Hi,
I have a very complex engine geometry and struggle with generating a mesh. Which settings do I best use for it? Has anyone been at this point and figured it out?
Hi @lmw14,
Welcome to the forum!
Complex engines are definitely one of the biggest meshing challenges out there. Because an “engine geometry” can mean anything from a simple external aerodynamic sweep to a full conjugate heat transfer (CHT) simulation with complex internal cooling jackets, it is hard to recommend specific meshing settings completely blind.
Could you share the link to your project (make sure the permissions are set to Public) or attach a few screenshots of the geometry and the specific error logs you are getting?
In the meantime, here are the three biggest hurdles you will need to clear for an engine block:
1. Aggressive CAD Simplification Before even touching the mesher, the geometry needs to be heavily cleaned. When I prep complex assemblies in SolidWorks, the first step is always to aggressively suppress threads, minor bolts, manufacturer logos, and microscopic fillets. If you export a raw STEP file straight to SimScale without simplifying it, the mesher will usually fail because it tries to build thousands of microscopic cells around physically irrelevant details.
2. The Surface Wrap Tool (For External Flow) If you are only trying to simulate the airflow around the outside of the engine, do not try to mesh the raw assembly. Use SimScale’s Surface Wrap tool in the CAD Edit Mode. It will essentially shrink-wrap the entire engine, closing off internal cavities and giving you a single, water-tight exterior surface that meshes easily.
3. Standard Mesher + Local Refinements If you are simulating internal flows (like coolant or exhaust), stick to the Standard Mesher. Do not rely entirely on the automatic global sizing. Set a slightly coarser global mesh, and then apply Local Element Size refinements strictly to the critical, highly detailed areas (like cooling fins or valve ports).