EDEM Creator

EDEM Creator is the pre-processor for creating an EDEM simulation model, including setting up equipment and defining the generation of bulk materials.

Use EDEM Creator to:

Set up simulations quickly and logically using EDEM's intuitive and user-friendly interface
Import equipment Geometry from various CAD files (IGES, STL, STEP, and more)
Assign motion to equipment (linear, rotational, sinusoidal, force, and torque driven motions, and more)
Model particle shapes using Multi-Sphere, Polyhedral, and Sphero-Cylindrical particle shapes
Automatically create complex shapes using the Sphere Fitting tool
Easily create flexible materials and fibers using the Meta-Particle feature
Select an appropriate, highly validated Physics model from a wider range of options

EDEM Creator allows you to set up and initialize your model. It is where you import particles and Geometries and define the other model parameters.

The Creator Tree
The Viewer
The Toolbar and Menu Bar
The Data Browser
The Tree Filter

The Creator Tree

The Creator Tree is displayed on the left side of the EDEM window. It contains information about the Project, Bulk Material, Equipment Material, Geometries, Physics, and Environment.

The Viewer

The Viewer displays 3D representations of your particles, Geometry, and fields (if applicable). You can control the rotation, position, and zoom factor of the Viewer using a mouse. There are a number of animation controls displayed below the Viewer.

The Toolbar and Menu Bar


Icon	Name	Description
	Creator	Opens EDEM Creator
	Simulator	Opens EDEM Simulator
	Analyst	Opens EDEM Analyst
	New	Creates a new model
	Open	Opens an existing model
	Save	Saves an existing model
	Help	Displays the online Help
	Change Time Step Back	Moves to the first Time Step in the simulation
	Change Time Step Forward	Moves to the last Time Step in the simulation
	Start Coupling Server	Starts the Coupling Server
	Coupling Server Disabled	Disables the Coupling Server
	Server Awaiting Connection	Indicates that the Coupling Server has started but is not connected
	Server Connected	Indicates that the Coupling Server is connected
	Stop Server	Stops the Coupling Server
	Filled Display Mode	Displays Geometry as filled
	Mesh Display Mode	Displays Geometry as a mesh
	Points Display Mode	Displays Geometry as points
	Display Particles	Displays or hides all particles
	Display Cylindrical Periodic Boundary Conditions	Displays cylindrical periodic boundary conditions
	Add Bulk Material	Adds Bulk Material to the simulation
	Add Equipment Material	Adds Equipment material to the simulation
	Save Material Block	Saves a block of material for a material bed
	Transfer Material from Database Materials	Transfers materials to and from the Material Database
	Rename Material	Renames the selected material
	Copy Material	Copies the selected material
	Delete Material	Deletes the selected material
	Open GEMM Wizard	Opens the GEMM Wizard
	Add Particle	Adds a particle to the Bulk Material
	Import Particle	Imports a particle
	Export Particle	Exports a particle
	Rename Particle	Renames a particle
	Copy Particle	Copies a particle
	Delete Particle	Deletes a particle
	Add Sphere	Adds a sphere to the particle
	Copy Sphere	Copies a particle Sphere
	Delete Sphere	Deletes a particle Sphere
	Add a Geometry	Adds a Geometry
	Add a Box	Adds a box from the Geometry dropdown list
	Add a Cylinder	Adds a cylinder from the Geometry dropdown list
	Add a Polygon	Adds a polygon from the Geometry dropdown list
	Import a Geometry	Imports a Geometry from a 3D CAD file
	Rename a Geometry	Renames Geometry sections
	Copy a Geometry	Copies Geometry sections
	Delete a Geometry	Deletes Geometry sections
	Merge a Geometry	Merges Geometry sections
	Replace a Geometry	Replaces a Geometry section with an alternative Geometry
	Add a Motion	Click to add a motion from the dropdown list
	Add Linear Translation	Adds linear translation to a Geometry
	Add Linear Rotation	Adds linear rotation to a Geometry
	Add Sinusoidal Translation	Adds sinusoidal translation to a Geometry
	Add Sinusoidal Rotation	Adds sinusoidal rotation to a Geometry
	Add Conveyor Translation	Adds conveyor translation to a Geometry
	Add Conveyor Rotation	Adds conveyor rotation to a Geometry
	Rename a Motion	Renames a motion
	Copy a Motion	Copies a motion and applies to the current Geometry or an alternative Geometry
	Delete a Motion	Deletes a motion
	Move Motion Up	Reorders the motion
	Move Motion Down	Reorders the motion
	Add Force	Adds force to the Geometry
	Add Torque	Adds torque to the Geometry
	Add Factory	Adds a material factory to the simulation
	Import Factory	Imports a factory
	Rename Factory	Renames a factory
	Copy Factory	Copies a factory
	Delete Factory	Deletes a defined factory
	Change Factory	Changes from static to dynamic factory
	Add Material Block	Adds a material block to a Geometry
	Delete Material Block	Deletes a defined material block
	Show Scale Grid	Shows/hides grid while displaying particle shapes
	Show Origin	Shows origin and particles as a mesh when displaying particle shapes
	Highlight Surface/Meta-Particle	Highlights the selected surface of particle shape/selected Meta-Particle
	Add Meta-Particle	Adds a Meta-Particle
	Rename Meta-Particle	Renames a Meta-Particle
	Copy Meta-Particle	Copies a Meta-Particle
	Delete Meta-Particle	Deletes a Meta-Particle

Note: In addition to the icon system, a series of keyboard shortcuts in the Creator Tree help you perform the same tasks. You can use the Delete key for single and multiple selections.

Menu Bar


File Menu
Open	Opens an existing model
New	Creates a new model
Save	Saves the current model
Save As	Saves the current model with a specific name, or to a specific location
Geometry Transforms	Exports Geometry transforms
Import Config	Imports a config (`*.dfg`) file
Export Config	Exports a config (`*.dfg`) file
Creator	Starts EDEM Creator
Simulator	Starts EDEM Simulator
Analyst	Starts EDEM Analyst
Recent Files	Displays a list of recently opened files
Quit	Exits EDEM


Tools > Options Menu
Additional Components
Coupling Options	RecurDyn Coupling Select the checkbox to view the Import Geometry from RecurDyn option after you right-click Geometries in the Creator Tree. This allows you to read a `*.wall` file generated by RecurDyn after which you can import a Geometry from RecurDyn. Once the Geometry is imported and the coupling interface is enabled, RecurDyn can control the Geometry motion. The forces experienced by these Geometries are passed back to RecurDyn, which then calculates any motions resulting from these forces.
Coupling Options	Enable FlexTire Select the checkbox to display the FlexTire options in the Geometry section. This functionality requires an additional license as it is a product developed by one of Altair's partners. For more information, contact your Altair Sales representative.
Solver Options	Solver Options Select the Experimental Contact Models checkbox to show the experimental models in the Physics section. These models have been built into the software, but are not considered to be widely suitable for industrial applications. It is recommended to exercise caution when using these models.
Data Browser
Color Options	Select the Text, Link, and Background colors to configure the color of the data browser text and background.
Display Options
Default View Projection options	Perspective Select this option to change the default 3D view to use the perspective projection automatically. The option to change the view to orthographic is available in the View toolbar.
Default View Projection options	Orthographic Select this option to change the default 3D view to use the perspective projection automatically. The option to change the view to perspective is available in the View toolbar.
Background Color	Select the fill color of the Viewer background. The background can be colored with a single color or gradient fill. The color change will affect EDEM Creator, Simulator, and Analyst.
User Logo	Select the Enable checkbox to display a custom logo.
Logo File Path	Click the … icon to browse to the path of the logo file.
Scaling in Width	Use the scaling options to position, scale, and specify the opacity as required.
Display	Select the Foreground or Background option to display the imported image in front or behind the 3D view.
File Locations
Materials Database	Browse to the location of the Materials database used to store and transfer materials to and from simulations.
GEMM Database	Browse to the location of the Generic EDEM Material Model database used to import to EDEM.
Contact Models	Browse to the location of the custom (user-defined) contact models. For more information about user-defined models, see the EDEM Programming Guide.
Particle Body Force	Browse to the location of custom (user-defined) particle body force models.
Particles	Browse to the location of particles saved independently of the model for reuse in other projects.
Factories	Browse to the location of any user-defined factories.
Geometry Import Temporary File Location Override	Select the checkbox to change the temporary file location used during the Geometry import process. Use this option only if there is an issue with using the default TEMP file location.
Alternate Windows import method	Select the checkbox when you import a file using Windows. A command line window is displayed and the command `hmbatch import` is executed, and you can view the output. However, the import operation is executed as normal.
Mouse 3D Configuration	These options allow you to modify the sensitivity of the 3D mouse in EDEM. These options allow you to adjust how much the model will move or rotate per movement of the space mouse.
Mouse Configuration
Camera Actions	Change the mouse button and modifier key to pan, track, zoom, and rotate the camera. Modifier keys assign keys to perform the specified camera action. Note: Select any unique combination of three mouse buttons and three keys for each motion.
Rotate on Axis	Change the mouse button and modifier key used to rotate on an axis. You can also set rotation on the model or screen axis for both horizontal and vertical rotations.
Bin Control	Select an option from the Bin Control Modifier dropdown list to change the color from blue to green. Select the Pan, Track, Axis Locked Rotation, and Free Rotation options using the Bin Control Modifier (default Ctrl) to move the bin.
Mouse Sensitivity	Select the Invert Zoom checkbox to switch the direction in which the scroll wheel zooms in or out.
Mouse Sensitivity	Select the Track and Zoom options to alter the mouse sensitivity independently. You can also specify modifier keys for each sensitivity setting.
Rendering Options
Render all using legacy display	Select the checkbox if EDEM cannot use the Computer Graphics Card. This is applicable when using Remote Desktop or EDEM on computers with out-of-date graphics card drivers.
Reduce new template details during camera movement	Select the checkbox to speed up the manipulation of the EDEM Viewer when using particle templates. Particles will be visualized as spheres while the view is being adjusted and then switch to templates when the view is fixed.
Display Templates	Select the 3D CAD files to be used as particle templates. You use templates as a guide (outline) to help define the shape of your particle in EDEM Creator as well as providing, if required, the shape for calculation of the Center of Gravity and mass moments of inertia, or as a display option in EDEM Analyst. When a model containing a particle template is saved, an extra file `(.ptf)` is created. If this file is deleted, the template information will no longer be stored within the model.
Section Options
Creator
Timestep on Switch	Select the Load Last checkbox to automatically load the last Time Step when you switch to the Creator automatically.
Hide Options	Select the Hide Electrostatics checkbox to hide the options specific to the Electrostatics model in EDEM Creator.
Simulator
Compress Save Data	Select the checkbox to compress the simulation data as it is saved to minimize file size. Unselecting this option will reduce the time taken to save the simulation data but increase the file size.
Show Licensed CPUs	Select the checkbox to show the number of CPUs available on the license. These may be CPU’s that the machine has (indicated by the values colored red) and allows you to set up a simulation to run on a machine with more CPU cores than the machine used to create the simulation.
Timestep on Switch	Select the Load Last checkbox to view the last Time Step when switching to the Simulator. By default, the current Time Step is displayed.
Particle Size Distribution Solver Graph	Select Enable the Particle Size Distribution Solver Graph in the Solve report. This is updated during the simulation and displays the defined factory particle size distribution versus the actual size distribution in the model.
Number of Histogram Bars	Select the number of Histogram bars to be displayed from the dropdown list.
Analyst
Timestep on File Load	Select the Load Last option to load models into EDEM Analyst with the last Time Step appearing first.
Timestep on File Load	Select the Load First option to load models into EDEM Analyst with the first Time Step appearing first.
Display	Select the Auto Update Display checkbox to automatically toggle between updating the display when changing display properties, or an Apply button that must be first selected.
	Select the Axis Key checkbox to turn the display of the Axis key in the Viewer on or off.
	Select the Domain Box checkbox to turn the display of the boundary box (marking the domain edges) in the Viewer on or off.
	Select the Timestamp checkbox to turn the display of the time stamp in the Viewer on or off.
Data Export Defaults	Select the default format from the Notation dropdown list when exporting data using the data export tool. Options are Smart, Fixed-Point, and Scientific.
Data Export Defaults	Select the corresponding default precision from the Precision dropdown list when exporting data using the data export tool.
Suppress Warning Messages	Select the Suppress Deprecated Contact Model Warning Messages checkbox to hide warning messages about deprecated contact models. This reduces the number of times you will see a warning message if you are using these deprecated contact models for simulations. However, you will not see any future warnings about them being removed or other models which are marked as deprecated.
Simulator Engine
Engine Default Settings	Select an engine from the Default Engine dropdown list. Options are: CPU Solver and GPU CUDA Solver. Note: In EDEM Simulator, you can modify the default engine after which this information is stored for every simulation in the `simulation_name.dfg` file. While opening existing simulations, the engine that is displayed will have the last saved setting for the simulation.
Engine Default Settings	Default Number Of Cores allows you to specify the default number of cores. When starting a new simulation, EDEM uses the default number of the Maximum Cores available on the local PC. This can be specified once for every user after which EDEM will use the default setting.
Units	Select Set All to SI to use the Système International Units System throughout EDEM.
Units	Select Set All to CGS to use the Centimeter–Gram–Second system throughout EDEM.


View Menu
Show Particles	Select to turn the particle display in the Creator on or off.
Parent-Child Lines	Select to show how Geometries are connected using the Parent-Child hierarchy. Lines will be drawn between connected Geometries.
Geometry Origin Axes	Select to see the axes per Geometry element.
Themes	Select Legacy (default) or Dark Theme for the EDEM interface
Toggle Display Command Line Output	Can be used for debugging. In certain scenarios, this can be used to display specific error warnings.


Displays Menu
Show 1 Display	Shows the EDEM window in a single display.
Show 2 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in two viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Show 3 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in three viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Show 4 Displays	Shows the EDEM window in four viewer displays to review different view-points of the model within each window
Split Display Horizontally	Splits the displays horizontally so that simulations may be simultaneously reviewed qualitatively and quantitatively on the same display
Split Display Vertically	Splits the displays vertically so that simulations may be reviewed both qualitatively and quantitatively on the same display


Help Menu
Help	Displays information about the EDEM interface
About EDEM	Displays the current version of EDEM. The EDEM Version and Revision number are useful for EDEM Technical Support when discussing support cases.
About Altair Simulation Products	Displays the Copyright notices, Altair website, License Agreements, and Customer Support information.

The Data Browser

The Data Browser is an .html page that displays detailed information about your model. The information displayed is different in the Creator, Simulator, and Analyst. Right-click the Data Browser and select Save to save the information in an .html file.

The Data Browser comprises the following sections:


Section	Description
Description	Available in the Project section of the Creator Tree
General	Gravity Displays details of the gravity acting in your model as specified in the Creator Tree
	Materials Lists all the materials used in the model and their properties, as specified in the Materials Editor
	Energy Displays the total energy in the model at the current time, which is the sum total of the kinetic energy, potential energy, and the energy in any contacts taking place
Geometry	Domain Lists the dimensions of the domain as specified in the Creator Tree
	Sections Lists each section(model) and its properties
	Geometry Totals Aggregates the details of the number of elements that make up each section of the Geometry
Particles	Particles Lists each particle type used in the model and their properties. This contains either sphere data for Multi-Sphere, and Sphero-Cylinder data or mesh data for polyhedral particles.
	Factories Lists the details of each factory used in the model and their properties as specified in the Creator Tree. The total number of particles created by each factory is also listed.
	Particle Totals Lists the total number of particles in the model at the current time and for each particle type
Contacts	Interactions Lists the interaction types taking place in the model as specified in the Materials Editor
Contacts	Contact Totals Lists the total number of contacts in progress at the current time. The contacts are broken down into contact types. For example, the number of particle A - particle B contacts or number of particle B - surface A contacts. The total number of collisions that have taken place during the Time Step are also listed.

The Tree Filter allows you to filter items in the tree by entering a part of the item name. Within the tree, only items/child items that match the filter will be displayed. All other items are hidden from the view.


Filter Options
Case Sensitive	Select to make string-based comparisons case-sensitive. By default, this option is unselected.
Fixed String	Select to perform string-based matching.
Wildcard	Select to perform string-based matching with wildcard characters. '?' matches a single character. '*' matches one or more characters.