5 Common Mistakes in SOLIDWORKS Simulation and How to Avoid Them

Hanen Bdioui

24 September 2025 6 mins to read

SOLIDWORKS Simulation is a powerful tool for engineers looking to validate their designs and predict real-world behavior. However, like any sophisticated software, it can lead to inaccurate results if not used correctly. This blog post will highlight five common mistakes users make in SOLIDWORKS Simulation and provide practical advice on how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Insufficiently Defined Fixtures and Loads

One of the most critical aspects of any simulation is accurately representing the real-world boundary conditions. Many users make the mistake of oversimplifying or neglecting to fully define their fixtures and loads, leading to unrealistic stress distributions and displacements.

How to Avoid It:

Understand Your Application: Before even opening SOLIDWORKS Simulation, have a clear understanding of how your part will be constrained and loaded in its actual environment.
Use Realistic Constraints: Don’t just apply “Fixed Geometry” everywhere. Consider using “Roller/Slider” for faces that can move tangentially but not normally, or “Elastic Support” for more complex foundational interactions.
Apply Loads Accurately: Distribute forces and pressures as they would occur in reality. If a load is applied through a bolt, consider using “Bolt Connectors” or applying the load to the bearing faces of the bolt holes. For complex loading scenarios, consider using “Remote Loads/Mass” for accurate representation.
Review with Free Body Diagrams: Sketch out a free body diagram of your component. This simple exercise can help you visualize all forces and constraints, ensuring nothing is missed in your simulation setup.

Mistake 2: Inappropriate Material Properties

SOLIDWORKS Simulation relies heavily on the material properties assigned to your parts. Using incorrect or default material properties is a common mistake that can completely invalidate your results. For example, using a standard steel alloy when your part is made of a specialized polymer will yield drastically different and incorrect outcomes.

How to Avoid It:

Verify Material Data: Always confirm that the material properties (Young’s Modulus, Poisson’s Ratio, Yield Strength, etc.) you’re using accurately reflect the actual material of your component.
Custom Materials: If your material isn’t in the default SOLIDWORKS library, create a custom material and input the correct properties from datasheets or material testing.
Temperature Effects: Remember that material properties can change significantly with temperature. If your application involves varying temperatures, consider using temperature-dependent material properties, if available, or performing multiple studies at different temperature extremes.
Non-Linear Materials: For materials like rubbers or plastics under large deformations, linear elastic models may not be sufficient. Explore non-linear material models for more accurate representation.

Mistake 3: Poor Mesh Quality and Density

The mesh is the foundation of any Finite Element Analysis (FEA). A poor-quality mesh can lead to inaccurate stress concentrations, numerical instabilities, and unnecessarily long solve times. Too coarse a mesh will miss critical stress gradients, while an overly fine mesh will consume excessive computational resources without adding significant accuracy.

How to Avoid It:

Start with a Global Mesh: Begin with a coarser global mesh to get an initial understanding of stress distribution.
Refine Critical Areas: Once you identify areas of high stress concentration (e.g., fillets, holes, sharp corners), use “Mesh Control” to refine the mesh in these specific regions. This allows for a more accurate stress calculation where it matters most, without over-meshing the entire model.
Check Mesh Quality: Use the “Mesh Quality Plot” to identify elements with poor aspect ratios or jacobian values. Re-meshing or adjusting mesh parameters may be necessary for these areas.
H-Adaptivity and P-Adaptivity: Utilize SOLIDWORKS Simulation’s adaptive meshing features. H-adaptivity automatically refines the mesh in high-gradient areas, while P-adaptivity increases the polynomial order of the elements, both leading to more accurate results with less manual effort.

Mistake 4: Overlooking Contact Conditions

In assemblies, how parts interact with each other is crucial. Failing to define appropriate contact conditions (or relying solely on the default “Bonded” contact) is a common oversight that can lead to physically impossible results, such as parts passing through each other or incorrect load transfer.

How to Avoid It:

Understand Part Interaction: Determine how your components will physically touch and interact.
No Penetration Contact: For most realistic interactions where parts simply touch and push against each other without bonding, use “No Penetration” contact. This prevents interpenetration and accurately simulates compressive forces.
Friction: If friction plays a significant role, define a coefficient of friction for your contact sets. This is vital for applications involving sliding or gripping.
Bonded vs. Free: Understand when to use “Bonded” (parts permanently attached, acting as one) versus “Free” (no contact defined, parts can pass through each other). The default “Bonded” global contact can be dangerous if not intended.
Component Contact Sets: Use specific “Component Contact” sets for critical interfaces rather than relying on global contact definitions, especially in complex assemblies.

Mistake 5: Misinterpreting Results

Generating beautiful stress plots is only half the battle; understanding what those plots actually mean is equally important. A common mistake is simply looking at the maximum stress value without considering where it occurs, the type of stress, or the limitations of the simulation.

How to Avoid It:

Understand Stress Types: Differentiate between Von Mises stress (used for yielding in ductile materials), Principal Stresses (useful for brittle materials and understanding tension/compression), and Shear Stress.
Location Matters: Don’t just focus on the maximum stress value; understand where it’s occurring. Is it at a known stress concentration point (e.g., a sharp corner) that might be mitigated by a fillet in real life, or is it in a critical load-bearing area?
Deformation Scale: Be wary of exaggerated deformation plots. While visually helpful, they can make small, acceptable deformations look catastrophic. Always check the actual displacement values.
Factor of Safety: Don’t just look at stress; calculate and understand your factor of safety. This gives a clearer picture of how close your design is to failure.
Validation and Hand Calculations: Whenever possible, validate your simulation results with hand calculations, empirical data, or physical testing, especially for critical design aspects. This helps build confidence in your simulation approach.
Convergence: For complex studies, ensure your results have converged (e.g., stress values stabilize as the mesh is refined).

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Hanen Bdioui

Sales Development Representative at ChampionXperience

Hanen Bdioui, founder of ChampionXperience, is a Sales Development Representative skilled in SimLab Soft, SOLIDWORKS, 3DEXPERIENCE, and 3DEXCITE. She helps companies and learners explore VR, AR, and PLM solutions to drive innovation.