SolidWorks Products: Browse by Simulation Analysis Types

Deciding which analysis package you need can be a confusing task. There are typically a variety of approaches to any problem, and associated pros and cons to each one.

The information below summarizes approaches to 3 different general analysis types.

• Structural Analysis
• Vibration/Dynamic Analysis
• Thermal Analysis

Structural Analysis

The most common use for analysis software is assessment of how a model or object will respond to an applied design load. There are a variety of tools within the SolidWorks suite of analysis software that allow you to

SolidWorks SimulationXpress – Part-level linear static stress analysis

Every license of SolidWorks contains a modul e called SolidWorks SimulationXpress, which is accessible from the Tools menu. SimulationXpress allows you to perform stress analysis on a single-body part in SolidWorks under some basic loading and restraint conditions. This analysis uses the full SolidWorks Simulation solver, and is based on a linear-static analysis methodology, which assumes linear material behavior, static application of loading, and assumes part deformations are small.

SimulationXpress provides a fast, easy to use, and accurate analysis tool for screening of stress levels in single parts, but the limitations on load and restraint conditions, and the ability to only model one part at a time mean that often for a dedicated analysis a higher-level software package is required.

SolidWorks Simulation – Assembly-level linear static analysis

Static Stress analysis in SolidWorks Simulation is available as part of SolidWorks Premium, and also with either SolidWorks Simulation Professional or SolidWorks Simulation Premium. It allows you to do linear static stress analysis on all SolidWorks parts and assemblies, with a full range of loading and restraint types, and a variety of ways you can assess contact and connections between parts.

This analysis module assumes linear material behavior (it assumes that the stress/strain curve for the material in the loading range of interest can be represented as a straight line), small deformations of the parts under load, and static application of loading. It will assess the stress developed in materials and allow you to predict the onset of yield failure, but will not model post-yield behavior. This module is the most commonly used analysis module within SolidWorks, and provides accurate result data for a wide range of real-life situations. However, in situations where material behavior is not linear (rubbers, elastomers, plastics, metals post-yield), or where the shape of parts is significantly changing under load, nonlinear analysis is required to get an accurate result. In situations where the load is changing dynamically (varying with time), a dynamic analysis is required.

Nonlinear Analysis

Nonlinear analysis is available within SolidWorks Simulation Premium, and is the best way to accurately represent situations where either material or geometric behavior breaks the assumptions associated with static stress analysis. This typically applies to situations where the components are made of materials that cannot be represented with a linear stress-strain curve (plastics, rubbers, elastomers, metals loaded beyond their yield stress) or in situations where an object deforms so much that it’s shape and stiffness have significantly changed.

Vibration Analysis

SolidWorks Simulation

Static Stress analysis assumes that any loading applied to a model is statically applied. This means that there is no time-dependent component of the loading being applied. For example, this accurately reflects what would happen if a weight was carefully placed onto a support frame, but not what would happen if that frame was struck with a hammer.

Frequency Analysis

Frequency analysis, available with SolidWorks Simulation Professional, is a modal analysis tool that can provide information to assess whether your structure is likely to experience problematic vibrational response at key frequencies.

It provides two key pieces of information – the resonant or natural frequencies of your model, and the mode shapes, or the general direction and shape of the vibration that will occur at those resonant frequencies.

From a design perspective, frequency analysis is most often used to confirm whether your structure/model has any resonant frequencies in or near the operating range of externally applied vibrational loading that your model is likely to see. For example, if you are designing a support chassis for a hard drive which runs at 120Hz (7200rpm), and the chassis has a natural frequency at 115 Hz, you are likely to experience performance problems. You can use the mode shape provided by the frequency analysis to review the vibration, and make design changes to improve

The frequency analysis doesn’t include the amplitude of any dynamic loading applied, and as such does not provide any information about the amplitude of the vibratory response. For this type of information, dynamic analysis is required.

Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic Analysis, in SolidWorks Simulation Premium, allows you to specify time-dependent loading in a SolidWorks stress analysis

Thermal Analysis

Thermal Analysis in SolidWorks - 2 Different Approaches

SolidWorks Simulation SolidWorks Simulation allows you to assess the effect of a structure to a specified temperature change, because of thermal expansion. It won’t allow you to make any estimation of heat transfer. SolidWorks Simulation Thermal SolidWorks Simulation Thermal allows you to analyze conduction and radiative heat transfer within your SolidWorks model, and to make an assessment  of how air or fluid flow around your model is going to contribute to convection. SolidWorks Flow Simulation SolidWorks Flow Simulation is the most accurate way to analyze heat transfer, cooling and heating in your SolidWorks models through accurate modeling of conduction, convection and radiation by completely analyzing fluid flow around and through your system, as well as heat transfer within solid parts.