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COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.3 Release Highlights

LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS® Updates

For users of LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS®, COMSOL Multiphysics® software version 5.3 brings improvements to the synchronized selections between programs, a new tutorial model, and extended support to new versions of certain CAD file formats. See the LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS® updates in more detail below.

More Efficient Setup of CAD Assembly Selections

LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS® now automatically supports the addition of selections, specified on a SOLIDWORKS® part file, to the list of selections that is synchronized with the assembly that includes the part. In other words, selections are now automatically loaded from the component files into the CAD assembly and they are then correctly assigned during synchronization of the assembly. For example, consider a CAD assembly that contains 40 instances of a part file that has a selection defined as a single face (see image). After synchronizing the CAD assembly, the selection in the COMSOL Multiphysics® model will contain 40 faces; 1 for each instance of the part. To set up the selection in previous versions of the COMSOL Multiphysics® software, the 40 faces had to be selected manually on the CAD assembly in the SOLIDWORKS® software.

Three images that illustrate synchronizing selections via LiveLink for SOLIDWORKS. The face selection defined for the turbine blade part (left) is automatically loaded for the turbine rotor assembly (center) in SOLIDWORKS®. This is then directly synchronized to the COMSOL Multiphysics® model (right), such that the synchronized selection contains all instances of the original face selection. The face selection defined for the turbine blade part (left) is automatically loaded for the turbine rotor assembly (center) in SOLIDWORKS®. This is then directly synchronized to the COMSOL Multiphysics® model (right), such that the synchronized selection contains all instances of the original face selection.

New Tutorial Model: Stress Analysis of a Pipe Fitting

This tutorial model shows the setup of a 2D axisymmetric stress analysis, through contact, of a 3D threaded pipe fitting. The example involves synchronizing the 3D SOLIDWORKS® geometry and selections, which specify the faces in contact, with the 2D geometry in COMSOL Multiphysics®. A cutting plane is defined in COMSOL Multiphysics® to create the 2D geometry from the SOLIDWORKS® 3D object, but none of the selections need to be redefined in the COMSOL Multiphysics® environment after the synchronization. This means that you can run parametric studies or optimize the 3D CAD design from your 2D analysis.

Note: In order to solve the model in this tutorial, you need both LiveLink™ for SOLIDWORKS® and the Structural Mechanics Module.

Screenshots from the Stress Analysis of a Pipe Fitting tutorial model, new with COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.3. The simulation is performed on the 2D geometry that is the cross section of the synchronized design of the pipe fitting. The von Mises stress distribution is shown in 3D on a revolved plot. The simulation is performed on the 2D geometry that is the cross section of the synchronized design of the pipe fitting. The von Mises stress distribution is shown in 3D on a revolved plot.

Application Library path:
LiveLink_for_SOLIDWORKS/Tutorial_Examples/pipe_fitting_llsw

Updated Support for New CAD File Format Versions

The CAD file import and export functionality has been extended to support new versions for the following file formats:

Read from File

  • Parasolid®: (.x_t, .xmt_txt, .x_b, .xmt_bin) up to V29.1
  • ACIS®: (.sat, .sab, .asat, .asab) up to R25, 2017 1.0
  • Inventor® assemblies: (.iam) versions 11, 2008–2017
  • Inventor® parts: (.ipt) versions 6–11, 2008–2017
  • SOLIDWORKS®: (.sldprt, .sldasm) versions 98–2017
  • NX™: (.prt) up to version 11

Write to File

  • Parasolid®: (.x_t, x_b) V29.1

You can view a complete list of supported CAD file formats in the CAD Specification Chart under the "Read from File, CAD" and "Write to File" sections.

SOLIDWORKS is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corp. ACIS is a registered trademark of Spatial Corporation. Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Parasolid and NX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by these trademark owners.