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SOLIDWORKS

Simulation

Subject your designs to real world conditions to raise product quality while reducing prototyping and physical testing costs.

SOLIDWORKS® Simulation is an easy-to-use portfolio of structural analysis tools that use the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) method to predict a product’s real-world physical behavior by virtually testing CAD models. The portfolio provides linear, non-linear static and dynamic analysis capabilities.
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Features

SOLIDWORKS Simulation is fully embedded in SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD for ease of use and data integrity. Using the same user interface (UI) paradigms as SOLIDWORKS with toolbars, menus, and context-sensitive right-click menus, ensures rapid familiarization. Built-in tutorials and searchable online help aid learning and troubleshooting.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation supports SOLIDWORKS materials and configurations for easy analysis of multiple loads and product configurations.

Solve part and assembly structural analysis problems for stress, strain, displacements, and Factors of Safety (FOS). Problems are limited to static loading, elastic linear materials, and small contact displacements. For the solution to be valid, the resulting deformed shape after loading must exhibit small displacements and rotations.

*Premium only: Static studies are extended to incorporate components built up by composites materials. Component setup includes ply orientation and sandwich definition. Results include ply failure index as well as stress and deflections.

Estimate components fatigue life under high-cycle varying loads where the peak stress is below the material yield stress. Cumulative damage theory is used to predict locations and cycles to failure.

Use a time-based, rigid body kinematic and dynamic motion tool to calculate the velocities, accelerations, and movements of an assembly under operational loads. The motion analysis tool calculates component body and connection loads that can be imported into a Static Study.

*Professional and Premium only: Use an event-based rigid body kinematic and dynamic motion tool to calculate the velocities, accelerations, and movements of an assembly under operational loads where actions and movements are triggered by the location or movement of components. The motion analysis tool calculates component body and connection loads that can be imported into a Static Study.

Perform wide-ranging “what if” analyses. In a design study, both the parameters of a design (model) and simulation setup (materials, loadings, and fixtures) can be varied to assess the impact of change on the model.

A customizable material library is included with simulation data:

  • Parallel computing (multi-core)
  • Batch Run

 

*Professional and Premium only:

  • 2D Simplification
  • Plane Stress
  • Plane Strain
  • Axisymmetric
  • Sub-modeling Simulation
  • Sub-Modelling: analyze the structural resistance of a sub model from a main assembly
  •  Off-loading computing
  • Fixtures to prescribe zero or non-zero displacements
  • Force, pressure, and remote structural loads
  • Temperature loading
  • Import Flow/Thermal Loads

*Professional and Premium only:

  • Load Case Manager: evaluate the effects of various load combinations on your model
  • Component contact
  • Bonded contact condition
  • Node-to-node, surface-to-surface contact condition
  • Shrink Fit condition
  • Virtual Wall condition
  • Self-contact
  • Connectors: bolt, spring, pin, elastic support, and bearing -Connectors Safety Check
  • Edge Weld
  • Thermal contact resistance condition
  • Insulated condition
  • Edge and spot weld connector

Study results are dependent upon the type of study but are displayed as Contour, ISO-Surface, Surface, and Section plots.

  • Quantity point and line distribution given by the probe tool.
  • The Design Insight plot shows loaded material.
  • FEA results can be compared to test data.
  • Deformed shape results can be animated and the animation saved
  • Overlay Simulation results onto SOLIDWORKS graphics.
  • Communicate SOLIDWORKS Simulation results to non-SOLIDWORKS users via eDrawings®, a shareable 3D file format.

In-product tutorials, online help, and knowledge base.

Customizable simulation report -eDrawings of Simulation results

Solve steady-state and transient part and assembly thermal problems for temperature, temperature gradient, and heat flux.

With the Thermal Analysis completed, you can import temperature loads into a Static Study.

Frequency Studies determine a product’s natural modes of vibration which is important for products that experience vibration in their working environment.

A possible failure mode for long and slender components is by collapse at a load below material yield stress. The buckling study predicts the components buckling load factor.

Linearized stress, a key for safe pressure design, is calculated in the Pressure Vessel Study.

Enables you to discover new minimal material design alternatives under linear elastic static loading while still meeting component stress, stiffness and vibrational requirements.

Builds upon the Frequency Study to calculate the stresses due to forcing vibrations and calculating the effects of dynamic loads, impact or shock loading, for linear elastic materials. Study types are:

  • Modal Time History Analysis
  • Harmonic Analysis
  • Random Vibration Analysis
  • Response Spectrum Analysis

Non-Linear Analysis lets you analyze complex material behavior, such as post-yield metals, rubbers, and plastics, as well as to account for large deflections and sliding contact-in components.

Non-Linear Static Study assumes static loads with loads can be sequenced so that the dynamic effects of the varying load do not affect the study. The complex material models in Non-Linear Static Studies can be used to calculate permanent deformation and residual stresses due to excessive loads, as well as predicting performance for components, such as springs and clip fasteners.

Non-Linear Dynamic Study accounts for the effect of real-time varying loads that are included in calculations and results. In addition to solving non-linear static problems, Non-Linear Dynamic Studies can also solve impact problems.

Feature Matrix

SW Prem

SIM STD

SIM Pro

SIM Prem

  • Fully Embedded in SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD
  • Full Associativity with 3D Design Changes
  • Support SOLIDWORKS Configurations
  • SOLIDWORKS Material Properties Support
  • Solid, Shell and Beam modeling
  • h and p adaptive element type
  • Mesh control capabilities
  • Failure Mesh Diagnostic
  • Simplify model tool for meshing
  • Customisable Material Library
  • Bonded contact condition
  • Node-to-node, surface-to-surface contact condition
  • Shrink Fit condition
  • Virtual Wall condition
  • Connectors: bolt, spring, pin, elastic support and bearing
  • Connectors Safety Check
  • Contour, Iso-Surface, Surface, Section Result Plot
  • Probe tool
  • Design Insight
  • Compare test data
  • List values on selected entities
  • Animation of Results
  • Customisable simulation report
  • eDrawings of Simulation results
  • Analyse the structural behavior or parts and assemblies under loading
  • Fixtures to prescribe zero or non-zero displacements
  • Structural loads
  • Temperature loading
  • Import Flow/Thermal Effects
  • Calculation of stress, strain, displacement and FOS
  • Calculation of reaction forces and moments

This feature is included in all four 4 packages that are available.

What-if scenarios based on defined variables (dimensions, mass properties, simulation data)

  • Analyse the life expectancy of structure under repeated loading
  • Theory of Cumulative Damage
  • Fatigue Check Plot
  • Outputs: life, damage and factor of safety plots

Detect trends in results from different iterations of a static study

This package comes with Simulation Professional & Simulation Premium

  • Thermal contact resistance condition
  • Insulated condition
  • Edge and spot weld connector

This package comes with Simulation Professional & Simulation Premium

  • Analyse the natural frequencies and mode shape of parts and assemblies
  • Import Flow/Thermal Effects
  • Load Stiffening
  • Analyse slender structure for critical buckling factors and the associated buckling mode shapes
  • Import Flow/Thermal Effects

This package comes with Simulation Professional & Simulation Premium

  • Analyse the effect of the impact of a part or an assembly on a target surface
  • Inputs: drop height, gravity, velocity at impact
  • Outputs: stress, displacement, and strains
  • Analyse the structural behavior or parts and assemblies under loading
  • Linear combination and square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS)

Analyse the structural resistance of a sub model from a main assembly

*Moved from Premium into Professional from SOLIDWORKS 2015

This package comes with Simulation Professional & Simulation Premium

  • Transient (time dependent) loads
  • Large component deformation
  • Nonlinear materials
  • Modal Time History Analysis
  • Harmonic Analysis
  • Random Vibration Analysis
  • Response Spectrum Analysis

This package is included with Simulation Premium

Available packages

Standard

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Standard is an intuitive virtual testing environment for static linear, time-based motion, and high-cycle fatigue simulation. It delivers a concurrent engineering approach, helping you know if your product will perform properly and how long it will last—during the design phase.
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PROFESSIONAL

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional enables you to optimize your design, determine product mechanical resistance, product durability, topology, natural frequencies, and test heat transfer and buckling instabilities. It can also perform sequential multi-physics simulations.
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Premium

SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium lets you efficiently evaluate your designs for nonlinear and dynamic response, dynamic loading, and composite materials. SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium includes three advanced studies: Non-Linear Static, Non-Linear Dynamic, and Linear Dynamics.
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