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COMSOL Multiphysics® 6.3 Release Highlights

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LiveLink™ for AutoCAD® Updates

For users of LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®, COMSOL Multiphysics® version 6.3 introduces several enhancements for more efficient geometry handling. These updates include support for the latest CAD file formats, the ability to preview assembly trees for selective component import, and automatic geometry cleanup for mesh preparation. Additionally, the Detect Interferences tool has been upgraded to offer improved gap detection with customizable gap tolerance. Read more about these updates below.

Updated CAD File Import

The CAD file import functionality now supports the latest versions of all compatible file formats. Additionally, AutoCAD® files can now be imported on supported Linux® operating systems with Intel® 64-bit processors. For a complete list of supported CAD file formats, visit the Read from File, CAD section of the CAD specification chart.

Preview the Assembly Tree of CAD Assemblies

When importing CAD assemblies in the AutoCAD® file format, it is now possible to preview the assembly tree, enabling users to select specific components to import from the assembly.

View screenshot

Updates to the Detect Interferences Tool

The Detect Interferences tool now enables specification of a separate gap tolerance, improving the detection of gaps while simultaneously searching for other types of interferences. Additionally, new options have been added to select which types of detected interferences to display in the Interfering Faces list. These options include Show intersections, Show touches, Show gaps, and Show containments.

The COMSOL Multiphysics UI showing the Model Builder, the Tools window for Detect Interferences, and a circuit breaker assembly in the Graphics window.
The Tools window for Detect Interferences with the new visualization options for choosing the types of interferences to display in the list.

Automatic Geometry Cleanup

Small details and gaps in geometry can now be automatically detected and removed, simplifying the geometry for meshing purposes and reducing simulation size. The automatic process identifies small features like sliver faces, short edges, narrow gaps, and thin domains, which are then removed to prepare the model for analysis. For more control, the optional Cleanup Wizard makes it possible to adjust detail sizes and select cleanup operations.

The Geometry Cleanup functionality can automatically modify Boolean tolerances, add a Remove Details operation, and leverage functionality in the CAD Import Module or Design Module, depending on the detected features and available licenses. The Geometry Cleanup functionality is demonstrated in the Electrical Heating in a Busbar Assembly, Geometry Cleanup on a Wheel Rim Geometry, and Importing and Meshing a PCB Geometry from an ODB++ Archive tutorial models. Note that the more advanced features of the Geometry Cleanup functionality require a license for the CAD Import Module, Design Module, or one of the LiveLink™ products for CAD. For more details, see the CAD Specification Chart.

A gap and thin domain are automatically detected in and removed from this circuit breaker model using a Geometry Cleanup functionality. Since a Design Module license is available in this example, Boolean operations from the module are used for cleanup. The same geometry is also featured in the video below.
A gap and thin domain are automatically detected in and removed from this circuit breaker model using the Geometry Cleanup functionality. The same geometry is used in the video above. Here, there is no license for the Design Module, so the details are cleaned up using the Remove Details and Merge Faces features.
This example demonstrates how to adjust the detail size in the Cleanup Wizard to detect and remove more small features. By increasing the Detail Size setting, additional sliver faces and short edges are identified for removal. This provides more control over which details are removed during geometry cleanup.

Virtual Operations

The virtual operations toolkit now includes the Merge Faces operation, which merges faces and eliminates gaps or regions between selected surfaces. When using the CAD Import Module, Design Module, or one of the LiveLink™ products for CAD, the operation can also merge faces of different sizes and shapes by automatically creating the necessary imprints. The Merge Faces operation is also integrated into the new Geometry Cleanup process.

A close-up view of the Merge Faces settings window and a 3D geometry in the Graphics window.

A close-up view of the Graphics window showing a 3D geometry after the Merge Faces operation was used.

Merging the selected faces (left, blue) of opposing sides of a gap to collapse the region between them (right).

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries. Support for implementation of the ODB++ format was provided by Mentor Graphics Corporation pursuant to the ODB++ Solutions Development Partnership General Terms and Conditions (https://odbplusplus.com/design/terms-of-use/).