Fluid Generation

Use Mesh CAD Additions Generate Fluid Part to export the CAD solid parts of the
model to Inventor Fusion where you can create additional parts to represent the fluid
volume. The parts can be external or internal to the model, to represent media such as air
surrounding a building or water passing through a valve, respectively.

Note Though typically used for fluid regions, you can also use derived parts to represent
solids. For example, fill the cavity of a mold to derive the cast part that the mold is used to
produce.
Important In some cases, the simulation model appears in Inventor Fusion as a surface
model rather than a solid model. In such a case, right-click on each surface part in the
Fusion browser and choose Validate to stitch the surfaces into a solid part.

The basic steps for fluid part generation are as follows:

1. In Autodesk Simulation, click Mesh CAD Additions Generate Fluid Part to

export the model to Fusion
2. Convert surface parts to solid parts using Validate, if necessary.
3. To generate an internal or strictly external fluid region, you must cap the interior
volume of the CAD solid part or assembly. Draw new surfaces in Fusion to cap off
the inlets and outlet of the fluid volume. Consult the Fusion Help for information on
creating surface patches.
4. Click Home Simulation Fluid Volume.
5. Choose whether the volume is internal or external.
6. Choose the CAD solid part or parts used to define the part.
7. If creating an interior fluid part or an external fluid part that is to be excluded from
the solid part interior, choose the capping surfaces.
8. If creating and external fluid part, choose the shape of the fluid region (box,
cylinder, or hemisphere).
9. For external fluid parts, specify the offset by typing the dimension or by clicking
and dragging the yellow vector in the display area. The offset is the distance beyond
the extents of the CAD solid parts to which the fluid region will extend.

Note For hemispheres, the flat surface of the hemisphere is flush with the
bottommost surface of the solid to simulate regions of fluid around an object sitting
on the ground. For boxes and cylinders, the fluid region is offset from all sides of
the solid object.

10. Click OK to generate the new part.

11. Use Fusion to make further modifications, as appropriate. For example, you could
push or pull on individual faces of a box-shaped fluid part to change its size and
placement relative to the original CAD solid parts.
12. Optionally, you can delete parts no longer needed in your simulation model. For
example, you can delete capping surfaces and/or the original solid parts. Otherwise,
the CAD solid parts, capping surfaces, and fluid part are transferred to Autodesk
 Simulation as separate parts. You then have to take the time to deactivate any parts
you transfer to Autodesk Simulation that are not integral to the analysis.

Tip For certain multiphysics analyses, you might only need the fluid part for one
scenario and the solid parts for another. An example of this is an fluid-structural
interaction analysis where the stress and displacement of the solid parts resulting
from fluid boundary forces are of interest. The fluid flow analysis will include only
the fluid part. The structural analysis will include only the original solid parts. Do
not delete the CAD solid parts in Fusion if any future analysis scenario will require
them. In this case, activate or deactivate the parts within Autodesk Simulation, as
appropriate.

13. When finished, click Home Simulation Autodesk Simulation to transfer your
model back to Simulation.

Note Inventor Fusion installs when you install Autodesk Simulation. If Fusion does not
install, use the Windows Control Panel to change your installation of Autodesk Simulation
and activate the option to install Inventor Fusion.