Since SolidWorks 2009, its renowned FEA software, COSMOSWorks, was rebranded as SolidWorks Simulation. This change was made to better reflect the integrated approach to design and simulation. The user interface was creatively updated, allowing the simulation process and tools to blend seamlessly into the SolidWorks design workflow.
The SolidWorks Simulation suite features several wizard assistants to guide users through the simulation process. These include: Case Consultant, Performance Consultant, Constraint and Load Consultant, Connection Consultant, and Results Consultant.
Main Analysis Capabilities:
a) System and Component-Level Analysis
For Finite Element Analysis (FEA), to obtain meaningful results, different geometric components must be discretized using various element types, such as solids, shells, beams, and rods. It is also crucial to fully address the connection and contact relationships within assemblies.
Managing these connections is especially important, as it often involves complex relationships, such as bolt connections, pin joints, springs, spot welding, bearings, and more.
b) Multi-Disciplinary Analysis
Product analysis isn’t limited to static strength; it must also consider factors like dynamic strength, modal analysis, fatigue, and parameter optimization. SolidWorks Simulation provides a unified platform for multi-domain analysis, enabling engineers to evaluate products across various physical disciplines.
c) Multi-Physics Coupling for Designers
Conducting multi-physics analysis—such as coupling thermal, fluid, and structural effects, or analyzing multi-body dynamics—is a significant trend in engineering simulations today. These capabilities help solve highly complex engineering challenges.
d) Industry-Specific and Specialized Applications
Some industries have unique requirements that demand specialized CAE modules. For instance, pressure vessel analysis must adhere to ASME standards, while fields like electronics and consumer goods require drop test simulations.
e) Advanced Analysis Requirements
With increasingly complex operating environments, advanced simulations—such as those involving composite materials, material nonlinearity, sophisticated mechanical vibrations, or nonlinear dynamics—are often necessary.
What is SolidWorks Simulation?
SolidWorks Simulation is a fully integrated design analysis system embedded within SolidWorks. It offers a unified environment for stress analysis, frequency analysis, deformation studies, thermal analysis, and optimization. Thanks to its efficient solvers, SolidWorks Simulation allows users to solve large-scale problems rapidly, even on a standard PC. The software is available in several bundled packages to accommodate varying simulation needs.
By helping you quickly identify the optimal design, SolidWorks Simulation significantly reduces development time and shortens your product’s time to market.
SolidWorks SimulationXpress is a simplified stress analysis tool designed for SolidWorks users, enabling easy preliminary stress testing. By simulating your design on a computer, SimulationXpress helps cut costs and speed up product development, eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming physical prototypes.
For example, if you want to assess the impact of a force applied to a faucet, SimulationXpress can simulate this scenario and provide stress results. It highlights the critical and most stressed areas of the faucet and indicates the safety level for each region. Based on this feedback, you can reinforce weak points or remove unnecessary material from over-engineered areas.
The simulation technology in SimulationXpress uses the same stress analysis engine as SolidWorks Simulation.
The SolidWorks Simulation product family offers even more advanced simulation tools. The SimulationXpress wizard interface adopts the same guided workflow as the main Simulation interface, providing step-by-step instructions for defining fixtures, loads, materials, and for analyzing and viewing results.
The accuracy of simulation results depends on the correct definition of fixtures, loads, and material properties. For reliable outcomes, the specified material must accurately represent the real part, and the fixtures and loads should precisely reflect the actual working conditions.
SimulationXpress supports analysis on single parts only. It does not support assemblies, multi-body parts, or surface entities.
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