What is Upfront CFD?

Upfront means to place at the beginning.
CFdesign is Upfront CFD. Built from the ground up for non-specialist engineers, the software enables trade-off studies at the beginning -- during the conceptual design phase -- of the project.

Flow and thermal simulation tools are integrated within the familiar MCAD process. Native 3D model associativity makes it an excellent solution for undergrad engineering students who want hands-on experience with a full spectrum of design and analysis solutions before graduation.

CFD should be a tool not a career
Expensive. Time-consuming. Difficult. Frustrating. Impossible. These are words we often hear from students and faculty when describing their experience with traditional, finite volume, grid-based CFD applications.

CFdesign makes CFD an engineering tool instead of a career. The software features behind-the-scenes, intelligent algorithms to automate the set-up, meshing, and solution process so that engineering students can fully concentrate on exercising their emerging knowledge of fluid and thermal dynamics within the context of real world product development.

The CFdesign Academic Instruction Program provides a budget-friendly simulation platform where rigorous design studies can be completed as a complement to existing courses without actually becoming a course.

Continuously improved since 1992, CFdesign is the only fluid flow and heat transfer solution built on a comprehensive and scalable architecture that empowers engineering students to independently address even the most challenging projects.

Technical Overivew

Associative Integration
CFdesign Upfront CFD software is a high-powered engineering simulation tool created for busy mechanical engineers as well as students, working in an MCAD-centric process. The CFdesign Academic Instruction Program is fully associative with Autodesk Inventor, CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, I-deas NX and UG NX.

The software features an associative relationship with component geometry and assemblies, and automatically applies the optimal mesh required for accurate simulations allowing students to fully concentrate on their emerging knowledge of fluid and thermal dynamics within the context of real-world product development. Professors and students can make a design change in your MCAD system and see the change immediately in CFdesign.

Four Simple Steps:
No special skills or hardware are needed. In the time it takes to build and test a single physical prototype, you can evaluate dozens of MCAD prototypes in CFdesign.

Full Spectrum Flow options – Laminar and turbulent: Internal and external, Incompressible, Compressible (subsonic, transonic, and supersonic), Steady state and transient, and Two-phase.

Full Mode Heat Transfer – Conduction, Convection (natural, forced, mixed), Conjugate (simultaneous conduction and convection), Radiation, and Joule.

Company Information

The Blue Ridge Numerics Story In 1992, Ed Williams and Dr. Rita Schnipke founded Blue Ridge Numerics with a clean piece of paper, a start-up budget and a lot of passion. From day one the mission was clear: deliver fluid flow and heat transfer simulation tools that re both affordable and practical for mainstream product development groups. Today, Blue Ridge Numerics is the Upfront CFD market leader. Our CFdesign® Upfront CFD software turns a standard MCAD workstation into a fully interactive flow bench, wind tunnel, and thermal test rig. Native MCAD models become zero-cost prototypes for small, medium, and large companies. Most important, CFdesign opens a window to product performance not possible with physical tests. Our customers report an average 65% reduction in project expense while gaining competitive advantage with knowledge that leads to improved quality and innovation. Our rapidly growing global customer list includes leaders in aerospace, appliances, automotive, electronics, food & drug, HVAC, material processing, medical, military & defense, plumbing, and power generation. Blue Ridge Numerics is the fastest growing CFD company in the world and consistently listed among America’s fastest growing companies. The CFdesign Academic Instruction Program was developed around the needs and requirements expressed by faculty involved primarily with the education of undergraduate mechanical, thermal, and mechatronic design engineers. The program provides engineering students with the access to CFdesign for effective, hands-on instruction of fluid flow and heat transfer topics within the existing mechanical design courses and MCAD labs.

Testimonials

Request a Demonstration

Our on-demand demos provide a fast-paced introduction to industry-leading tools for improving flow and thermal product performance while working in your current MCAD system.

On average, engineering groups using CFdesign are reducing the time to develop, test, and prove new products by 70%. Plus, they're cutting costs for materials and outside services by 65%.

CFdesign is amazingly easy to learn and use. It is a cost-effective way to make immediate impact on your next project.

Ball Check Valve Demo In 10 minutes, Upfront Flow-Driven Motion inside CFdesign V8 is shown from starting in CAD to watching real-time solver speeds in this demo. Results of kinematic position versus time of the moving solids are shown, as well as critical flow parameters like pressure drop, impingement, and others. Flow Capabilities include: Internal & External Laminar & Turbulent Incompressible, Compressible Steady State, Transient, and Two-phase

Military Electronics Demo In this 10 minute demonstration a complex convection cooled- ruggedized case is taken directly from CAD into CFdesign. Setup of the electronics loading is shown, and all pertinent results are gathered from this virtual prototype including junction temperatures, flow patterns, and heatsink optimization. Electronics Capabilities include: Detailed understanding of every surface and body temperature Direct CAD name import automation of setup Heatsink optimization integrated into case structure Radiation, natural and forced convection based heat transfer

Centrifugal Pump Demo In this 10 minute demonstration a single and double volute pump are taken directly from CAD into CFdesign. Setup of the pump is shown, and all pertinent results are gathered from this virtual prototype including performance curves, impeller forces, and details of flow throughout the machines. Pump Capabilities include: Full performance curves before prototype is built Intermeshing gear parts analysis Easily customized motion for any type of pump Force / power answers on all components

Power Inverter Demo In 10 minutes, this brief demonstration gives a view of CFdesign V8 from starting in a complex CAD model to real – time results production. Details like fan setup, thin parts / layer analysis, and critical results such as junction temperatures, flow speed from fan curves, and case temperatures are shown inside the software quickly. Thermal Capabilities include: Conduction Convection (natural, mixed, forced) Conjugate (simultaneous conduction and convection) Radiation Resistive (Joule)

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