EDEM Simulator

EDEM Simulator is a powerful solver used for fast and efficient simulations.

Use EDEM Simulator to:
  • Configure and control the EDEM simulation engine, and observe the progress of your simulation
  • Cutting-edge DEM solver, highly parallelized for use on multi-core shared memory workstations, GPU hardware, and Multi-GPU systems
  • Double-precision Solver engine used for CPU where as Double, Hybrid, or single precision can be used for GPU platforms
  • Simulations for large and complex particle systems
  • Live viewer window to review progress and assess design performance
  • Ability to start and stop simulations at any time or configure data output while running a simulation


EDEM Simulator is supported by a range of time-saving tools, including the novel Dynamic Domain as well as auto-settings for key DEM solver parameters that help reduce the overall simulation run time.

  1. The Simulator Pane
  2. The Viewer
  3. The Toolbar and Menu Bar
  4. The Solve Report

The Simulator Pane

The Simulator pane is where you define the Time Step, simulation time, grid options and Simulator Engine for the CPU mode.

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.

You can set up more than one display by splitting the screen in order to see the progress of the simulation from different points of view. The simulation start/stop button and simulation progress bar are located below the Viewer.

The Toolbar and Menu Bar

Icon Name Description
Creator Opens EDEM Creator
Simulator Opens EDEM Simulator
Analyst Opens EDEM Analyst
Save Saves changes made to the Simulator settings
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
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 Frozen Particles When selected while using the Dynamic Domain, any frozen particles will be colored black
Display Cylindrical Periodic Boundary Conditions Displays cylindrical periodic boundary conditions


Show GPU Splitting Plane Shows/hides GPU splitting planes


Refresh Display Updates Viewer to display the 3D simulation at the Time Step when the button is pressed


Auto Update Activates/Disables automatic updates


Simulator Grid Shows/Hides Simulator Grid (Multi-Sphere particles only)
Start Coupling Server Starts the Coupling Server
Coupling Server Disabled Disables the Coupling Server
File Menu
Save Saves the current model
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
Quit Exits EDEM
Note: For more information about how to configure and set options, click Tools > Options..., and see Set Options.

Solve Report

The Solve Report is an .html page that displays detailed information about your model. It provides detailed information from the last refresh point which may not be the current simulation time.

  • In the Simulator tab, right-click the tool bar, and click Solve Report to launch the Solve Report in case it is disabled.
  • You can move and position the Solve Report below the 3D Viewer, above the Simulator settings, or in place of the Simulator Settings where you can navigate back and forth between the Solve Report and Simulator settings.
  • Right-click the Solve Report and select Save to save the information in an .html file.
  • Right-click the Solve Report and select Refresh to update the information to the current simulation time.
Tools > Options
Color Options
Text Changes the color of the text used in the Solve Report
Link Changes the color of the hyperlinks used in the Solve Report
Background Changes the background color of the Solve Report
Categories Displayed
Simulation Shows statistics related to the entire simulation in the Solve Report
Custom Simulation Properties Shows details of the Custom Properties in the Solve Report
Grid Cells Shows details of the cell grid size (only if you have selected the CUDA Solver) in the Solve Report
Particles Shows details related to particles in the Solve Report
Geometry Shows details related to Geometry in the Solve Report
Energy Shows statistics related to energy in the Solve Report
Factories Shows statistics related the factories in the Solve Report
Volume Packing Shows statistics related to volume packing in the Solve Report
Auto Update
Enabled Updates the Solve Report at regular intervals
Update Every <n> Iterations Modifies the number of intervals used to update the Solve Report
The Solve Report contains the following sections:
Simulation
Status Indicates whether the simulation is processing or stopped
Time Step Indicates the time step used by the model as detailed in the Simulator
Estimated total computation time Indicates the estimated total time to complete the simulation
Current time Indicates the time elapsed into processing
Elapsed computation time Indicates the time since the simulation started (excluding pauses)
Exported simulations Indicates the elapsed time reset to 0 on export
Particles
Total number Indicates the total number of particles in the model
Total removed Indicates the total number of particles removed from the model. For example, particles that move beyond the domain boundaries.
Minimum speed Indicates the speed of the slowest particle in the model
Maximum speed Indicates the speed of the fastest particle in the model
Grid Cells (CUDA Solver)
Status Indicates the allocation of grid cells or if grid cells have been initialized
Side Length Indicates the dimensions of grid cells as specified in the Simulator
Created Indicates the number of grid cells created
Geometry Section
Speed Indicates the speed of the Geometry section
Number of particles in contact Indicates the total number of particles in contact with the Geometry section at the current Time Step.
Energy
System energy Indicates the total energy in the model at the current time. It is the sum of the kinetic energy, potential energy and the energy in any contacts taking place. It should be equal to the total energy gained by creating particles plus the total energy gained by Geometry movement minus the energy lost through contacts minus the energy lost by removing particles.
Kinetic and potential energy Indicates the total kinetic and potential energy in the system
Total lost by removing particles Indicates the total energy lost by removing particles from the domain
Total lost through contacts Indicates the total energy lost by contacts between elements
Total gained by creating particles Indicates the total energy gained
Total gained by external forces Indicates the total energy gained from external forces.
Factory
Status Indicates the current factory status
Total particles created Indicates the number of particles that could not be placed after reaching the maximum attempts to place the particle
Total particles regenerated Indicates the number of particle creation attempts. If this number is significantly larger than the total particles created, it is an indication that the simulation is running slowly due to excessive CPU effort going towards creating particles.
Total particles failed Indicates the number of particles accepted and currently being generated
Total particles accepted Indicates the number of particles accepted in the grid
Creation rate/target creation rate Indicates the particle or mass creation rate as specified in the Factories pane
Mass created since rate change Indicates the amount of mass created by the factory (when the creation rate is set to the target mass rate of particles).
Actual creation rate since rate change Indicates the actual creation rate (as opposed to the target creation rate) when the creation rate is set to the target mass rate of particles
View Menu
Show Particles Select to turn the particle display on or off in the Viewer
Parent-Child Lines Select to view the lines connecting objects in the Creator and Simulator tabs that are linked with parent–child relationships
Themes Select Legacy (default) or Dark Theme for the EDEM interface
Toggle Display Command Line Output Select to open the Command Line output window and view items that are not displayed in the EDEM interface, such as licensing errors.
Show Frozen Particles Select to view the frozen particles in black when using Dynamic Domain
Refresh Display Select to update the Viewer to display the 3D simulation at the Time Step when the button is pressed
Auto Update Select to activate/deactivate automatic updates to the simulation in the Viewer
Show Simulator Grid Select to activate/deactivate the Simulator Grid
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.