Brescia (November 22, 2010) — comsol announces that the 4.1 version of multiphysics comsol, its leading modeling environment in the multiphysics simulation market, is now available. the first test licenses were handed over to the participants and journalists present at the sixth comsol conference held in Paris from 17 to 19 November. the main theme of the event was the increase in productivity of the multiphysical modeling and simulation process offered by version 4.1. This result was made possible by the courageous step forward made a year ago with the passage to version 4: a brand new architecture and the continuous addition of numerous tools have made the approach of modeling and simulation within the increasingly productive comsol environment.
“With version 4.1 our users increase the productivity of their simulations right away. We can mention, for example, the introduction of copy/path functionality that allows the duplication of knots that make up the modeling and simulation tree present within the model builder. with this new tool the tree can be expanded and customized in a moment. the user can focus on more important operations rather than repeat settings already made in another part of the tree. the workflow becomes so much more effective”, comments bjorn sjodin, vp of the product management.
intuitive management of model settings
the modeling tree present within the model builder has been made even more interactive in order to make the management of the modeling process more intuitive. among the new features deserve special attention the possibility to copy and paste the nodes present in the model builder – time saving is evident since repetitive sequences of commands already present in the tree do not need rewriting if necessary in other parts of the model. Users can duplicate, with a single click, the nodes that represent functions, selections of geometric entities, settings of the quantities to display and its display, images, studies with the relative settings of the solutors and type of analysis and data to export. the model builder and the settings window are also equipped with the very useful undo/redo functionality, a step further towards the increase of the usability of the software.
precise results with faster and faster simulations
In 4.1 many new features have been added with the aim of increasing productivity while providing precise results with ever faster simulations. the grid adjustment function (mesh) of calculation according to the physical interface used is one of these: the user is so freed of the grid creation activity that often takes a long time. This feature is currently available for the physical interfaces cfd (computational dynamic fluids) and plasma, comsol is therefore able to create the grid itself when the user uses one of these physics. for example if the chosen physical interface is fluid-dynamic (cfd), comsol creates a fine grid throughout the calculation domain while adding a limit layer grid (boundary layer) on the contours on which the fluid dynamic condition (cfd) of adherence (no-slip) has been defined. the grid thus obtained is optimized from the point of view of the calculation accuracy typically required to a fluid dynamic simulation.
the new type of calculation grid regulated by the physical interface introduced by comsol automatically chooses the density and type of elements according to the physics used in the model. a calculation grid generated and optimized independently by comsol for a fluid dynamic simulation (cfd). the grid consists of prismatic elements (gray), hexaedric (gray-blue) and pyramidal (red). the rest of the domain (not shown in figure) is composed of tetrahedral elements.
with multiphysics 4.1 consoles new simulation management tools have also been introduced. For example, the automatic storage and recovery function of simulation data allows the interruption and subsequent recovery of the solution calculated by the software. comsol saves simulation data throughout the solution process and in case the power is missing or any hardware malfunction occurs, simulation data obtained until then can be recovered to restart the simulation process from where it was interrupted. This feature is very important for those users who deal with large models for which several days of simulation are required. Obviously it is also possible to interrupt the process of solution according to the user’s decision, which can then restart it when he wants it.
comsol 4.1 maintains the philosophy of maximum transparency that always distinguishes it, users can in fact view at any time and directly in the graphic interface the equations that are solving. this functionality allows the exact verification of the chosen mathematical model. from the geometric point of view, instead, the necessary tools for extrusion have been added along a parametric path of a user-defined curve.
desktop console: radar equivalent area (radar cross section) displayed in polar coordinates.
new tools for more detailed analysis and interpretation of results
version 4.1 also introduces new tools for more detailed analysis and interpretation of results. Transitional simulations can now be analyzed by representing them in the frequency domain by fft (fast fourier transform), so it is possible to evaluate for example the spectrum. Moreover, it is possible to display in polar coordinates by specifying the angle and radius – this feature is particularly useful for displaying the pattern (polar diagram) of radiation of an antenna. Predefined operators have also been inserted for automatic calculation of the maximum, the minimum, the average and the value of the integral of quantities chosen by the user and defined, for example for a simulation in transitional regime, at a point.
“The management of simulation results made a big step forward with this new version 4.1. Transitional simulations will particularly benefit from the introduction of predefined operators of maximum, minimum, medium and fourier transformation in the frequency domain of the time series represented the solution. the increase in productivity of our users is assured”, concludes bjorn sjodin.
the novelties of multiphysics version 4.1 in synthesis
possibility to copy and paste the nodes present in the model builder. Users can duplicate the nodes that represent functions, selections of geometric entities, settings of the sizes to display and its display, images, studies with the relative settings of the solutors and type of analysis and data to export.
Undo/redo functionality available for the model builder and for the settings window.
Automatic storage and recovery of simulation data.
“With version 4.1 our users increase the productivity of their simulations right away. We can mention, for example, the introduction of copy/path functionality that allows the duplication of knots that make up the modeling and simulation tree present within the model builder. with this new tool the tree can be expanded and customized in a moment. the user can focus on more important operations rather than repeat settings already made in another part of the tree. the workflow becomes so much more effective”, comments bjorn sjodin, vp of the product management.
intuitive management of model settings
the modeling tree present within the model builder has been made even more interactive in order to make the management of the modeling process more intuitive. among the new features deserve special attention the possibility to copy and paste the nodes present in the model builder – time saving is evident since repetitive sequences of commands already present in the tree do not need rewriting if necessary in other parts of the model. Users can duplicate, with a single click, the nodes that represent functions, selections of geometric entities, settings of the quantities to display and its display, images, studies with the relative settings of the solutors and type of analysis and data to export. the model builder and the settings window are also equipped with the very useful undo/redo functionality, a step further towards the increase of the usability of the software.
precise results with faster and faster simulations
In 4.1 many new features have been added with the aim of increasing productivity while providing precise results with ever faster simulations. the grid adjustment function (mesh) of calculation according to the physical interface used is one of these: the user is so freed of the grid creation activity that often takes a long time. This feature is currently available for the physical interfaces cfd (computational dynamic fluids) and plasma, comsol is therefore able to create the grid itself when the user uses one of these physics. for example if the chosen physical interface is fluid-dynamic (cfd), comsol creates a fine grid throughout the calculation domain while adding a limit layer grid (boundary layer) on the contours on which the fluid dynamic condition (cfd) of adherence (no-slip) has been defined. the grid thus obtained is optimized from the point of view of the calculation accuracy typically required to a fluid dynamic simulation.
the new type of calculation grid regulated by the physical interface introduced by comsol automatically chooses the density and type of elements according to the physics used in the model. a calculation grid generated and optimized independently by comsol for a fluid dynamic simulation (cfd). the grid consists of prismatic elements (gray), hexaedric (gray-blue) and pyramidal (red). the rest of the domain (not shown in figure) is composed of tetrahedral elements.
with multiphysics 4.1 consoles new simulation management tools have also been introduced. For example, the automatic storage and recovery function of simulation data allows the interruption and subsequent recovery of the solution calculated by the software. comsol saves simulation data throughout the solution process and in case the power is missing or any hardware malfunction occurs, simulation data obtained until then can be recovered to restart the simulation process from where it was interrupted. This feature is very important for those users who deal with large models for which several days of simulation are required. Obviously it is also possible to interrupt the process of solution according to the user’s decision, which can then restart it when he wants it.
comsol 4.1 maintains the philosophy of maximum transparency that always distinguishes it, users can in fact view at any time and directly in the graphic interface the equations that are solving. this functionality allows the exact verification of the chosen mathematical model. from the geometric point of view, instead, the necessary tools for extrusion have been added along a parametric path of a user-defined curve.
desktop console: radar equivalent area (radar cross section) displayed in polar coordinates.
new tools for more detailed analysis and interpretation of results
version 4.1 also introduces new tools for more detailed analysis and interpretation of results. Transitional simulations can now be analyzed by representing them in the frequency domain by fft (fast fourier transform), so it is possible to evaluate for example the spectrum. Moreover, it is possible to display in polar coordinates by specifying the angle and radius – this feature is particularly useful for displaying the pattern (polar diagram) of radiation of an antenna. Predefined operators have also been inserted for automatic calculation of the maximum, the minimum, the average and the value of the integral of quantities chosen by the user and defined, for example for a simulation in transitional regime, at a point.
“The management of simulation results made a big step forward with this new version 4.1. Transitional simulations will particularly benefit from the introduction of predefined operators of maximum, minimum, medium and fourier transformation in the frequency domain of the time series represented the solution. the increase in productivity of our users is assured”, concludes bjorn sjodin.
the novelties of multiphysics version 4.1 in synthesis
possibility to copy and paste the nodes present in the model builder. Users can duplicate the nodes that represent functions, selections of geometric entities, settings of the sizes to display and its display, images, studies with the relative settings of the solutors and type of analysis and data to export.
Undo/redo functionality available for the model builder and for the settings window.
Automatic storage and recovery of simulation data.