Simulation Software
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is an intuitive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solution that enables you to quickly and easily simulate liquid and gas flows through and around your designs to calculate product performance and capabilities.
With SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, designers can simulate liquid and gas flow in real-world conditions, run “what if” scenarios, and efficiently analyze the effects of fluid flow, heat transfer, and related forces on or through components.
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Explore fluid flow and thermal performance of products to accelerate innovation.
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A wide range of capabilities to easily predict steady-state and long transient flow and thermal behavior.
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Fully-integrated multidisciplinary environment to quickly and easily conduct CFD analyses.
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Collaborate with project stakeholders around fluid flow simulation results for informed decisions.
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Direct CAD connectivity, automated meshing, and setup wizard for high-efficiency workflows.
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HVAC and electronics cooling module add-ons for industry-specific tools and methodologies.
Which SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation package is right for you?
HVAC Analysis Module
Dedicated simulation tools for HVAC designers and engineers who need to simulate advanced radiation phenomena. Tackle the tough challenges of designing efficient cooling systems, lighting systems, or contaminant dispersion systems.
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is a general-purpose fluid flow and heat transfer simulation tool that uses the finite volume method (FVM). Capable of simulating both low-speed and supersonic flows, fans and rotating components, and component heating and cooling, it brings the benefits of fluid flow and heat transfer analysis into the hands of every designer.
$14,695.00
Buy NowElectronics Cooling Module
Dedicated simulation tools for thermal management studies for companies that require very accurate thermal analysis of their PCB and enclosure designs.
| SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Features | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
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| Ease of Use | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
SOLIDWORKS Simulation is fully embedded in SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD for ease of use and data integrity. Using the same user interface (UI) paradigms as SOLIDWORKS with toolbars, menus, and context-sensitive right-click menus, ensures rapid familiarization. Built-in tutorials and searchable online help aid learning and troubleshooting. |
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| Design Data Reuse | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Conduct an optimization study for more than one input variable using Design of Experiments and Optimization parametric study. Run a calculation of design points and find optimum solutions. |
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| Multi-Parameter Optimization | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Conduct an optimization study for more than one input variable using Design of Experiments and Optimization parametric study. Run a calculation of design points and find optimum solutions. |
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| SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Capabilities | Flow Simulation | ||
Compressible gas/liquid and incompressible fluid flows Subsonic, transonic, and supersonic gas flows Ability to take into account heat transfer by conduction in fluid, solid and porous media. Could be with or without conjugate heat transfer (Fluid-Solid) and with/without heat resistance (Solid-Solid). |
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| Material Database | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation: A customizable engineering database enables users to model and include specific solid, fluid, and fan behaviors. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation and HVAC Module: The HVAC engineering database extension adds specific HVAC components. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation and Electric Cooling Module: The Electronic Cooling extended engineering database includes specific electronic components and their thermal characteristics. |
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| Internal | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Calculate the impact of fluid flow through your product. |
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| External | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Calculate the impact of fluid flow around your product |
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| 2D - 3D | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
By default, all calculations are on a full 3D domain. Where applicable, simulations can also be carried out in a 2D plane to reduce run time without effecting accuracy. |
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| Heat Conduction in Solids | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
The calculation of temperature change in the product’s solid geometry is an option selection. Conjugate heat transfer through convection, conduction, and radiation can be created. Calculations can include thermal contact resistance. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation: Calculate pure heat conduction in solids to identify problems where no fluid exists for fast solutions. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation and HVAC Module: Include materials that are semitransparent to radiation, for accurate solutions where the product’s thermal load is influenced by transparent materials. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation and Electrical Cooling Module: Simulate specific electronics device effects Thermoelectric coolers Heat pipes Joule heating PCB lay-ups |
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| Gravity | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Include fluid buoyancy important for natural convection, free surface, and mixing problems. |
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| Rotation | Flow Simulation | ||
Ability to simulate moving/rotating surfaces or part to calculate the effect of rotating/moving devices. |
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| Free Surface | Flow Simulation | ||
Lets you simulate flows with a freely moving interface between two immiscible fluids, such as gas-liquid, liquid-liquid, gas-non-Newtonian liquid. |
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| Symmetric | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Simulation solution times can be reduced by taking advantage of symmetry. Cartesian symmetry can be applied to x, y, or z planes. Sector period icy allows users to calculate a sector of a cylindrical flow. |
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| Gases | Flow Simulation | ||
Calculation of both ideal and real flows for subsonic, transonic, and supersonic conditions. |
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| Liquids | Flow Simulation | ||
Liquid flows can be described as incompressible, compressible, or as non-Newtonian (as oil, blood, sauce, etc.). For water flows, the location of cavitation can also be determined. |
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| Steam | Flow Simulation | ||
For flows that include steam water vapor condensation and relative humidity is calculated. |
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| Boundary Layer Description | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Laminar, turbulent, and transitional boundary layers are calculated using a modified Law of the Wall approach. |
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| Mixing Flows | Flow Simulation | ||
Immiscible Mixtures: perform flow of any pair of fluids belonging to gases, liquids, or non-Newtonian liquids. |
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| Non Newtonian Fluids | Flow Simulation | ||
Determine the flow behavior of Non-Newtonian liquids, such as oil, blood, sauce, etc. |
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| Flow Conditions | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Problems can be defined by velocity, pressure, mass, or volume flow conditions. |
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| Thermal Conditions | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Thermal characteristics for fluids and solids can be set locally and global for accurate setup. |
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| Wall Conditions | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Local and global wall thermal and roughness conditions can be set for accurate setup. |
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| Porous Components | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Ability to treat some model components as porous media with the fluid flow through them, or simulating them as fluid cavities with a distributed resistance to fluid flow. |
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| Visualization | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Visualize the stress and displacement of your assembly with customizable 3D plots. Animate the response of your assembly under loads to visualize deformations, vibration modes, contact behavior, optimization alternatives, and flow trajectories. |
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| Results Customization | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
Provides the standard results components for a structural analysis, such as von Mises stresses, displacements, temperature, etc. The intuitive equation-driven result plot enables you to customize the post-processing of structural analysis results for better understanding and interpretation of product behavior. |
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| Communication & Reporting | Flow Simulation | HVAC Module | Electronics Cooling Module |
| Two-phase (Fluid + Particles) Flows | Flow Simulation | ||
| Noise Prediction (Steady State and Transient) | Flow Simulation | ||
| HVAC Conditions | HVAC Module | ||
Include materials semi-permeable to radiation for accurate thermal analysis. |
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| Tracer Study | HVAC Module | ||
HVAC applications vary widely. Considerations for meeting requirements for thermal performance and quality include airflow optimization, temperature, air quality, and containment control. |
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| Comfort Parameters | HVAC Module | ||
Understand and evaluate thermal comfort levels for multiple environments using thermal comfort factor analysis. |
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| Electronic Conditions | Electronics Cooling Module | ||
Heat Pipes Thermal Joints Two-resistor Components Printed Circuit Boards Thermoelectric Coolers |
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| View More | |||
SOLIDWORKS Simulation tools can provide the insight needed to create a truly optimized product at an affordable cost and great time savings.
Adding Advanced Plastics and CFD Virtual Testing Capabilities to Your Design Workflow
Download the eBook to learn how you can use virtual prototyping in SOLIDWORKS Plastics and SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to take a concurrent engineering approach to plastic part design and use CFD insights to make smart engineering decisions that optimize your products.
A Robust, Accurate CFD Solution for Designers
A Fully CAD-Integrated Tool
Flow Simulation is fully embedded within SOLIDWORKS so there’s no translation step necessary, and no accompanying loss of geometrical fidelity. Users don’t need to create complex fluid region definitions. Design and CFD models stay in sync, reducing re-synchronization effort and the potential for errors. And since it’s integrated with SOLIDWORKS, the learning cycle is shorter too.
Automatic Meshing
Flow Simulation includes Automated Boundary Meshing, which means no manual meshing time, and expertise in CFD is not required. Execution time is dramatically reduced without sacrificing accuracy.
Efficient CFD Solver
Built-in Solution Convergence reduces the number of re-runs needed due to lack of convergence, and eliminates CFD specialist tweaks (such as model modifications) that would’ve been needed to attain it. Short run times enable staging of multiple variant scenarios.
Automatic Turbulence Model
Flow Simulation’s exclusive Turbulence Model means that laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes are automatically determined with no need to specify flow characteristics. The ability to directly model flow regimes eliminates the need for a CFD specialist. The turbulence model also offers shorter setup times and increased model accuracy compared to traditional approaches.
Better Near-Wall Accuracy
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation’s Wall Function for Boundary Layers provides accurate simulations, including near-wall boundary condition effects. This function reduces the trial and error associated with near-wall setup when utilizing traditional CFD approaches.
Do You Have a SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Success Plan?
SOLIDWORKS Support
The ability to support our customers is the cornerstone of our business. With 90+ engineers on staff available 12 hours per day, 5 days per week, our award-winning technical team can assist you with your SOLIDWORKS challenges in a timely manner.
Call: 888-285-2284
Email: support@cati.com
Support Hours: 7AM – 7PM Central Time
Support Days: Monday – Friday
SOLIDWORKS Training
SOLIDWORKS provides powerful tools, but without the right know-how, the full potential of these tools cannot be attained. CATI provides our customers with comprehensive SOLIDWORKS training in both beginning and advanced topics.
Instruction by our certified trainers is available throughout the year at our nationwide campuses. We focus on small class sizes that afford you the individual attention you need to learn and thrive.
Learn more about:
SOLIDWORKS Subscription
The SOLIDWORKS Subscription Service Program gives you immediate access to a number of items that will improve your CAD experience, expertise, and return on investment:
- Live, local tech support with CATI
- Software upgrades and new releases
- Free access to SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard and SOLIDWORKS Visualize Standard (for SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium subscribers)
- Free CSWA and CSWP SOLIDWORKS Certification Exams
- Access to MySolidWorks eLearning
- SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal for info repository, enhancement requests, and beta access
Learn more in our SOLIDWORKS Subscription datasheet.
CATI Is Your SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Success Plan
As North America’s first SOLIDWORKS partner, no one is more qualified to build and support your product development process. We believe everyone should have access to our curated portfolio of transformative engineering and manufacturing technologies.
By listening to and working with you, we will find the right solution for you at the right time, with an implementation and growth plan to support your business ambitions.
Get Started with SOLIDWORKS from CATI.
We’re ready to help figure out the right product development solution plan for you. Contact us today to get started with a quote, a free trial, a demo, or just ask questions.
