Tuesday July 22, 2014 at 2:59pm
Internal Flow projects need an enclosed cavity to run. If there is a gap, no matter how small, SOLIDWORKS cannot calculate the fluid volume. So how do you find the gap if it is very small and the geometry is complex? Here's how ...
How do you find those tiny holes in a complex assembly so that Flow can run an internal study? The answer is to either spend hours with a magnifying glass and using the Evaluate tool to find small clearances (not my idea of fun in a large assy) OR to use the Flow Simulation LEAK TRACKER tool.
This can be accessed directly from the Flow drop down menu under 'Tools' as shown below or it can be activated from within the 'Check Geometry' tool.
The way to use it is simplicity itself: you just select a face that you know is on the inside i.e. a fluid contacting surface and then select another face that you know is definitely on the exterior of the geometry. In this example I picked one face on the inside main tube of the manifold and one face on the outside of a port. You then click on the 'Find Connection' button and Flow examines the geometry from one selected face to the other to find a leak route. It marks the route in red as shown below ...
Here is the leak path in more detail ...
The leak here is caused by a 0.1 mm dia hole in the outlet port that has not been closed off.
This becomes useful when the gaps are not obvious and when there are lots of them. It can really save you hours.
By Andy Fulcher
Technical Manager
Solid Solutions Management Ltd