Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler (SCDM) is available in Ansys Workbench. Unlike Ansys DesignModeler which is a history-based parametric application, SpaceClaim Direct Modeler is a direct modeling application. Access and use of SpaceClaim Direct Modeler requires you have an existing SpaceClaim Direct Modeler license.
SpaceClaim topics:
Import Procedure
You can select your preferred geometry editor in the Options panel via the Tools menu in Ansys Workbench. Select Geometry Import.
SpaceClaim Direct Modeler allows you to import a clean instance of a 3D model from a CAD system without history-based parameters. However you cannot conduct a parametric study using the same parameters that are defined in the native CAD model, and after an analysis, update the model through the same set of parameters automatically.
Within the Ansys Workbench environment, four options exist for SpaceClaim depending when the work flow commences.
Importing External CAD Files into SpaceClaim Direct Modeler (SCDM) using Ansys Workbench
Start Ansys Workbench
Create empty geometry cell.
Right-click the geometry cell and select Import Geometry->Browse. Specify the CAD file name in the file open dialog.
Make sure the geometry file name is set in the geometry cell properties.
Right-click the geometry cell and select "Edit Geometry in SpaceClaim"
Importing SpaceClaim Geometry into DesignModeler
Note: You do not need to close a running instance of SpaceClaim Direct Modeler to import SpaceClaim geometry into Ansys DesignModeler.
Launch "SpaceClaim Direct Modeler":
Open an existing .scdoc file (or) create geometry in SpaceClaim and save into a .scdoc file.
Launch Ansys Workbench.
Create a new Geometry system in Project Schematic.
Launch Ansys DesignModeler using the right mouse button on the Geometry cell. Select New DesignModeler Geometry.
Inside Ansys DesignModeler, select the menu item File->Attach to Active CAD Geometry. The "Source" property of Attach feature should be set to the .scdoc file.
Click the Generate button. The SpaceClaim geometry is imported into Ansys DesignModeler.
The following steps can be used to bring SpaceClaim geometry in to Ansys DesignModeler using the SpaceClaim Plug-in. The following steps will not use SpaceClaim Add-in.
Starting SpaceClaim before Ansys Workbench
In this scenario, Ansys Workbench is started using the SpaceClaim menu item, either Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler or SpaceClaim Engineer.
Using Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler — If geometry in Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler is not saved to a .scdoc file:
Start Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler and create geometry, but do not save.
Starting Ansys Workbench using the 2024 R2 button in the Prepare tab will create a geometry system in the project schematic.
The "geometry file name" property of the geometry cell will be empty.
The "CAD Plug-in" property will be set to "SpaceClaim[]" if geometry in SpaceClaim Direct Modeler is not saved in to a .scdoc file.
As soon as Ansys Workbench is started, the SpaceClaim Direct Modeler editor will behave in add-in mode and you can transfer geometry to Mesh/Mechanical.
Using Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler — For saved .scdoc file:
If geometry in Ansys SpaceClaim Direct Modeler is saved to a .scdoc file before starting Ansys Workbench, then the "geometry in name" property is set to the saved .scdoc file name.
As soon as Ansys Workbench is started, the SpaceClaim Direct Modeler editor will behave in add-in mode and you can transfer geometry to Mesh/Mechanical.
Using SpaceClaim Engineer — you should save the geometry in SpaceClaim Engineer to a .scdoc file before starting Ansys Workbench.
For a saved scdoc file:
If the geometry in SpaceClaim Engineer is saved into a scdoc file before starting Ansys Workbench, then "geometry file name" property is set to the saved scdoc file name and "CAD Plug-in" property as "SpaceClaim[]".
You can transfer geometry to mesh/mechanical.
Starting Ansys Workbench before SpaceClaim
In this scenario, SpaceClaim is started using the Ansys Workbench menu item.
Start Ansys Workbench
Create empty geometry cell.
Start SpaceClaim Direct Modeler and create geometry.
If you do not save the geometry in to .scdoc file, user could not attach geometry.
To attach the geometry, save the geometry to a .scdoc file.
If you attach a saved .scdoc file in the geometry cell, the SpaceClaim Direct Modeler editor will behave in add-in mode.
Importing SpaceClaim Geometry into Mechanical APDL
Start Ansys Workbench.
Create an empty geometry cell.
Right-click the geometry cell and select Import Geometry -> Browse to assign a .scdoc file or external CAD file.
Edit the geometry in SpaceClaim Direct modeler if required.
Establish a downstream connection to a Mechanical APDL cell.
Refresh the Mechanical APDL cell to execute a transfer from SpaceClaim Direct Modeler as an exported .anf file.
Limitations
SpaceClaim support for prior versions of Workbench is limited to Ansys 15.0 or newer.