Software provider and technology consultants, FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS aimed to improve the blade design capabilities of their recent release of CAESES 4.0.

These changes were based on customer requests to ensure a dedicated blade view, 2D-3D transformations, custom 2D profiles and solid geometry creation from surface intersections.

CAESES’ CFD Simulation and Optimization Capabilities

CAESES, formerly FRIENDSHIP-Framework, is a pre-CAD simulation tool. The CAE platform is designed to test various permutations of a design in an automated workflow.

Instead of engineers translating CAD geometry into CFD models, CAESES starts with models developed for CFD simulations. These models can be automated to change based on results to optimize the design.

CAESES is broken down into three tools. They are:

A 3D modeller for simulation-ready parametric geometries
- Shape examples include blades, diffusers, ducts, engine components, ship hull volutes and wings
A third-party CFD solver integration tool
- Examples of some compatible solvers include ANSYS Fluent/CFX, NUMECA products, OpenFOAM, SHIPFLOW and STAR-CCM+
A design space exploration with a shape optimization tool
- Optimizations include single and multi-objective strategies

CAESES Improves Axial Blade Capabilities

Like other early design cycle tools, CAESES tries to keep the graphical user interface (GUI) simple with as few buttons as possible.

However, the latest release includes a new button that sets the blade design view into the ZX plane. Previously, the tool could only operate by using the stored camera position functions.

Another added blade tool in CAESES is the 2D-3D transformations. The stream selection curve tool will be able to map a 2D profile onto the 3D design space within the modeller. The transformation will allow users to decide on various design variables to determine the 3D shape. However, the default options will be for a centrifugal impeller design. This tool will take into account the hub and shroud, and stacking axis.

The 2D profiles of the blades can also be saved and customized. Once a user has decided on the profile shape, CAESES can map the 3D design of the blade by wrapping around the 2D profile.

Once a parametric 3D shape of the blade is completed, CAESES can now create a solid geometry using the intersections of the blade, hub and shroud surfaces. To simplify the geometry creation further, users can also extrapolate the blade surface onto the hub and shroud surface.

Though not a new function, CAESES notes the importance of their custom export functions. Using this tool, users can also create custom exports of their 3D section point data. As various CFD tools will have different standards for point data, this customized export function will help engineers ensure that their meshing and simulations are performed properly in their other CAE tools.

Other additions to CAESES 4.0 include:

New geometry kernel
Fillets
Boolean operations
Solid intersections

Do you use CAESES? What are your thoughts? What would you like to see in the next release? Comment below.