General Features in SOLIDWORKS Simulation

You can analyze full assemblies and multibody parts, not just one component at a time. You can assign a different material for each component. A number of commands are available to simplify large assemblies.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation provides options for analyzing contacting components as part of stress analysis. You can assign component or local contact conditions to faces that are touching or have gaps between them. Friction and large displacement options are supported by contact analysis.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation analyzes sheet metal and thin parts more efficiently. As the thickness gets smaller, a larger number of elements is required to model the part and SimulationXpress may fail to solve the problem. SOLIDWORKS Simulation uses a small number of shell elements instead of a large number of tetrahedral elements to mesh thin parts. Shell elements are naturally suitable for modeling these parts. Their efficiency does not deteriorate as the thickness gets smaller.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation automatically derives beam cross-sections from solid geometry, detects joints, and applies loads and restraints.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation provides options for mixing solid, shell, and beam elements in one study.

In addition to extensive stress analysis options in every step of the design analysis process, SOLIDWORKS Simulation offers the following additional types of analyses:

• Frequency (modal) analysis
• Buckling analysis
• Thermal analysis
• Optimization analysis
• Nonlinear analysis
• Linear dynamic analysis
• Drop test analysis
• Fatigue analysis

You can create many studies to represent what-if scenarios. Tools such as duplicate and drag and drop help you quickly define what-if scenarios. There is no restriction on the number of types of studies you can create.

SOLIDWORKS Simulation lets you define parameters and expressions to define input for analysis. Similar to using design tables to define configurations in SOLIDWORKS, SOLIDWORKS Simulation uses analysis tables to define analysis table studies. You can then graph results of interest for various analysis table sets.

Trend Tracker helps you detect trends in results from different iterations of a static study. Results are presented in a manner that compares a baseline to subsequent iterations.

This tool, similar to the SimulationXpress wizard, guides you through the simulation process and provides you with interpretation of the results. By answering a series of questions, Simulation Advisor collects the necessary data, determines the proper study types, creates the studies automatically, and drives the interface.

Simulation sensors are integrated with SOLIDWORKS and allow you to track Simulation results across one or more studies. You can set audio and visual alerts to compare tracked values to predefined thresholds. Sensors can track factor of safety data for connectors, stress, strain, displacement, connector forces, free body forces, thermal results, velocity, and acceleration.