Introduction

4.1. Introduction#

An introduction to the basic features of the Flow360 WebUI including navigation and key concepts.

Contents#

Section

Contents

Dashboard

Navigation manual through the Flow360 Dashboard

Starting a project

Guidelines on how to start a project

Workbench layout

The layout of the project workbench

General workflow

The example of a general workflow in the application

Project tree

Description of the project tree and the concept of a project

Keyboard shortcuts

Available keyboard shortcuts in the Flow360 WebUI

Project settings

Configuration and metadata for projects and simulation runs

Detailed Descriptions#

Dashboard#

The Dashboard serves as the central hub for managing and monitoring your CFD projects in Flow360. It provides an intuitive overview of your simulations, resources, and project status.

  • Recent Projects: Grid view of recent CFD projects with status indicators, project details, and quick actions.

  • FlexCredits: Displays your available computation credits.

  • Pending Resources: Overview of computational resources in use, including running, queued, diverged, or failed jobs.

  • Start with the Example: Quick-start option for new users with pre-prepared simulation scenarios.

Starting a Project#

This section guides you through creating a new project in Flow360, whether starting from geometry, surface mesh, or volume mesh.

  • New Project Form: Entry point for creating CFD simulations, allowing selection of workflow type, solver version, units, and description.

  • Creation Methods:

    • From geometry: Upload CAD files for automated meshing.

    • From surface mesh: Use a pre-generated surface mesh.

    • From volume mesh: Use a pre-generated volume mesh.

  • Supported Formats: ESP, EGADS, STEP, IGES, ACIS, STL, CGNS, and more.

  • Key Fields: Project name, solver version, unit, description, and creation method.

Workbench Layout#

The Flow360 workbench provides an interface for CFD simulations, with defined regions for setup, visualization, and analysis.

  • Viewer Region: Central 3D workspace for geometry, mesh, and results visualization.

  • Simulation Setup/Analysis Panel: Control panel for all simulation parameters and settings.

  • Entities Browser: Tools for visual representation and inspection of model and results.

  • Coordinate System: Persistent indicator of axes orientation and view direction.

  • Top Navigation Bar: Main navigation and tool selection area.

  • Bottom Status Bar: Displays operation status, progress, and inspector tools.

  • Viewer Bar: Switches between geometry, mesh, and visualization modes, also contains entity selection tools.

General Workflow#

This section outlines the systematic approach to setting up and running CFD simulations using the Flow360 GUI.

  • Setup: Configure simulation parameters in a top-to-bottom sequence.

  • Verify: Use the inspector tool to check setup completeness and resolve errors.

  • Run: Initiate the simulation, including automated meshing if starting from geometry.

  • Monitor: Track simulation progress and analyze results in real time.

  • Visualize: Inspect mesh and results using the interactive 3D viewer.

Project Tree#

The project tree is a hierarchical visualization of your CFD workflow, from geometry to results. It helps track progress and navigate between stages.

  • Icons: Represent geometry, surface mesh, volume mesh, case, fork, and draft states.

  • Structure: Flexible hierarchy supporting geometry-first, surface-mesh-first, and volume-mesh-first workflows.

  • Branching: Supports multiple branches at each level for mesh sensitivity, parameter studies, and continuation runs (forks).

  • Component Actions: Open in workbench, create new run, interpolate, rename, view details, expand/collapse, delete.

Project Settings#

The Project Settings panel provides access to project-level configuration, run settings, and project metadata. This panel allows you to manage project properties, configure units, and view project statistics.

  • Run Settings: Configuration options for the current simulation run, including units system, mesher options, solver version, and run statistics.

  • Project Details: Project-level metadata including project name, ID, folder location, tags, description, and project cost.

  • Units Management: Change all units in the setting system at once through the units system configuration.

  • Mesher Options: Toggle between standard and AI-powered surface meshing, and enable beta mesher features.

  • Statistics: View detailed timing information, FlexCredit costs, and status for runs and projects.

Contents