We talked about the update to Comsol’s multiphysics software last week, let’s beak out in a little more detail more the uses for Comsol’s multiphysics modeling and analysis, which now includes a feature that allows users to share the apps they’ve designed in a single, executable file for unlimited use and distribution. That means others can easily view the application, no Comsol license required.
This new feature, called compiler and included in Comsol Multiphysics Version 5.4, adds to the software’s application builder, released in 2014.
With application builder, analysts can create multiphysics apps that can be used by anyone, including support staff, designers, and customers. They can make design iterations and generate reports. They don’t get access to the complete model to use the app and cannot make model changes. Rather, they use the app to solve for their own model parameters on an existing model.
What that means is, engineers and scientists can easily share a pertinent part of their multiphysics simulations with anyone who needs that information, said Svante Littmarck, Comsol’s chief executive officer, speaking of the compiler feature.
Users can access these apps via the Comsol server, which stores the apps and makes them accessible on laptop, desktop, smartphones. The server can also store apps in the cloud.
Littmarck spoke at the Comsol Conference 2018 held last week in Boston.
He wryly admitted Compiler took 20 years to come to fruition—about as long as Comsol the company has been around! Users have been asking for the capability to simply email a link to their multiphysics simulations to nonComsol users. The company had expected to include compiler’s capability’s into its software, but found it necessary to first release applications builder and Comsol server.
The company also spent time making its graphical user interface easier to use, and on adding many new already developed apps to the application library.
The application builder tool cuts costs for Comsol users because a license for the former is much less expensive than a Comsol license. The specially built applications save time for the simulation and analysis team, as they no longer need to stop their work to run models for customers and other departments, Littmarck said.
It’s easy to see why application builder came first. The other applications—Comsol server and compiler bring new capabilities to the builder. Not only can users build multiphysics simulations and then deploy them via a web interface, they can now send a link to that simulation, making it easy to share with anyone involved in the project who needs to see it.
