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Multiphysics Solutions Features

Multiphysics simulation from ANSYS enables engineers and designers to create virtual prototypes of their designs operating under real-world multiphysics conditions.  ANSYS Multiphysics allows engineers and scientists to simulate the interaction between structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid flow, acoustics and electromagnetics all within a single unified simulation environment.

Built on Proven Solver Technology

Multiphysics technology from ANSYS is built on proven solver technology validated by many years of application in the world’s leading universities and corporations.  Technical depth and breadth in all physics – structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid flow and electromagnetics - is essential to understanding the complex interactions between different physics disciplines.  Our industry-leading solver technology for all physics disciplines, in conjunction with the engineered scalability of the ANSYS product portfolio, allows users to solve challenging, real-world multiphysics problems.

A conjugate heat transfer solution and subsequent thermal-stress analysis of a computer graphics card. Fluid streamlines and solid temperatures (left) and thermal stresses (right) are shown for the coupled simulation.

Unified Simulation Environment

The ANSYS Workbench platform is a powerful multi-domain simulation environment that harnesses the core physics from ANSYS, enables their interoperability and provides common tools for interfacing with CAD, repairing geometry, creating meshes and post-processing results. An innovative project schematic view ties together the entire simulation process, guiding the user through complex multiphysics analyses with drag-and-drop simplicity.

Native CAD Import and Robust Meshing

Native, bi-directional CAD connectivity and automatic meshing with advanced options are provided through the ANSYS Workbench platform. The ANSYS Workbench platform provides bi-directional CAD connectivity with major CAD systems, and allows import from most neutral geometry formats.

The ANSYS Workbench platform also provides a wide range of highly robust and automated physics based meshing tools including tetrahedral meshes, pure hexahedral meshes, mixed hex/tet/pyramid meshes, inflation layers and high quality surface meshes.  Users also have the ability to control many advanced meshing options such as body, surface or edge sizing controls, sphere of influence, inflation layer meshing, mesh defeaturing tolerances and much more.

Flexible Simulation Methods

Multiphysics technology from ANSYS delivers two proven solution techniques to solve multiphysics problems - the direct coupled-field elements and the ANSYS Multi-field solver. These approaches provide flexible simulation methods to solve a broad range of both direct and sequentially coupled multiphysics problems such as induction heating, electrostatic actuation, Joule heating and fluid structure interaction (FSI).

Direct Coupled-field Elements

The direct coupled-field elements allow users to solve a coupled-physics problem by employing a single finite element model with the appropriate coupled-physics options set within the element itself. A direct coupled-field solution simplifies the modeling of multiphysics problems by allowing users to create, solve and post-process a single analysis model for a wide variety of coupled-field problems. Capabilities include thermoelasticity, piezoelectricity, piezoresistivity, the piezocaloric effect, the Coriolis effect, electroelasticity, thermoelectricity and thermal-electric-structural coupling.

ANSYS Multi-field Solver

The ANSYS Multi-field solver enables users to solve multiphysics problems by using automated implicit sequential coupling, which couples multiple single-physics models in one unified simulation. The ANSYS Multi-field solver employs robust, iterative coupling in which each physics discipline is solved sequentially and convergence is obtained between the individual disciplines at each time point during the solution. The multi-field coupling is based on customized inter-process communication technology, and no third-party coupling software is required. Capabilities include thermal-structural coupling, thermal-electric coupling, thermal-electric-structural coupling, electromagnetic-structural coupling, electromagnetic-thermal coupling, electrostatic-structural coupling, thermal-electric-fluid coupling, fluid-thermal coupling and fluid structure interaction.

Powerful Solver Capabilities

Multiphysics solutions also include a large library of both direct and iterative equation solvers for solving both direct and sequentially coupled multiphysics problems. Solver options include the Sparse direct solver, the Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) iterative solver, the Jacobi Conjugate Gradient (JCG) solver, and many others. In addition, options for parallel processing through a Mechanical HPC license include the Algebraic Multi-Grid (AMG) solver and distributed versions of the PCG, JCG, and Sparse solvers. The Sparse direct and distributed Sparse solver also support unsymmetric and complex matrixes, essential for the direct coupling of certain physics.

Solver Customization and Scripting

Customization capabilities through user elements, user materials and scripting using the ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) provides flexibility, and extends the range of applications for multiphysics solutions. APDL is the foundation for accessing sophisticated features and creating user defined coupling options. In addition, you can use APDL to automate common tasks such as create parametric models, run design optimization studies, include adaptive meshing, etc. APDL offers many convenient features such as parameters, macros, branching, looping, and array parameters that can be used in day-to-day analyses.

Benefits of ANSYS Multiphysics

ANSYS continues to lead the simulation industry in the development of multiphysics solutions that provide the high-fidelity simulations required to meet the challenges of today’s demanding product development requirements. ANSYS Multiphysics provides analysts with a powerful simulation tool for solving industry’s most challenging multiphysics applications. Features include:

• Superior solvers for all physics simulations
• Structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid flow and electromagnetics
• Flexible multiphysics simulation built on proven solver technology
• A unified simulation environment for multiphysics analysis
• Fully parametric analysis allows design of experiments, robust design and design optimization for multiphysics solutions
• Parallel scalability for multiphysics analysis
• World class support and services from ANSYS

Add-On Modules

Solve Large Models

ANSYS Mechanical HPC offers both shared and distributed memory parallel processing capabilities for mechanical, electromagnetic, and multiphysics analysis. ANSYS CFD HPC offers similar capabilities for fluid flow analysis. Parallel processing and memory distribution enable a significant speed-up in the time it takes to run large scale multiphysics simulations.

Geometry Defeaturing and Editing

ANSYS DesignModeler provides geometry modeling functions unique for simulation. Features include CAD geometry defeaturing, fluid or electromagnetic enclosure creation, detailed geometric modeling and concept model creation tools.

Six-Sigma Analysis and Design Exploration

ANSYS DesignXplorer performs robust design analyses of any ANSYS Workbench platform simulation, including those with CAD parameters. The ANSYS DesignXplorer software allows users to study, quantify and graph various analysis responses. It incorporates both traditional and nontraditional optimization through a goal-driven optimization method.