AFLR4 Overview
AFLR4 is an unstructured 3D surface mesh generation code. It uses the Advancing-Front/Local-Reconnection (AFLR) procedure to generate a 3D surface mesh on multiple surfaces, each with either a CAD geometry component definition, a discrete geometry component definition, or a composite definition. Distribution of the surface point spacing (length scale) is determined from an automated surface curvature driven process with proximity checking and localized spacing reduction. AFLR4 includes a full integration of functions for EGADS with Open CASCADE CAD.
The following is a simple summary of usage with options. For more information, see Usage Summary for a summary of options and default values and Option Details for a detailed description of all options.
aflr4 [input_arg_file_name] [aflr4_param_options] PARAMETER NAME DESCRIPTION ________________________ _____________________________________________________ PROGRAM CONTROL & I/O PARAMETERS -File_Status_Monitor : Turn on file status monitor. -Memory_Monitor : Turn on memory monitor. -Memory_Monitor2 : Turn on memory monitor. -build : List program version build number. -h : List summary of input parameters. -h_all : List summary of all input parameters. -h_io : List summary of file I/O parameters. -help : List documentation of input parameters. -help_all : List documentation of all input parameters. -help_io : List documentation of file I/O parameters. -out : Generate an output file. -log : Generate an output file. -out_a : Append an output file. -log_a : Append an output file. -outf : Send output to a file only. -logf : Send output to a file only. -outf_a : Append output to a file only. -logf_a : Append output to a file only. -ver : List program version number. -version : List program version information. Help_Flag : List documentation of input parameters. Help_UG_IO_Flag : List documentation of file I/O parameters. Output_File_Flag : Output file flag. -v : Use executable in specified directory. Arg_File_Name : Input argument file name. -arg : Input argument file name. Input_File_Name : Input CAD file case name or file name or input CAD file name. -i -cad -igrid -case : Input CAD file case name or file name or input CAD file name. Output_Grid_File_Name : Output grid file name or suffix. -o -ogrid : Output grid file name or suffix. TMP_File_Dir : Temporary file directory. -tmp : Temporary file directory. FLAG PARAMETERS (OFTEN USED) -er_all : Use global edge mesh spacing refinement. -np : Run in parallel processing mode using np processes. -quad : Generate a mixed quad/tria-face grid. OPTION PARAMETERS (OFTEN USED) BL_IDs : List of IDs for BL Generating Solid surfaces. -bl_ids : List of IDs for BL Generating Solid surfaces. BL_Int_IDs : List of IDs for BL Intersecting surfaces. -bl_ints -bl_int_ids -ints -int_ids : List of IDs for BL Intersecting surfaces. FF_IDs : List of IDs to for FarField surfaces. -ffs -ff_ids : List of IDs to for FarField surfaces. Std_IDs : List of IDs to for Solid surfaces. -stds -std_ids : List of IDs to for Solid surfaces. Trnsp_BL_IDs : List of IDs for BL Generating Transparent surfaces. -trnsp_bl_ids : List of IDs for BL Generating Transparent surfaces. Trnsp_BL_Int_IDs : List of IDs for BL Intersecting Transparent surfaces. -trnsp_bl_int_ids : List of IDs for BL Intersecting Transparent surfaces. Trnsp_IDs : List of IDs for Transparent surfaces. -trnsp_ids : List of IDs for Transparent surfaces. Trnsp_Intl_BL_IDs : List of IDs for BL Generating Internal Transparent surfaces. -trnsp_intl_bl_ids : List of IDs for BL Generating Internal Transparent surfaces. Trnsp_Intl_IDs : List of IDs for Internal Transparent surfaces. -trnsp_intl_ids : List of IDs for Internal Transparent surfaces. Trnsp_Src_IDs : List of IDs for Transparent Source surfaces. -trnsp_src_ids : List of IDs for Transparent Source surfaces. auto_set_ff_bc : Automatic farfield grid BC flag. mer_all : Global edge mesh spacing refinement weight flag. nproc : Number of processes to use. parallel_mode : Parallel processing mode flag. NUMERIC PARAMETERS (OFTEN USED) curv_angle : Curvature spacing angle in degrees. ref_len : Reference length for components/bodies. FLAG PARAMETERS (SOMETIMES USED) -add_ff : Add a box-shaped farfield definition to configuration. -add_ff2 : Add a rectangular-box-shaped farfield definition to configuration. -ext : Use external sizing routine. -met2 : Use metric space with advancing-front point placement. -met3 : Use metric space with advancing-point point placement. OPTION PARAMETERS (SOMETIMES USED) BC_IDs : List of IDs to set grid BC parameters. bc_ids : List of IDs to set grid BC parameters. Grid_BC_Flag : List of grid BC flags to set. bc_list : List of grid BC flags to set. add_ff_geom : Farfield add-on flag. cad_param_reset : CAD parameter reset flag. cmp_ids : List of surface IDs to set as components. cmp_list : List of component identifiers for each component/body specified. erw_ids : List of surface IDs to set edge mesh spacing refinement weight. esf_ids : List of edge IDs to set edge mesh spacing scale factor. malign : Metric alignment flag. merge_ids : List of discrete geometry definition surface IDs to to merge. merge_sets : List of the number of IDs for each merge set. min_ncell : Minimum number of cells between two components/bodies. sf_ids : List of surface IDs to set surface mesh spacing scale factor. NUMERIC PARAMETERS (SOMETIMES USED) BL_thickness : Boundary layer thickness for proximity checking. -bl_del : Boundary layer thickness for proximity checking. Re_l : Reynolds Number for estimating BL thickness, -Re : Reynolds Number for estimating BL thickness, erw_all : Global edge mesh spacing refinement weight. erw_list : List of edge mesh spacing refinement weights. esf_list : List of edge mesh spacing scale factors. ff_cdfr : Farfield growth rate for field point spacing. ff_size : Farfield size factor. max_scale : Relative maximum spacing. rel_max_sp : Relative maximum spacing. sf_global : Global surface mesh spacing scale factor. sf_all : Global surface mesh spacing scale factor. sf_list : List of surface mesh spacing scale factors. FLAG PARAMETERS (SELDOM USED) -no_prox : Disable proximity checking. OPTION PARAMETERS (SELDOM USED) Rec_IDs : List of IDs to reset Reconnection flag. -rec_ids : List of IDs to reset Reconnection flag. auto_mode : Auto-spacing mode flag. create_tess : Output CAD tess data creation flag, geom_mmsg : Geometry definition output flag, mier4 : Isolated edge refinement flag. mier_ids : List of surface IDs to set isolated edge refinement flag. mier_list : List of isolated edge refinement flags. mw_cad_def : CAD definition file write flag, quad_ids : List of surface IDs for quad-face combination. surf_gen_mmsg : Surface mesh generation output flag, NUMERIC PARAMETERS (SELDOM USED) er_lim : Edge mesh spacing refinement limit. FLAG PARAMETERS (RARELY USED) -grow : Use specified growth in element size. -grow1 : Use moderate growth in element size. -grow2 : Use high growth in element size. -grow3 : Use very high growth in element size. -open : Input configuration is open. -skin : Input configuration has a structural skin topology. OPTION PARAMETERS (RARELY USED) Message_Flag : Message flag. mmsg : Message flag. Rec_Flag : List of reconnection flags to reset. high_order_eval : Discrete geometry high-order evaluation flag. keep_bodies : List of input body IDs to keep. m_arearchk : Output area ratio check flag. mclosed : Input configuration open/closed flag. mdf : Distribution function flag. melem : Maximum number of elements. min_nseg : Minimum number of segments on an individual curve. mpp : Point placement flag. mqchkb : Boundary surface quality measure information output flag. mquad : Quad face combination flag. n_shmem_buffer : Shared memory buffer size. rm_bodies : List of input surface IDs to remove. skin_mode : Structural skin topology mode flag. NUMERIC PARAMETERS (RARELY USED) ang_qbmax : Output face angle check maximum angle limit. ang_qbmax2 : Output face angle check usable maximum angle limit. ang_qbmin : Output face angle check minimum angle limit. angdbe : Discontinuous boundary edge angle. angerw1 : Minimum discontinuous edge angle. angerw2 : Maximum discontinuous edge angle. angquad1 : Maximum aligned quad face angle. angquad2 : Maximum non-aligned quad face angle. angquad3 : Final maximum quad face angle. arear_qbmin : Output area ratio check quality limit. arear_qbmin2 : Output area ratio check quality limit. cdfr : Maximum geometric growth rate. gtol : Relative glue tolerance. length_ratio : Curvature length ratio threshold. prox_min_scale : Relative proximity minimum spacing. rel_prox_min_sp : Relative proximity minimum spacing. qarear_qmin : Output quality function Q check quality limit. qarear_qmin2 : Output quality function Q check usable limit.