12.3. Associating CAD Objects in TurboGrid’s Geometry Workspace

This section describes how to set up high-fidelity geometry for CAD imported into TurboGrid. Your input is required in order for TurboGrid to be able to recognize the high-fidelity geometric features such as complex blade ends. Specifically, you must create one or more topological entities for the high-fidelity geometric features and associate those entities with CAD families or other CAD objects.

With the CAD geometry already imported into TurboGrid, you can set up a high-fidelity geometric feature as follows:

  1. In the Geometry workspace tree, right-click the appropriate object under Topological Entity Instances and select a command from the shortcut menu to add a topological entity for the high-fidelity geometric feature.

    A new, incomplete, entity appears in the tree. This object requires CAD entity definitions.

    For example, in the Geometry workspace tree, right-click Topological Entity Instances > Blade Set > [blade name] and select Insert Complex Blade End.

    In this example, a new, incomplete, complex blade end topological entity named ComplexBladeEnd appears in the tree. This object requires CAD entity definitions for two or three of its three child objects: HighFidelityBladeSurface, HighFidelityHubSurface, HighFidelityShroudSurface.

  2. Complete the topological entity definition for the high-fidelity geometric feature as follows:

    1. Assign CAD objects to a topological entity using either or both of the following methods:

      • Preferred Method — Open the topological entity, for example HighFidelityBladeSurface, in the object editor, then make CAD assignments:

        • By using the CAD Entity Selector   icon (beside the Location field) to open the CAD Region Entities dialog box, which you can use to select CAD objects, and/or

        • By typing a comma-delimited list of CAD object names into the Location field.

      • Alternative Method — Right-click the appropriate CAD object (or optionally a selection of multiple CAD objects made using Shift/Ctrl) and use the Assign Family To Topology Instance/Assign Geometry Only To Topology Instance shortcut menu command.

    2. Repeat the previous step as needed until the required entity definitions have been completed. For example, for a complex blade end topological entity, assign CAD families as needed to define two or three of the child objects: HighFidelityBladeSurface, HighFidelityHubSurface, HighFidelityShroudSurface.

Note:  CAD objects include families and their constituent primitives. When you assign a CAD family to a topological entity, the entire family is associated with the topological entity. Any upstream geometry updates to the family will be propagated to the assigned topological entity.

The only available high-fidelity geometric feature is the complex blade end. For details, see Complex Blade End.