SCULPTOR TUTORIAL II

(level: mid)
Learn how to handle morphing of multiple zones,, deform them using
control point groups, perform rigid deformations.

This tutorial is based on the CFD model of a multi-element downforce

generating wing. Sculptor will be used to deform both the two wing
profiles, and also to perform rigid rotations on the second wing; final
purpose is to evaluate the effect of such modifications on the lift and drag
aerodynamic performances by means of CFD.

Time to complete the Tutorial: 30’

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Contents
1. Creation and handling of multiple ASD Volumes ................................................................
..................................... 3
2. Deform by Custom Groups ................................................................................................
................................ .................................... 14
3. Rigid Body Rotation................................................................................................................
................................ ................ 18

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1 Single Operation

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 1. Creation and handling of multiple ASD Volumes
In this chapter:

Create two ASD volumes,

volumes define and adjust control points

Handle the two ASD volumes

This chapter describes how to perform shape modifications in different

parts of the model, by creating more than one ASD Volume.
Volume . The basic
operations to handle multiple ASD volumes are described.

1. After importing the multi_element_wing mesh, enter the “Create Volume”

Volume” dialog box:
box

Pict 1

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 2. Select “default-interior”
interior” to highlight the region to begin working with. Change the width
of the ASD volume to 0.1. Click “Apply” to preview the volume and “OK” to confirm.

1
Select ‘default-interior’
‘default region

Pict 2

Set width to 0.1

3 4

3. Begin enclosing the smallest wing geometry with this first ASD volume. Enter the
“Modify Volume” dialog box.

Modify volume dialog box

Pict 3

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 Select the “Scale” tab, select the s,u# 2 plane and scale the plane 0.01 units in the x
direction. The volume should look like the one in the second image below.

Pict 4
3

4. Still working on s,u#2 plane, enter the “Translate” tab. Set the minimum to -1 for the X
and Y translate boundaries and set the maximum to 1 for the X and Y translate
boundaries. Select the s,u# 2 plane and translate
t it 0.1685 units in the X direction and -
0.035 units in the Y direction.
direction This way the wing’s leading edge is fitted by the volume.
volum

2
Set X deformation boundary Pict 5
5

3 Set Y deformation boundary

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 5. Also the leading edge has to be fitted by the volume. First, select the s,u#1 plane. Then
enter “Scale” tab and scale it of 0.025 units in the X direction. Enter the “Rotate” tab and
rotate it plane -65 degrees about the Z axis. Enter the “Translate” tab and translate it
0.0725 units in the X direction and 0.145 units in the Y direction. Select the “OK” button
to exit the dialog box. The volume should now look like the one below.

4 3 2
Pict 6

5
6. Now the wing surfaces have to be fitted by the ASD volume. To do so, more control
planes are needed. Enter the “Insert Plane” dialog box (see Tutorial I) and insert an
“average plane” between planes s,u# 1 and s,u# 2. Select “OK” to leave the dialog box”

1
2

Pict 7

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7. Return to the “Modify Volume” dialog box and select s,u#2. Rotate it 40 degrees about
the Z axis. Scale it 2.25 units in the X direction. Finally, translate it 0.023 in the X
direction and -0.012 in the Y direction. Select “OK” to exit the dialog box.

Pict 8
4 2 3

8. Enter the “Insert Plane” dialog box and insert an average plane between s,u#1 and s,u#2
and confirm by selecting “OK” (see Step 6). Then, enter the “Modify Volume” dialog box.
Select s,u#2. Then enter the “Rotate” tab and rotate it 24.5 degrees about the Z axis.
Select the “Scale” tab and scale it 2.25 units about the X axis. Finally select the
“Translate” tab and translate it 0.004 units in the X direction and -0.006 units in the Y
direction. The volume should be similar to the one below.

Pict 9

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 9. Enter again the “Insert Plane” dialog box. Insert an average plane between s,u#3 and
s,u#4. Then translate current s,u#4 0.0065 in the X direction and -0.002 in the Y
direction. The volume should resemble the one below.

Pict 10

10. Enter again the “Insert Plane” dialog box.

“Insert Plane” dialog box

Pict 11

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11. Select plane s,u#5, select “After a Plane” for Insert Position, select Plane Type “planar”
plane, then click on “Insert”.

Pict 12

12. Similarly, select s,u#1 and insert a “planar” plane “before” it. Select “OK” to exit. The
volume should look like the one below.

Pict 13

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 13. Enter again the “Modify Volume” dialog box, “Translate” tab, and select the “STU”
Parametric Coordinates” radio button. Translate s,u#1, 0.16 units in the T direction.
Then select s,u#7 and translate it -0.14 units in the T direction. Select “OK”.

Pict 14

14. Since this is an external flow, the mesh to be modified is surrounding the volume here
defined. In the next points, new volume planes will be created externally to the actual
volume, by “copying” the actual ones. To do so, enter the “Insert Plane” dialog box.
Insert a “copy” plane “before” t,u# 1 by checking the “copy” plane type in the same
window described in point 10.

Pict 15

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15. Insert another “copy” plane “after” t,u# 3.. Select “OK” to leave the “Insert Plane” dialog
box. Now such new volume portions should be adapted to the geometry. Enter the
“Modify Volume” dialog box,box “Translate” tab, and translate plane t,u#4 -0.125 units in
the S direction, and t,u##1, 0.125 units in the S direction. The volume should now look:

Pict 16

16. Double click plane t,u#1

t,u#1 to display the components of that plane. Select rows 2-7 of
plane t,u#1, by left-clicking
clicking each one of them.
them. Verify that only those rows are selected
by looking at the highlighted control points on the ASD volume. Translate the selected
rows of plane t,u#1 -0.05
0.05 in the S direction.
direction Select “OK” to exit the dialog box.

Pict 17
3

17. Re-enter the “Modify Volume” dialog box, “Translate” tab. tab De-select
select any previous
selection in the “Groups” tab by left clicking each underlined line. Check that no control
point is anymore yellow in the ASD Volume plot, in the canvas. Now, in the “groups”

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11
 menu expand plane t,u#4 by double left-click
left it (as previously done in point 15 for t,u#1),
and select rows 3-7,, and then translate them 0.05 in the S direction. The volume should
resemble the volume in the image below. Select “OK” to exit the dialog box.

3 Pict 18
4

A second ASD volume is needed to control the shape of the whole double wing profile,
including also the first wing. To do so, it is necessary to create a second Volume.

18. Enter again the “Create Volume” dialog box, select “default-interior”,
interior”, change width
widt to
0.1, select “Apply” to preview and then “OK” to exit the dialog box (see point 1 of the
previous chapter). You have now created a second ASD volume.

Pict 19

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 19. Thee new volume, volume #2, is the active volume (notice
(notice the colored lines and control
points).. You can make deformations to this volume as you normally would.
To return to the first volume you created, enter
nter the “ASD Volume Manager” dialog
dialo box.
Right click on “volume #1”
#1” and select “Set Current”. The colored lines now return to the
first volume
ume you created, while volume #2’s
# lines are blued out. Press OK to close menu.
1

Pict 20

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13
2. Deform by Custom Groups
In this chapter:

Group together control points

Select the associated transformation type

Deform the mesh using control point group and transformation

This chapter describes how to select and group some defined control points,
and assign them a name and a transformation type.
type . After freezing the ASD
volumes, such control point groups can be used to deform the mesh in a fast
and powerful way.

Specify independent vectors/transformation type for each control point. Group those control
points together to extend the ASD ability and create new design variables for an optimization.

1. Make sure that “volume #1” # is the active volume by entering the “ASD Volume
Manager”,, right clicking on “volume #1”
# and selecting “set current” (see previous
chapter). Hide the second volume that you created by right clicking in the canvas and
selecting “Visibility” / “Volumes”. Move
Move the second volume into the “Non-Visible
“Non
Volumes” column.

2 Pict 21

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2. Click the “Create Custom Groups” button that opens up the related dialog box. Select
the yellow “Set Selected” checkmark on the top toolbar. Select the “Select by Window”
button on the top toolbar. Select the layer of points immediately surrounding the rear
wing flap by creating a select box around as many as possible (see
ee the yellow-selected
yellow
ones in the image below).
below) This way, such control points will be highlighted also in the
dialog box table.

2 3

4
1
Pict 22

3. To apply a rotation as transformation type, select

select the “Rotate” radio button on the
“Control Point Groups” dialog box. Set the Rotation Origin as (0.2612, 0.0194, 0.0) and
the Rotation Vector as (0,0,1). Type rotate_rear_flap in the “Groupname”
“ roupname” text box.
Select “Accept Group” and “Done” to accept and exit the dialog box.

2 3
1

Pict 23

5 6

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15
 4. Now, freeze the volume by selecting the “Freeze Volume” icon and enter the deform
geometry by custom group.

Freeze/Taw Volume button

“Deform Geometry by
Custom Group” Dialog Box Pict 24

5. Select “rotate_rear_flap” from the list and move the slider to see the geometry deform
with the prescribed rotation of the selected control points with respect to the specified
axis.

Pict 25

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6. Right click in the canvas and select visibility/geometry/face edges, to see the mesh
deform. User can press OK to accept deformation and then save and export for CFD
evaluation the deformed mesh (see Tutorial I).
I)

Pict 26

Notice the smooth mesh deformations that occur when deforming control points. If you
desire a rigid body rotation, see the next chapter.

Any geometry outside the ASD volume will remain static as the geometry is deformed.
Likewise and geometry at least 2 planes away from the deforming control point will
wi
remain static. By enclosing geometry, such as a boundary layer, within 2 planes, the
geometry will not deform in relation to itself

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17
3. Rigid Body Rotation
In this chapter:

Add control plane layers to control the scope of the deformations

Perform rigid mesh rotations

This chapter describes how to deform a geometry while maintaining

geographical figures enclosed within the ASD volume.

1. In order to make a rigid body deformation more planes need to be added. First, thaw
the volume by selecting the “Thaw” icon (see Chapter 2, point 4, figure 24).

2. Enter the “Insert Plane” dialog box and insert an “average plane” between planes t,u#3
and t,u#4 (see Chapter 1, point 6). Then insert another “average plane” between planes
t,u#1 and t,u#2. Select “OK” to exit the dialog box. Enter the “Modify Volume” dialog
box, select the “Translate” tab and translate rows 2-7 of plane t,u#2 0.036 units in the S
direction (see Chapter2, point 15). Translate rows 3-7 of plane t,u#5 -0.036 units in the S
direction. Translate rows 1-2 of plane t,u#5 -0.009 units in the S direction. Select “OK” to
exit the dialog box. The volume should be similar to the one below.

Newly added t,u

plane

Newly added t,u Pict 27

plane

3. Next, enter the “Insert Plane” dialog box and insert an “average plane” between planes
s,u#6 and s,u#7. Insert an average plane between planes s,u#1 and s,u#2. Select “OK” to
exit the dialog box. Enter the “Modify Volume” dialog box. Select the “Translate” tab
and translate plane s,u#8 -0.015 units in the T direction and translate columns 2-5 of

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 s,u#2
2 0.02 units in the T direction. Select “OK” to exit the dialog box. The volume should
look like the one below.

Newly added s,u

plane

Pict 28

Newly added s,u

plane

4. Enter the “Create Custom Groups” dialog box. Select the yellow “Set Selected”
checkmark on the top toolbar. Select the two layers of points immediately surrounding
the rear wing flap.

2
1

Pict 29

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19
 5. Select the “Rotate” radio button on the “Control Point Groups” dialog box. Set the
Rotation Origin as (0.2612, 0.0194, 0.0). Set the Rotation Vector as (0,0,1). Type
rotate_rear_flap in the “Groupname” text box. Select “Accept Group” and “Done” to
accept and exit the dialog box.

2 3
Pict 30

5 6

6. Now, freeze the volume by selecting the “Freeze Volume” icon. Enter the deform
geometry by custom group. Select “rotate_rear_flap” from the list and move the slider
to see the geometry deform. Right click in the canvas and select visibility/geometry/face
edges, to see the mesh deform around the wing because of its rigid rotation movement.

Pict 31

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 Again, user can press OK to accept deformation and then save and export for CFD
evaluation the deformed mesh (see Tutorial
Tut I).

A rigid rotation can be as well applied to the second ASD volume:: since it is enclosing both
the wing profiles, this will produce a variation of the overall double wing intake angle
without modifying the angle between the two wing sections.

7. Enter the “ASD Volume Manager” dialog

dialog box (see Chapter 1, point 18). Right click on
“volume #2”
2” and select “set selected”.

8. Next, enter
nter the ‘Insert Plane’ dialog box. Insert a copy plane after s,u#2.2. Insert a copy
plane before s,u#1.1. Insert a copy plane after t,u#2. Insert a copy plane before t,u#1.
t,u#
Insert an average
erage plane between planes t,u#3 and t,u#4. t,u#4. Insert an average
av plane
between planes t,u#1 and t,u#2.
t,u#2. Insert an average plane between planes s,u# 3 and s,u#
4. Insert an averagee plane
plan between planes s,u#1 and s,u#2. 2. Select “OK” to exit the dialog
box. The volume will look something like the image below.

Newly
added t,u
copy
Newly added s,u
plane
copy plane

Newly
added t,u Newly added s,u
copy average plane
Newly
plane
added t,u
average
plane

Pict 32

Newly
added t,u
average
plane Newly added s,u
average plane

Newly added s,u

copy plane

9. Now enter the “Modify Volume” dialog box. Select the “Scale” “Scale” tab. Select both plane
s,u#2 and s,u#5. 5. Enter 0.55
0.55 in the Y number box. Deselect the previous twotw planes and
select planes t,u#2 and t,u#5
t,u#5 and scale those planes 0.55 in the X direction. The volume
will look like the one below. Select “OK” to exit the dialog box.

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21
 Pict 33

10. Enter the “Create Custom Groups” dialog box (see this Chapter’s point 4). Select the
yellow “Set Selected” checkmark on the top toolbar. Select the two layers of points
immediately surrounding the multi-element wing. Then select the ‘Rotate’ radio button.
Set the Rotation Origin as (0.1805, 0.027, 0.0). Set the Rotation Vector as (0,0,1). Type
“rotate_both” in the “Groupname” text box. Select “Accept Group” and then “Done”
(see thi Chapter’s point 5).

Pict 34

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11. Now, freeze the volume by selecting the “Freeze Volume” icon. Enter the deform
geometry by custom group (see this Chapter’s Point 6). Select “rotate_both” from the
list and move the slider to see the geometry deform. Right click in the canvas and select
visibility/geometry/face edges, to see the mesh deform.

Pict 35

Again, user can press OK to accept deformation and then save and export for CFD
evaluation the deformed mesh (see Tutorial I).

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