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COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.5 Release Highlights

CAD Import Module Updates

For users of the CAD Import Module, COMSOL Multiphysics® version 5.5 brings associative geometry import; selections from materials, layers, and colors within the CAD file; and a new geometry operation to delete holes. Read more about these features below.

Associative Geometry Import

The CAD file import functionality now supports associative geometry import to retain physics and other settings on the geometry after the file is reimported due to an updated design. The import reads information in the CAD files to identify the geometric entities in the file. This information is usually available when importing CAD files saved in the native format of the software where it was created.

Reimporting a modified version of this fan geometry preserves the selection of the blade faces.

Selections from Materials, Layers, and Colors

The CAD file import functionality now generates selections based on the material and layer assignments of the geometric objects, when available in the CAD file. Selections are also generated for colors assigned to geometric entities. The selections are listed in the Settings window of the Import feature.

Use material selections generated during import to easily assign materials to the imported geometry. The selections are also kept when a modified version of the geometry is reimported.

Delete Holes Defeaturing Operation

A new defeaturing operation called Delete Holes finds and deletes cylindrical holes whose radii are smaller than a given number that you can specify. After specifying a maximum radius, a Find Holes button will automatically add the appropriate holes to the selection list.

A gray model geometry with holes identified in blue and the Delete Holes settings shown.
The new Delete Holes defeaturing operation is used to find cylindrical holes.

A gray model geometry without holes and the Delete Holes settings shown.
The geometry resulting from using the Delete Holes operation.

View screenshot

View screenshot

Support for New and Updated CAD File Format Versions

The CAD file export functionality now supports writing 3D geometry to the following file formats:

  • IGES (.igs, .iges): 5.3
  • STEP (.step): AP203

The CAD file import and export functionality has been extended to support new versions for the following file formats:

Read from File
  • ACIS® (.sat, .sab, .asat, .asab): 2019 1.0
  • NX™ (.prt): 1847
  • Parasolid® (.x_t, .xmt_txt, .x_b, .xmt_bin): V32.0
  • PTC Creo Parametric™ (.prt, .asm): 6.0
  • SOLIDWORKS® (.sldprt, .sldasm): 2019
Write to File
  • Parasolid® (.x_t, .xmt_txt, .x_b, .xmt_bin): V32.0


ACIS is a registered trademark of Spatial Corporation. Parasolid and NX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. PTC, Creo, and Creo Parametric are trademarks or registered trademarks of PTC Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and in other countries. SOLIDWORKS is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by these third parties.