Using FloXpress for Free CFD Analysis

FloXpress is a powerful yet accessible tool for fluid flow simulation. Whether you are new to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or just curious about how fluids might behave in your model, FloXpress offers a great starting point to get your feet wet with CFD.

What is FloXpress?

FloXpress is a first-pass CFD analysis tool included with all versions of SOLIDWORKS. It is designed to help users visualize how fluids such as air or water move through parts and assemblies. By analyzing the velocity of the fluid, FloXpress can highlight potential problems in your design before you ever prototype or manufacture a part.

FloXpress is a free tool included with all levels of SOLIDWORKS from Standard to Ultimate. It is a great intro into the world of fluid simulation. If you find this tool valuable, then consider upgrading to the full SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation package for more in-depth analysis.

How to Activate FloXpress

First, to use FloXpress, you need to activate your license. To activate FloXpress or other Xpress products, do the following:

1. Open the Xpress Products menu found under the Tools drop-down on the main SOLIDWORKS header bar.
2. Select FloXpress.
3. Click on the my.solidworks.com/xpress link to go to the product code portal.
4. Log in with a 3DEXPERIENCE ID tied to a license on subscription and request your code.
5. Paste the code in the SOLIDWORKS prompt to enable the Xpress tool.
6. Hit OK.

How to Use FloXpress

In this walkthrough, we will be using FloXpress to analyze a tesla valve, which is a one-way check valve. This will show us how water will behave in the valve when flowing against the valve’s designed flow direction.

Model Preparation and Adding Lids

In order for the FloXpress tool to calculate the fluid flow, it needs to have an enclosed volume and designate lids to serve as fluid inlets and outlets. To do this, create parts in the appropriate shape to close off the internal volume that you wish to analyze on both sides of the volume.

SOLIDWORKS Xpress tools available for the assembly

Then, insert those into an assembly with the part you are analyzing. You may want to ensure there is some minimal overlap between the lids and the part being analyzed in order to ensure SOLIDWORKS finds the internal volume for simulation.

Launching FloXpress

Open the Xpress Products menu found under the Tools drop-down on the main SOLIDWORKS header bar. Select FloXpress from the list, and a new tab will be added to the SOLIDWORKS tree to work through the study.

Launching SOLIDWORKS FloXpress

Setting Up the CFD Analysis

Once initiated, you can click View Fluid Volume to preview what enclosed space the tool has found for analysis in the model. Once you have confirmed the geometry is correct, click the right arrow again.

Previewing internal volumes for the flow analysis

In the next menu, specify which fluid you want to simulate. In FloXpress, you are limited to only air or water. However, in the full SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation suite, you may specify any fluid.

Defining the flow inlet for the CFD analysis

Next, you will specify the rate of flow of the fluid by either pressure, volume flow rate, or mass flow rate. This will tell the program how much fluid is moving through the model and how fast. Once you specify the inlet flow, you will be prompted to specify the outlet flow.

Interpreting the Flow Analysis Results

Once you have finished the simulation, you will get results. The tool will plot the fluid flow through the part and color-code the plots to represent the velocity changes inside the flow. You can try different options to visualize the flow within the part.

A flow trace plot from the FloXpress study

The tool will also animate the flow using the plots generated to make seeing where flow and velocity changes occur easy. Once you’re happy with the results, you can generate a report to provide for stakeholders.

Moving Beyond First-Pass Flow Analysis

SOLIDWORKS FloXpress is a great first-pass simulation tool that lets you see how fluid will flow through your models. While limited to air and water, it can still provide invaluable insights to your projects.

There are times, however, when you need to set up more complex boundary conditions or simulate additional fluids. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation provides a comprehensive CFD analysis toolset that can enable your team to optimize the fluid flow throughout your models.

To learn more about SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, click here.