When is a CFD Simulation Complete?

Have you ever wondered when is a CFD simulation complete? Is it at the moment it finishes solving? When the post-processing generates its visuals? Or perhaps when the final report lands on your desk?

At Bramble CFD, we believe a simulation is complete when an engineer confidently signs their name to it, taking ownership of its entire lifecycle.

This sign-off process isn’t just a formality, it’s your stamp of approval, telling colleagues that you’ve thoroughly analysed the results, verified their accuracy, and ensured that the data is trustworthy. In this guide, we’ll explore what it means for a CFD simulation to be complete, walking through bramble’s structured sign-off process so that your results are not only final, but also reliable and actionable.

The draft state

Once a CFD simulation finishes running on a cluster, bramble will first check the solution for potential issues. This includes failed convergence, unrealistic pressures or velocities, or other anomalies that could affect the validity of your results.

As long as everything is within expected limits, bramble generates post-processing – images, movies, and flow-field visualisations. When this completes, results are available for users to view; however, they are flagged as “Draft.”

In short, the Draft status is a cautionary label. It communicates to all users that this solution has not yet been fully reviewed or validated. It’s a reminder that careful attention is still required before making engineering decisions based on these results.

The completed state

The final step in a simulation’s lifecycle is the ‘sign-off case’ action. Once the ‘Sign Off’ button is pressed, the user is shown a message box reminding them of the checks that should have been completed before finalising the simulation..

At this point users should check that they’re happy with convergence, and that the post-processing is generated and looks sensible. Also they should check that the changes they made in the test have an explainable aerodynamic effect.

CFD setup showing how easy it is to Adopt Open Source CFD with bramble

Pre Sign-Off Checks for CFD simulation workflow answering when is a CFD simulation complete

You name is tagged

Once the sign-off is complete, bramble automatically tags the user’s username in the lifecycle of the simulation. This creates a permanent record of who checked and analysed the run, which is especially valuable in motorsport environments where multiple engineers work on overlapping projects.

By logging ownership, bramble provides traceability for each decision and verification step. This not only helps with internal audits but also strengthens team confidence in the results, knowing that the simulation has been reviewed and approved by a qualified engineer.

The simulation is now complete

After sign-off, the simulation transitions from Draft to Complete. At this point, it can be used as a reference for design decisions, driver-in-the-loop simulator data, or setup optimisation. A completed simulation is not just a finished calculation—it’s a validated, traceable, and actionable tool in your aerodynamic development workflow.

By following this structured approach, bramble ensures that every CFD run achieves its full value, giving engineers clarity and confidence in the results they rely on.

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