Matrix provides practical CFD training to New Zealand Engineers

The Company

Matrix is New Zealand's first and largest team dedicated to engineering computing, and has been supporting the process of engineering innovation for over 35 years. In-depth expertise in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has enabled Matrix to solve complex engineering problems involving fluid dynamics in a wide range of application areas. Matrix is also unique in New Zealand because it provides high level simulation services in both fluid dynamics and structural simulation.

The Challenge

CFD has become an increasingly popular tool to help engineers understand and improve flows in their products and processes.  However, the main roadblock remains the lack of knowledge within the engineering community on the capabilities and potential stumbling blocks when using CFD software.  CFD users and the engineers/managers interpreting results need to understand the basic modelling assumptions and approximations associated with numerical simulation, turbulence modelling and heat transfer to feel confident that appropriate models have been developed. 
How can a user with limited experience know if he is employing best practices?  The problem is that training material provided by the CFD software vendors focuses primarily on being able to use their specific software package without providing practical engineering guidance on how to appropriately solve practical problems. This has meant that users quickly learn to drive the software program but do not obtain guidance on the correct interpretations of results and knowing when to apply specific models.  For this reason, a general purpose CFD training course had been requested many times by customers wishing to understand the fundamental concepts of CFD. 

The Solution

In response to this customer demand, Matrix has developed a CFD training course designed to provide knowledge that will increase user confidence and help engineering managers to properly review CFD results. The course content developed keeps the local engineering community in mind, focusing on application areas relevant to New Zealand engineers.   
The first day provides a general overview of the theory, capabilities and limitations of CFD and interpretation of CFD results.   Topics include: laminar/turbulent flow, boundary layers, meshing and post-processing.  
The second day concentrates on more advanced topics including transient flows, heat transfer, temperature dependent properties, and compressible flows and is focused on providing an understanding of how to approach the more difficult analysis jobs.  Case studies are provided on specialised CFD topics including: multiphase flow, supersonic flow, motion, fluid-structure interaction and radiation heat transfer. 
 

The Result

Attendance at the first CFD course was outstanding with excellent attendance from customers across a range of industries including Power Generation, Marine, Manufacturing and Engineering Consultancy.  On completion of the course, attendees felt confident in creating simple CFD models and obtaining sensible results.  They were also provided with the knowledge to understand how to tackle more complex CFD problems and what limitations currently exist in CFD codes.
   
"Matrix's Introduction to CFD course provided an outstanding overview of the fundamental principles and key parameters and approaches analysts need to consider.  The CFD process followed and advocated was particularly valuable for our product development engineers who will be doing occasional CFD analyses. Even though we don't use the same software program as we used in the course, there was no difficulty in performing the exercises or learning from them.  All of our attendees found the two-day course to be very worthwhile."
Jennifer Trittschuh, Fisher & Paykel Appliances, Technical Learning Specialist 
 
"The CFD course by Matrix gave an excellent grounding in the underlying principles for using CFD and in the methods and tools that can be used.  The course provided us with a very good understanding of how to undertake an analysis and how to be confident in its results.  Matrix had done their homework and prepared very comprehensive and relevant course content.  We look forward to attending the next one!"
Jason Smith, Marine Industrial Design Ltd, Principal Naval Architect