for simulation
	Case	Represents a simulation case with defined parameters
	Fork	Indicates a continuation / branched variant of an existing parent
	Draft	Represents a simulation setup that hasn’t been run yet

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Project Structure

The Flow360 project structure follows a flexible hierarchical organization that accommodates different starting points and multiple analysis paths. Each node in the tree represents a distinct stage in the simulation process, with the ability to branch and create parallel analysis streams.

Entry Points

The project can be initiated from two different entry points:

1. Geometry-First Approach:

   • Starts with CAD geometry

   • Requires the workflow to include surface and volume mesh generation

2. Mesh-First Approach:

   • Starts directly with a surface or volume mesh

   • Meshing settings are available only when starting from a surface mesh

Workflow Hierarchy

The workflow structure depends on the chosen entry point. Below are the two possible progression paths:

1. Starting from geometry

Geometry
└── Surface Mesh
    └── Volume Mesh
        └── Case
            └── Fork (optional)

2. Starting from surface mesh

Surface Mesh
└── Volume Mesh
    └── Case
        └── Fork (optional)

3. Starting from volume mesh

Volume Mesh
└── Case
    └── Fork (optional)

Note: Each node in these hierarchies can branch into multiple parallel paths. For example:

Geometry
├── Surface Mesh A
│   ├── Volume Mesh A1
│   │   ├── Case A1.1
│   │   │   └── Fork A1.1.1
│   │   └── Case A1.2
│   └── Volume Mesh A2
│       └── Case A2.1
└── Surface Mesh B
   └── Volume Mesh B1
       └── Case B1.1
           └── Fork B1.1.1

Branching Capabilities

The project tree supports multiple branches at each level:

• Geometry Level:

  • Can generate multiple surface meshes

  • Each surface mesh represents different discretization parameters

  • Useful for mesh sensitivity studies

• Surface Mesh Level:

  • Multiple volume meshes possible from single surface mesh

  • Supports different volume mesh parameters

  • Enables boundary layer resolution studies

• Volume Mesh Level:

  • Can spawn multiple simulation cases

  • Each case can have unique solver settings

  • Facilitates parameter studies

• Case Level:

  • Supports forking for continuation runs

  • Forks inherit all case results and settings

  • Allows parameter modifications while preserving history

Forking

• Forks are direct extensions of their parent cases

• All results and settings are preserved in forks

• Simulation continues from the last state of the parent case

• Multiple forks can branch from the same parent case

Interpolation

• Interpolation transfers solution from a case onto a new mesh

• New mesh can exist either within the same project, or in a different one

• Useful when running a refined mesh or slightly altered geometry

• Arrow on the volume mesh asset icon in project tree indicates that the volume mesh exists in a different project

Component Actions

When clicking on a component in the project tree, a menu of available actions appears. Below are the available actions:

Action	Description
Open in workbench	Opens the component workbench
New run	Creates a new simulation run draft using settings from this component
Interpolation	Transfers solution data between different meshes
Rename	Changes the display name of the component
Details	Shows components details such as ID, name, cost, parent asset ID, etc.
Expand all sub-items	Shows all sub-components derived from this component
Collapse all sub-items	Hides all sub-components derived from this component
Delete	Removes the component and all its dependent sub-components

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💡 Tips

• Click on any node to view more options

• Use the expand/collapse arrows to manage tree visibility

• Monitor simulation progress through status indicators

• Connected nodes show workflow dependencies

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• What do the numbers next to collapse icon (^) mean?

  The numbers indicate how many branches that particular component has.

• How can I create a new run of my simulation?

  Click on any node and select “New run” to create a new simulation branch with modified parameters.

• Can I have multiple projects open simultaneously?

  Yes, but to do so you will need to have a separate tab open for each project in your browser.

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🐍 Python Example Usage

Below is a Python code example showing how to create forks:

import flow360 as fl

project = fl.Project.from_cloud(project_id="prj-XXXXX") # Should be a valid project id

# Specify a case you want to fork from
case = fl.Case(id="case-XXXXX") # Should be a valid case id

# Change desired parameters, e.g. time stepping
case.params.time_stepping.step_size = 0.0001
case.params.time_stepping.steps = 1500

# Fork the case
case_fork_1 = project.run_case(case.params, "case-fork-1", fork_from=case)

# Change forked case's parameters
case_fork_1.params.time_stepping.step_size = 0.00005
case_fork_1.params.time_stepping.steps = 2500

# Fork from a fork
case_fork_1 = project.run_case(case_fork_1.params, "case-fork-1", fork_from=case_fork_1)