LiveLink™ for AutoCAD® Updates

For users of LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®, COMSOL Multiphysics® software version 5.3a brings an updated tutorial model and extends support to new versions of certain CAD file formats. Read more about the LiveLink™ for AutoCAD® updates below.

Updated Tutorial Model: Electrical Heating in a Busbar

This tutorial demonstrates how to synchronize a 3D surface geometric object from the AutoCAD® software into the COMSOL Multiphysics® software, where solid objects are generated for the simulation. Selections are automatically generated in the COMSOL Multiphysics® model based on the materials assigned to layers in the AutoCAD® file, which are then used for material settings in the simulation. A parametric sweep is run over two-dimensional parameters in the AutoCAD® file to study the influence of the geometry on the physics phenomena, visualized in a Table Surface plot in the results.

A screenshot of the updated Electrical Heating in a Busbar model using LiveLink™ for AutoCAD®. A surface .dwg file is synchronized over to the COMSOL Multiphysics® software, where it is converted to a solid geometry. Titanium and copper boundary selections are automatically imported over from the AutoCAD® software, making the modeling process easier.
A surface .dwg file is synchronized over to the COMSOL Multiphysics® software, where it is converted to a solid geometry. Titanium and copper boundary selections are automatically imported over from the AutoCAD® software, making the modeling process easier.

Updated Support for New CAD File Format Versions

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

Read from File

  • Parasolid®: (.x_t, .xmt_txt, .x_b, .xmt_bin) up to V30.0
  • ACIS®: (.sat, .sab, .asat, .asab) up to R25, 2018 1.0
  • AutoCAD® (.dwg, .dxf) up to 2017
  • CATIA® V5 up to 2017
  • PTC Creo Parametric™ up to 4.0

Write to File

  • Parasolid®: (.x_t, x_b) V30.0

You can view a complete list of supported CAD file formats in the CAD Specification Chart under the "Read from File, CAD" and "Write to File" sections.


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. ACIS is a registered trademark of Spatial Corporation. CATIA is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. Parasolid is a trademark or registered trademark 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. COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by these trademark owners.