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Pros
They have been a pioneering software in the multiphysics area and conduct very good training programs to get students and users off to a good start.
COMSOL application is an excellent FEM software solution. I would highly recommend it to students and any one who prefers an excellent FEM software.
Highly capable multiphysics software with great ease of use and customizable for a wide range of applications and real-world scenarios. Very easy and simple coupling between physics modules.
Additionally, they have the best and easily accessible support staff able to answer any relevant questions. GUI and post-processing visualizations are remarkable.
Cons
This can be frustrating for users who are looking to optimize their simulations. Another limitation I have encountered is that some modules have limitations that are not well described in the manual.
While the software does support parallel computing, it can be difficult to configure, and it can be hard to tell whether the software is actually running in parallel in a cluster setup.
Troubleshooting a numerical model in COMSOL is a painful process.
The simple interface might lead users to simplify their simulations setups and problems as well.
Most Recent Video User Review for COMSOL Multiphysics
SEE ALL VIDEO REVIEWSCould be better
Ramin A.
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Showing 25 of 34 reviews
"COMSOL Multiphysics: A Powerful Tool with Some Limitations"
Overall: Overall, I would highly recommend COMSOL Multiphysics to anyone in need of a powerful, yet user-friendly simulation software. Its well-described equations and easy-to-use models make it a valuable asset for any project.Despite these limitations, I still believe that COMSOL Multiphysics is a powerful and valuable tool for simulating complex systems. Its ease of use and versatility make it a valuable asset for engineers, researchers, and scientists working in a variety of fields. However, it's important to be aware of its limitations in order to make the most of the software's capabilities.
Pros: I have been using COMSOL Multiphysics for some time now, and I am very impressed with its capabilities. As someone who regularly deals with problems of solid acoustic interaction, I have found the Pressure Acoustics Module to be particularly useful.One of the things I appreciate most about COMSOL Multiphysics is how well the equations are described. The software is very user-friendly, and I have found that the models are easy to set up, even for someone who is relatively new to the program.The Pressure Acoustics Module is especially helpful for simulating acoustic pressure waves in fluids and solids. It allows for accurate modeling of complex systems, including the interaction between sound waves and materials.Another advantage of using COMSOL Multiphysics is its versatility. The software is capable of modeling a wide range of physical phenomena, including electromagnetics, structural mechanics, and fluid dynamics, among others. This makes it a valuable tool for engineers, researchers, and scientists working in a variety of fields.
Cons: While I have found COMSOL Multiphysics to be a valuable tool for simulating complex systems, there are some limitations and drawbacks to be aware of.One challenge I have encountered is setting up parallel computing. While the software does support parallel computing, it can be difficult to configure, and it can be hard to tell whether the software is actually running in parallel in a cluster setup. This can be frustrating for users who are looking to optimize their simulations.Another limitation I have encountered is that some modules have limitations that are not well described in the manual. For example, I have found it challenging to create an absorbing PML for a time-domain simulation. While it is possible to do so, the process can be complicated and may require additional research or support.Finally, I have also found that customer service can sometimes take longer to reply than I would like. While the support team is generally helpful and responsive, there have been instances where I have had to wait several days for a response to my inquiry.
"COMSOL review"
Overall: Strong support for custom physics and modules enables tailored simulations for specific optical phenomena.
Pros: I'm an optical engineer and it allows me integration of optical, mechanical, thermal, and other physical simulations, beneficial for complex multiphysics systems. COMSOL's user-friendly interface simplifies geometry creation and meshing, speeding up the design process.
Cons: Optical simulations may lack the specialized features of dedicated optical software like ZEMAX or CODE V.
"Could be better"
Pros: Diverse options for a chemical engineer to apply to different areas of his/her work.
Cons: Could be more user-friendly with broader database.
"Broad but not particularly sharp"
Pros: You can do a lot, covers many different analysis types. Great if you need multiphysics. Can tie to matlab
Cons: Not so great for specific analysis like structural analysis. No explicit modelling. Lacks some refinement in tools. I’d have to make a lot of custom shortcuts to bring it up to par with other analysis softwares
"Academic user "
Pros: wide range of application areas from physics to engineering User friendly
Cons: To achieve accurate simulations in COMSOL, it's crucial to find an optimal mesh for your specific model and geometry. Adjusting mesh parameters and refining is difficult
"The software clearly makes multiple coupled physics interactions easy to simulate"
Overall: Have solved engineering problems for clients who were looking to launch new products. Cut down development cycle times and cost of prototype building in multiple cases. Overally, the cost of entry is high, but once it is set up and in use the rewards justify the initial investment for engineering research firms.
Pros: They have been a pioneering software in the multiphysics area and conduct very good training programs to get students and users off to a good start. The interface is set up to be used in a methodical manner but can also be flexible. Options for both standalone as well as volume licensing are available so organizations can share licenses among multiple users. The benefits of using this for applicaiton development is very high in engineering and COMSOL's knowledgeable engineers are available for discussion and support.
Cons: Cost is on the high end. The set up and management needs some dedicated backend IT folks for volume licensing
"Excellent and useful software package for analysis and resolution by finite elements. "
Pros: Very versatile for the study of coupled or multiphysical phenomena, also offering a very good interface with Matlab, for example. Even more versatile is the fact that the simulation packages that make up the program are multiplatform, so they can run in Windows environments, such as Mac and Linux, for example, which for a teacher, as in my case, gives me wide freedom for its pedagogical use among students. Another intrinsic property of importance is the fact that the user can define at pleasure, practically the number of local coordinate systems that he wishes, being able to work simultaneously in 3D, 2D and 1D.
Cons: The amount of memory that is required to run a simulation is large and the execution time can be quite long for an individual simulation. However, if the Comsol Mutiphysics is used with a floating network license it is possible to use the client-server operation mode to access the remote calculation resources to solve large models, while continuing to use the graphics card in a machine local for the visualization of the graphics. This mode of operation can generate many advantages above all in terms of obtaining faster and more efficient results when working with models where intrinsically is being solved over and over again, a large system of equations.
"This is one of the best finite element modelling softwares that I have worked with. "
Overall: I learnt a lot in general about how finite element modelling works. I worked with a lot of different element types, mesh sizes to see how it affects my problem.
Pros: The best thing about this software is the freedom that it offers the user to select the physics of problem and the kind of dimensional space the user is working with. The user can make the geometry with ease and mesh it according to his or her needs. There are a lot of options available for post processing data which helps the user to see convergence of various mesh sizes and make sure that their model is an accurate representation of the true problem. The user can combine various solution sets and extract data for further processing.
Cons: There is not a good library for this software. One has to browse through forums online if they get stuck at some point with their problem.
"COMSOL Multi physics review from using for final year project "
Overall: COMSOL application is an excellent FEM software solution. I would highly recommend it to students and any one who prefers an excellent FEM software.
Pros: Compatibility of the software using live link to connect with MATLAB. Helpful in simulating ceramics ( I have personally used it for simulating piezoelectric) , acoustics, mechanical properties, fluid flow, thermal, electrical and chemical. Can use our own equation for simulation. Being web and cloud based is real advantage. Online tutorials are very helpful in learning to and familiarizing with the software. The step by step approach to simulate is a key advantage comparing it to other simulating software.
Cons: The interface of the software is complicated. When adding material few options that cannot be found online can be hard in assigning to a model. The amount of memory require to run a simulation is large. Modelling is complicated compare to SolidWorks. Due to meshing complexity geometric may not be trusted.
"User friendly analysis software"
Overall: Helpful simulations of systems
Pros: Multiple analysis types that are easy to setup; Thermal, Static, Dynamic, Flow, etc.. Android Application GUI.
Cons: If user supplies app to customer it will run as long as the study initially took. Can be challenging.
"COMSOL Overview"
Overall: COMSOL Multiphysics is a powerful and versatile software platform for modeling and simulating physics-based systems, with high customizability and user-friendliness. Its accuracy in producing reliable results, extensive support from an active user community, and extensive training materials and technical support make it a valuable tool for researchers and engineers in various fields. However, its high computational requirements and cost may limit accessibility for smaller organizations and individuals without institutional funding.
Pros: COMSOL is a powerful software platform that can model and simulate a wide range of physical systems. It's highly customizable, user-friendly, and produces highly accurate results. The software is supported by an active user community and provides extensive training materials and technical support.
Cons: Two important cons are the high computational requirements and cost, which may limit accessibility for smaller organizations and individuals.
"Comsol review"
Overall: It kis very usefull to simulate complex fluid behaviour and save you a lot of time instead of doing the math in paper.
Pros: In terms of simulation it helps a lot to obtain fluids data and how fluids behave in real situations.
Cons: Sometimes a small error can make the program to not work or give you erroneous data
"A great software for solving finite element analysis"
Overall: If anyone wants to get the best out of this software, it is highly recommended to go through intensive training provided by COMSOL, it is worth. This software is able to do real-world complex simulations, and in my experience, it can often become challenging to even deploy the full potential this software can provide because we are not even aware what can be done with this. It is better to run complex 3D simulations on a powerful workstation or cluster computer, as COMSOL is intensive memory consuming software.
Pros: I have been using this software for the past 10 years and have witnessed the growth of this software. COMSOL is one of the best software to date for Multiphysics applications. Some of the distinct advantages I have experienced are: 1. It is very easy to learn provided one must know the underlying theory behind the simulation, i.e. equations and empirical relations one has to consider for a specific problem. 2. Documentation is easily accessible, blog posts and COMSOL user community is very helpful and growing rapidly. Additionally, they have the best and easily accessible support staff able to answer any relevant questions. 3. GUI and post-processing visualizations are remarkable. 4. Highly capable multiphysics software with great ease of use and customizable for a wide range of applications and real-world scenarios. Very easy and simple coupling between physics modules. Simulations are easy to set up which involves multiphysics. 5. CAD modeling is unbeatable. Complex geometries can be solved with an ease that are extremely difficult with other software.
Cons: COMSOL has a lot of cons and listing all of them is impossible. But some of them which I frequently have to deal with are: 1. It is computationally intensive software, needs a lot of memory and processing power. 2. It is slow because many post-processing steps equations are solved simultaneously and when actual post-processing is done, it just extracts the results from the solver. This makes the solution extremely slow if complex geometries are involved. 3. Due to the finite element approach, the convergence of the solution can often become challenging. 4. Because of the meshing issues for complex geometries, the converged solution can be difficult to trust. Also, apart from the built-in functions for physics, it can be really hard to figure out how to numerically solve pure and applied math problems that don't fit neatly in their packages.
"COMSOL knows all about physics"
Overall: I simulated a thermal-fluid dynamics coupled problem system with complex and confined geometry. If I was using Code Aster, MATLAB, or open source programs, it would take me a decade coding and choosing the right meshing method. COMSOL, however, got it done in one afternoon. My supervisor was very happy seeing my quick results.
Pros: Since I work in mechanical engineering, I use mostly the finite elements and CFD calculation. COMSOL offers diverse meshing options and knows by heart all laws of classical physics. You almost feel like using a drop-and-drag application, even while simulating complex physics phenomena. And even if you have trouble designing the object, COMSOL customer service is always here to help.
Cons: The cost. Even though I know that it get my money's worth, I am not always using all the functions, therefore a partial subscription would have me save a ton.
"COMSOL Simulations"
Overall: It is expensive. It needs a powerful computer. But it is much better than ANSYS. It also suits more to small scale mechanics like MEMS, etc.
Pros: COMSOL has various modules like MEMS, mechanics, stresses, frequency, magnetism, etc. All of the modules can be seemlessly integrated with the main software. Developing main geometry and running the final study is quite smooth. Various parameters can be controlled within the study. The final results is provided with different color gradient which makes it much easier to visually explain the result to non-tech people. I also liked the variety of materials which COMSOL has got. It is also quite convenient to change different parameters of the materials.
Cons: What I liked least about the software is the computation power it needs. If I run solidmechanics and electromagnetism modules all together with finest meshing, it would take more than 2 hours for my computer to complete the simulation, considering that I have a high end desktop with 16GB RAM and i7 processor. Therefore, it is better to use it from a remote server which is alot more powerful than desktops.
"Powerful simulation software with a variety of physics domains available"
Pros: A powerful simulation tool that can be used to analyze a wide range of physical phenomena, including electrical, mechanical, fluid, and thermal behavior. Offers a range of features and tools to help users set up, solve, and analyze simulation models, including a graphical user interface, a scripting language, and integration with other software tools.
Cons: Can be complex and may require a steep learning curve for users who are new to simulation or unfamiliar with the software. Relatively expensive and may not be accessible to all users, particularly those who are working on a limited budget or who do not have access to institutional resources.
"Easy to learn and versatile product for fluid and thermal modeling"
Pros: It's extremely easy to learn to use. I first used it as a student in a fluid dynamics and heat transfer course, and as long as I understood the core equations behind what I was modeling, it was easy to get started up and running within a day. Additionally, the CAD functionality was very easy to use. The first shapes that I ever solved for were complex heat sink geometries. It's also customizable to a wide variety of scenarios and one of the few tools that can combine both structural and fluid flow/heat transfer simulations into a single simulation.
Cons: The amount of memory that it takes to run a simulation is large and the run time can be pretty long for an individual simulation. Additionally, solvers are not as robust as other tools which are often used for industrial CFD/FEA.
"Advanced FEM Giant that is hungry for computational resources "
Pros: COMSOL is very powerful finite-element modelling tool. It supports lots of design functionalities that gives the designer total freedom for simultaneous design of multiple physics.
Cons: The license is very expensive. It is very computationally expensive too, needs large memory to work efficiently. Results visualization is not easy, it takes time to learn how to plot them correctly, sometimes it is not possible to plot the results in a nice way except by exporting to another tool such as Matlab.
"Lets solve the engineering solutions using COMSOL"
Overall: Pleasant and satisfactory
Pros: The product lots of flexibility in terms of the physics of the problems which helps in producing high quality solutions and along with that it offers high quality understanding of the existing results due to the versatility it offers in reproducing the solution
Cons: Needs to improve the customer support and also need to diversify the videos it offers for learning procedure to the user
"COMSOL is a great FEA software for simulating Multiphysics CAE problems."
Overall: Learned about multiple physical mechanism acting on engineering products. Developed several mulphysics CAE model in less time duration. Simulated and validated innovative engineering products and published as technical papers.
Pros: The coupled phenomena of multiple physics for designing engineering products and the flexibility to edit governing equations is an innovative approach. Easy to use and design engineering products in virtual environment. Comsol Application builder is really a great platform to develop simulation app from comsol model.
Cons: A little challenging to understand coupling of multiple physics and mathematical modeling in a single environment.
"Analysis of chemical reactor"
Overall: Im very glad to use this program.
Pros: Reaction kinetics can modelled easily. Unit conversion helped me to model different complex units.
Cons: Tutorials can be more to understand different special issues.
"COMSOL Multiphysics is the tool of choice for my research needs"
Overall: COMSOL has been a daily workhorse for my Mass transfer modeling needs.
Pros: COMSOL has allowed me to model many mass transfer phenomena that are difficult to do by hand or with softwares such as Matlab or Mathcad. It has a nice step-by-step approach to begin my modeling, allowing me to pick different physics and variables with ease. The online help and tutorials are plentiful and useful.
Cons: Sometimes, even when attempting to save a report as a word or text document, COMSOL will save it as a different file type until the second try.
"The App that made me love simulation"
Overall: I did proved the accuracy of my data obtained experimentally. Also, example Comsol studies provided in their website with the formula is greatly helpful to start your own research.
Pros: It is really easy to learn and perform many physics with it. It teach me what simulation is and how amazing it can be. Easy to follow the steps, and see your mistakes and correct them.
Cons: You have to know each and every formula you need to use and enter them manually, which is sometimes hard to find all the detailed formula. It always requires a deep research before starting the simulation. Wish there was some ease in that. that's the only cons. I can give.
"Useful finite elements analysis"
Overall: It is easy to use and easy to learn thanks to their online tutorials available on Comsol official website.
Pros: I use Comsol for simulating my microchip modelling before I sent the sample plans to fabrication. It is physics engine has powerful features such as tensile strain calculations. Its excel integration is very well.
Cons: Matlab integration should be improved, i want to use all my tools together
"Smooth user experience with great GUI for App"
Overall: It was an overall great experience. I could deliver the end product as an app which will be convincing and beneficial to my clients.
Pros: The thing I like most is everything is pre-defined, right from heat transfer module to fluid modules. The user interface is also good and beginner-friendly. However, the thing I like most about COMSOL is the fact that you can convert the program into a great app that has wonderful GUI. The meshing is also done on its own.
Cons: Maybe the arrangement of the different icons could be better. Also the drawing tools are quite limited for 2D.