3DEXPERIENCE Connector For CST Usage Guidelines: Best Practices

Best Practices
3DEXPERIENCE Connector for

CST Usage Guidelines
© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information| ref.: 3DS_Document_2020
Version 1.0 - 6/29/2022
Written by: VALECHA Ravi

Validated by: BALK Monika Christine
Edited by: DESAI Arati
SIMULIA 3DEXPERIENCE R2022x FD04

Best Practices
Executive Summary
Dassault Systèmes offers a wide range of solutions in Electromagnetic simulation
domain catering to almost all kind of industries with CST Studio Suite being the
core electromagnetic simulation software. CST Studio Suite has a vast solver
portfolio. Connector for CST combines the power of CST Studio Suite with data
management and collaborative tools of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. The scope of
this document is to provide the guidelines for usage of Connector for CST to the
new users. This document is a good read along with the other Connector for CST
training materials available in the 3DEXPERIENCE University for those who are
getting started with 3DEXPERIENCE Connector for CST. It covers basic topics
about 3DEXPERIENCE Connector for CST like installation, roles required, workflow
demonstrating the usage, troubleshooting the common error messages, and so on.
It also explains some of the basic options available in the connector that the user
should keep in mind when importing the CAD model from the 3DEXPERIENCE
© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

platform to the CST Studio Suite. Additionally, it provides information about the
usage of CST adapter in the 3DEXPERIENCE Optimization Process Composer.
Prerequisites and recommendations: Introduction to CST Studio Suite and basic

understanding of 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Target audience: Electromagnetics Analyst, Electromagnetics Engineer, Method

Developer
Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

This document is provided for information purpose only and may be used by authorized users only for their own internal use. Any other use
without prior written authorization from Dassault Systèmes is strictly prohibited, except as may be permitted by law.
2
Best Practices
Table of contents
1. Connector for CST ......................................................................................................... 4
1.1. Installation of Connector for CST ................................................................................ 4
1.1.1. Roles for Connector for CST ................................................................................... 4
1.1.2. Connector for CST Installation ................................................................................ 5
1.2. Demonstration of Connector for CST Usage .............................................................. 6
1.3. Importing Data from 3DEXPERIENCE Platform into CST Studio Suite ....................... 6
1.3.1. Open 3DEXPERIENCE Model ................................................................................ 7
1.3.2. Load 3DEXPERIENCE Content .............................................................................. 7
1.3.3. Check for CAD Update ......................................................................................... 11
1.4. Enable Connector for CST Logs ............................................................................... 12
1.5. Understanding CST Connector Error Messages and Remedies ............................... 12
1.6. Process Automation ................................................................................................. 16

1.6.1. Configuring CST Adapter in 3DEXPERIENCE Optimization Process
Composer App ..................................................................................................... 16
1.6.2. Configuring the Station for CST Adapter Job Execution ........................................ 16
1.6.3. Queuing CST Jobs................................................................................................ 16
1.6.4. Generating Images of CST Model Results for Process Composer and
Results Analytics .................................................................................................. 16
2. Document History ........................................................................................................ 19

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Best Practices
1. Connector for CST

Connector for CST combines the power of CST Studio Suite with data management and
collaborative tools of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Connector for CST helps the CST
Studio Suite users to leverage the power of 3DEXPERIENCE platform to manage and
collaborate the simulation data across the organization. It also helps the user to view the
simulation results with a lightweight browser-based app.
1.1. Installation of Connector for CST

This section explains the roles required for ‘Connector for CST’ and also provides the
location of ‘Connector for CST’ installer.
1.1.1. Roles for Connector for CST

The Connector for CST is available with two roles: All Physics Analyst and Electromagnetics
Engineer.
• All Physics Analyst

The table below shows the trigram and availability of All Physics Analyst roles.
Role Name Availability Trigram

On-Cloud and On- PXK-OP/PXK-OC
All Physics Analyst
Premise
The following apps are available with this role that are useful for an electromagnetic
engineer:
App Name App Description

For connecting CST Studio Suite with
Connector for CST
the 3DEXPERIENCE platform
For models life cycle management.
Collaborative Lifecycle
To view the light weight results in
Physics Simulation Review 3DEXPERIENCE Web Client
To compare results for different

Performance Trade-off iterations of a simulation
To execute the CST jobs on cloud

Simulation Manager
To convert the CAD model imported
from different CAD software and making
Derive Format Convertor it compatible with the 3DEXPERIENCE
platform.

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Best Practices
• Electromagnetic Engineers
This role is available only On-Cloud. Refer to the table below:
Role Name Availability Trigram

On-Cloud and On- PXK-OP/PXK-OC
Electromagnetic Engineers
Premise
The Electromagnetic Engineers role contains both the All Physics Analyst role as well
as the CST Studio Suite Connected role. With the CST Studio Suite Connected role,
the user can install and launch the CST Studio Suite directly from the
3DEXPERIENCE Webclient.

1.1.2. Connector for CST Installation
The installer for the On-Premise server is available at the following website:
http://software.3ds.com/
On-premises environments must install GA release first and then install the FP release.
For the General Availability (GA) release, the SIM_SimulationConnectors media is

aggregated into the 3DEXPERIENCE Web Apps media.
Follow the steps below to install the sim connector:
• Download and extract all the tar files of the 3DEXPERIENCE Web Apps media.
• Go to folder:
AM_3DEXP_WebApps.AllOS\3\3DEXPERIENCE_SimulationConnectors

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Best Practices
• Run the setup.exe available in the folder

AM_3DEXP_WebApps.AllOS\AM_3DEXP_WebApps.AllOS\3\3DEXPERIENCE_Sim
ulationConnectors\Windows64\1
For the Fix Packs(FPs) release, the SIM_SimulationConnectors media is aggregated into
the Part_3DEXP_OpenApps media.
Go to folder: Part_3DEXP_OpenApps.AllOS\1\Software\
Follow the steps below to install the sim connector:
• Download and extract all the tar files of the Part_3DEXP_OpenApps media.
• Go to folder: Part_3DEXP_OpenApps.AllOS\1\Software\
• Open the extracted folder. Go to Software folder.
• User will find the “SIM_SimulationConnectors.Windows64_package “ zip file inside
the Software folder

• Unzip it and run the setup.exe. The connector should get installed.
Note: For On-Cloud server the Connector for CST can be installed directly from the
3DEXPERIENCE Webclient just like other 3DEXPERIENCE platform native apps. Most of
the other apps will be automatically installed or updated if you select the Install all granted
roles or Update all granted roles option in the 3DEXPERIENCE Webclient. However, the
Connector for CST is in a different media and hence not installed or updated using the
Install all granted roles or Update all granted roles options. It needs to be installed
separately.
1.2. Demonstration of Connector for CST Usage

The Connector for CST usage is demonstrated in the following KB article using an example
workflow: QA00000102475.
1.3. Importing Data from 3DEXPERIENCE Platform into CST

Studio Suite
There are two options to import data into CST Studio Suite from 3DEXPERIENCE platform
as shown in the following figure:

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Best Practices
1.3.1. Open 3DEXPERIENCE Model

You can open a CST project from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform in CST Studio Suite using

the Open 3DEXPERIENCE Model… option. The CST project is of Simulation Object data
type in the platform.
Another way to open a CST project from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform in CST Studio Suite
is by launching the 3DEXPERIENCE Webclient. Search for the CST project you want to
open in the CST Studio Suite, select it and click on the Connector for CST app from the V+R
quadrant.
1.3.2. Load 3DEXPERIENCE Content

Perform the following steps to load a CAD geometry from 3DEXPERIENCE and begin a new
project.
1. Use the backstage view New and Recent > 3DEXPERIENCE > Load
3DEXPERIENCE Content.

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Best Practices
2. At the prompt, login to your 3DEXPERIENCE server. Use the new search dialog in
CST Studio Suite to browse, filter, and preview the CAD Products and Parts on
3DEXPERIENCE.

3. Select the CST project units as required to scale the geometry. By default, this
option is set to mm.
4. Select Derived Formats as source. The recommendation is to use derived format as

it supports more features, you can use CATIA option as a fallback.
The model is imported in the CST Studio Suite.

8
Best Practices
5. Upon importing a 3DEXPERIENCE model into the CST Studio Suite, the

components’ geometry data is stored separately in a different CADData folder.
The component geometry data is referenced in the CST model from this CADData
folder as shown below.
There are more features that you can use while importing the model using the Load
3DEXPERIENCE Content option.
• Load wire harness
3DEXPERIENCE model should contain Physical Product with Electrical Physical

System
In CST STUDIO SUITE,
1. Click on Load 3DEXPERIENCE Content.

2. Select Load wire harness.
3. Select the Physical Product to load and click OK.

9
Best Practices

• Load as Assembly
The models and parts can be imported as assemblies, which means the shapes are
imported as blocks into the schematic of CST Studio Suite using the Load as
assembly option.

10
Best Practices
With the Load as assembly option, you can import the model as a block from the
3DEXPERIENCE platform to the Systems Assembly and Modelling (SAM) framework
as shown in figure below:

In the schematic tab of SAM framework, you can easily combine different models being
simulated with respective solvers and combine their results to get the complete result. The
way how they are combined may vary in several ways. You may use the framework as a 3D
modeling tool, as a sequence controller to simulate coupled multiphysics problems or as a
controller for hybrid simulations.
1.3.3. Check for CAD Update

When you have a CST Power'By project opened that contains 3DEXPERIENCE CAD
geometry, you can use File > Project > 3DEXPERIENCE > Check For CAD Update to
determine if the geometry has been changed (overwritten) since it was last imported. This
test checks only the geometry version that you originally imported, it does not consider any
other revisions that may exist. If you load an updated CAD geometry, CST Studio Suite will
prompt you to either update the existing geometry in your project, or add the object as new
geometry.
Note: After importing a geometry or CST model in CST Studio Suite from the
3DEXPERIENCE platform, save the CST model in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform using the
Save 3DEXPERIENCE Model option. Then, use the Check For CAD Update option to
update the geometry. If the model is not saved, you can see a “*” near the model name in
the CST Studio Suite as shown in the image below.

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Best Practices
In this case, the Check For CAD Update will not work and the user will get the following
warning message:

1.4. Enable Connector for CST Logs
Set the following environment variable to generate a PowerBy log file:
CST_3DX_POWERBY_LOG=<path to store logfile>
Once this environment is set, a CSTPowerBylog file is generated in the specified location
whenever the Connector for CST is launched. This file contains user login details. It also
captures the information messages (such as errors, warnings, exceptions etc.) which can
further help in troubleshooting. This is a development friendly log file and you can share it
with the DS support engineer when you want to troubleshoot any issue.
1.5. Understanding CST Connector Error Messages and

Remedies
This section contains some of the most frequently encountered error messages while using
the Connector for CST. These error messages are detailed below along with the reasons
and remedies.
• Java Runtime Environment error
The user might encounter the following error message during the installation of the
Connector for CST.

12
Best Practices

Reason:
Compatible version of Java is not installed in the machine.
Remedy:
Manually install the compatible Java version as instructed in the error message
The user might encounter the following error message when clicking on "Connect to
3DEXPERIENCE" as shown in the following image:

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Best Practices
Reason:
The server Certificate is missing
Remedy:
Contact the IT team to install the server certificates correctly.
• Error while creating model item
The user might encounter the following error message when saving the CST file in
the 3DEXPERIENCE platform

Reason:
The user does not have proper access permissions.
Remedy:
Login with User ID of the users having access permission.
• Could not download Geometry
The following error message occurs while importing a CAD geometry from
3DEXPERIENCE platform to CST Studio Suite using the Load 3DEXPERIENCE
Content option.

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Best Practices
Reason:
The user might have logged into 3DEXPERIENCE platform with Author or Owner
role.
Remedy:
Switch the Access role to "Leader”.

• Batch job is cancelled due to required license feature being currently unavailable.
CST job fails when running the CST adapter due to unavailability of the licenses.
The following error message is issued in the station logs on running the CST adapter
when all the CST licenses are pre-occupied:
“Batch job is cancelled due to required license feature being currently unavailable.
Set CST_WAIT_FOR_LICENSE environment variable if you want a batch job to wait
until license becomes available."
Reason:
As the CST licenses are consumed by other CST jobs, the new jobs fail.
Remedy:
Set the variable CST_WAIT_FOR_LICENSE = 1 in the

<CST_Connnector_Installation_Directory>\CATEnv\Env.txt file.

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Best Practices
1.6. Process Automation

The CST adapter allows you to execute a CST simulation on a CST model stored on the
3DEXPERIENCE platform. Before the CST simulation runs, you can modify either the
3DEXPERIENCE parameters or the CST parameters that are input to the CST simulation,
such as loads and dimensions. Similarly, after the CST simulation has run, you can capture
the 3DEXPERIENCE parameters or CST parameters that are output from the CST
simulation, such as electromagnetic fields. To configure the CST adapter, the user can refer
to the 3DEXPERIENCE User assistance.
1.6.1. Configuring CST Adapter in 3DEXPERIENCE Optimization Process

Composer App
The configuration of the CST adapter in the 3DEXPERIENCE Optimization Process
Composer app is demonstrated in the following KB Article: QA00000101956.
1.6.2. Configuring the Station for CST Adapter Job Execution

The configuration of station for CST adapter job execution is demonstrated in the following

KB article: QA00000066223
1.6.3. Queuing CST Jobs

Queuing of the CST jobs executed from the CST adapter is demonstrated in the following
workflow: QA00000068847
1.6.4. Generating Images of CST Model Results for Process Composer and
Results Analytics
The inbuilt template “Store Image for Process Composer” in the CST Studio Suite helps to
generate an image in the .PNG format such that when the CST model is executed, the
image file in the .PNG format will be generated for the specified result/plot. The image is
generated in the same folder where the CST model file is available. This makes it easy for
the user to upload the image file using the Upload adapter in the Process Composer app.
Later, these images can be opened in the Results Analytics Widget for each iteration.
Perform the following steps to use the ‘Store Image for Process Composer’ template.
1. Select a Result Item in the tree as shown below:
(this can be 1D, 2D/3D, Farfield, Table)

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Best Practices

2. Select the results template.
3. Select the Template Settings.

i. The selected result item in step 1 is shown under Content to be Exported.
ii. Adjust the min/max settings to a meaningful user defined range
iii. The default .png filename is meaningful. However, you can change the
filename, if required.

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Best Practices
iv. Click Preview to view the plot preview.

4. Click OK to save the setting. When the CST model is executed, the e-field plot result
image will generate in the same folder as the CST model.

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Best Practices
2. Document History
Document Revised By Changes/Notes
Date
Revision
1.0 06/29/2022 Ravi VALECHA Original

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Best Practices

3DEXPERIENCE Connector for

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information| ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Version 1.0 - 6/29/2022

Written by: VALECHA Ravi

SIMULIA 3DEXPERIENCE R2022x FD04

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Prerequisites and recommendations: Introduction to CST Studio Suite and basic

Target audience: Electromagnetics Analyst, Electromagnetics Engineer, Method

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

1. Connector for CST

1.1. Installation of Connector for CST

1.1.1. Roles for Connector for CST

• All Physics Analyst

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Role Name Availability Trigram

App Name App Description

To compare results for different

To execute the CST jobs on cloud

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

This role is available only On-Cloud. Refer to the table below:

Role Name Availability Trigram

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

For the General Availability (GA) release, the SIM_SimulationConnectors media is

Follow the steps below to install the sim connector:

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

• Run the setup.exe available in the folder

Follow the steps below to install the sim connector:

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

1.2. Demonstration of Connector for CST Usage

1.3. Importing Data from 3DEXPERIENCE Platform into CST

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

1.3.1. Open 3DEXPERIENCE Model

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

1.3.2. Load 3DEXPERIENCE Content

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

4. Select Derived Formats as source. The recommendation is to use derived format as

The model is imported in the CST Studio Suite.

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

• Load wire harness

3DEXPERIENCE model should contain Physical Product with Electrical Physical

In CST STUDIO SUITE,

1. Click on Load 3DEXPERIENCE Content.

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

1.3.3. Check for CAD Update

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

CST_3DX_POWERBY_LOG=<path to store logfile>

1.5. Understanding CST Connector Error Messages and

• Java Runtime Environment error

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

© Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | ref.: 3DS_Document_2020

Compatible version of Java is not installed in the machine.

Confidential information. Copyright Dassault Systèmes [2022].

The server Certificate is missing

Contact the IT team to install the server certificates correctly.