Thermal Load Driven Structural Simulation Workflow for SolidWorks Assignments

Assignments like these require you to work across two different physics domains:

• Heat Transfer (Thermal Analysis)

You simulate the temperature distribution inside a component caused by conduction, convection, or applied heat loads.

• Structural Mechanics (Static Analysis)

You then take that temperature distribution and apply it as a load to predict deformation and stresses.

This workflow requires not only correct model setup but also:

• The right material properties (mechanical + thermal),
• Proper boundary conditions,
• Logical study linking,
• Understanding thermal expansion and stress development.

Fortunately, once you understand the process, these assignments become systematic and predictable.

Step-by-Step Workflow for Solving Thermal-to-Structural SolidWorks Assignments

The attached assignment () showcases a classic multiphysics workflow. Below is the universal version of that workflow—one you can apply to nearly any similar task your course might give you.

Step 1: Preparing Your Model the Right Way

Before running any simulation, ensure your 3D CAD model is:

1. Fully created
2. Clean (no gaps, overlaps, or unintended interference)
3. Assigned the correct materials

From page 2 of the attached document, you can see detailed emphasis on mechanical and thermal properties ().

Materials must include:

Mechanical Properties

• Young’s Modulus
• Yield Strength
• Poisson’s Ratio

Thermal Properties

• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
• Thermal Conductivity
• Specific Heat

A SolidWorks material without thermal properties will trigger errors later when running a thermal study. Students often forget this detail—resulting in hours wasted debugging.

Pro tip: When using custom materials, open the Material Editor (shown on page 2 of the PDF) and verify both sets of properties.

Step 2: Setting Up the Thermal Study

As seen on pages 2–3 of the uploaded assignment (), you must begin with a Thermal Study.

What you typically define here:

• Heat loads (e.g., heat generation, temperature, convection, radiation)
• Environmental or boundary temperatures
• Contact thermal resistances
• Mesh quality (important for capturing thermal gradients)

SolidWorks will compute the temperature distribution, resulting in a plot similar to Fig. 2 shown in the PDF ().

Common student mistakes in this step:

• Assigning incorrect temperature units
• Forgetting convection coefficients
• Over-simplifying boundary conditions
• Using too coarse a mesh

Practical Tip:

Always refine mesh in regions where high temperature gradients appear—corners, thin walls, sharp edges, or contact surfaces.

Step 3: Creating the Static Study and Linking Thermal Results

This is where many students get stuck.

The attached document (pages 3–5) explains the procedure visually (), and we generalize it here.

Your goal:

Use the temperature distribution from the thermal study as the loading condition in your static study.

How to do it:

1. Create a Static Study.
2. Right-click the Static Study Tree and choose Properties (as shown in Fig. 3).
3. Under Flow/Thermal Effects, select:

“Temperatures from thermal study”.

Choose which thermal study to link (Thermal Study 1, or transient time step—shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 4a in the PDF).

Once applied, the temperatures automatically appear under External Loads → Thermal in your Static Study tree (similar to Fig. 5 on page 5).

What happens under the hood?

SolidWorks converts temperature differences into:

• Thermal strain
• Thermal stress
• Resulting deformation

Student Tip:

If the static study fails to read thermal loads:

• Ensure the thermal study has been run to completion
• Ensure correct material thermal expansion properties
• Confirm that both studies use identical geometry configurations

How to Think Like an Engineer When Doing These Assignments

Rather than just pressing buttons, instructors expect students to interpret results, justify boundary conditions, and understand real-world implications.

Here’s how to approach your assignment like an engineering professional.

Understand the Physical Problem First

Ask yourself:

• Where is the heat coming from?
• How does that temperature affect mechanical stability?
• Would thermal expansion cause distortion or stress concentrations?

This kind of reasoning is demonstrated in the assignment context where heat changes deformation patterns ().

Validate Your Thermal Results Before Proceeding

A bad thermal study → a bad static study.

Check:

1. Temperature distribution matches expected physics
2. Hot and cold regions make sense
3. No unrealistic spikes or discontinuities

Mesh Smartly

Thermal simulations often require:

• Solid mesh elements
• Higher mesh density at heat sources, interfaces, or rapid gradients

Static simulations require good mesh around:

• Fixed supports
• Stress concentration zones
• Thin structures

Proper meshing ensures the transferred temperature data behaves correctly.

Interpret Structural Results Carefully

Once the static study is solved, SolidWorks provides:

• Displacement plots
• Stress contours
• Factor of safety
• Strain distribution

Compare these against expected mechanical behavior:

• Does material expansion match temperature rise?
• Are stress concentrations forming in logical places?
• Are constraints causing excessive restraint?

The sample results shown in Fig. 6 (page 6 of the PDF) show typical thermal-induced deformation patterns ().

Practical Tips, Troubleshooting & Best Practices for Students

Here are expert-level guidelines our SolidWorks assignment specialists follow to solve this category of assignments efficiently.

• Tip 1: Always Assign Full Material Data

Never proceed with missing mechanical or thermal properties.

• Tip 2: Use Consistent Units

Mismatch between °C, K, or °F can ruin your simulation.

• Tip 3: Start With a Coarse Mesh, Then Refine

A quick initial solve helps you understand the temperature distribution before running your final fine-mesh solve.

• Tip 4: Avoid Over-Constraining the Static Study

Thermal expansion needs freedom to occur. Overconstraining the model artificially inflates stress.

• Tip 5: Use Split Bodies for Better Thermal Control

When heat loads apply to specific surfaces or zones, splitting geometry improves simulation accuracy.

• Tip 6: For Transient Thermal Studies, Choose the Correct Time Step

Assignments often require selecting specific time increments (as shown on page 5 of the PDF) when importing temperatures ().

• Tip 7: Compare Results With Hand Calculations

Even a rough thermal expansion calculation helps validate results:

ΔL = α × L × ΔT

If SolidWorks shows drastic deformation that doesn’t match this estimate, something is wrong.

Why These Assignments Matter

Thermal-to-structural analysis is used in:

• Electronics cooling
• Aerospace components
• Automotive exhaust systems
• Industrial machinery
• Heat exchangers

Learning this workflow prepares students for real engineering roles where multiphysics problems are common.

Conclusion

Assignments involving transferring thermal loads into static structural analysis in SolidWorks Simulation may feel complicated, but they follow a consistent, logical workflow. By understanding the steps—material setup, thermal study, linking results, structural analysis—you can confidently solve any similar task.

The attached document () illustrates this workflow clearly with figures showing materials, thermal results, study linking, and final deformation. This blog transforms that assignment style into a universal guide you can use repeatedly.

If you need expert assistance with SolidWorks Simulation assignments—thermal, structural, or multiphysics—our team provides accurate, affordable, and deadline-friendly help.